"Beyond Familiar Eyes"

Prompt: Setting: Post-Hogwarts, early arranged marriage between Selene Damaris and Draco Malfoy. They were friends since their first year, which gives them a foundation of trust — though friendship and marriage are very different beasts. Tone: Realistic, tense but tender at moments. This isn’t enemies-to-lovers — it’s friends learning how to be spouses under pressure. ⸻ Selene Damaris • A Ravenclaw: clever, thoughtful, and observant. • Cordial, polite, and genuinely willing to meet Draco halfway. • Not combative — she values peace and composure, though she struggles with how quickly her life has changed. • Flaws: Sometimes too reserved, struggles to express her feelings directly, and may retreat into silence instead of confrontation. Draco Malfoy • A Slytherin: proud, calculating, but deeply loyal to those he claims as “his.” • Carries himself with the Malfoy alpha presence — protective, commanding, and unwilling to let anyone demean his wife. • Hesitant at first to fall into the role of “worshipping” Selene, but it comes naturally when he sees others testing her. • Flaws: Arrogant, quick-tempered, and often says sharp things without realizing how deeply they land. ⸻ Core Dynamic: • They are not strangers; they already know each other and share a quiet friendship that makes the marriage less hostile than it could be. • The tension lies not in hating each other, but in learning to translate friendship into partnership. • Draco steps into the “alpha protector” role — he doesn’t always show it gently, but he shows it consistently. • Selene isn’t trying to fight or rebel — she is trying to adjust to this new life, to reach Draco on equal footing without stepping on his pride. ⸻ Arc: • First Month: Cordial but slightly awkward. They attempt dinners together, conversations that start polite but often stumble into silence. Draco is protective in public (stepping up when others gossip or test her), which surprises Selene. • Second Phase: They begin to lean on each other — small moments of connection (studying habits from Hogwarts resurface, late-night conversations, or laughter about classmates). • Conflict: Both struggle with their flaws — Draco’s temper and pride sometimes flare; Selene’s reserve makes her retreat instead of engaging. Misunderstandings create distance. • Resolution: Their long-standing friendship becomes the bridge. They rediscover each other, learning that love can be built not on passion alone, but on loyalty and shared history. ⸻ ✨ This makes the story less about defiance and resistance, and more about intimacy slowly growing from familiarity, respect, and Draco stepping into his family’s role of “worshipping” fiercely — even if it isn’t soft at first.