Y/N x Draco Malfoy (Enemies to Lovers)

Envelope of Memories

Y/N's POV

The halls are quiet when I make my way back to the Gryffindor dormitory. The echoes of the Yule Ball still ring in my ears—the music, the laughter, the warmth of dancing under golden lights. But the moment I step into my empty dorm, everything fades into silence.

I sigh, my body heavy with exhaustion. My dress feels suffocating now, too many emotions stitched into the fabric. I reach behind me, fingers fumbling with the zipper—

Thud.

A soft noise comes from the door.

I freeze.

Slowly, I turn. My heart beats a little faster as I take a step forward. There, just beneath the dorm entrance, is a small brown envelope. It hadn't been there before.

I glance around. No one else is in the room.

My stomach twists uneasily as I walk toward it, my bare feet silent against the cold floor. The envelope is simple, unmarked—except for my name written in neat, unfamiliar handwriting.

I swallow and pick it up.

With careful fingers, I peel the flap open and pull out the contents. My breath hitches.

Photographs.

The first few make my chest warm—pictures of me and my friends from the night, snapshots of us laughing, dancing, enjoying the Yule Ball like we had no worries in the world.

But then—

My stomach drops.

The next photos are different.

Me and Draco.

Him pulling off his suit and draping it around me. His hand brushing my hair away from my face. The moment his lips met mine in the snowfall. His head on my shoulder as he drifted off to sleep.

I stare at them, my mind whirling.

Who took these?

Why would they send them to me?

I should throw them away. Burn them, maybe. But instead, my hands move on their own, tucking them into the shoebox beneath my bed—the one where I keep the pieces of my past that I can't bear to let go of.

A photograph of my parents. A few small trinkets. And now, this.

I close the lid, pressing my palm against it as if that will keep the memories from clawing their way back into my mind.

I take a deep breath, pushing everything away. I can't think about this now.

Tomorrow is the Final Task.

I need to focus.

With that thought, I peel off my dress, slipping into my pajamas. The fabric is soft, familiar. Safe.

I crawl into bed, pulling the blankets over me, willing my thoughts to quiet down.

The images still flicker behind my closed eyelids—the warmth of Draco's touch, the weight of his ring around my neck, the way Cedric looked at me when he asked about it.

I shake my head, burying myself deeper into the pillows.

Tomorrow, I tell myself. Tomorrow, none of this will matter.

And with that, I drift into uneasy sleep.