brewing hatred (d.m)

Laughter and Loyalty

The Slytherin common room was unusually lively that evening. A warm fire crackled in the grand fireplace, casting a golden glow on the dark green leather couches where Ariana, Draco, Pansy, Theo, Daphne, and Blaise were lounging together. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the tension that usually hovered between Ariana and Draco seemed to have taken the night off—for now.

"Okay, Theo, let's be honest," Pansy said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "When are you going to admit that your 'charms skills' only work on girls?"

Theo grinned, stretching lazily on the couch. "It's not my fault I'm this charming. I can't help that half the girls in the castle find me irresistible."

"Oh please," Daphne teased, rolling her eyes. "It's more like a quarter, and that's on a good day."

The group erupted into laughter, even Draco smirked from where he sat, though his eyes remained locked on the fire. Ariana, seated between Daphne and Pansy, joined in, feeling lighter than she had in days. It was nice, moments like this—moments where they were just a group of friends, joking around, without all the Slytherin politics and pure-blood expectations hanging over their heads.

"I'm just saying," Theo continued, unbothered by their teasing, "the results speak for themselves."

"Speaking of charm," Pansy leaned forward, her smirk widening as she glanced at Draco, "when's the next Malfoy charm offensive? Or are you too busy being brooding and mysterious these days?"

Draco shot her an unimpressed look. "I don't need charm. It just comes naturally."

Blaise, who had been quiet so far, chuckled softly. "Brooding suits you, Draco. Makes everyone wonder what's going on in that 'genius' mind of yours."

Draco rolled his eyes, but Ariana couldn't help but notice a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It was rare to see him so at ease. Not that she would ever admit it out loud, but there was something about Draco's smile—his real smile, not the smug smirk he wore so often—that made her stomach flip in the most infuriating way.

Pansy leaned back against the couch, stretching. "Well, if anyone's going to give Theo a run for his money in the charm department, it's Blaise. Always so protective of his loved ones."

Blaise shrugged, an amused look on his face. "Only when I have to be."

"Which is all the time," Daphne added with a grin. "Especially when we're out of the castle."

Ariana was about to agree when the mention of leaving the castle made her think of the trip to Hogsmeade the previous weekend. Her mind flickered back to the brief, irritating moment with Andrew from Ravenclaw. He'd tried to chat her up again, right after he'd started spreading rumors about them. Before she could brush him off, Draco had stepped in, and things had almost gotten ugly.

The memory of how fiercely Draco had defended her came back to her now, making her glance at him out of the corner of her eye. He sat quietly, watching the fire, his usual sneer absent.

That moment of calm didn't last long, though.

The door to the common room creaked open, and a few students returned from a late-night stroll in the dungeons. Among them was Andrew, who gave a fleeting glance toward their group before quickly moving on, though not without throwing a nervous glance in Draco's direction.

Ariana tensed slightly, but Draco's expression hardened immediately. His sharp gray eyes tracked Andrew until he was out of sight. She didn't miss the way his fists clenched, his jaw tightening.

Theo, noticing the change in the air, raised an eyebrow. "What's with the death glare, mate?"

Draco didn't answer right away, but Ariana could feel the heat rising between them. She knew exactly why Draco was bristling. He hadn't forgotten what Andrew had done, nor how close he had come to getting hexed right there in Hogsmeade. Ariana hadn't given it much thought since then, but clearly, Draco hadn't let it go.

The silence between them was thick, but before anyone else could comment, Draco stood up abruptly.

"I'm going for a walk," he muttered, his voice taut with frustration.

Without waiting for anyone's response, he swept out of the common room, leaving an awkward silence in his wake. The group exchanged glances, clearly confused by Draco's sudden departure.

"I'll go," Ariana said quietly, standing up before she could second-guess herself.

Theo raised an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea?"

"Someone should," she muttered. "Before he does something stupid."

Before anyone could stop her, Ariana was out of the common room and into the cold, dimly lit hallway. Draco wasn't far ahead—she caught sight of him rounding a corner and hurried to catch up.

"Draco!" she called after him.

He slowed but didn't stop until she caught up, walking in step beside him. His expression was tense, jaw still clenched, eyes stormy with whatever emotions were simmering beneath the surface.

"What was that about?" she asked, slightly out of breath.

Draco didn't answer for a long moment. He just kept walking, his footsteps echoing through the empty hall.

"It's that idiot, isn't it?" Ariana continued, not letting him off the hook. "Andrew. You're still angry about him."

Draco stopped abruptly, turning to face her. His gray eyes were cold, but there was something else there too—something she hadn't seen before. It was more than just irritation. It was something deeper, something almost possessive.

"He was spreading lies about you, Ariana," Draco said, his voice low and intense. "About the two of you. He deserved more than just a warning."

Ariana blinked, her heart pounding for reasons she didn't want to acknowledge. "I told you, I can handle myself. You don't need to go around picking fights on my behalf."

Draco's eyes narrowed. "You think this is just about some stupid fight?"

Ariana crossed her arms, refusing to back down. "Then what is it about, Draco? You can't stand the idea of someone else getting the attention?"

He stepped closer, his gaze piercing into hers. "This isn't about attention, Ariana. I can't stand the idea of someone like him using you. Spreading lies. You deserve better than that."

Ariana's breath caught in her throat. The intensity of his words hung between them, thick and heavy with meaning. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words wouldn't come.

Draco let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his platinum hair. "I know I can be a prat. But what he did... I couldn't just stand by and let him talk about you like that. You deserve more than what Andrew's saying."

The honesty in his voice caught her off guard. This was not the arrogant, sneering Draco Malfoy she was used to. This was someone else entirely—someone who, despite everything, seemed to care.

And that terrified her.

"You're not my knight in shining armor, Malfoy," she muttered, trying to break the tension.

Draco gave her a wry smile, though there was still something dark in his gaze. "Trust me, I'm no knight."

They stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between them. Ariana wasn't sure what to make of this new side of Draco, or of the way her heart was racing in response to it. But she knew one thing—things between them were shifting, and she wasn't sure she was ready for it.

Finally, Draco broke the silence. "Let's get back before Theo starts making more jokes at my expense."

Ariana snorted, feeling some of the tension ease as they turned to walk back to the common room. But the unease remained, simmering just beneath the surface, waiting to rise again.

Because whatever was happening between them, it wasn't over. Not by a long shot.