Chapter 19: Shadows in the library

The library was nearly empty, the silence broken only by the occasional shuffle of pages or whisper of a footstep. I had curled up at a corner table, a blanket draped over my shoulders, burying my face in my arms as the tears I had not fully released in the hall earlier spilled out again. Hours felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours. I did not notice how my sobs had quieted into soft sniffles, or how my head slowly drooped onto my folded arms. Sleep came unbidden, heavy and merciful. From the shadows at the far end of the library, Draco lingered, unseen. His hands were tucked into his pockets, his expression unreadable as he watched me. He had followed me after the hall incident, hesitant to approach, afraid he might make things worse if he did. Seeing me cry like this, so vulnerable and so human, knotted something in his chest. His usual composure, his arrogance, even his pride, all of it melted away at the sight of me. “Melody,” he whispered softly, but he did not move closer. The sound of his own voice seemed intrusive, a reminder that he could not just sweep in and fix everything. I stirred slightly, but did not wake. The tears still glimmered on my cheeks, the faint glow of candlelight making each one shine like tiny diamonds against my skin. Draco’s chest tightened. He wanted to reach for me, to wrap me in his arms and tell me everything would be okay, but he stayed frozen, caught between fear and love. Minutes passed, stretching into quiet eternity. I sighed in my sleep, curling further into myself, exhausted from both tears and emotion. Draco’s heart ached at the sight. Finally, he exhaled slowly, almost imperceptibly, and stepped back into the shadows, careful not to disturb me. He whispered, barely audible, “I will fix this. I promise. When you wake, I will be here.” For a long moment, he stood there, just watching, protecting me in silence. As the library’s quiet settled around us, Draco realized something he had not admitted even to himself before. Love sometimes meant waiting silently until the other was ready. For now, all he could do was watch, heart tethered to mine, hoping the space between us could one day be mended. The library remained still, save for the soft rhythm of my breathing and the ghostly echo of snow brushing against the windows outside.