She's right in front of him.
Draco finds it impossible to avert his eyes, captivated by the radiance of her smile and the enchanting sound of her laughter. It stands out starkly against the world he is accustomed to, yet he can't resist the emotion...
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8th Year
As Draco sat with his friends, Blaise, Pansy, Lorenzo, Theodore, and Mattheo, the mood in the Hogwarts dining hall was charged. Students from other houses exchanged glares, as whispers filled the air.
Blaise lifted an eyebrow and looked around. "Feels like we're the stars of a hate-filled play today."
Pansy let out a sigh. "It's the same old story. Can't they just move on?"
A Ravenclaw student passing by grumbled, "Should've known better than to trust Slytherins. Death Eater spawn, the lot of you."
Lorenzo sighed and rolled his eyes. "Really, again? We weren't even born when that happened."
A Hufflepuff at a nearby table scoffed audibly. "Just because you weren't born then doesn't mean your families aren't guilty."
Draco exchanged knowing glances with his pals. "We've been over this a million times; it's not our fault," Theodore added.
Mattheo, who is generally quiet, stood up, saying, "People need someone to blame, and they conveniently choose us."
The insults kept flowing, becoming more audible. "Death Eater sympathizers, enjoying Hogwarts like nothing happened!" exclaimed a Gryffindor.
Draco clinched his fist but maintained his cool. She responded, "We didn't choose our families. Stop acting like we're the villains."
As the murmurs continued, Blaise leaned forward and said, "This is getting tiresome."
Draco tried to divert his focus away from the constant stream of insults. His gaze drifted, and he unexpectedly met eyes with Y/N across the hall. Y/N met his gaze and offered a tiny grin in an attempt to cheer him up.
Draco's exhaustion, on the other hand, was palpable, and instead of reciprocating, he sighed, breaking their eye contact. The weight of the judgments and hatred hurled at him appeared to crush his spirit, making even Y/N's kindness difficult to pierce the cloud of negativity.
Draco's buddies couldn't help but notice the change in his demeanor as he and Y/N enjoyed a moment at the table. Blaise, Pansy, Lorenzo, Theodore, and Mattheo exchanged confused glances before Blaise amusedly nudged Draco.
"Well, well, Draco, fancy seeing you lost in someone's eyes. What's going on?" Blaise teases him first.
Pansy, with a smirk, "Oh, don't tell me our dear Draco is smitten. Is this a love story in the making?"
"Merlin's beard, can't I just look somewhere without it becoming a drama?" says Draco.
With a smirk on his face: "We know that look, Draco. You're not fooling anyone. Spill the beans. Who's the lucky girl?"
