"You were the light for me to find my truth, I just wanna say thank you."
- "Hold On" by Chord Overstreet
Draco Malfoy stood by the tall windows of his office in Malfoy Manor, staring out at the manicured grounds that stretched into the horizon. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the estate, but the beauty of it was lost on him. His thoughts were far away, drifting to the one place where he felt a strange pull-Diagon Alley.
He had inherited the family business, Malfoy Enterprises, just after his father's death. Lucius had spent years rebuilding the family's name after the war, and Draco had taken up the mantle with grim determination. The business was thriving, expanding beyond the magical world into international ventures. By all accounts, Draco had everything-a successful business, wealth, and power. Yet, none of it seemed to matter anymore.
His mind was consumed by a single thought: Evelyn Beauregard.
She had been a beacon of light in the darkest days of his life, though she didn't know it. Back at Hogwarts, he had watched her from a distance, always so close to the Golden Trio, the Weasleys, and that odd girl, Luna Lovegood. Evelyn had been everything he was taught to despise-kind, loyal, and fiercely independent. And because of that, he had done what he knew best. He tormented her. The memories of those days were bitter now, filled with regret.
But things had changed. The war had changed everything. Draco had changed. And yet, every time he visited Diagon Alley on business, he felt an inexplicable pull toward her small apothecary shop, nestled between Ollivanders and the Leaky Cauldron. He would watch her through the glass as she laughed with Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas, her closest friends and business partners. He never entered, never spoke a word, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She was the light he had been searching for, though he had spent years denying it.
"Draco," a voice called from the doorway, pulling him from his thoughts. It was his mother, Narcissa Malfoy, elegant as ever, but with a softness in her eyes that had only grown since the war. "You've been in here all day. It's time you joined the family for dinner."
"I'll be there in a moment, Mother," Draco replied, turning away from the window.
Narcissa studied him for a moment before stepping closer. "What's troubling you, Draco? You've been so distant lately."
Draco hesitated. He had never been one to share his emotions easily, even with his mother. But this obsession with Evelyn was consuming him. "Mother, what do you think of Evelyn Beauregard?"
Narcissa's eyebrows raised slightly in surprise. "Evelyn? I haven't thought of her in years. Why do you ask?"
"I've been thinking," Draco began carefully, "about our family's future. About the need to... secure it."
Narcissa's eyes narrowed slightly as she began to understand where this was heading. "You're considering marriage?"
"Yes," Draco said firmly. "She's a pureblood, from a respectable family. It would be a beneficial match."
Narcissa studied her son, sensing that there was more to this than simple family duty. "Is this truly about the family, Draco, or is there something more?"
Draco clenched his jaw, struggling to find the right words. "She's... different, Mother. There's something about her. I can't explain it."
Narcissa's expression softened. She had always known there was more depth to her son than he let on. "Draco, if this is what you truly want, I will support you. But you must be sure. Arranged marriages are not uncommon in our world, but they are not without their challenges."
Draco nodded. "I know. And I'm certain."
Narcissa smiled faintly. "Very well. I will speak with her parents. They are good people, and I'm sure they will be open to the idea."
As Narcissa left the room, Draco felt a strange mixture of excitement and dread. He had taken the first step toward something that had been consuming his thoughts for months. But as he looked out the window again, his gaze fixed on the horizon, a nagging doubt crept into his mind. Would Evelyn ever forgive him for the past? And more importantly, could she ever love him?
---
In the heart of Diagon Alley, Evelyn Beauregard closed up her shop for the evening. The apothecary was her pride and joy, a place where she could lose herself in the art of potion-making, surrounded by friends who had been through the worst with her. Neville and Dean had left a few minutes earlier, after a long day of work, and now the shop was silent.
Evelyn took a deep breath, feeling the peacefulness of the empty shop. She loved her life, simple and fulfilling, far from the chaos of her Hogwarts days. But every now and then, she felt a shiver run down her spine, as if someone was watching her.
She shook off the feeling and headed for the back room, where she kept her personal brewing supplies. She had a new potion to experiment with, something she had been thinking about for days. As she reached for the ingredients, a strange unease settled in her chest.
It wasn't just the feeling of being watched. There was something else-a sense of impending change, something she couldn't quite place. She dismissed the thought and focused on her work, but the feeling lingered, like a storm brewing on the horizon.
As she began mixing the ingredients, her mind wandered back to her days at Hogwarts. She had tried to forget those years, especially the torment she had endured at the hands of Draco Malfoy and his friends. But some memories were harder to erase than others.
Evelyn sighed, pushing the thoughts away. She had moved on. She had a good life now, surrounded by people who cared about her. There was no point in dwelling on the past.
But as the potion began to simmer, Evelyn couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to change. Something that would bring those old memories rushing back, whether she was ready for them or not.
