Heartbreakingly Beautiful - Draco Malfoy x Reader

10

As Y/N boarded the Hogwarts Express with her cousin for the return journey, the excitement of the new term mingled with the wistful feelings of leaving the comforts of home and family. They settled into a compartment, her thoughts drifting to the magical Christmas she had spent at the Grants Manor. The memory of Draco's gift, the emerald green satin hair bow, prompted her to wear it today, a small token that felt like carrying a piece of him with her.

The train had just started to chug along the frosty landscape when the compartment door slid open. It was Draco. His eyes immediately fell on the bow atop Y/N's head, his usual stoic expression softening into a smile that rarely made its appearance.

"Y/N, I need to go find Ron" Harry excused himself, giving them the privacy they needed.

"You wore it," As soon as Harry disappeared, Draco remarked, stepping inside and sliding the door shut behind him. His tone carried a mixture of surprise and something akin to delight.

Y/N touched the bow self-consciously, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I did. I- It's beautiful, Draco. Thank you. It meant a lot, especially over the holidays."

Draco moved to sit opposite her, his gaze lingering on her face with an unusual intensity. "I'm glad you liked it," he replied. "I wanted to give you something that reminded you of home... of us. How were your holidays?"

"They were good, really good," Y/N responded, her eyes lighting up as she recounted brief details of the family gatherings and the new bonds she'd formed with her relatives, including Harry. "It was full of family, laughter... and some healing, too."

Draco listened, his expression unreadable as she mentioned Harry, but he quickly masked any flicker of discomfort. "I spent most of my time with my mother, catching up and... well, missing you," he confessed, his usual bravado tempered by a rare vulnerability.

Y/N reached across, her fingers brushing against his. "I missed you too, Draco. More than I thought I would," she admitted, squeezing his hand gently.

Draco sighed, his eyes darkening with the weight of his thoughts. "It's good to hear you had a nice holiday. Mine was... complicated," he began, hesitating before continuing. "My parents are at each other's throats all the time. We sit together at the Christmas feast, pretending to be the perfect family, and then the next day, they go back to fighting."

Y/N's heart ached at the sadness in his voice. "I'm so sorry, Draco. That sounds awful. It must be so hard to deal with that all the time."

"It is," Draco admitted, his voice low. "I feel like I'm caught in the middle, trying to keep up appearances and keep the peace. Sometimes, it feels like I'm the only one trying."

Y/N's grip on his hand tightened. "You don't have to do it alone, you know. I'm here for you, Draco.."

Draco looked at her, his eyes softening. "Thank you, Y/N. It means a lot to me. More than you know."

Their conversation meandered from their holiday experiences to the upcoming term at Hogwarts, each finding comfort in the familiarity and ease of the other's company. As the landscape outside whisked by, transformed into a blur of white and gray, the distance that had grown between them over the holidays seemed to melt away, reaffirmed by the simple, yet poignant exchange of a thoughtful Christmas gift and the shared anticipation of another term together.

As their conversation flowed, Y/N felt a tinge of guilt about the earlier incident that had occurred before the holidays.

"Draco," she began, her voice slightly hesitant, "about that day... before we left for the break. I'm sorry if it seemed like I was taking sides or if I made you feel betrayed. That wasn't my intention. You mean a lot to me, and I never want to make you feel that way."