twenty eight : A FAMILIAR MELODY

chapter xxxviii : a familiar melody

"a haunting, familiar sound that felt as old as the castle itself."

THE MORNING LIGHT FEL LIKE DAGGERS BEHIND HER EYES. A dull ache throbbed at the back of her skull, and her body felt heavy and sore, as if she had run a marathon in her sleep. Valerie Potter tried to make sense of the fragmented memories from the night before, but a specific, confusing image kept replaying in her mind: her own feet that morning. She had worn her clean, white sneakers to the get-together, but when she had woken up, there were faint smudges of dirt and dried leaves on her bare feet. She had no memory of being outside, but the evidence was undeniable.

"—Honestly, Val, you're fine," Pansy Parkinson reassured her closest friend, as they walked through the quiet dungeons. "It's a hangover. It happens."

Valerie winced at the loudness of her voice. As they walked past a group of older Slytherin students, Audrey Berkshire and Iris Young gave her a small, knowing smile. It was a silent nod to the party from the night before, a gesture that Valerie returned with a weary grin.

I must have stumbled on the way back to the dorm, she thought, her mind grasping for any logical explanation.

The alcohol... that's all it was.

As they entered the dungeon for Potions, the warm air filled with the familiar scent of bubbling cauldrons and simmering herbs. Professor Slughorn, a large, jolly man, greeted Valerie with a theatrical wave. "Ah, Miss Potter! A great mind such as yours should never be kept from my classroom!"

Valerie Potter offered a small, strained smile in return, sliding into a seat next to Pansy Parkinson. She pulled out her books and quill, her hand trembling slightly. Across the room, her eyes briefly landed on her brother, Harry, who was already engrossed in his potions textbook, his head bent low over the worn pages.

Valerie started humming a low, tuneless melody, a quiet rhythm that had been stuck in her head all day.

Pansy nudged her, a quiet look of irritation on her face. "Sorry, Val..." She whispered, "But your humming is getting a bit annoying. What is that song?"

Valerie stopped, genuinely confused. "What humming? What are you talking about?" The melody immediately vanished from her mind, leaving a strange, echoing silence in its wake.

Just as the class began, the heavy dungeon door creaked open.

Draco Malfoy, looking tired and more stressed than usual, walked in, his silver prefect's badge gleaming on his robes. His blond hair was slightly disheveled, and his face was pale. His eyes, cold and grey, swept over the room before they landed on his ex girlfriend.

He didn't sneer.

He didn't look at her with contempt or rage.

He just stared, a flicker of intense, unwavering concern in his grey eyes ...

Valerie's head shot up, her blood beginning to boil.

She had no idea why he was looking at her like that, and the genuine worry in his expression only infuriated her more.

What right did he have to stare at her with an expression she couldn't understand, after the way he had cornered her last night? She shot him a silent, furious glare that promised an all-out war. She had no idea why he was looking at her, but she was going to find out.

The class was filled with the low hum of student chatter.

Valerie's heart was still hammering against her ribs, but her fury toward Draco was abruptly replaced by a sudden, jarring vision.

The humming in her head became a deafening roar, and she felt a pressure so immense it was as if an invisible weight was pressing down on her shoulders.

Her vision blurred, and for a terrifying second, she saw it: a black cabinet, ornate and ancient, filled with a deep, consuming dread. The feeling was so real, so impossibly heavy, that she gasped, her hands flying to her head.

Beside her, Pansy was giggling, her thumbs flying across her phone beneath the desk, messaging her long-distance boyfriend.

She was completely oblivious to her friend's inner turmoil, a stark reminder of how alone Valerie was in her strange, unsettling world.

The vision vanished as quickly as it came, leaving her shaken and cold.

What was that? She thought, her hands still trembling as she tried to focus on the lecture.

The silence that followed Slughorn's announcement was deafening, but it was quickly filled with the low hum of student chatter.

Valerie and Pansy were swept out of the dungeon and into the crowded corridor.

Students milled about, a chaotic river of uniforms and textbooks.

Valerie Potter was still trying to make sense of the vision when she was jostled, and she stumbled, bumping hard into a familiar, infuriatingly solid chest.

Draco Malfoy.

              "You're still a mess, aren't you?" He snarled, his voice a low hiss.

The words, laced with venom, were a slap in the face. Valerie's fury, which had been momentarily forgotten, flared back to life.

Before she could reply, however, he had already turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd without a backward glance.

              Valerie groaned in pure frustration, the sound muffled by the noise of the corridor. "I hate him," She muttered, turning to Pansy and starting to walk in the opposite direction. "I hate him so fucking much. Who does he think he is?"

Pansy nodded, her own green eyes still narrowed at where Draco had been standing. "I know, right?!" She agreed, fueling her best friend's rant. "The nerve of him!"

Suddenly, a blur of motion slid between them, his arms resting on their shoulders.

It was Mitchell Sinclair, his charming, handsome face grinning from ear to ear.

             "Hey, ladies," He said with an easy, confident grace. "Happy birthday to me!"

Pansy and Valerie greeted him with genuine smiles, the tense moment with the blond instantly forgotten.

           "I'm having a party tonight in the common room, open for any 6th or 7th year Slytherin to join," Mitchell announced, his voice filled with an infectious energy. "But the alcohol is only for our group, we'll have to be discreet about it.

Pansy's eyes lit up. "Oh, we'll be there," She declared, looking at her friend with a mischievous gleam. "And Valerie is going to wear something absolutely scandalous to piss Malfoy off."

Valerie's grin was full of defiance.

It was another new act of rebellion.

The next hour was spent in the Divination classroom. The air was thick with the scent of incense and old tea leaves. Professor Trelawney, her large glasses magnifying her eyes, gave her usual rambling lecture, but Valerie couldn't focus.

Professor Trelawney was making unsettling glances at her throughout the class, her eyes wide with a worry that Valerie couldn't understand.

During class she started humming the same low, tuneless melody she had heard since 5th year.

It was a haunting, familiar sound that felt as old as the castle itself.

As she hummed, a strange phrase formed on her tongue, and she sang it, her voice barely a whisper in the silent classroom. It was the first time she had ever sung a lyric to the song, and the words felt both foreign and deeply ingrained.

"I know you're there, my love, and do not fear..."

The moment the words left her lips, she froze, a wave of confusion washing over her. She didn't know where the words came from, and the sound of them made her skin crawl.

When divination class had ended, Valerie's mind was reeling, replaying the haunting lyric over and over.

When she left the classroom, she told Pansy that she needed to use the bathroom.

But as soon as her friend was out of sight, she felt it: a strange, magnetic pull, as if an invisible string was tugging her forward.

The humming in her head, which had been dormant since she sang the lyric, started up again, a low, insistent thrum that seemed to vibrate in her bones.

She wasn't walking of her own accord: she was being led.

The pull guided her deeper into the castle, down a deserted corridor on the seventh floor she had never noticed before.

She found herself standing in front of a blank stretch of wall. The humming intensified, and a large, ornate wooden door materialised, its surface scarred with the passage of time.

Valerie's heart hammered against her ribs, but she opened the door and stepped inside.

The Room of Requirement was a chaotic jumble of forgotten items.

Piles of broken furniture, stacks of ancient books, and discarded cauldrons filled every corner.

It was a labyrinth of junk, but her eyes were immediately drawn to a specific object in the heart of the room.

There it was.

The black cabinet from her vision, ancient and imposing.

As she walked toward it, the humming in her head reached a fever pitch.

She reached out and touched the cabinet's cold, dark wood.

A shockwave of emotion coursed through her—a wave of sorrow and a profound, heavy pressure on her shoulders, just like in her vision.

She pulled her hand back, a gasp caught in her throat, her mind struggling to comprehend what was happening.

This wasn't a hallucination: it was real. She had felt it.

She stood there, trembling, and wondered what it could all mean.

Then, she remembered. Charms class. She was going to be very, very late. Shaking her head, Valerie turned and ran out of the room.

𓈒𓏸‪‪ 𓇼 𓏸‪‪𓈒

THE LOW MURMUR OF CONVERSATION and clatter of cutlery from the Great Hall had long since faded, replaced by the excited chatter and frantic preparations for the night's party. Valerie Raven Potter had returned to her dorm room early, a lingering tune playing in her head that she couldn't quite shake. Pansy Parkinson was also there, dressed in a sleek brown corset top that hugged her figure, paired with a matching brown skirt. Her wavy brown hair fell around her shoulders, and nude heels were neatly placed by the door. She looked every inch ready for the night, and as she stood behind her friend, her hands expertly weaving a curling iron through Valerie's deep red-wine-coloured hair, she moved with an effortless confidence.

Valerie sat on her vanity white chair, still wrapped in a light pink silk robe.

She was absorbed in her own reflection, carefully blending a dark eyeshadow palette to create a dramatic smokey eye.

A low hum of music pulsed from Pansy's phone on the nightstand, but Valerie was humming a different tune, the melody of the song that had been stuck in her head all day. She finished her eye makeup, then picked up a tube of lipstick.

As she applied it, her humming continued, and for a moment, her gaze was distant.

With a final, precise swipe, she set the lipstick down. The motion must have dislodged something, because a new lyric, a new phrase of the same song, suddenly bloomed in her mind. Her humming shifted, incorporating the new words, and her brow furrowed in confusion.

           "—Oh, my goodness, Val," Pansy's voice cut through the air, her hands still in Valerie's hair. "Your drawer is glowing."

Valerie's humming stopped abruptly.

She glanced at the nightstand drawer beside her, but the wood was dark and ordinary. "What? No, it's not."

        "It was!" Pansy insisted, her voice full of a genuine surprise that made Valerie turn to face her. "When you were humming just now... it glowed a soft blue, I swear!"

Curiosity overriding her confusion, Valerie slipped off the chair and Pansy set the curling iron down, following her friend.

They knelt together beside the nightstand and Valerie pulled the drawer open.

Nestled in a corner, just as she had left it a year ago and completely forgotten, was the small, intricately carved treasure chest.

Pansy's eyes widened. "What is that old thing?" She breathed, her voice a hushed whisper.

                "I found it last year," She answered, her hand hovering over the familiar object. "In the Black Lake."

             Pansy's gaze darted from the chest to Valerie's face. "Sing it again," She commanded, her tone urgent now. "The song. Sing it."

Valerie, her heart starting to beat a little faster, did. Her voice was soft, a little shaky at first.

"I know you're there, my love, and do not fear,My only wish is to be near."

While she sang the same two lyrics, a faint, ethereal blue light began to emanate from the chest, bathing both their faces in a cool glow.

Pansy gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "The song! The one you've been humming this whole time! It's because of this... it's connected to it somehow." She reached out a hesitant finger, tracing the chest. "You're definitely connected to this, Val, in some way..."

The air in the Slytherin Common Room was thick with electric energy of youth.

Neon lights in shades of green and silver pulsed to the heavy bass of the song Cocky AF by Megan Thee Stallion, casting a glow over the chaotic river of students.

A banner reading HAPPY BIRTHDAY MITCHELL! was strung crookedly above the fireplace, and the man of the hour wore a plastic gold crown on his head, grinning like a true king. Sixth and seventh years milled about, while a stern-faced Audrey Berkshire shooed away any younger students who dared to venture too close.

Valerie Potter arrived with Pansy Parkinson, looking like a a dangerous siren in her black dress with strategically placed cutouts. Gold earrings dangled from her ears, catching the light, and a single gold ring glittered on her ring finger. Her burgundy red nails added a pop of defiant colour against the black fabric. She was the very picture of confidence, and as she surveyed the room, she could feel the stares.

She met none of them with her eyes, but she knew.

She could feel Draco Malfoy's gaze on her like a physical weight, burning a hole in her back from his spot in the corner.

He was there with Blaise Zabini, a sneer on his face, a glass of something amber clutched tightly in his hand.

Without a second thought, Valerie made a beeline for a group of boys and, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she settled herself right on Jason Montgomery's lap.

She felt a flicker of satisfaction at the thought of Draco's reaction, and Jason, ever the charmer, wrapped a casual arm around her waist, playing the part perfectly.

Later, as the music pounded on and the room became a sweltering mass of bodies, Valerie decided she needed a drink.

She slid off Jason's lap and made her way to the fruit punch bowl, hoping for something to cut through the heavy heat.

She was pouring herself a cup when Jason came up behind her, his voice a low rumble over the music.

        "So, Valerie," He began, a curious glint in his eyes. "Are you a virgin?"

Valerie froze, a flicker of shock on her face.

Her defiance, so carefully constructed, wavered. "That's none of your business," She replied, her voice sharp and cold as she turned to face him.

Jason's grin faltered, but before he could respond, a voice from beside them cut in. "You'll have to forgive him, Potter. Some boys don't have enough sense to keep their thoughts to themselves." It was Theodore Nott, his expression unreadable as he helped himself to some fruit punch. He cast a quick, knowing look at Valerie and Jason before slipping away into the crowd.

Across the room, Theo found Draco and Blaise.

He leaned in and whispered a few words to Draco, a malicious glint in his eye.

Draco's face, already tight with rage, went even paler.

His jaw tightened, and he looked over at Valerie, who was still standing with Jason.

As he watched, Jason took her hand and led her away from the party's center, toward the corridor that led to the dormitories.

Draco's heart dropped, a cold, sick feeling of dread washing over him.

It was happening again—she was going to do something reckless, something he couldn't stop.

He turned and downed the rest of his drink, his knuckles white against the glass.

Meanwhile, Valerie was with Jason in his dorm, the door shut against the noise of the party.

She sat on the edge of his bed, the space feeling too small and too intimate.

Jason sat next to her, a soft smile on his face, and reached for her.

He leaned in, his lips just inches from hers, but she turned her head away at the last second.

           "—I'm so sorry, I can't..." She whispered, her voice barely audible. A single tear escaped her eye and slid down her cheek. "I... I'm not ready for this. I'm still.... in love with him." The words tumbled out of her, a dam of emotion breaking.

She talked about the confusing tension, about how angry and hurt she was, and how, in spite of it all, she still felt something for her ex boyfriend.

To her surprise, Jason Montgomery simply listened.

When she finished, he took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm sorry, Valerie," He reassured softly. "I get it. I shouldn't have put you in this position. You're a good person, and you deserve to be happy. Don't worry about me. You go and figure things out."

Valerie left his dorm a few minutes later, feeling both relieved and ashamed. She smoothed down her dress, took a deep breath, and prepared to face the music.

But she didn't get far.

A hand, surprisingly strong, wrapped around her wrist and dragged her through the corridors.

He didn't stop, pulling her down the hall and shoving open his bedroom door.

He dragged her inside and slammed the door shut behind them, the loud thud echoing in the sudden silence.

He pushed her against the wall, pinning her there with his body, his eyes blazing with a cold, terrifying fury, and his face a mask of rage and hurt.

              "—What did you two do?" Draco hissed, his voice a low, venomous growl. "You go into his dorm like that, you sit on his lap, and you let him touch you? What, are you just going to go to bed with any boy who asks? You're a slut now, is that it?"

Valerie's own fury flared, hot and sharp. "How dare you!" She yanked her arm away from him, though she couldn't escape his grasp. "Who do you think you are, to talk to me like that? You corner me in hallways, you look at me with that pathetic, sad look in your eyes, and then you get angry when I try to move on? You don't get to control me!"

His chest heaved with rage.

                  "You think this is control? You think I want to do this? You're a damn mess, Valerie, and you're going to get yourself killed!"

               "What are you even talking about?!" She screamed, her voice breaking. "You're the one who cornered me! You're the one who pushed me away!"

He grabbed her by the arms, his hands tight, his knuckles white. The anger in his eyes was replaced by a flash of raw, unfiltered anguish. "I didn't want to! You think I wanted to?!"

The words hung in the air, thick with unspoken hurt and longing.

The fight was over, but the emotions were still there, simmering just beneath the surface.

He looked down at her, his eyes tracing the line of her mouth.

Without another word, he crushed his lips against hers.

It was not a gentle kiss.

It was furious and desperate, a collision of all their pent-up anger and heartbreak.

It was a chaotic, messy thing that tasted of rage and longing, and for a long moment, the only sound was the frantic pounding of their hearts.

𓈒𓏸‪‪ 𓇼 𓏸‪‪𓈒

🌶️ 👀

we begin the chapter with valerie having a headache & as i was writing this chapter i was going through a bad headache too!

i was sooo stuck and struggling with this chapter for a long while ... but i managed! yayy

this chapter was all about that beautiful, chaotic mess of feelings—the jealousy, the confusion, and the final, explosive kiss that has been building up for a while.

i announced last chapter about how i will post a new update EVERY single day — which i will !!

we can see what happens next between valerie and draco tomorrow 😙

please vote to help my story grow 💋💋

( authors personal notes ) published — 10:22pm september 7th 2025current amount of reads — 64.1kword count — 3,454