Potter? || Draco Malfoy x Reader

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There was nothing I could do.

None of the things Dumbledore tried to tell me through his own memories were happening any time in the foreseeable future.

Harry wasn't even here. I didn't even know where he was; if he would ever come back here.

My back slumped against the column the pensive rested on, I tried to clear my thoughts, reorder them; try to make sense of everything flying around up there.

My breath was still heavy, my chest rising and falling in an unsteady pattern long after the memory had ended.

Knowing all of this was more of a burden than I would've imagined information ever could be. Maybe ignorance truly was bliss.

I spent the entire rest of my day in that room, even caught myself wondering what would be so bad about never leaving it, ever again. Though, quickly figured out food was not one of the things it produced, no matter how greatly you required it.

But I found myself back here. Whenever I needed time to myself. Whenever I felt like I still didn't process what I heard that day. And especially whenever I saw Snape.

That's what affected me the most.

I could be laughing at some silly joke one minute, catch a glimpse of Snape, and physically feel the burden of this secret weigh me down until I felt like I had no other option but to come here to calm myself down.

The white marble; the orderliness the empty room radiated was exactly what I needed to get a grip on the mess in my head.

Though, with time, I grew careless. I stopped double-checking before entering and stopped peeking around the corners before exiting the room of requirements.

It became a habit to come here after a few weeks and seeing as Wren still preferred her own company, and Draco and I still were to keep our distance, I had nothing better to do, anyway.

But, of course, my ever-growing carelessness would bite me in the ass soon enough.

"And what could it be that you require so deeply?"

I was just fortunate enough for it to be Draco, who was casually leaning against the wall next to the heavy door when I left one evening.

His words made me shriek in horror at the unexpected sound of it, and I jumped a few inches away before I recognised him and the lazy smirk on his lips.

My hand still tightly clutching against my chest, I sighed loudly.

"Did we not talk about this whole sneaking up on thing?" I muttered, my pulse slowly calming down as I shook my head.

He just shrugged, instead of answering my question casually pushing himself off the wall to steal a glance through the door I just came through.

My hand swiftly reached for the knob, and I pulled it shut quickly, the loud sound making me wince.

Amused, he quirked an eyebrow at the sudden motion, crossing his arms in front of his chest before looking me up and down intently.

"What could be in there that you come back here at least four times a week?" He repeated his initial question, altering it a little in hopes this time, it would give him an answer.

"Are you watching me, Malfoy?" I smirked, amusement lacing my voice just as it did his.

A singular laugh of his filled the otherwise empty corridor for a moment before shaking his head.

"Always," He shrugged casually, swiftly moving onto his next sentence; leaving me and the butterflies in my stomach wondering if he truly was. "All I can say is, the last time I spent as much time in the room of requirements, it didn't end well."