Status Updates From The Disappearances of Draco...

He would be able to care openly about Hermione, be friends with her openly, make her smile whenever he wanted, even have his thoughts of kissing her... he could want her, and it could be simple. Allowed. She looked so lovely to him just then, her hair falling in a thousand directions, scarf tossed carelessly over her shoulder, salt and oil upon her lips.
He wanted the world that had her in it.
🖇️

But then he supposed he knew the same things of her. He knew her loyalty and her impatience and that exasperating righteousness. Her venomous streak and her occasional soft uncertainty. Her fondly irritated sighs. The fears she kept at bay. The crinkled shape between her eyebrows when she laughed.
He knew how her fingertip felt at the corner of his
lips. Somehow this seemed to change the rest.
🤍

and this bossy, overbearing girl seemed nothing more than a cover, for a moment, for the girl who asked him questions that probed all the way into what he was, and never used the answers to injure him

get some rest, she said
but she looked at him a moment longer, because she wanted to remember the sight
😭😭😭

sometimes she thought his voice sounded different when he spoke to her - less drawling, maybe, or more confidential. like he wanted her to laugh at his jokes. 😔😔😔

Clear your mind, said Bellatrix's voice, training him in Occlumency. Clear everything away. Close yourself to the world, to guilt, to doubt, to shame. He succeeded, except for one thing, which lingered no matter what he tried. Granger's face as she lowered the diadem onto her head, crowning herself, terrified and defiant.

This is so close to canon!! It so easily could’ve went this route. I will always love the OG best, but this is shaping up nicely with the slowest of burn, we’ve only gotten a blush so far