brewing hatred (d.m)

Confrontation in the Shadows

The dungeon hallways were cold and dimly lit, shadows flickering off the stone walls as Ariana trudged back from Snape's office. Detention had been just as awful as she'd expected—long, silent, and filled with pointed glares from Snape. But at least it was over.

As she neared the entrance to the Slytherin common room, her mind buzzed with a mix of emotions. There was the satisfaction of finally shutting Andrew up, but also a lingering sense of dread about the fallout. Her friends had been supportive, but something in Draco's eyes earlier... It unnerved her. He'd looked almost angry when she hexed Andrew, but not for the reasons she expected.

She was just about to mutter the password to enter when a voice came from behind her.

"Ariana."

She spun around, her hand already tightening around her wand instinctively. Draco was standing in the shadows, leaning casually against the stone wall. His silver eyes were darker than usual, and his posture, while relaxed, seemed coiled with tension.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she snapped, still feeling the heat of the day's events in her blood.

His eyes flicked over her, sharp as ever. "That was reckless. What you did in the Great Hall."

Ariana's temper flared immediately. She took a step toward him, crossing her arms defensively. "Reckless? He's been spreading lies about me for weeks, Draco! What did you expect me to do—just sit there and take it?"

Draco straightened up from the wall, his usual smirk nowhere to be seen. "You could've handled it differently," he said, his voice low and tight. "Now half the school's talking about you—and not because of the rumors. You've painted a target on your back."

"I don't care," Ariana shot back. "I'm not going to let people like Andrew walk all over me."

Draco's eyes darkened, and he stepped closer, his face inches from hers now. "And what happens when he or someone else retaliates? Do you think hexing someone in public is going to solve anything? You're smarter than that."

Ariana's pulse quickened, not just from his words but from how close he suddenly was. "Why do you care?" she demanded, glaring up at him. "Since when do you give a damn about what I do?"

Draco held her gaze, his jaw clenched. "Because, Ariana, I don't want to see you ruin yourself over some idiot like Andrew."

Ariana blinked, taken aback by the intensity of his words. "You—what?"

Draco let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his blond hair. "Look, I get it. Langley's a piece of trash. He deserved what he got. But you could've come to me."

She scoffed. "To you? What, so you could handle it? I don't need you to fight my battles for me."

His eyes narrowed. "That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?" Ariana snapped, her voice rising. "Why do you care so much, Draco? You've been acting weird ever since this whole thing started. What's your problem?"

For a moment, Draco didn't answer. The silence between them stretched, heavy and thick. Ariana could see the flicker of something in his eyes—something she couldn't quite read. He looked like he was fighting an internal battle, torn between keeping his usual cool façade and saying something real.

Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter this time. "My problem, Ariana, is that I hate seeing you dragged through the mud for something you didn't do. And it's worse because—" He stopped himself, his expression tightening as if he'd revealed too much.

"Because what?" Ariana pressed, her heart pounding now for reasons she didn't want to acknowledge.

Draco's gaze was piercing, his usual arrogance stripped away. "Because I care about you, alright? More than I probably should."

Ariana's breath caught in her throat, the words hitting her like a brick wall. For a moment, she couldn't process what he was saying. Draco Malfoy, the boy who had spent most of their time bickering and challenging her, was standing here, telling her he cared about her. The idea was ridiculous, yet there was no denying the sincerity in his eyes.

"I—what?" she stammered, her brain struggling to catch up. "You—care about me?"

Draco let out a frustrated breath, as if he hadn't meant to say it so bluntly. "Yes. I don't know when it happened, but it did. And now, seeing you in these stupid situations with idiots like Langley—" He broke off again, shaking his head as if to clear it. "It drives me mad."

Ariana stood there, stunned. She had no idea what to say. For weeks, she'd been trying to make sense of the tension between them, the way Draco would hover near her, the flashes of jealousy in his eyes when she spoke to other boys. She'd written it off as typical Malfoy arrogance, but now—

Now she realized there had been something more all along.

"You're... serious," she finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Draco gave her a small, almost bitter smile. "Unfortunately for me, yes."

Ariana didn't know how to respond. She felt a confusing mix of emotions—surprise, confusion, and something else she wasn't ready to name. All the sharp edges between them, the insults and arguments, now seemed to blur into something different, something softer. Something... real.

They stood in the corridor, the silence thick between them, and for the first time, Ariana didn't feel the urge to snap at him. Instead, she felt the weight of his confession, and her own heart seemed to beat just a little faster.

"I didn't expect that," she admitted quietly.

"Neither did I," Draco muttered, glancing away as if embarrassed by his own vulnerability.

Ariana took a deep breath, trying to sort through her swirling thoughts. "So, what now?" she asked, her voice softer than before.

Draco looked at her again, his gaze steady. "That's up to you."

Ariana swallowed, the tension between them almost palpable now. She wasn't sure what to do or say. But before she could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from down the corridor, breaking the moment.

Draco straightened, his usual mask of cool indifference sliding back into place as they both glanced toward the approaching figure. It was Theo, heading back to the common room, completely unaware of the intensity of the conversation he had just interrupted.

"Oi, you two still out here?" Theo called, his tone light. "Snape's been in a mood. Better get inside before he catches you loitering."

Ariana and Draco exchanged one last glance, the unspoken tension still crackling between them. She nodded slowly, a silent promise that this conversation wasn't over, and turned toward the common room entrance.

But as she walked ahead of Draco, she could still feel his eyes on her, and the weight of what he'd just said lingered in the air, pressing against her heart in a way she couldn't quite ignore.