??????? ???? ??? ????? ????/??? ?????? (English version)

Sarah opened her eyes in the dim stillness of the Room of Requirement.
The air was thick with the steady breathing of sleeping students around her, bodies curled up under enchanted blankets that barely kept the winter chill at bay.

She turned onto her side, but sleep wouldn't return.
She knew what day it was.

December 31st.

It wasn't just the end of the year.
It was also Tom's birthday.

A sigh slipped from her lips as she sat up, careful not to make a sound.
She needed air. Space.

She slipped out of her cot and wrapped herself in her cloak, crossing the room with silent steps. She opened the door cautiously, making sure not to wake anyone, and slipped into the dark corridor.

Sarah walked lightly through the deserted halls, her cloak pulled tightly around her body to fend off the cold that seeped from every stone of the castle. She didn't know exactly where she was going, she let her feet guide her, driven by the need to breathe air different from the stifling one in the Room of Requirement.

When she found herself before the door to the Astronomy Tower, she didn't think twice. She climbed the last steps, letting the winter breeze sting her face.

She wasn't alone.

Draco Malfoy was already there.

He was leaning against the balustrade, hands in his pockets, his face tilted up toward the clear sky, lit only by stars and moonlight.
He didn't turn around right away, as if too lost in thought to notice her presence.

Sarah hesitated. She didn't want to talk to him,not now.
She didn't feel the need. She was already stepping back when his voice stopped her.

"Stay."

Just one word, but it was enough to make her freeze.
She stood still for a moment, unsure whether to listen or walk away.
Then, without saying anything, she walked up to the balustrade, keeping a safe distance between them. The early morning air was freezing, but it felt almost pleasant compared to the tight knot in her stomach.

Neither of them seemed to know where to begin, or even if it was worth breaking the silence that, strangely, felt comforting.

It was Draco who spoke first, his voice lower than usual.
"Can't sleep?"
She tilted her head slightly, without looking at him.
"No."

He nodded slowly. He understood perfectly.
"Me neither."

Sarah sighed, crossing her arms.
"What do you want, Draco?"

He lowered his gaze, as if searching for the right words.
When he spoke, his voice was rougher, like he was admitting something he hadn't meant to say aloud.
"I don't know. I just... didn't want you to leave."

Sarah turned her head slightly toward him, studying his profile.
She accepted that answer and said nothing.

"We just spoke three whole sentences without yelling at each other..." Draco said with a bitter smile.
It was a sad kind of victory.

"Surprising. If you'd like, we can start arguing again right away," she replied quickly, but it was hard to hear the irony in her voice, and Draco noticed.

Since they had returned, he hadn't stopped watching her, observing her carefully. And he had realized that very little of the girl he used to know was left.

"You're so... different," he let slip.
He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but it was too late now.

"And you're a Death Eater," she shot back, her tone sharp again "I'm not the only one who's changed."