Magnetized Draco Malfoy

Chapter 21: Moonlight healing

It had been four days since the tragic accident involving Katie Bell, yet the whispers still echoed through the stone corridors of Hogwarts. The castle walls seemed to absorb the tension, holding it in their ancient stones. Among the students, Hailey felt it most acutely. Her heart weighed heavy, not only because of Katie's misfortune but also because today marked the anniversary of her mother's passing.

The Great Hall was filled with activity during breakfast, but Hailey sat in silence at the Slytherin table. Erica, attempted to engage her in conversation, but Hailey's mind was elsewhere. She couldn't bear the trivialities of small talk on a day like this. Her mother's memory deserved more than idle chatter.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Hailey found herself in the common room. The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows on the walls. She stared into the flames, lost in her thoughts. That's when the owl arrived, bearing a letter from her father. His words cut through her like a blade:

Dear Hailey,
I know today might be hard, but make sure you learn very well today in school, and do right by her honor. Don't disappoint her. Prove that this wasn't all for nothing.
- From Dad

Anger surged within her. Her father's cold formality grated against her grief. He hadn't even mentioned her mother's name. Did he truly expect her to excel in her studies as some kind of tribute? Hailey clenched her fists. He was a Muggle, ignorant of the magic that flowed through her veins. How could he understand the depth of her loss?

"Who in the hell does that?" she muttered. Her rage mingled with sorrow, creating a tempest within her. She couldn't stay in the common room any longer. The Astronomy Tower sounded like the best place she could grapple with her emotions right now.

So there she went.

The tower was empty when she arrived. The night sky stretched out before her, stars winking like distant memories. But tonight, instead of having someone walking in on her, she walked in on someone else. Draco sat there, his silhouette framed by the moonlight. He hadn't noticed her entrance, lost in his own thoughts.

Hailey hesitated, then stepped closer. Draco's head rested in his hands, shoulders slumped. His silence mirrored her own. As she got closer, she realizes something was wrong.

"Draco," she whispered, her voice barely audible. He stirred, glancing over his shoulder. Recognition flickered in his gaze.

"Hailey? What are you doing here?" His tone was guarded, as if unsure whether to acknowledge her presence.

"I could ask you the same thing." She settled beside him, the cold stone biting through her robes.

Draco leaned closer to Hailey, his breath mingling with the cool night air. his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. "Now tell me, why are you here? Are you okay?"

"Actually, not really," Hailey confessed, trying not to get emotional in front of him. "I just received a nasty letter from my father. He wants me to learn in my mother's honor, but it feels like an empty gesture. That's not how I want to remember her."

Draco's expression shifted, almost embarrassed. "I didn't know," he murmured. Hailey raised an eyebrow. "You didn't know my mother was dead?" she said, amusement tugging at her lips.

"Well, that's awkward," Hailey quipped, trying to lighten the conversation, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Only if you make it awkward," Draco retorted, grinning.

Hailey laughed. "You know I find it surprising, that out of all the people in my life, you are the only one who can make me smile at my lowest." Hailey said with passion.

Their eyes met, and for a heartbeat, they shared a silent understanding. Hailey wondered what secrets lay behind those silver eyes...
"But let's stop talking about me," she said, breaking the silence. "After all, you were up here first. So why are you here, Draco?"

He hesitated, then spoke. "It's just been a very stressful week. I came up here to clear my mind, that's all." he said casually. But Hailey sensed there was more to it. She knew he was lying immediately, based off the hidden hint of pain in his expression.

"Are you sure that's the real reason?" she prodded. "You know you can talk to me, Draco."

He glanced at her, vulnerability flickering in his gaze. "Yeah... well, I do now."

Hailey studied him, trying to get something out of his facial expressions, that would explain why he was upset when she came up there, but she got nothing. All she could do was admire the contours of his face.

He looked up at the sky, as if seeking answers among the stars. Then his eyes darted downward, landing on her collarbone. "You still wear it?" he asked.

"What?" Hailey said in confusion. "The necklace you still wear it." Draco said again, pointing towards her chest.

Hailey touched the delicate necklace nestled there. "Oh, yeah. Of course, I do." Hailey said, trying to hide herself from blushing.

But Draco just looked at her for a minute. Just to capture this memory.
In her mind, he was staring, but in his mind, he was gazing at the stars when he looked at her.

"What?" she nudged his shoulder playfully. "Nothing," he replied, giving her a genuine smile.

And so, they sat side by side, their silhouettes etched against the moonlit sky. The Astronomy Tower held their secrets—the pain, the laughter, and the quiet companionship. The stars watched, silent witnesses to two souls seeking solace in each other's presence.

That night, as Hailey settled into her bed, an unfamiliar calm washed over her. It was a peculiar sensation—one she hadn't experienced on this day in years. But that boy does something to her. something she can't explain.

Now she spent her nights wondering if he is laying in his own bed, missing her as much as she was missing him.

but Little did she know...
he is thinking about her too.