LETTERS 4 U I D.M

02

The quiet stretched between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Zara strummed her guitar lightly, her fingers moving across the strings as if on instinct, creating a soft melody that filled the space. Draco didn't say anything for a while, just sat beside her, his eyes following the rhythm of the stars above. The gentle breeze that swept through the tower seemed to carry away the weight of their shared burdens, at least for now.

After some time, Zara set her guitar aside and leaned her head back against the cool stone wall. "Do you ever wonder what you would do if you weren't a Malfoy?" she asked quietly, glancing over at him.

Draco's expression didn't change, but his fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the railing. "Every day," he said, echoing her earlier words. "It's not that simple, though. We're born into these roles, and it's expected that we play them."

Zara hummed softly in response, her thoughts drifting to her own family. Though she wasn't burdened by the same kind of legacy as Draco, she knew what it felt like to be trapped by expectations—both of their houses and their peers. "I suppose we're all playing roles, in a way," she mused. "But it doesn't mean we have to lose ourselves in them."

Draco's gaze shifted to her, his silver eyes reflecting the moonlight. "You don't get it," he said, his voice low. "It's not just about pretending. It's about survival. My family... they expect certain things from me, things I can't walk away from. Not without consequences."

Zara's heart clenched. She had known, on some level, the pressures Draco faced, but hearing him say it aloud made it all the more real. "I know you feel trapped," she said softly. "But you don't have to face it all alone. You have me."

He looked at her again, something flickering in his gaze—something raw and unguarded. For a moment, Zara thought he might reach for her, that he might finally let down the walls he'd built so high. But just as quickly, the mask slipped back into place, and he gave a small, almost sad smile.

"I appreciate that," he murmured, turning back toward the stars. "I really do."

They fell into silence again, but this time it felt different—heavier, as though something had shifted between them. Zara wasn't sure if it was progress or simply a reminder of how deeply Draco was entrenched in his world. Either way, she wasn't going to give up. Not yet.

As the night grew colder, Zara pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders. "I should probably head back," she said reluctantly, though part of her wanted to stay here with him, away from everything else.

Draco nodded, standing up and offering her a hand. "I'll walk you."

Together, they made their way down the winding staircase of the Astronomy Tower, their footsteps echoing softly in the empty corridors. Neither of them spoke, but Zara could feel the tension between them easing, if only slightly. When they reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room, Draco paused, turning to her.

"Zara," he began, his voice hesitant. "I..."

She looked up at him, waiting. But whatever he had been about to say, he swallowed it back. Instead, he gave her a faint smile. "Goodnight."

Zara smiled in return, though she couldn't shake the feeling that he had been on the verge of saying something important. "Goodnight, Draco."

As she watched him disappear into the shadows of the common room, Zara let out a quiet sigh. She knew Draco Malfoy was complicated, that there were layers to him even she didn't fully understand. But she also knew one thing with certainty: she cared about him, and she wasn't going to let him face his demons alone.

With that thought, Zara made her way to her dormitory, her mind already drifting back to the stars, to the melodies they had played together, and to the unspoken words that lingered between them like unfinished notes in a song.