Work Text:
Kenna Narcissa Malfoy always hated being a Malfoy. She didn’t hate the name, or the wealth, or the history, it was all that came with it. The expectations, the pressure, and the coldness were the reason why she hated being part of the family. Growing up as Draco’s twin had been challenging enough. Two minutes older, but still overshadowed by his arrogance, his sharp words, and sometimes his undeniable place in the Malfoy legacy.
Kenna’s problem was that she wasn’t like The Malfoys. She wasn’t like her father, or her mother, or Draco. When the Sorting Hat placed her in Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin, Lucius had looked at her like she had betrayed the family. His disappointment was something Kenna could still feel like a weight on her chest. He never said it outright, but she knew.
It didn’t help that her brother Draco seemed to handle everything with ease, following in their father’s footsteps like it was second nature. But in reality, the Dark Mark had shaken him. Draco just didn’t know how to deal with it, how to talk about it. Kenna had always been the tougher one between them. Draco saw Kenna as the only person he could really trust. The only one he ever wanted to reach out to, maybe even hug when things got too heavy.
And then, there was Hermione Granger.
Hermione had been a presence in Kenna's life. From the day in their fourth year, Kenna had been struck by Hermione’s intelligence, her fierce loyalty, and most of all, her undeniable beauty. But Kenna was an introvert and she had no idea how to act on what she felt. Especially when Hermione didn’t seem to look at her the same way.
It was late one afternoon and the sun was beginning to set when Kenna decided to take a walk by the Black Lake. She needed some peace and quiet, anything to clear her mind. It wasn’t unusual for her to wander the grounds on her own, but today, she wasn’t alone. Hermione Granger sat by the edge of the lake, her arms wrapped around her knees, with a book next to her.
Typical Granger.
Kenna hesitated for a moment, then walked slowly toward her. Hermione looked up when she heard the footsteps, her face lighting up with a soft smile when she recognized Kenna.
“Oh, hey,” Hermione greeted, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. “What are you doing out here?”
Kenna blinked, taken off guard by Hermione’s openness. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but it definitely wasn’t this. “Just... needed to get away from everything,” Kenna answered. She sat down beside Hermione, keeping a safe distance, but close enough that she could feel the warmth of Hermione’s presence.
The brightest witch nodded, glancing at the water, then sighed. “Yeah, I get that. It’s been... well, a lot lately. Sometimes I just need to forget about it for a while, you know?”
Of course, Kenna nodded too, the words feeling all too familiar. She knew exactly what Hermione meant. The war was on everyone’s mind, even if they tried to pretend it wasn’t.
Hermione tilted her head slightly, looking at Kenna with curiosity. “You okay? You’re kind of… quiet lately during the classes.”
Kenna had to fight the urge to pull back. She wasn’t used to people noticing her like this, especially not someone like Hermione, who had so many bigger things to think about. “I’m fine,” she said quickly, her face flushing slightly. “Just… thinking about stuff. You know how it is.”
“Hey, Kenna, If you ever need someone to talk to, you know you can come to me, right?”
The Malfoy gulped before nodded again. There was a silence for a moment, then Kenna found herself blurting it out. “You’re beautiful, Hermione.”
It wasn’t what she meant to say. It wasn’t what she was thinking. But it slipped out. Hermione blinked as she surprised.
“What?”
“Sorry, Hermione, I didn’t—”
“No, no, it’s alright, Kenna. I just... didn’t expect that.”
Kenna felt herself flush even harder, mortified. Why had she said that? She couldn’t meet Hermione’s eyes, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest. She wanted to run away, but she couldn’t move. Not yet.
Hermione shifted slightly, her expression softening. “Well… thank you. You’re not so bad yourself, you know.”
Kenna managed to laugh, though it sounded nervous. “Haha… Right. I’m sure.”
“Really, I mean it,” Hermione tried to reassuring her. “You’re a good person, Kenna.”
She looked over at Hermione, startled by the sincerity in the witch’s voice. Hermione raised her eyebrows, then smiling once again. “Well, maybe you should give yourself more credit.”
Kenna didn’t know what to say after that, so she stood up abruptly, feeling an uncomfortable heat in her cheeks. “I should go,” she muttered, backing away. “I’ll see you around.”
Before Hermione could respond, Kenna turned and hurried off toward Ravenclaw Tower. She really didn’t know what was happening, but she could feel it. It’s the spark that had been ignited between them. She didn’t know if Hermione had felt it too, but Kenna couldn’t stop thinking about her.
The next day, Kenna found herself in the library, her usual refuge when her thoughts became too much to handle. She was lost in a book about the history of magic, but she couldn’t shake the image of Hermione’s smile from her mind.
That’s when it happened.
The blonde girl had been walking between the shelves when she crashed into them. Her book flew out of her hands, landing with a loud thud on the floor, and she stumbled, her body colliding with the other person’s.
It was Hermione.
She froze. Her face was inches from Hermione’s, and for a moment, she couldn’t breathe. She felt the heat in her cheeks, the awkwardness flooding her body, but Hermione didn’t seem freaked out. Instead, she chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to knock you over,” Hermione said, her voice teasing. “But it looks like you almost kissed me.”
In less than a second, Kenna’s face went redder than she thought possible. “What? No! I… uh—I wasn’t!”
Enjoying her discomfort, Hermione raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because it sure seemed like you were about to.”
“No, Hermione. I swear I didn’t mean to...”
“Relax, Kenna, I’m just teasing. But, you know, it wouldn’t have been the worst thing if you had.”
For a moment, Kenna didn’t know what to do with that. She fumbled for words, but Hermione was already walking away, her voice calling back over her shoulder.
“See you later, Kenna,” Hermione said, leaving Kenna standing there in the middle of the library, a mess of emotions swirling inside her.
As days passed, Kenna found herself growing more and more frustrated. She had thought that maybe, just maybe, Hermione had felt something too, but the closer they got to the end of the semester, the more distant Hermione seemed. And Kenna watched, helpless, as Hermione grew closer to Ron Weasley. The trio was inseparable. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and Kenna knew, without a doubt, that Hermione was in love with Ron.
She knew the girl loved him, but seeing them together, watching them laugh, hold hands, share those quiet moments, it was a sharp, cruel reminder of what she could never have. It broke Kenna’s heart into pieces.
Kenna sat alone in her room at Malfoy Manor, staring at the blank wall in front of her. She had never even had the courage to tell Hermione how she felt, and now, it didn’t matter. It was too late for her. Or maybe, she never had a chance since the beginning.
Draco stood in the doorway, his eyes softening when he saw his twin. Without saying a word, he walked over and sat beside her. He didn’t need to ask why she was upset, he could see it written all over her face. Noticing his presence, Kenna didn’t say anything. She just let the tears fall. Draco didn’t speak, he didn’t have to. He just sat there with her, making sure she knew she wasn’t alone. And when Kenna finally stopped crying, he hugged her tightly.
Hermione had Ron, and Kenna had nothing but a broken heart.