silent affections || draco malfoy

Chapter 6: Memories

Draco sat alone in the Room of Requirement, staring blankly at the Vanishing Cabinet. His thoughts were far from the task at hand, consumed by memories he had tried to bury. The silence of the room seemed to amplify the echoes of the past, drawing him back to a moment he could never forget.

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It was their third year at Hogwarts, and the chill of late autumn had settled over the castle. Draco was wandering the corridors alone, having slipped away from his Slytherin friends. He preferred these solitary walks, away from the constant need to maintain his façade of superiority.

As he rounded a corner near the library, he heard a faint, muffled sob. Curious and slightly concerned, he followed the sound and found Veronica Adams, a third-year Gryffindor, slumped against the wall, her face buried in her hands.

"Veronica?" he called out softly, hesitant.

She looked up, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Draco felt a pang of sympathy, an emotion he rarely allowed himself to feel. Without thinking, he approached her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his usual arrogance replaced by genuine concern.

Veronica shook her head, her voice trembling. "No, I... I just feel so alone. I miss my family."

Draco knelt beside her, awkwardly placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. Everyone gets homesick sometimes."

Veronica sniffled and looked at him, surprised by his kindness. "Why are you being nice to me, Draco? You're always so... mean."

Draco's cheeks flushed slightly. "I don't know. Maybe I just don't want to see you cry."

She managed a small smile through her tears. "Thank you."

"Come on," Draco said, standing up and offering her his hand. "Let's get you to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey will know what to do."

Veronica hesitated but then took his hand, allowing him to help her up. As they walked through the dimly lit corridors, Draco couldn't help but feel a strange sense of protectiveness over her.

When they arrived at the hospital wing, the sight that greeted them was less than welcoming. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were already there, chatting with Madam Pomfrey about an upcoming Quidditch match.

As soon as they saw Draco, their expressions turned hostile.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron spat, stepping forward.

Draco straightened, his usual mask of arrogance slipping back into place. "None of your business, Weasley."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Veronica, are you okay? What happened?"

Veronica, still clutching Draco's hand, tried to explain. "I... I wasn't feeling well, and Draco helped me get here."

Hermione looked skeptical. "Since when does Malfoy help Gryffindors?"

Draco felt his temper rising but bit back a retort. "Believe what you want, Granger. I don't care. Veronica needed help, and I helped her. End of story."

Ron stepped closer, his fists clenched. "Just stay away from her, Malfoy. We don't need your kind of help."

Draco felt a surge of anger but forced himself to stay calm. He turned to Veronica, his expression softening. "You'll be okay now. Madam Pomfrey will take care of you."

Before Veronica could respond, Harry and Ron pushed past Draco, effectively cutting him off from her. Hermione watched with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

Draco's eyes met Veronica's one last time. "Take care, Veronica," he said quietly before turning and walking away, with his heart heavy.

The present day's Potions class was a stark contrast to the memory that lingered in Draco's mind. Professor Slughorn's voice droned on as he explained the intricacies of today's assignment. Veronica was seated at a table with Harry and Ron, while Draco was paired with Pansy Parkinson.

Draco couldn't help but steal glances at Veronica. The memory of their third year seemed to clash violently with his current reality. He was supposed to be focusing on the potion in front of him, but his thoughts kept drifting.

"Malfoy, are you even paying attention?" Pansy snapped, glaring at him.

"Yes, Pansy, just shut up and let me think," Draco retorted, more harshly than intended.

Veronica caught the exchange and rolled her eyes. "Trouble in paradise, Malfoy?"

"Mind your own business, Adams," Draco shot back, his voice laced with irritation.

Harry and Ron immediately stiffened, ready to defend Veronica. "Leave her alone, Malfoy," Harry warned.

Veronica, however, wasn't in the mood to be defended. She stood up, glaring at Draco. "You know what, Malfoy? You're such a coward. You push people away because you're scared of letting anyone in."

Draco's temper flared. "You don't know anything about me, Veronica!"

"Oh, I think I do," she said, stepping closer. "I think you're just scared to admit that you actually care about someone other than yourself."

The classroom had gone silent, everyone watching the confrontation unfold. Professor Slughorn cleared his throat, trying to regain control. "Now, now, let's settle down. Back to your potions, everyone."

But Draco and Veronica were beyond listening. "You think you know me so well, Adams? You're just a naive little Gryffindor who thinks everything is black and white."

Veronica's eyes flashed with anger. "At least I know who I am, Draco. At least I'm not hiding behind some stupid facade."

Draco stepped forward, his face inches from hers. "You don't know anything about what I'm hiding."

"Enough!" Slughorn's voice boomed, cutting through the tension. "Both of you, my office, now."

Veronica and Draco glared at each other one last time before reluctantly following Slughorn out of the classroom. As they walked, Draco's mind raced, the argument replaying in his head. Why did she always have to get under his skin?

Slughorn's office was cluttered with various potion ingredients and knick-knacks, the cozy atmosphere doing little to calm Draco's anger. Slughorn shut the door behind them and turned to face the two students.

"I don't know what's going on between you two," he began, his tone stern, "but I won't have my classroom turned into a battleground. You will both serve detention for the next two weeks."

Draco opened his mouth to protest, but Slughorn held up a hand. "No arguments. You will report to me every evening after dinner. Maybe working together will help you sort out whatever this is."

Veronica sighed, her anger giving way to resignation. "Yes, Professor."

Draco muttered his agreement, feeling a mixture of frustration and something else he couldn't quite identify. As they left the office, he glanced at Veronica, his mind still reeling from their argument.

Outside, Veronica turned to him, her expression a mix of anger and confusion. "Why do you have to be like this, Draco?"

He wanted to lash out, to push her away again, but the memory of that third year tugged at his heart. "Maybe because it's the only way I know how to protect myself."

Veronica looked at him for a long moment, her eyes softening. "You don't have to protect yourself from me."

Draco didn't respond, unable to find the words. As they walked back to the common areas in silence, he couldn't help but wonder if things could ever be different between them.