The Game | D.M

23

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'Secrets'

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No One

Aria jolted awake, her heart pounding, her body drenched in sweat. She sat up in bed, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to shake off the lingering fear from the dream. The room was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the dying embers in the fireplace.

She looked around, half-expecting to see the boy standing in a shadowy corner of the dormitory. But there was no one. Only the silent, sleeping forms of Pansy.

Aria laid back down, her mind racing. Who was the boy in her dream? Why did he feel so familiar, yet completely unknown? And what did his cryptic message mean?

As she stared at the ceiling, the memory of the boy's sinister smile and enigmatic words haunted her thoughts. She knew she wouldn't find answers tonight, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the dream was more than just a figment of her imagination.

The nightmare lingered in her mind, its dark tendrils weaving through her thoughts and refusing to let her find peace. Sleep was a distant dream now, the terror of her vision too vivid to allow her to drift off again.

Quietly, she slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Pansy. She tiptoed out of her room, her footsteps light against the floor, and made her way to the common room. The fire in the hearth was still burning, casting a warm, flickering glow across the room.

Aria's first thought was to go to Laurent's dorm. His presence had always been a comforting distraction, but tonight, she needed to face her fears alone. She settled into the couch in front of the fire, her mind raced with questions and fears, and before she knew it, her eyes grew glossy with unshed tears.

Just as she was on the verge of breaking down, she heard a voice behind her.

"Couldn't sleep?" Draco's voice was slick, almost mocking.

Aria turned to see him standing in the doorway, his expression one of mild curiosity. He sauntered over, a smirk playing on his lips. "What's the matter, Zabini? Laurent not meeting you for a late-night shag?"

His words cut through her, annoyance flaring in her chest. "No, Malfoy," she snapped. "I had a nightmare and I couldn't go back to sleep."

Draco's smirk faltered slightly, his eyes narrowing. He studied her for a moment before moving to sit beside her, leaving a respectful distance between them. The silence stretched out, the crackling of the fire the only sound in the room.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked eventually, his tone surprisingly gentle.

Aria shook her head, wiping at her eyes before any tears could fall. "No, especially not with you." she spat.

He had to admit, it cut just a bit, but he wasn't going to admit that, so he was about to stand up and leave when she spoke up again, "Just... stay with me?"

Draco hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."

They sat in silence, the weight of the night pressing down on them both. Despite her initial annoyance, Aria found an unexpected comfort in Draco's presence. The walls she had built around herself began to crumble, slowly.

"You were right," she said softly, staring into the fire. "I'm breaking slowly. Falling apart."

Draco turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. "What happened in your nightmare?"