The corridors of Hogwarts were hushed beneath the weight of the evening, bathed in a twilight hue that wrapped the castle in a gentle, mysterious shroud. It was a familiar silence, one you had wandered through for years, ever since you and Draco Malfoy were just children⎯two souls tethered by the invisible thread of time, bound to one another by a history so deeply ingrained in your hearts it was impossible to untangle.

You could still remember those early days, when his hand fit clumsily into yours as you ran through the halls, the echoes of your laughter bouncing off the stone walls, you were both mischievous then, youthful in your rebellion, daring to dream of a world where you two were untouchable, kind of friends that could share glances across crowded rooms and understand one another’s unspoken thoughts, those carefree days had faded into something more complex⎯something that now stirred quietly between the two of you like an unspoken promise.

You're older now, tonight, as you made your way toward the Slytherin common room, that same unspoken tension hung in the air, a palpable thing that twisted in your chest with every step, you knew Draco was waiting for you; it had become your routine to find solace in each other’s company after the long days of classes and whispered secrets between housemates.

When you entered the common room, there he was—leaning against the window, the dying light of the moon casting his profile in a soft, silvery glow. His platinum hair shimmered in the half-light, and for a moment, you simply stood there, watching him.

Draco turned, sensing your presence without needing to see you. His gray eyes met yours, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to pause. There was something different about the way he looked at you now⎯adoringly.

“I was thinking about us.” he said suddenly, his voice softer now, as if he were speaking into the space between your heartbeats, his words lingered in the air, heavy with meaning.

“About all the years we’ve known each other… how things have changed.”