Y/N x Draco Malfoy (Enemies to Lovers)

Shadows

Y/N's POV

It had been weeks since I last spoke to Draco, and the distance between us had only grown. I told myself it was for the best. Focusing on Quidditch, Harry, and my studies was more important than figuring out why Draco's words still echoed in my head. He made it clear that he didn't want anything to do with me anymore.

But something else had begun to occupy my thoughts. A letter. A mysterious, cryptic letter that I found tucked under my pillow that morning. There was no name, no return address—just a note in messy, hurried handwriting that made me feel uneasy.

Y/N,

You don't know me, but I know something about you that you deserve to hear. It's about your family—your real family. There's more to your history than you've been told, and you deserve to know the truth.

I can't write everything here. It's too dangerous. But I need to speak with you, and I need you to trust me. Meet me tonight, alone, in the Forbidden Forest near the eastern clearing, at midnight. Don't tell anyone, not even your brother. If you value the truth, you'll come.

—Sirius Black

I stared at the letter over and over again throughout the day, my mind spinning. Sirius Black was the man Harry had been warned about, a murderer on the run from Azkaban. But why would he write to me? What did he know about my family?

I knew I should tell Harry, but something held me back. I didn't want to worry him—not when the letter was so vague, not when it could be a trap. But what if Sirius had information about me, something that could explain so much of the confusion I'd felt about my past?

The entire day, all I could think of was what Sirius was going to reveal to me. As midnight approached, I slipped out of the Gryffindor common room, careful not to wake anyone. The castle halls were eerily silent except for the occasional purrs Mrs. Norris , but I moved quickly, heart racing as I headed outside toward the Forbidden Forest. The night air was cold, biting through my cloak as I reached the edge of the forest, my steps hesitant.

What was I doing? I questioned myself as I walked deeper into the trees. This could be a trap. What if Sirius Black wanted to lure me into the forest to use me against Harry? But curiosity tugged at me, and the letter's words wouldn't leave my mind.

Draco's POV

I couldn't sleep. Something had been gnawing at me all day. No matter how much I tried to push Y/N out of my mind, I couldn't ignore it when I saw her sneaking out of the castle. At first, I thought nothing of it. Maybe she needed to clear her head or go somewhere to sulk about Potter.

But then I noticed where she was headed—the Forbidden Forest.

I cursed under my breath, grabbed my cloak, and followed her from a distance. Was she completely insane? Who in their right mind would go into the forest alone at night? The only thing that pulled me along was a deep, gnawing instinct that something wasn't right. I hated that I still felt the need to protect her, even though I shouldn't care anymore.

I crept through the trees, keeping my distance as I followed her into the dark forest. The sound of her footsteps was soft against the forest floor, but there was an unsettling stillness in the air.

Why would she come here? Was she meeting someone? A pang of jealousy shot through me at the thought. Was it Potter? Was she stupid enough to get herself into trouble over that idiot?

But no. She was alone. And that only made this more confusing.

Y/N's POV

I reached the clearing mentioned in the letter, glancing around nervously. It was quiet—too quiet. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I gripped my wand, wondering if I'd made a mistake.

And then I saw it—movement in the trees.

"Who's there?" I called, my voice betraying the fear I was trying to suppress. I stepped forward cautiously, my wand raised.

But instead of Sirius Black, someone else stepped out from the shadows. My heart sank when I saw him—Draco.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped, my voice trembling with frustration. "Have you been following me?"

Draco crossed his arms, his usual sneer fixed in place, though there was something guarded in his eyes. "You're wandering around the Forbidden Forest at night. What do you think I'm doing? Trying to stop you from getting yourself killed."

I glared at him, tightening my grip on my wand. "I don't need your help."

He raised an eyebrow. "Clearly, you do. You didn't actually think wandering into the Forbidden Forest alone was a good idea, did you? What are you doing out here, anyway? Are you meeting someone?"

I hesitated, not wanting to answer. "That's none of your business, Draco. Just go back to the castle."

Before he could respond, we both froze at the sound of movement from the bushes behind us. This time, it wasn't Draco. My breath caught in my throat as I spun around, heart racing.

Out of the shadows stepped a large, hunched figure—an Acromantula. Its multiple eyes gleamed in the moonlight, and its massive legs shifted, scraping the ground as it moved towards us.

Panic shot through me as I raised my wand, my hand trembling. "Draco, run!" I shouted, but before I could react further, the spider lunged.

Draco's POV

I didn't think—I just acted. One second, I was watching Y/N get ready to duel the spider, and the next, I was yanking her out of the way, sending both of us crashing to the ground. The Acromantula hissed, its fangs clicking together as it turned toward us.

"Stupefy!" Y/N yelled, sending a spell toward the creature. The red light hit its side, but it only seemed to irritate the monster further.

"We're not staying here," I muttered, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet.

We sprinted through the trees, the sound of the Acromantula scuttling after us echoing in the darkness. My heart was pounding as I pushed branches out of the way, my grip tight on Y/N's wrist. If we didn't find a way out soon, we were both dead.

Finally, we reached the edge of the forest, bursting out into the open air, gasping for breath. The Acromantula had given up the chase, but the terror still clung to us.

I let go of her hand, my mind racing. What had I been thinking? Following her, helping her—it wasn't my place anymore.

"You're an idiot," I muttered, glaring at her. "Going into the forest alone like that. You could've been killed."

She shot me a look, her eyes flashing with anger. "I didn't ask for your help."

"Yeah, well, you needed it," I snapped, my frustration boiling over. "I don't know what you were thinking, sneaking off in the middle of the night like that. Are you meeting someone? Is that it?"

There was a long silence, the tension between us thick and suffocating. I hated that I cared. I hated that I'd followed her, that I'd saved her. I hated how she still had this hold over me, even though I knew I couldn't be with her.

Before I could stop myself, I turned away, my voice low and cold. "Next time, don't expect me to save you."

Without another word, I walked away, leaving her standing there alone, wondering why I couldn't bring myself to truly let her go.