Draco Malfoy and the Girl Who Hid

45

As the carriage rolled up the winding road to the Malfoys' secluded summer estate, Yn couldn't help but feel an unsettling mixture of unease and curiosity. They had travelled in silence for hours, Draco keeping his gaze fixed ahead, his expression unreadable. She was too drained to ask where they were headed, though she'd wondered with a quiet intensity. And now that they were finally here, the sight of the sprawling grounds and elegant stone manor left her wary. Was this her new prison?

Draco stepped out first, glancing around as if to ensure everything was in order. He turned back to her, his hand extended, a faint smile on his face. "Come on," he said, his tone light, though his gaze held something heavier. She hesitated before accepting his hand, her own movements sluggish from exhaustion.

The estate was grand but remote, the sort of place meant to be forgotten. Yn took in the tall hedges that framed the property, the long row of cypress trees standing like silent guards, and the lake shimmering just behind the house. It was beautiful in a way that seemed at odds with everything Draco Malfoy represented to her.

When they entered the house, Yn was struck by its quiet elegance. The high ceilings and rich tapestries felt more like a home than the dark, oppressive halls of Malfoy Manor. Draco led her up a staircase, pausing at a spacious bedroom with a large window overlooking the gardens. The room was decorated in soft blues and greens, with a comfortable bed covered in layers of thick blankets and a set of delicate silver tea cups on a tray nearby.

"You can rest here," he said, moving aside so she could step in. "I'll give you some time to settle in."

Yn hovered in the doorway, studying him, searching for some sign of the inevitable threat she was certain lurked beneath his words. But there was nothing there. He looked back at her with an almost casual patience, as if her suspicion didn't bother him in the slightest.

"I don't need to rest," she said, feeling the need to assert some semblance of control. "What am I supposed to do here?"

Draco leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, the corners of his mouth lifting in a small smile. "You can do whatever you'd like, actually. We'll be staying here for a while. I thought it might be nice to... take a break from everything else." He gestured around, an air of ease surrounding him. "There's the lake, the gardens, a library downstairs. Or you can stay in here. Whatever makes you comfortable."

"Comfortable?" She crossed her arms, her gaze sharpening. "Why do you care if I'm comfortable?"

His expression softened, and for a moment, she thought she saw a glimpse of vulnerability in his eyes. "Because I'd like you to trust me," he replied simply. "This... doesn't have to be difficult."

His words settled into a quiet space between them, and though she wanted to cling to her distrust, something in his tone threw her off balance. After a beat, he took a step back, giving her a brief nod before he left, closing the door gently behind him.

Draco kept his distance that first day, giving her space to explore on her own. Yn ventured into the library, a sprawling room filled with dusty old volumes that smelled of parchment and age. She traced a finger along the spines of the books, finding some solace in their familiarity, though she kept a watchful eye on the door, half-expecting Draco to appear at any moment. But he didn't.

Dinner was a simple, quiet affair, prepared by a house-elf Draco had summoned just for the occasion. He invited her to sit on the terrace, where a small table had been set for two, lit by the soft glow of candlelight. The estate grounds stretched before them, rolling out toward the lake and blending into the dusk-painted horizon.

As they ate, Yn remained guarded, her answers to his questions clipped and cautious. Draco didn't press, letting her speak only when she chose to, his own responses brief and unassuming. The silence between them was a fragile truce, each word spoken a tentative bridge they seemed to build together.

By the end of the meal, she found herself relaxing, if only slightly. The tension in her shoulders eased, and she caught herself looking at him with something less than suspicion.

The next morning, she woke to the sound of soft knocking on her door. She sat up, pulling the blankets closer as the door opened and Draco stepped in, carrying a tray with a teapot, a small pot of honey, and two cups. He gave her a tentative smile as he set the tray down on the small table by the window.

"I thought we could have tea together," he said, pouring a cup for her and adding a splash of honey. He handed it to her, watching as she took the cup cautiously.

She took a sip, the warmth of the tea soothing her, though she kept her eyes on him, waiting for the inevitable shift in his demeanour. He simply sat across from her, stirring his own tea and glancing out the window, as if this was the most ordinary thing in the world.

After a moment, he spoke, his tone casual. "I thought we could spend some time outside today. There's a rowboat by the lake. We could go for a short ride, if you'd like."

The suggestion caught her off guard, and she found herself nodding, the prospect of leaving the house appealing despite herself. Draco's lips curved into a small, satisfied smile, and for a brief instant, she felt a pang of something unsettling, almost as if she'd given him something he wanted.

The lake was calm, the water a mirror of the sky above. Yn sat opposite Draco in the small rowboat, letting her fingers trail in the cool water as he rowed, his movements steady and sure. She watched the gentle ripples in the water, the quiet around them feeling both peaceful and strange.

Draco broke the silence, his voice low. "Do you remember the first time we spoke?"

She glanced up, startled. "Why does it matter?"

He shrugged, an almost wistful look crossing his face. "It's strange to think about how things have changed since then. We were both different people, in different places."

She studied him, trying to gauge the meaning behind his words. "Why are you telling me this?"

He met her gaze, his expression serious. "Because I want you to know that things can change, Yn. Even when it doesn't seem possible."

For a moment, she felt the weight of his words, a pang of vulnerability cutting through her. She looked away, her fingers dipping into the water again, letting the silence close over them once more.

Days turned into a quiet rhythm of shared meals, stolen moments by the lake, and silent companionship. Despite her initial misgivings, Yn found herself drawn to the routine they had created, a strange semblance of peace blooming in the space between them. And though she never let herself forget why they were here, she couldn't help but notice the softness in his eyes, the quiet patience in his voice.

It was in those small, unexpected moments that she caught herself feeling something she couldn't name, something that left her wondering if perhaps, against all logic, she was starting to believe that this place could be a sanctuary, if only for a little while.

The estate, with its gardens and quiet nooks, began to feel less like a prison and more like a strange, delicate haven. And as the days passed, she found herself thinking, despite her better judgment, that maybe, just maybe, there was a sliver of truth in Draco's words.

Though she didn't quite trust him, she found herself wanting to believe, even if only a little, in the possibility he offered. And that was something she hadn't felt in a very long time.