Downfall || Draco Malfoy x Fem!Reader

3) Introductions

I stare in amazement at the stairs above me, many moving of their own accord, then look at the flight of stairs ahead. I hesitate to follow all the other students already climbing up it, including Cho – who looks back at me expectantly. It was only once one of the pictures on the wall behind me decides it would be a great idea to whisper "boo" right next to my ear, and make me jump nearly a foot off the ground, that I decide it would probably be better to be with the group.

I rush to catch up with them, nearly tripping over my own feet in the process. Thankfully I'm skilled at catching myself. We climb for what feels like hours before coming across a door. A door with no knob, or lever, or keyhole. A door with only a knocker shaped like a raven.

My curiosity rises as the Ravenclaw Head Girl uses the knocker. I fully expect the door to open instantaneously, but it doesn't. Instead, a booming voice echoes down the hall.

"I'm tall when I'm young. I'm short when I'm old. What am I?"

I stare at the door, my mind racing as I try to solve the riddle. The Head Girl answers before I get a chance.

"A candle."

The door swings open, allowing us into the Ravenclaw common room. Cho and I exchange a glance. Hers one of wonder, mine one of pure delight. I can tell that getting to the common room each day was going to be it's own fun and challenge.

As we shuffle into the common room, I gasp in delight and surprise at my surroundings. The room was a a huge, circular room with a dome-like ceiling that was bewitched much like the Great Hall's – tonight reflecting, as the Great Hall did, too many stars to count and the occasional cloud. There were big, arched windows along the walls with blue and bronze colored ribbons dispersed between them. The entire floor was dark blue carpeting – up until the stairs leading to the dormitories, which became a soft white marbled tile – and the room was furnished with wooden tables, blue chairs, and an even darker-blue divan. There was a rather large bookcase in a little niche to the left of the room, right next to an ash-filled fireplace still extinguishing its last embers. Next to the stairs was a large, pure-white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. And although I couldn't see it now, the Head Girl – who told us her name is Lindsey – quietly explained that, during the day, our tower allowed us "wonderful views" of the Great Lake, Forbidden Forest, Quidditch field, Herbology greenhouses, and the mountains.

I was in awe and, one glance at Cho, showed me it was no different for her.

After allowing us a moment to take it all in, Lindsey ushers the females towards their dorms. I'm delighted to discover that I'll be rooming with Cho.

*

I arrive early to breakfast the next day, long before my alarm was supposed to wake me. I couldn't sleep. I was far too excited. I didn't want to wake up Cho, plus I'm kind of a loner, so I decided to just go on my own.

I walk in slowly, again overcome by how enormous the place is. The ceiling now reflects the searing sunlight of a cloudless day. It was gorgeous. My eyes scan the room as I start towards the Ravenclaw table, only to stop short. Harry Potter was at his table, with that Weasley kid. Taking a deep breath, I screw up my courage and walk over to where they are. They look up at me as I arrive.

"Hello?" Ron asks, uncertainly.

"Hi." I give Ron a quick reply and turn to Harry. Without even thinking about it, I blurt out the one thing I would have never dreamed of starting a conversation with. "Voldemort killed my parents too."

They just stare at me in shock for a moment before Ron hisses. "Don't say his name!"

Harry eyes me carefully, peering at me through his dark rimmed glasses. I could slightly see the lightening shaped scar on his forehead, mostly covered by his dark hair.

"Um. I'm sorry that happened." He finally responds, cocking his head to the side in confusion.

"I just...I mean..." I begin to try to explain myself, fail, take a deep breath, heavily sigh, and begin again. "I wanted you to know you're not alone. I mean, you defeated him, but, like, I get the grief and...." I trail off, wanting to curl in on myself and just die.

He just stares at me for another minute – which feels like hours. Just as he's about to say something else, a rather rude voice interrupts us. Clearly I'll be asking him about his success in defeating him later. Though that may have been too much for a first conversation anyway.

"Well, well. Look who it is. Potter, a filthy little Weasley, and....who are you?" He asks, venom lacing his voice as he sneers at me.

"Y/N L/N." I says as confidently as I can.

His sneer deepens. "Well seeing as you're talking to bloody Potter, you're clearly just as bad as the lot of them."

"Bug off Malfoy." Ron speaks up, clearly annoyed with the whole situation.

"Watch it Weaslebee." Draco hisses back at him, casts each of us one last glare, and then continues on to his table for breakfast.

Again, just as I'm about to speak, we're interrupted. Cho runs over, casts a nervous glance at Harry, grabs my arm, and starts dragging me towards our table, talking non-stop about how nervous and excited she is for our classes to start and wondering what kind of breakfast items will be on the table.

A/N: One clarification. I am not watching the movies as I'm writing these chapters. I have watched them extremely recently, though I'm mainly looking up the transcripts and using those as a guide. As such, I don't always remember the exact way something is said or done. Let me know if something is off and I'll make a quick edit to fix it.

To give credit where it's due, most of my descriptions for the Ravenclaw common room were taken from: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Ravenclaw_Common_Room

I did make some changes or add to it, though.