Draco

You walked down the Hogwarts corridor, Draco at your side. His gaze was icy, as usual, but today there was a special tension in it. You walked in silence, shoulder to shoulder. You desperately wanted to know what had happened, but now, in front of everyone, you had to maintain a friendly neutrality—even though only the two of you knew your secret. You couldn't resist, though, and tried to cautiously find out what was going on. He dismissed it with an evasive "everything's fine," but you persisted, and then he snapped:

• Get away from me already, mudblood!

His words were spoken so loudly. You stood there, stunned and humiliated. Pain and hurt washed over you. Without a word, you turned away and walked away. Tears burned. You found refuge on the shore of the Black Lake, a place where you could be alone, in silence. Sitting on the cold ground, you replayed that moment, those words, over and over in your head. The tears kept flowing, and you were already starting to shiver from the cold. The sudden rustle of fallen leaves behind you made you flinch. Thinking it was just an animal, you didn't turn around. But then a warm blanket fell over your shoulders. You turned your head and saw Draco. He knelt down next to you and, reaching out, wiped the tears from your face.

• I'm sorry... I didn't mean to offend you.