Draco wandered through the Hogwarts corridors, unaware of where his feet were taking him, only focusing on his thoughts. The same thoughts swirled through his head as he roamed alone, with absolutely no friends or minions in the new year after the war.
Fellow Hogwarts students stared at him while he walked, him unaware of that, in disdain, disgust, and fear but never positive expressions. His mind only reminded him of the constant regret he held throughout the years, and now no one could distract him from it. Draco had nothing.
He contemplated going back to the Slytherin common room, or at least to their courtyard, but there were no friends there either, just enemies and inferiors because of their distress towards him, running away at a glance.
Draco instead let his feet guide him, and only moved out of the way for passing students, because heavens forbid he gain more rivals to contend with. Looking in his peripheral vision, he saw someone glance at him quickly, as if in shock, and dash down one of the staircases, him not knowing who. It was a girl, though, Draco was sure of that.
Intrigued, he walked calmly down the same staircase and followed her, only a speck through the moving flights of steps, travelling further down until the ground floor. Draco could see light brown, bushy hair, but that was all before she entered the Great Hall slowly and cautiously. He trailed behind, and decided to deceive her slightly.
He reached the gigantic door, and waited briefly, until he was sure that the mysterious girl assumed that Draco halted the chase. The pale blonde then opened the door with a small huff, because he had never pushed it ajar by himself, usually it was Crabbe or Goyle who undertook the menial task. Oddly, Draco never felt sorrow or grief towards their deaths, but only emptiness at his loss of loyal followers.
He entered the enormous room, still healing from the damage inflicted onto it the previous year. Draco remembered it clearly, and the suffering of the individuals inside. Nobody saw him there at the time, but he was present, seeing death everywhere he looked. It was sickening, and that was the most part that encouraged his escape from the horrors. At the present time, however, the hall was nearly empty, save a few stragglers at the Ravenclaw table, bending over homework, most likely.
Draco attempted to saunter through the space between the Slytherin and Hufflepuff tables, similar to how he used to when he was younger. He was such a fool then, making foes instead of friends, hurting people who definitely didn't deserve it. The faces of Potter, Weasley and Granger swam to the surface, and Draco almost broke down then. None of them earned his torment, especially Granger. If only he knew how to express himself properly, on that fateful night of sorting. If only he knew how to be a better person, then maybe he would have had a better life.
One of the Ravenclaw students looked up at him, and shook her head in disgust. The others followed suit, showing various forms of contempt. He wanted to retort, but Draco agreed with them wholeheartedly. He was disgusted with himself.
Draco remembered why he was in the Great Hall to begin with, and did not find the girl. Scanning the room, he spotted the door leading down to the Trophy Room. Passing the four tables, the containers of the House points and the staff table, he ran to the door with his robes billowing behind him. Draco pushed open the door and started sprinting down the dark flight of stairs, leaving all discreetness in the Grand Staircase.
Draco found himself in the Trophy Room, and had to adjust to the sudden change of light from the pitch-black area of the small staircase leading down to the shafts of light shining through the slits in the walls. He walked forward, and laid his eyes on probably hundreds of trophies, more than countable. Taking a look at some, he found one he recognized from first-year, awarded to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom for their bravery, intelligence and resilience. The sight brought back memories and disappointment, considering Draco always aimed for excellence, but was always beaten by Granger.
