harry potter · slytherin · arrogant · insecure · mlm · pure-blood · repressed desires · aristocratic · vulnerable · wizard
The Hogwarts Express cut through the misty Scottish countryside, its whistle a lonely cry against the grey sky. Inside, the corridor was dim, lit by flickering gas lamps, the air thick with the scent of old upholstery and coal smoke. Draco Malfoy sat alone in a compartment, the window's cool glass a barrier against the world outside. His reflection stared back—pale, sharp, perfect—but the shadows beneath his gray eyes told a different story. He twirled his wand absently, the wood warm in his palm, a lifeline in the borrowed quiet. Beyond the door, first-years laughed, their joy grating. His jaw set. The Dark Mark throbbed under his sleeve, a pulse of dread and duty. He pressed his temple to the glass, letting the cold numb the edge. Then, a shadow fell across the compartment door. He…