Once again, Draco Malfoy was in Hogsmeade. He needed to do some Christmas shopping, namely to get his parents a gift. Something nearly impossible seeing as what do you get the two people who could quite literally have anything they wanted in life?

Draco settled on a rare teacup for his mother and a new walking stick topper for his father.

He got his friends various expensive gifts as well seeing as it did not so much as put a dent in his family's wealth. He also got Professor Snape a gift to stay in good graces with him, not that Malfoy had much to worry about.

Snape and his father were old friends.

His transcript for the semester consisted of perfect O's for every course. It was to be expected, of course. Draco Malfoy despite his slightly narrow-minded way of thinking was rather intelligent. School had always come easy to him.

He almost received an E in Divination, but a bit of threatening Trelawney and complaining to Snape fixed that grade right up. It was not like he did not deserve an O like everyone else in the class anyway. Everyone knew that Divination was basically just listening to a lecture and occasionally trying to guess predictions.

The only people who could truly ace such a course by schoolwork alone were seers.

And there was only one seer in all of Hogwarts at the moment, a girl who no one knew was a seer except for her close friend and Draco. But Draco did not even know her name nor who she was — only that there was a seer in the school.

He tried paying extra close attention in the last few days of Divination, perhaps something would give something away about who the seer was and therefore who his secret admirer was.

Alas, he noticed nothing.

Draco would be making sure to pay close attention all of next semester though. After all, how could he possibly not notice a seer when he'd be looking for them for an entire semester? Especially in Divination at that.

Despite everything — Draco had been extra analytical of his surroundings the past few days and extra nosy. It mattered not though, there was no giveaway as to who could possibly be his secret admirer.

Not with the information he currently had, at least.

Seeing as he was finally finished with Christmas shopping and had ditched Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and Greengrass; Draco stood at a familiar back counter in a familiar little quill shop.

His eyes lit up as Scrivenshaft handed him the newest letter — the boy was slightly surprised that there was already one waiting for him. But according to Scrivenshaft, the letter had just been left the day before.

As he unfolded the parchment, he hoped there was something inside that gave away the identity. He was also excited to see her reaction to him writing back to her — this was the first time that she was hearing from him, after all.

He immediately smiled upon reading the letter, snickering at the opening line.

The first sentence was quite literally an exuberant, 'I can't believe you actually responded!'

She then proceeded to cutely ramble for a few sentences. He raised a brow when she wrote about Scrivenshaft being brilliant but then immediately backed it with, 'Oh, look, I've taken to saying the word brilliant like you lot now.'

What did that mean? Draco filed it away to think upon more intently later.

He preened under the praise she gave him: calling him THE Draco Malfoy.

He grinned as she agreed to his proposition believing it to be a fun game. She then confirmed they were in the same grade level — designating that as her official hint for this letter.

But then she said the thought of being a Hufflepuff made her want to jump off a cliff, Draco laughed out loud at that. He did not notice the eyebrow raise that Scirvenshaft threw him.

He then laughed a bit harder when she wrote a few lines freaking out and telling him to ignore that claiming she might still be a Hufflepuff. But Draco was not an idiot and she had outed herself — his secret admirer was definitely either a Slytherin or Ravenclaw.

That had him relaxing. If not Slytherin then Ravenclaw was admittedly the better house to both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. In Draco's totally unbiased opinion, of course.

Draco's brows shot into his hairline when she told him she got nothing below an E on any of her final exams but sometimes she trolls exams and assignments on purpose just to keep it interesting.

What bloody hell? And yet, Draco found more amusement in that fact than he probably should.

Because who actually woke up one morning and was like, "Yeah, I think I'll troll Potions for the hell of it today!"

Apparently his funny little secret admirer.

He frowned when she said she would still not be revealing herself at the Yule Ball despite the promise of a kiss.

'Why make it easy when I can make you work to find me?'

Draco scowled at that line. Mostly because he knew it was true, he was too curious to not try and find her at this point. Maybe he could have ignored the first letter but he was in too deep to back out now.

It annoyed him even further because Draco Malfoy was not one to chase—he had never been one to chase.

But here he was, on some quirky little treasure hunt chasing after a mystery girl.

Once upon a time, Draco would have scoffed and called that pathetic. Not so much anymore though.

She said she was not ugly which made Draco laugh to himself again. She also asked if he was excited for Christmas.

He supposed he was as excited as possible seeing as he would be stuck at Hogwarts for the duration of it. It'd certainly prove to be nothing interesting considering most years his family would spend a week of his Christmas break on a holiday somewhere warm.

Last year his family went to a wizarding spa in Maldives where they spent the days being waited on hand and foot in the warmth.

He read through how his secret admirer was actually excited to not go home as her mother was apparently overbearing. Draco thought his mother could be overbearing at times but it was never to the point that it made him want to go home any less.

BUT THEN, hilariously enough, his secret admirer spilled something else.

She confirmed she was a pureblood with a capital P. Of course, she tried to backtrack but seeing as she said she could be a 'mudblood' that all but confirmed she came from a pureblooded family.

She rambled a bit more — apparently, him calling her 'love' made her blush.

Then she asked him to let her know how Pansy takes the news of him rejecting her. Along with that, she wondered if she was in a better position than Pansy which she definitely was.

She wants to know what day his birthday is. She pegged him as a Leo or Aries, both of which were incorrect. Draco was born on the 5 of June 1980 — he was a Gemini. Something that many found surprising seeing as Draco certainly displayed traits of a Leo more than anything.

Astrology was a big thing in the magical world.

He let out a sigh as he got to the last line, wishing there was more for him to read. She wished him a Merry Christmas and signed it with much love.

Folding the letter and delicately placing it in his pocket with the intention of saving it for a very long time — Draco looked to Scrivenshaft and held out a hand.

"Parchment and quill, please..." He said.

Scrivenshaft rolled his eyes but got the items the young Mr. Malfoy asked for.

Draco wasted no time in writing back.

Love,

I'm glad to know that my calling you love almost makes you faint. I'll make sure to do it more, love. What did you mean by 'you lot'? Are you not in Slytherin then? Because that would only leave Ravenclaw which really does make you my little bird in that case.

I do agree with you on Hufflepuff, I'd pitch myself off the Astronomy tower if I was sorted into Hufflepuff. Not only does that house have the worst colors but they are all idiots.

So let's count the things I know about you so far: you are a pureblood, you are in either Slytherin or Ravenclaw, and you are in my grade level. Oh yeah, and you are not ugly — according to what you said last time. AND, you said you troll exams and assignments for fun at times?

What the bloody hell is that about? I can't imagine it's much fun to get an exam back with a capital T written in red at the top. Especially from Snape at that.

Anyway: to answer your earlier questions. My birthday is June 5th, I'm a Gemini. How about you?

Also, I suppose Christmas is a nice break from school, but I'd much rather be home. Typically my parents take me on holiday for one week of break. Last year I went to the Maldives and spent most of winter break in a warm hammock drinking fruity things and reading under the sun.

The year before that we spent a week in Paris which was nice at the time but now the thought of France makes me think of Élise which leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Seeing as I am "the gentleman" I can't hex her, perhaps once we meet you can use your "evilness" that you refer of to hex her for me.

When is your birthday and sign? And your mother is so overbearing that you would rather spend Christmas at Hogwarts? That sounds terrible.

Also — to answer you about Pansy — yes, you are most definitely in a better place of my affections than she.

Even though I suspect you will not do it, my offer still stands. A proper meeting with you at the Yule Ball and a kiss in return. I'll even sweeten the offer and add a dance in there. Well, how about a few dances?

I like to think I have a shimmy or two in there.

And one last offer that you can't turn down, how about I get you a real Christmas gift? I don't consider my responding to your letters like a proper lad to be much of a Christmas gift like you so pitifully believe.

So, love, if you reveal yourself at the Yule Ball then on our date at Hogsmeade I'll let you pick out whatever you want from any of the shops. It'll no doubt be the best gift you've ever gotten seeing as you'd be the one picking it out!

Seeing as my parchment is also getting near the end, I have one question. What is your favorite class? There I made my next hint an easy question, although knowing you you'll no doubt give away about five more facts that'll help me find you.

Anyway: Merry Christmas, little bird.

Till Next Time,
An Intrigued Slytherin
D.M.