Potter? || Draco Malfoy x Reader

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The late-autumn air was chilly by now, and I was sure the skirt and tights we had to wear wouldn't suffice for much longer out here.

Light summer breezes had turned into harsh winds, blowing the last few leaves off the trees and my hair right into my face on the way to the owlery.

I remembered how long it's actually been since I was up here when I climbed the last few steps to the tower; my panting reminding me of why I visited as little as I did.

My eyes scanned the surrounding area. Usually, you had a great view from up here and could see far beyond the forbidden forest. Though, that wasn't the case anymore.

More and more dementors were sent to Hogwarts over the past few months. At first, it was only a hand full of them, similar to how they'd been roaming the grounds when I first got here.

But, as time went on, their numbers doubled; tripled, even. And their presence had laid a gloomy fog over the whole area, dark clouds hovering right over our heads, ever now and then I was sure I could see the dark mark biting its way through them.

So, while I was still enjoying the sun and spent most of my time outside at the beginning of term; that wasn't really possible anymore.

And I damned myself for being naive enough to think they wouldn't find a way to ruin nature, too.

I sighed at my thoughts, my gaze diverting off the scenery and focusing back on what was in front of me.

My eyes widened at the sight, and I stopped in my tracks as soon as I saw Snape turning the corner and leaving the tower.

I had my back already turned, ready to sprint back down into the castle in an attempt to avoid any kind of interaction with him. But I was too late.

"Miss Potter." His voice cut through the cool air like a sword, slow but purposeful as it had my whole body stay still for a second. I took a deep breath before I turned to face him, his facial expression blank.

Surely, he didn't know about the memory Dumbledore had left me with.

When I realised my eyes were still wide in shock, I quickly relaxed my facial features, and with a quirked brow, he scrutinised every detail of my face, probably wondering why I reacted the way I did.

I doubt he'd be very pleased if he knew.

I swallowed thickly, raising my brows and inaudibly asking him what the matter was. After all, he was the one calling after me.

"In a rush, are we?" He inquired, referring to the rather sudden exit I had planned on. I shook my head.

"Not at all, sir," I muttered, my eyes anywhere but on him. Instead, I counted the owls I could already see in the owlery. There were only four of them in my field of vision, one of them sitting outside of the door.

And then, while I tried my best to keep my mind from thinking back to what I saw in the pensive, a completely different question arose in my mind.

What the bloody hell was Severus Snape doing in the owlery?

My brows furrowed automatically as the question rushed through my mind, and he seemed to notice just as I was.

Suddenly, there was an overwhelming urge to ask him. Not just about what he was doing up here before breakfast, but about everything.

It wasn't my fault Dumbledore showed me his memory, and therefore Snape could hardly be mad at me for knowing. He'd have to yell at his dead friend for that one.

When he passed me with merely an inch between our shoulders, I panicked, turning to watch him swiftly climb down the stairs.

And I couldn't stop myself before a loud "Snape-" coming out of my mouth stopped him in his tracks.