Shattered Bonds

5| Breaking the Silence

Draco glanced away for a moment, his eyes scanning the room filled with their peers, the glittering gowns and polished shoes, the swirling champagne flutes, and the laughter that rang hollow in his ears. It all felt distant—like a world he no longer belonged to. He turned back to Faith, her gaze fixed on him, expectant yet guarded.

"You're right," Draco admitted, his throat tight. "We've never really talked. But I want to change that. I want to be honest, even if it's ugly." He swallowed hard, his heart thudding in his chest. "Faith, I can't undo what I did. I hate myself for hurting you."

Faith remained silent, her eyes searching his. There was a flicker of something—pain, maybe, or the faint echo of hope. He couldn't tell which, but the uncertainty made his gut twist.

"I've been trying to figure out why I did it," Draco continued, his voice quiet. "Why I was stupid enough to betray you for someone like Pansy, when you... you were everything."

Faith's lips parted as if to say something, but she quickly closed them, her eyes flickering down to the floor. Draco knew this was the moment—this was where the real talking began. The vulnerability, the confessions they had both avoided for so long.

"I never felt good enough for you," Draco confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Not for who you really are. You've always been stronger, braver... more free, in a way that I never was. You deserved better."

Faith's brow furrowed, her expression hardening. "Draco," she said quietly but firmly, "I didn't need perfect. I needed you to be honest. I needed you to choose me, even when it got hard. But you didn't."

He felt the words like a punch to the chest, and he couldn't deny the truth of them. Faith took a small step closer, her eyes softened, but still guarded.

"I wasn't strong," she added. "I wasn't brave either. I trusted you, and when you broke that trust, it broke me too. And now..." Her voice faltered as her defenses wavered, "now, I don't know if I can trust you again."

Draco reached out instinctively, his hand brushing hers. "Faith," he whispered, "I'm not asking you to forgive me right now. But I'm asking for a chance to prove that I'm not that person anymore."

A long silence followed as Faith stared down at their hands. There was warmth in his touch, but there was also pain—so much pain. She wanted to believe him. Somewhere, buried beneath the hurt, she still cared for him.

But trust? Trust was something that would take time—if it could ever be rebuilt at all.

"You can't just say things will change, Draco," she said quietly, pulling her hand away. "You have to show me."

He nodded, his heart heavy. "I will," he vowed. "I will, Faith. I'll do whatever it takes to show you that I've changed." His gaze softened as he added, "I never stopped loving you. Not for a second."

Faith's breath caught in her throat at the weight of his confession. But before she could respond, the sound of heavy footsteps approached from behind them.

"Draco." The voice was cold, commanding.

They both turned to see Lucius Malfoy standing there, his expression unreadable. The moment was shattered as the reality of the ball—and the Malfoy family expectations—came crashing back.

"Father," Draco greeted stiffly.

"Your presence is required elsewhere. We're about to make the announcement," Lucius said curtly, his eyes briefly flickering to Faith. There was a hint of something in his gaze, perhaps suspicion or recognition, though he said nothing to her directly.

Draco glanced at Faith, reluctant to leave her, but he knew he couldn't ignore his father. With a resigned sigh, he nodded. "I'll be right there."

Lucius gave a final look to Faith before turning and walking away, disappearing into the crowd of well-dressed witches and wizards.

Faith exhaled slowly, her shoulders slumping. "I guess some things never change," she muttered under her breath.

Draco hesitated. "This isn't over, Faith. We'll talk more. I meant what I said."

She gave him a small, almost imperceptible nod, but the uncertainty lingered between them. He knew that regaining her trust would be a battle—a battle against his own past mistakes, the expectations of his family, and the weight of the secrets that still loomed between them.

As Draco turned to follow his father, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that tonight was just the beginning of something much bigger, much more dangerous. There were too many forces at play, too many hidden truths still to come to light. And deep down, he feared that once those secrets surfaced, they would change everything—for both of them.

And with Faith's brothers returning to Hogwarts soon, those buried truths would only become harder to keep hidden.