The Library--Drarry

Chapter 2

Harry found himself walking to the library again the next night, a strange pull leading him back to the same table, almost as if he expected to see Draco there again. Sure enough, when he reached the familiar row, Draco was seated with his usual stack of books, his expression focused yet distant.

Harry cleared his throat, catching Draco's attention as he sat down across from him. Draco looked up, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.

"You're back," Draco said quietly, almost as if he'd been expecting him.

Harry nodded, setting his bag down. "Yeah. Figured I'd get some more studying in."

They fell into a comfortable rhythm, each buried in their own work, with the occasional glance and shared silence. The quiet understanding between them had solidified into something tangible, a strange sense of companionship neither had anticipated.

After a while, Draco broke the silence. "Do you ever think about... what happens next? After all of this?"

Harry paused, looking up from his book. "You mean... after Hogwarts?"

Draco nodded, his gaze flickering to the rows of books around them. "Yeah. Sometimes it feels like everything's been leading up to this point, but now... I don't know what comes after."

Harry leaned back, thoughtful. "I used to think I'd know by now, but I don't have any answers either." He gave a small, rueful smile. "Guess we're both just... figuring it out as we go."

Draco's lips twitched into a faint smirk. "Guess so."

They fell silent again, but this time it felt heavier, as if they'd touched on something deeper. After a few moments, Harry spoke up again. "Are you... planning to go back to Malfoy Manor after this?"

Draco looked away, his expression hardening. "I don't know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's complicated."

Harry sensed the tension and didn't push further. Instead, he simply nodded, letting the conversation settle into a shared understanding.

Just as the silence grew comfortable again, they heard a familiar voice.

"Oi, Harry!" Ron's voice echoed through the library, drawing startled looks from several students nearby. Ron strode over, Hermione trailing behind him with a stack of books.

Harry's eyes widened as Ron and Hermione reached the table, casting suspicious glances at Draco.

"What's he doing here?" Ron muttered, eyeing Draco with obvious distrust.

Draco rolled his eyes, giving Harry a knowing look. "Don't worry, Weasley. I'm not here to poison anyone."

Hermione looked between them, her eyes narrowing. "Is everything... alright?" she asked, a note of concern in her voice.

Harry nodded quickly, feeling a sudden, inexplicable urge to defend Draco. "Yeah, we were just... studying."

Ron huffed, crossing his arms. "Well, if you're done studying with him, we were just about to head down to the common room."

Draco raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Don't worry, Potter. I wouldn't dream of keeping you from your friends."

Harry felt an odd pang of regret as he gathered his things, casting one last glance at Draco before following Ron and Hermione out. As they walked down the corridor, he found himself glancing back, wondering what he'd left behind.