DRIPS OF FANCY - draco malfoy

↳ 𝑐ℎ𝑝．33

The crisp winter air hit Alvena's face as she stepped through the gates of Hogwarts, the group of Slytherins following close behind. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the snow-dusted ground. It was a welcome relief to leave the towering castle behind, the oppressive weight of Umbridge's rule and the mysteries still gnawing at her chest pushed aside—at least for the moment.
The group walked leisurely down the main street of Hogsmeade, each of them slipping into the warmth of the village's holiday spirit. The shops were alive with colorful displays of magical trinkets, and the scent of roasting chestnuts wafted through the air, mingling with the faint taste of snow on the wind. Alvena smiled, even as she found herself feeling strangely detached. It was hard to shake the feeling of being out of place, no matter how festive the surroundings seemed.
Blaise had already made his way toward Zonko's Joke Shop, dragging Matteo and Draco with him in search of something—probably mischief. Sage, looking content for once, had a steaming mug of butterbeer in hand, and she was casually strolling behind Alvena. It was nice to see her friend relaxed, her usually stern face softened by the charm of the little village.
Alvena didn't feel like following the group into any of the shops just yet, so she wandered a little behind, taking in the sights and sounds of the village at her own pace. She felt the pressure in her chest ease slightly as she walked alone, though her thoughts still circled back to the events of the last few days. She couldn't shake the memory of the vision in the forest.
"What's up with you?" Sage's voice brought her out of her trance, and Alvena turned to see her friend eyeing her curiously.
"Just thinking," Alvena answered with a half-smile, her gaze drifting toward the distant mountains beyond the village. "It's nice to be out here, but... I don't know. Something feels off."
Sage raised an eyebrow. "I'd say that's an understatement. You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Maybe you need a little more fun."
Before Alvena could respond, a shrill shout pierced the air.
"Tag! You're it!"
Blaise, ever the troublemaker, had caught Stormy by surprise and tagged him with a quick flick of his wrist. Stormy immediately spun around, mock growling as he bolted off in pursuit of Blaise, who laughed and took off, followed closely by Matteo and Draco. The four of them were running through the streets now, dodging between shops and laughing as they played their usual impromptu game of tag.
Sage snorted. "I guess that's one way to shake off the gloom. I bet that'll last for about five minutes before someone gets hurt."
Alvena smiled, her mood lightening at the sight of her friends running around like kids again. There was something oddly comforting about it—the way they could still act so carefree, even with everything going on.
"Go on, join them," Sage said with a teasing wink. "You look like you need to let off some steam too."
But Alvena hesitated. She wasn't sure she was in the mood for running or playing. Instead, she watched the group get further ahead, a sense of unease creeping back in.
Without thinking too much, she veered off the main road, slipping into a narrow alley that ran between two of the village's buildings. The walls were covered in creeping ivy, and the air here felt colder and quieter than the bustling streets just a few steps away. She leaned against one of the stone walls, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes, trying to collect her thoughts.
She couldn't shake the images that had been plaguing her. The ruined vision of Hogwarts. The sense of danger.
As if on cue, the images came rushing back.
She was standing at the edge of a bridge. She could feel the cold air biting at her skin, the stone under her feet unstable. The sky was overcast, a strange, oppressive weight hanging in the air. Below her, a dark river surged violently, and the ruins of Hogwarts loomed in the distance—half-destroyed, twisted, and burned. It was like a scene from a nightmare.
The Elder Wand, its dark power pulsing through the air, appeared in her vision. She saw it clearly now, shimmering with an eerie, otherworldly glow. Her hands were reaching out to it—no, someone else's hands, not hers, as if she was seeing the moment unfold from a distance.
And then, the vision shifted.
She was standing once again at the edge of the bridge. The same cold air, the same sky full of shadows. But this time, she was not alone.
A stone appeared in the forest below, its markings unmistakable. And a cloak—a dark, flowing cloak—was worn by someone standing with their back to her, barely visible among the trees.
The vision flickered in and out, the edges blurring, until Alvena was left standing in the alley, breathing heavily, her pulse racing. Her eyes snapped open, and for a moment, she felt disoriented—like she had been somewhere else entirely, trapped in that haunting vision.
She shook her head, trying to ground herself in the present. The alley was quiet, but the chill in the air seemed to cut through her more sharply now. The images of the bridge, the Elder Wand, and the cloaked figure still clung to her mind, unanswered questions swirling in her thoughts.
A loud shout pulled her from her reverie.
"Alvena! Where'd you go?" Blaise's voice echoed through the alleyway, and she could hear the rest of the group laughing in the distance, clearly still in the midst of their tag game. He appeared around the corner, looking slightly out of breath but amused. "You can't just leave the game like that. You're the only one left!"
Alvena took a moment to collect herself before walking back toward him. "I was just catching my breath," she said lightly, trying to mask the unsettling feeling that had settled in her stomach.
"You sure?" Blaise asked, raising an eyebrow. "You look like you saw a ghost or something."
"I'm fine," she reassured him, even though the unease still lingered. "Just needed a moment."
"Well, come on," he said, nudging her gently. "You can't leave us hanging like that. We're about to catch Matteo."
Alvena smiled, though it was strained. "Lead the way."
As they made their way back toward the rest of the group, Alvena's thoughts remained heavy, the vision of the ruined Hogwarts, the Elder Wand, and the cloaked figure all swirling in her mind. Whoever that person was—whoever was wearing that cloak—Alvena couldn't shake the feeling that they were connected to everything. To the past, to the present, and to whatever was coming next.
The weight of it all pressed down on her, but for now, she pushed it aside. Her friends needed her to be present, and she couldn't afford to let herself get lost in her own confusion. At least not here. Not now.
As they rejoined the rest of the group, who were still laughing and catching their breath from the game, Alvena allowed herself to get caught up in the moment. For now, it was enough to just enjoy the simple chaos of a winter afternoon in Hogsmeade, surrounded by people she cared about.
But deep inside, the question remained: Who was that figure in the cloak?
The vision clung to Alvena's mind, gripping her tightly, refusing to let go. But just as the figure in the cloak began to step toward her, the sounds of footsteps echoed through the alley, breaking her out of the trance. Her head snapped to the side, heart racing as her eyes searched the shadows for the source of the noise.
Her pulse spiked when a familiar voice called out.
"Alvena?"
Draco.
A cold, instinctive tension shot through her, her body instinctively pulling back into the corner of the alley, her gaze darting nervously. For a moment, she was frozen, unsure whether to step out or hide deeper into the shadows. The cloak. The stone. The Elder Wand. What if Draco was part of it? What if he—
"Alvena, are you in here?" Draco's voice was closer now, cutting through her thoughts.
She couldn't just hide forever, not from him. And yet, a nagging part of her couldn't shake the feeling that something dangerous was afoot. Hesitantly, she stepped into the narrow path between two crates stacked at the back of the alley. She huddled there, pressing herself as far back as she could, trying to be invisible, but it didn't feel right. Was he coming closer?
Just then, Draco rounded the corner and paused, his sharp grey eyes scanning the dim light of the alley. His gaze flicked to the side, narrowing for a moment before he smirked and stepped in her direction.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to make a scene," he said with a smirk, his voice light and teasing, as if he was aware of her sudden wariness. "I just need to hide. I'm getting tagged left and right."
Alvena couldn't help the slight exhale of relief that escaped her lips. He wasn't here to cause trouble, then. Just to hide, like she was.
She let the tension in her body slip away, though she remained cautious. "You're hiding? From them?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
"Pretty much. Blaise is relentless," Draco replied with a hint of amusement. "I can't even get a minute's peace without being chased down like a rabid dog."
Alvena felt a reluctant smile tug at her lips, despite herself. "Then I guess you'd better find a good hiding spot."
Draco's eyes flickered over the alley before settling on the small gap between the crates where she had tucked herself. A mischievous glint danced in his eyes. "I'd say you already found one, Blythe," he quipped, stepping toward her.
"Draco, I—" she started, but he was already squeezing into the cramped space beside her, his shoulder brushing hers.
The confined space was almost suffocating, the air thick with the mingling scents of cold stone and the faint remnants of stale butterbeer from the village. Alvena could feel his presence close, much closer than she had expected, and for a moment, the outside world seemed to fade away.
It was strange, how close they were now. In their awkward, unsure friendship, they had never really been this intimate—never this close. She could feel the heat of his body beside hers, the tension in the air rising with every second they stayed in that small, cramped space.
"You know," Draco muttered, breaking the silence that hung between them, his voice lower than usual, "this is... weird."
"Yeah," Alvena agreed quietly, her heart hammering against her ribs as the awkwardness lingered. "But better than being found, right?"
He nodded, but didn't move away. Instead, there was a shift in the air, as though the game, the running, and the distractions were a million miles away, leaving them with nothing but this moment. Their faces were so close now that she could see the details of his pale skin, the faint stubble on his chin, and the way his eyes seemed to glimmer in the dim alley. She couldn't help but notice the way his lips parted slightly as he breathed, the soft tension that lingered between them.
Her pulse quickened, and her thoughts began to swirl in a chaotic mess. This wasn't like before. This was different. The feelings she had once suppressed were bubbling to the surface now, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to stop them or just let them take control.
The silence stretched, but it was comfortable in an unexpected way. Alvena could feel Draco's breath close to hers, his body too near for her to ignore. There was an undeniable pull in the space between them, a magnetic force that neither of them seemed able to resist.
"You remember that time," Draco started, his voice suddenly hushed, "when we... kissed?"
The words hung in the air, and Alvena froze, her heart skipping a beat. She remembered. How could she forget? That moment—awkward, fleeting, full of a tension they hadn't yet fully understood—was still burned into her mind.
"Yeah, I remember," she replied softly, her voice just above a whisper. Her breath caught as she looked at him, at how close they were. Her eyes flitted between his lips and his eyes, both so impossibly close yet so far away.
"It was..." he trailed off, looking for the right words. "It was strange, wasn't it?"
Alvena nodded, her lips curling into a small, nervous smile. "It felt... strange. But, good? In a weird way."
Draco chuckled, the sound low and almost intimate. "I've been thinking about that moment," he admitted, his voice quieter now, almost uncertain. "Not sure why. Maybe it's because... it was different. And I think maybe I want to do it again."
Her breath hitched. He was closer now, so close that she could feel the warmth of his body press against hers. Her mind raced, but her body betrayed her—before she knew it, she was leaning in, drawn by something inexplicable, something that had always been there, lurking beneath the surface.
When their lips met, it was slow at first, hesitant, as if both of them were testing the waters. But soon, the tension broke, and the kiss deepened, more urgent, more desperate, like they had both been waiting for this moment, though neither would admit it out loud.
The feeling was dizzying, like a rush of fire and ice all at once. Alvena felt her hands move to his chest, her body leaning into him as their kiss intensified, both of them caught in the whirlwind of feelings they couldn't explain.
When they finally pulled away, their breaths mingling, both of them were staring at each other, wide-eyed, trying to process what had just happened.
Draco grinned, breaking the heavy silence. "Tag," he said with a smirk, his voice back to its usual playful tone. "You're it."
Before Alvena could even react, he darted out of the hiding spot, laughing as he bolted back toward the main street, his footsteps quick and light, the sound of his laughter carrying behind him like a challenge.
Alvena stood frozen for a moment, still reeling from the kiss, her mind a swirl of emotions. Then, without thinking, she cursed under her breath and chased after him, her own laughter mingling with his as she sprinted into the street, ready to make him pay for running off so easily.
"Draco Malfoy, you're not getting away that easily!" she shouted, her voice loud and filled with mock outrage.
And in that moment, as she ran after him through the cold winter streets of Hogsmeade, the weight of the past few days, the visions, the doubts, and even the confusion seemed to fade into the background, leaving her with only the thrill of the chase and the warmth of his presence, still lingering in her thoughts.