LETTERS 4 U I D.M

01

The soft murmur of voices filled the Slytherin common room as the fire crackled gently in the hearth. Zara Aria Gold sat in her favorite spot by the window, her legs tucked beneath her as she absentmindedly flipped through a Potions textbook. Her thoughts, however, were far from the cauldron recipes she was meant to study. Instead, they were drawn to the boy sitting a few feet away from her.Draco Malfoy, his silver-blond hair catching the light, leaned back in his armchair, laughing quietly at something Blaise Zabini had said. There was a certain ease about him when he was with his closest friends—Blaise, Theodore Nott, and Pansy Parkinson—that Zara rarely saw elsewhere. But even then, she could see the subtle tension in his jaw, the way his eyes occasionally flickered toward the fire, lost in thoughts he didn't share.Zara sighed softly, turning back to her book. She was surrounded by people, but she felt isolated. Despite being in Slytherin, she had never quite fit in with the crowd. Pansy's sharp tongue and obsession with appearances didn't interest her. Blaise, though clever and charming, always seemed more focused on himself. And Theo... well, he was a mystery all on his own. Then there was Draco—the boy who had inexplicably become a part of her life, her thoughts."You're staring again," came a teasing voice from behind her.Zara jumped, her book nearly slipping from her grasp. She turned to see Lorenzo Berkshire, his dark curls falling into his eyes as he gave her a knowing grin."I wasn't staring," she lied, her cheeks flushing slightly.Lorenzo, one of the few people in Slytherin who didn't care about keeping up appearances, plopped down next to her, giving her a playful nudge. "Right. And I'm a Gryffindor."Zara rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. Lorenzo had always been one of the few who understood her, someone who didn't care about the intricate social dynamics of Slytherin. They had bonded over their mutual disdain for the pressure to conform."Why don't you just talk to him?" Lorenzo asked, glancing subtly toward Draco.Zara stiffened. "Talk to him about what?"Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that you've been writing love songs about him for the past six months?"Zara's stomach flipped at the suggestion. It was true that music had become an outlet for all her emotions, especially the confusing, growing feelings she had for Draco. But confronting him? That was an entirely different story.Before she could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from the entrance, drawing everyone's attention. Pansy Parkinson stood there, her dark eyes scanning the room with calculated precision, followed closely by Blaise and Theo."Potter and his lot are at it again," Pansy announced, her voice dripping with disdain. "Honestly, I don't understand how they get away with half the things they do."Draco's expression darkened slightly at the mention of Harry Potter, but he remained quiet, his attention fixed on the flames. Zara watched him for a moment, wondering if he ever truly relaxed. Even when he wasn't actively playing the part of the Malfoy heir, there was a constant pressure about him, like a storm waiting to break."They're insufferable, Pansy," Blaise agreed, leaning casually against the wall. "But then, the Gryffindors always think they're better than the rest of us."Theo snorted, his eyes flashing with amusement. "Let them have their delusions. We'll see how far that gets them when it actually matters."Zara frowned, not particularly interested in their Gryffindor-bashing session. She had nothing against Harry or his friends, but siding with them wasn't an option either. She'd always felt like an outsider—caught between the expectations of her house and her own desire to just be herself."Zara," Draco's voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she looked up to find him standing beside her chair, his expression unreadable. "You're coming to the Astronomy Tower tonight, right?"Her heart skipped a beat. Their nightly meetings at the tower had become something of a tradition, a secret they kept from the rest of the world. They'd go up there to escape the noise and tension of Hogwarts, to talk about life, and—most recently—to write music together. It was the only time Zara felt like she could breathe."Of course," she replied softly, trying to ignore the flutter in her chest."Good," Draco said, a small, rare smile tugging at his lips before he turned back to his friends.As the evening wore on, the common room grew quieter, the warmth of the fire now fading into the background. One by one, students retired to their dormitories, leaving only a handful of people behind. Zara waited until the room had mostly emptied before gathering her things and slipping out, her mind already drifting to the peace she'd find in the tower.When she arrived, Draco was already there, leaning against the stone railing, his eyes focused on the distant stars. For a moment, Zara simply watched him, wondering how someone could seem so composed and yet so lost at the same time."Draco," she called softly, stepping into the moonlight.He turned to her, his gaze softening as she approached. "You always take forever to get up here.""That's because I don't have your knack for sneaking around unnoticed," she teased, pulling her guitar from its case. "Shall we?"Draco nodded, taking a seat beside her on the cold stone floor. For a while, they played in comfortable silence, the melodies weaving together effortlessly. It was in these moments, away from the expectations and the masks, that they were just two people trying to figure out the world.After a while, Draco set his guitar aside, his expression thoughtful. "Zara... do you ever think about what life would be like if we didn't have to deal with all of this?"Zara glanced at him, surprised by the question. "All of what?"He gestured vaguely toward the castle. "Hogwarts. Our families. The expectations. Everything."She paused, considering his words. "Every day," she admitted quietly. "But what's the point? It's not like we can change it."Draco's jaw clenched slightly, and for a moment, Zara saw the frustration beneath his calm exterior. "Maybe not. But I'm tired of pretending like this is all there is."Zara's heart ached for him. Draco had always carried the weight of his family's legacy, but recently, it seemed heavier than ever. She reached out, gently placing a hand on his arm. "You don't have to carry it alone, you know."He looked at her, something unreadable in his eyes. For a brief moment, Zara thought he might say something—something important, something real. But then he blinked, and the moment passed."Thanks," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.They sat together in the silence, the stars above them and the unspoken words between them.