Draco lounged on one of the couches in the Slytherin common room, exuding an air of confidence. Ron and Harry, disguised as Crabbe and Goyle, stood rigidly, as if unsure how to behave. On the other hand, Y/N strolled around the room in awe, captivated by the decor.

Draco shot a disapproving glare at Crabbe and Goyle, who looked decidedly foolish as they stood frozen. "Well, don't just stand there— sit down," he commanded with authority. Without hesitation, they complied, prompting Draco to roll his eyes in exasperation.

His attention then shifted to Y/N, who was admiring the green tapestry adorned with a silver serpent. Draco's smirk returned as he took pride in her reaction.

"Fabulous, isn't it?" he said, his tone dripping with arrogance. "Bet our common room is far superior to your birdcage."

Y/N gasped in mock outrage, dramatically placing a hand on her chest. "How dare you—"

Draco couldn't help but chuckle and respond playfully, "I'm merely stating facts, darling~"

"Oh really? And what facts might those be?" Y/N challenged, crossing her arms over her chest, hiding a smile.

"That Slytherin is simply the best~" Draco replied, his smirk stretching wider as he teased her.

Y/N couldn't resist a laugh before feigning seriousness. "Well, we Ravenclaw have actual bathrooms in our dormitories." She bragged.

"Please, we have bathrooms, too–"

"Yeah, but they're all outside your common room~" she shot back.

Draco snorted with amusement, turning his gaze away. "Tsk, touché..."

Y/N beamed with triumph and settled on one of the couches. Harry and Ron had been quietly observing, wanting to join the conversation but hesitating in fear of saying the wrong thing, so they remained as silent as mice.

"But I will admit, it has its charms," Y/N continued, taking in the aesthetics of the Slytherin common room. "It has a medieval vibe that exudes class, reflecting Slytherin's wealth and appreciation for elegance— a stark contrast to the other houses I've visited."

Draco's chin lifted in response to her compliment, his smug expression returning. "So, you've visited other houses?"

"I've been to Gryffindor's common room," she replied, causing Draco to sneer at the mention of the lion house. "What's that like?"

"Pretty cosy," Y/N shrugged nonchalantly.

Harry and Ron exchanged pleased looks at Y/N's comment, feeling a swell of pride for their common room.

"It's like a cabin, it gives off that homey, camping vibe."

"Ugh, they're a house full of peasants— Their common room sounds just as dreadful as the people, a bunch of Mudbloods." Said Draco with disdain.

"Oh, come on now, Dray, that's not fair." Y/N nudged him gently.

"UGH– and then there's Potter..." Draco continued, bitterness creeping into his voice. Just the thought of Gryffindor reminded him of his nemesis.

"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend, knows nothing of what it means to be a proper wizard. If he did, he wouldn't associate with that Granger Mudblood. And people actually think he's Slytherin's heir!"

Harry and Ron tensed, waiting with bated breath— surely Malfoy was on the verge of revealing his true identity. But then–

"We both know you're the real heir of Slytherin, don't we, Y/N?" Draco shot her a knowing look.

"What!?" She exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief.

Harry and Ron gaped in shock, quickly masking their reactions before Draco could notice. Thankfully, he remained oblivious.

"No, I'm not– When did you come up with that conclusion??" She asked, bewildered.

"Only because you're a Parselmouth; it must mean you're connected to our founder somehow. Most Parselmouths are descendants of Salazar Slytherin— though Potter is a notable exception," Draco explained, rolling his eyes.

"Okay... But that doesn't mean anything."

"Don't play coy, Y/N." Draco grinned mischievously. "I know your secret~"

"What secret?" She asked with a tinged with anxiety.

"Your secret..." Draco whispered, "that you hide your disdain for Mudbloods."

Y/N found this so preposterous that she started laughing. Draco took it as a sign of confirmation as Harry and Ron looked mortified. Y/N was behind it all?

"So I was right?" Draco pressed.

"No– Merlin, no—"

Draco's grin faltered, confusion replacing it. "But it all makes sense! Why would you tell me so much about Potter–?"

Harry's ears perked. Had Y/N said something behind his back to Malfoy?

"I told you, I trust you–"

"Yeah, but stupid Potter surely trusted you with his secrets too— yet you still divulged them to me as if..." He trailed off, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "...you wanted me to help you eliminate those Mudbloods and usurp Potter's fame."

Y/N's eyes widened incredulously, "Draco, you've lost it..." she said, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Am I wrong?" He challenged, his frown deepening.

"What is–" Goyle suddenly interjected, sounding uncharacteristically curious. The group turned in surprise at his unsolicited question. "...Potter's secret?"

A moment of silence enveloped them before Draco groaned in annoyance at Goyle's interruption.

"That's between me and Y/N, Goyle. I don't want to break her precious trust, now would I?" He mocked.

"But if you must know–" He continued lazily.

"Draco, DON'T." Y/N hissed, her tone urgent.

"Relax, it's only Crabbe and Goyle; they won't breathe a word, right?" Draco gave them a piercing glare that made them nod vigorously in response.

"I forbid you," she glared.

"Or what?" He challenged.

"Or that will be the first AND last secret I'll ever share with you and believe me— I still have tons. You will never hear of it."

Y/N said firmly, not realizing she may have said the wrong thing. Now, Harry and Ron find her immensely suspicious. More so than they were at Malfoy. What secrets was Y/N hiding, why did she never tell them any of it, and what in the world did she tell Malfoy about Harry?

Draco was tempted by the offer. Should he keep his mouth shut in exchange for more juicy secrets?

"You really know how to bargain, you know that?" Draco sneered with a mixture of admiration and irritation.

"Of course~" Y/N flipped her hair dramatically.

"Alright then," he leaned back against the couch. "Convince me that you have more secrets to spare. I might just keep the Potter thing between us."

"Well, it wouldn't be a secret if I said it in front of everyone." Y/N nodded toward Harry and Ron, who were becoming even more suspicious of her now.

It was easier to discuss secrets with Draco, considering he was not one of the main characters of this world. Even if he knew, it wouldn't affect or change anything— at least, she hoped it wouldn't. But if Harry and Ron knew everything she knew, the fate of the universe might change from the original, and she simply couldn't risk that.

"Fair point." Draco shrugged. "So what do you suggest?"

"I suggest we change the topic. Let's talk about the Chamber of Secrets." Y/N turned a bit serious as she spoke about what Harry, Ron and she had come for.

Draco chuckled in amusement while shaking his head. "Are you sure you're not the heir of Slytherin? You sound really invested in it as if you had something to do with it."

Y/N rolled her eyes and narrowed them at Draco's assumption. "It's not what you think, I'm just curious. Plus, if I had something to do with it, wouldn't it be better if I just kept my mouth shut?"

"Who knows," he shrugged nonchalantly. "Why'd you want to know?" Draco asked, a bit suspicious of her intention.

"Because if it's true, I would like to explore it." She said, looking composed as if she was being genuine.

"You mad?"

"Maybe..." She said slowly.

"Well, good luck finding it. No one knows where it is."

"But it exists?"

Draco chuckled, but his tone lacked humour. He leaned forward in his seat and smirked.

"Oh, yeah, for sure."

Harry and Ron's eyes widened slightly at Malfoy's words. The way he said it so confidently made them think that he certainly knew more than they initially thought.

"How are you so sure?" Y/N asked.

Draco looked around their surroundings for any eavesdropper before relaying the news to Y/N like some bunch of gossipers.

"Don't tell anyone about this," Draco said lowly but Harry and Ron could still hear him. "But fifty years ago, the Chamber of Secrets was opened and a Mudblood died."

"Moaning Myrtle..." Y/N murmured.

"What?" Draco looked momentarily bemused, and so did Ron and Harry.

"Nothing, it's a long story. But please, continue." Y/N prompted Draco.

"Anyway, my father knows all about it and who opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago, but he wouldn't tell me anything."

"Nothing at all?" Y/N asked.

"No, except that a Mudblood died. Although, I bet it's only a matter of time before one of them is killed this time... I hope it's Granger." Draco said with relish.

Ron clenched Crabbe's gigantic hands into tight fists till they turned white from Malfoy's remarks. It took all of Ron's self-control to stop himself from punching Malfoy square in the face.

"Draco!" Y/N scowled at him

"What?" He retorted.

"It's not nice to wish for someone's death"

"It is when they're Mudblood. The world's better off without them anyway." Said Draco cruelly.

Y/N felt angry and disappointed at the boy's words and spoke defiantly, "Well, what if I'm a Muggle-born?"

"No, you are not–"

"But what if I am?" She looked adamant.

Y/N was, as you could say, a Muggle in her past life so she couldn't help but feel defensive when Draco wished people like her were better off dead.

"Would you still wish the same thing?" Said Y/N, getting worked up with every sentence. "Would you wish for my death, too? Do you want me to disappear like all the other Muggles in the worl–"

"Geez, Y/N, calm down," Draco said, slightly irritated. "You know that's not what I meant."

While Malfoy was too engrossed in the conversation with Y/N, Harry and Ron were beginning to change back to themselves as their hour was up. Crabbe's hair was turning red as Harry's lightning bolt scar became visible.

They both jumped up to their feet.

"What's wrong with you two?" Draco looked at them oddly.

"Medicine for my stomach," Ron grunted, before he and Harry sprinted out of the Slytherin common room, leaving Y/N with Draco.

"Medicine? What for?" He muttered with a frown while looking at the direction they had left.

Y/N had to make up something on the spot so Draco wouldn't be suspicious of Harry and Ron's sudden departure.

"It's probably because of all the food they ate from the feast. You should see the things they swallowed, it was disgusting." Y/N forced a laugh.

Draco's eyes drifted back to Y/N as he chuckled at her remark, "I can imagine. I'm not surprised if something doesn't agree with their stomach, it serves them right."

*

Harry and Ron had made it back to the Moaning Myrtle's bathroom without anyone noticing that they were wearing an oversized Slytherin robe. Ron hammered on the door of Hermione's cubicle.

"Hermione, come out, we have loads to tell you."

"Go away!"

Ron and Harry looked at each other surprised. She was probably upset because she still had some of Millicent's features, they thought.

But oh, how they were so wrong when they saw Hermione with predatory eyes, paws for hands, two pairs of large ears on the top of her head, a tail and a body covered with fur.

"Oh oh," said Ron.

"It's okay, Hermione," Harry said quickly. "We'll take you up to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions..."

While Harry and Ron tried their best to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom, Y/N was still in the Slytherin common room talking to Draco. She didn't seem to be leaving the place anytime soon as Draco didn't seem to leave her alone either.

The tension from earlier had subsided as Draco didn't touch back on the topic of Muggles and his disdain for them. However, Y/N was still in slight disbelief of how deep Draco's hatred really goes for Muggle-born for him to wish upon their death.

However, she can't say she was surprised.

Out of boredom, Y/N quietly stood up from the couch and slowly made her way to the tall windows of the Slytherin common room that showed the aquatic life under the Black Lake.

The lake was almost pitch black with the only light coming from the rays of the moon, but even then it was faint. As if the place wasn't already dark enough, the lake's surface was completely frozen, making any light barely passable through the thick ice.

Yet, Y/N didn't mind the darkness, she didn't mind the mysteries the water held. She looked through the glass, her expression almost peaceful with a hint of something else... perhaps longing? She looked at the water as if she longed to drown her thoughts in them.

Draco, who had silently trailed behind Y/N, stood next to her. He looked at the view outside briefly before darted back to her expression, taking in the way she looked under the dimly lited room.

Draco stared at her longer than he probably should. He knew that he had to look away, that he should just turn his head toward the damn waters and not her.

But he can't... He couldn't...

Not when she looked so endearing. The longer he looked at Y/N, the more he felt he knew her.

Such as the way her eyes would sparkle in the dark, how she stood slightly shorter than he was, the way her cheeks flushed and made her look prettier or how she'd puff out small clouds every time she breathed—

Of course, he would never admit this though.

But for small things like that Draco would unconsciously take mental notes of Y/N whenever his eyes landed on her.

What's frustrating is that he doesn't exactly know why. Why his eyes were so drawn to her as if she was a pot of gold? Not that he's never seen one.

Y/N, whose eyes were still locked onto the window, knew Draco was next to her but didn't realise he was looking at her in such a way. But even if she didn't know about it, doesn't mean she didn't have that bugging feeling that she was being watched.

As Draco secretly observed her, Y/N's head suddenly snapped towards his direction. Out of instinct, he quickly looked away, hiding his fluster with his usual sneer. Y/N caught him staring at her and smirked playfully at his discomfort.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing." He shook his head, his tone nonchalant.

"No, you were obviously staring at me. What is it?"

"It's nothing, alright?" He said, a bit impatient.

Y/N caught onto Draco's growing annoyance and didn't press on further. Instead, she stayed silent while looking at him and admiring his side profile.

However, it was mostly his silver eyes that had captivated her attention, the only thing that looked different from the movie Draco.

"What are you looking at?" He spat in a slightly harsh tone.

"Your eyes..." Y/N muttered.

"What about them?" He asked gruffly, his tone a bit less harsh than before.

"It's the most remarkable shade of silver I've ever seen..."

Silence fell upon them as Draco's lips parted slightly, completely off guard by the compliment. His heart began to pound in his chest, his face slowly turning a shade of pink. Although, the dim light made it less obvious for Y/N to see it.

Draco tried to regain his composure, but a mix of surprise and vulnerability flashed across his features. It was rare for someone to comment on the colour of his eyes, and even rarer for someone to do so in a soft and almost reverent manner. His usual haughty demeanour faltered for a moment.

"You think so?" He asked, lacking his usual edge.

Y/N's expression softened and nodded with a gentle smile. Draco's gaze flickered over her face, searching for any sign of insincerity or mockery, but finding none. Her gaze was sincere, her expression soft. There was something about her reaction that made his heart thump faster in his chest.

"It's the colour of the moon which the tide tends to follow... And I wish to drown in your ocean." Y/N murmured, especially the last part, mostly to herself.

Draco's breath caught in his throat, his heart skipping a beat as he heard her poetic words. He found himself at the receiving end of the most beautiful compliment he had ever received.

And Draco... couldn't handle it.

His face was now a deep crimson and he could feel his body heating up from the beating of his heart. He was beyond flustered, perhaps even panicking internally. He didn't know what to say or what to do without revealing his embarrassment.

"I-I..." He stuttered. There was a long pause as if Draco was being careful with his words. But, really, he was too embarrassed to say anything.

"I... I have to go–" Said Draco in urgency before quickly turning on his heels.

"What, where are you going?" Y/N stared confusedly.

"To find Crabbe and Goyle," He replied with his back facing Y/N as he strode away. "DON'T follow me." He warned.

Draco didn't actually want to search for Crabbe nor Goyle, he just needed an excuse, an excuse to leave from the embarrassing situation that was his flustering feeling.

Y/N looked at him oddly and was a bit disappointed when he left the common room. Tempted to go after him, but she held back as she reluctantly obliged to his warning.

A few moments after Draco had completely disappeared from Y/N's view, she let out an incredulous chuckle.

"I can't believe he left me alone, in his common room, too... Yes, very gentleman of him." Y/N said sarcastically to herself.