Several more days passed.
One evening, after Draca had finished washing up and returned to her dormitory, she suddenly discovered a small card lying on her pillow.
Unlike the Christmas presents and greeting cards piled at the foot of her bed, the plain white card contained only a single line of writing.
Tonight at midnight.
The abandoned classroom on the fifth floor.
The handwriting was elegant, but unfamiliar.
Draca frowned and thought for a moment before returning to her desk and opening her diary once again.
Only when midnight drew near did she rise, put on a dark green night cloak, and quietly slip out of the common room.
When she reached the abandoned classroom on the fifth floor, she endured the dust hanging in the freezing air, only for her gaze to be drawn to a shaft of moonlight streaming through the stone window.
The moonlight was like water, spilling across an ancient, magnificent mirror that nearly reached the ceiling.
Strange words were carved around its frame.
Draca stared at them in confusion for only a few seconds before the corner of her lips rose in satisfaction.
Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
“I show not your face, but your heart’s desire.”
She softly read the inscription backward and stepped closer.
Then, from directly in front of her, she suddenly heard a quiet exclamation.
“Malfoy?”
“W-Who’s there?”
Unable to stop herself in time, Draca bumped straight into an invisible figure.
Startled, she clapped a hand over her mouth just in time to smother a scream.
She hurriedly stumbled back several steps.
Then the figure in front of her pulled off a silvery cloak, revealing himself.
“Po-Potter?”
“What are you doing here?”
The two blurted it out at the same time.
They looked at each other, then fell silent together.
After a long while, Harry spoke first.
“This mirror lets me see my family.”
“But they’re—”
Draca looked at Harry’s dazed expression and answered with some unease.
“Yeah.
But I can see them.
Only I can see them.
Ron can’t.”
As Harry spoke, he looked at her.
Tears shimmered at the corners of his eyes, but his expression remained stubborn.
“I…
can I look?”
Draca frowned and lightly bit her lower lip.
Somehow, in this atmosphere, none of their usual hostility seemed to be present.
After Harry nodded, she quietly stepped in front of the mirror.
Then the sight before her left her unable to move for a long time.
Her father.
Her mother.
And Severus.
The three of them seemed to be talking about something before turning toward her together with smiles.
Deeper within the mirror, she saw a younger version of herself.
The family she cherished most, peaceful and happy together.
“Can you see them?
My mum and dad?”
When Draca noticed Harry standing behind her, she didn’t feel annoyed.
She merely continued staring blankly into the mirror.
“No.
“I can see my family too.”
“I still only see Mum and Dad.”
“That’s a shame.
I can’t see yours…”
“They must be good-looking too, right?”
Harry’s reply was sincere.
He turned his head and looked at her gently.
Draca turned toward him as well.
A faint blush spread across her pale cheeks, and a soft smile appeared on her face.
“Mother is beautiful, Father’s very handsome, and Severus…
he’s very gentle.”
A few seconds passed.
Then Draca suddenly froze.
Both of them hurriedly looked away, only to turn back toward each other again.
Harry looked stunned.
“What did you just say?”
Once again, they spoke at the same time.
And once again, Harry was the first to continue.
“You said Snape is your family?”
He seemed to have already broken free of the mirror’s atmosphere, and there was now a trace of hostility in his voice.
“He’s like family to me.”
Draca answered, then suddenly realized where Harry’s hostility was coming from.
“You’ve got the wrong enemy.”
When she spoke again, even she was surprised by how cold her voice sounded.
“What do you mean?”
Harry immediately shot back, his tone slightly confrontational.
“You’ve got the wrong enemy.
Severus isn’t the bad one.
Quirrell is.”
As Draca explained, Harry’s eyes widened, his displeasure becoming obvious.
“So you really were eavesdropping on us and Hagrid.”
Draca’s face reddened again at having her improper behavior exposed, but she refused to back down.
“That’s exactly how I know you’re wrong.
You’re investigating the secret in the third-floor corridor too, aren’t you?”
She asked coldly.
Seeing Harry’s flustered expression, she knew her guess had been right.
“I know who Nicolas Flamel is, and I can guess what’s hidden in there.
If you need help, I can help you, but you are not allowed to keep accusing Severus.”
Draca was pleased to see a hint of hesitation on Harry’s face.
But when he finally answered, the light in her eyes faded in disappointment.
“I think Hermione and Ron can find the clues too.”
Harry’s answer was firm.
Draca’s anger immediately flared again.
“Do you really hate the idea of working with me that much?”
Her voice was cold and clear.
But Harry’s next words made her begin to tremble.
“I don’t dislike you, Malfoy.
But I hate the way you always look down on everyone.
Why do you have to act like that?
You were perfectly nice just now.”
Draca couldn’t tell whether she was trembling from anger or because the freezing air had chilled her to the bone.
She glared fiercely at Harry.
Her smooth platinum-blonde hair swept behind her as she turned and stormed away.
She left Harry there alone and returned to her dormitory by herself, but once in bed, she hugged her pillow and found herself unable to sleep.
At first, she thought anger was keeping her awake.
Yet when sleep finally began to claim her near dawn, Harry’s sincere words from when he’d still been caught up in the atmosphere of the mirror echoed in her ears.
They must be good-looking too, right?
What did he mean by that?
Not long after Draca’s furious figure disappeared, Harry stood there blankly for a while before leaving as well, carrying both frustration and disappointment with him.
The abandoned classroom immediately returned to complete silence.
Then, along the wall behind the mirror, two figures slowly emerged.
“Very, very interesting, Severus.
Perhaps she takes after Narcissa more.
But are you certain you want to do this?”
The tall elderly wizard spoke, his long white hair and beard hanging down around him.
A sharp gleam flashed behind his half-moon spectacles.
“If you’re willing to accept her, Dumbledore, she may prove an unexpected source of help.”
The black-robed wizard beside the old man answered in a flat voice.
Yet both of them understood that he was merely suppressing his emotions.
He spoke cautiously while waiting uneasily for the old man’s response.
“Help may be too strong a word for now, but I am willing to give her the chance to choose.
Everyone should be allowed a choice, regardless of their birth.
But what about your good friend?
Aren’t you afraid he’ll think you’ve betrayed him?”
Dumbledore’s tone was solemn.
Snape visibly relaxed.
Silence echoed through the empty classroom.
Without saying a word, Snape slowly walked toward the Mirror of Erised.
Within the reflection, two figures gradually appeared beside him.
One was an extraordinarily beautiful woman with long red hair and a radiant smile, her emerald-green eyes filled with happiness.
She gently wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned against his shoulder.
Together, they warmly watched the young girl playing in front of them inside the mirror.
The girl had long platinum-blonde hair and a delicate, childish face filled with innocence.
Her lively pale-gray eyes shifted curiously from side to side.
Though her eyes were light gray, she wore an emerald-green dress that matched the woman’s eyes.
Sensing the gazes of the two adults, she turned back in confusion while still hugging a doll Snape had made for her with magic.
The three of them stood together in the reflection.
Like the family formed from the people he’d loved most in his entire life, yet could never have in this one.
Then Snape turned away from the mirror and faced Dumbledore.
He closed his eyes.
His voice was heavy, but resolute.
“He’ll understand.
For Draca.”
Snape opened his eyes and allowed Dumbledore’s wise gaze to see through him.
A flash of surprise appeared in Dumbledore’s eyes.
The old man smiled.
“I’m surprised, Severus.
But I’m glad.”
“Never.
Ever.
Tell anyone.”
At the same time, a tear rolled down Snape’s cheek.
It really helps the fic grow!