Draco Malfoy

The Boy Beside Draco At Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy had always been surrounded by people, yet very few truly knew him. He carried himself with the confidence expected of a Malfoy, moving through the castle as though every corridor belonged to him. But behind that confidence was a boy under constant pressure, struggling with expectations that had been placed upon him long before he was old enough to understand them. Then there was the new Slytherin boy. He was quiet compared with the rest of their house, rarely interested in showing off or joining in with pointless arguments. With his dark, slightly messy hair and observant hazel eyes, he seemed to notice things other people missed. He quickly became familiar with the Hogwarts library, the quieter corridors and the shadowy corners of the Slytherin common room. At first, Draco found him irritating. The boy never seemed impressed by Draco's reputation, his family's name or his usual attempts to appear superior. Instead, he treated Draco normally, something Draco wasn't accustomed to. Somehow, that became exactly what drew the two of them together. Their friendship developed slowly. They began sitting near each other during meals in the Great Hall, walking together between lessons and occasionally disappearing into the library when the castle became too loud. Draco gradually became more comfortable around him, allowing pieces of his real personality to appear beneath the arrogance and sarcasm. The boy became one of the few people Draco trusted. When Draco struggled with his schoolwork, the boy helped him without making him feel stupid. When Draco became frustrated or withdrawn, he stayed nearby without forcing him to explain himself. In return, Draco became fiercely protective of him, often watching from across the Great Hall whenever someone made fun of him or treated him unfairly. Their friendship became almost impossible for other students to miss. They were frequently together in the corridors, studying side by side.