A/N: I show not your face but your hearts desire. It has driven many men mad and he knew. Still, Draco couldn't free himself from it. He always came back for more. He made a goal of proving the mirror wrong. Little did he knew that the more he came back, the harder it was for him to stay away.

Another thing, in this story Draco didn't leave for his Christmas Holiday in his first year and neither did Hermione. Also, Dumbledore didn't move the mirror, or if he did, he put it back after the end of the year.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Draco smirked as he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. His small body was covered in fog, constantly appearing and disappearing. He had to admit it was a horrible Delusional Charm but it could've been worse. For a first year, it was actually good. Suddenly, the image of the Gryffindor know it all first year appeared in his head. He imagined Weasley and Potter laughing at him as they watched their marvelous mudblood friend performing a significantly better charm than his. His hands started to shake in fury.

No. He shook his head and concentrated on his reflection. If this night will work out the way he planned, he'll never have to see little mister popularity's face again at Hogwarts.

He threw another look at the window, his eyes glistening as he saw the sky was dark now. He'll have to rely a lot on the darkness that night as his poor charm won't cover his body in light. Luckily for him, Hogwarts was the darkest place at night he ever was to, and thanks to his dad, he's been to a lot.

Looking around the now dark bathroom, he pricked his ears as he waited to hear any sound coming from outside. As nothing came, he made his way to the heavy door and slowly crept outside. He told the two gorillas, Crabbe and Goyle, that he felt sick so as they won't question his decision of going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. He might get in a lot of trouble if anybody caught him and the thought of reading another of his father's short and disappointed letters made him shiver.

The corridors were dark and silent and he smiled as he cautiously sneaked past a still awake painting that looked right through him.

For a few hours he walked aimlessly around the castle, avoiding Peeves and hiding behind statues when he noticed Filch. He knew Filch didn't care at all that he was Draco Malfoy, or that he was in Slytherin. He hated kids altogether and he'd stop to nothing if one of them was out of bed at night.

He started to worry as he approached the library. He didn't know if Potter would be coming out that night but after spying on him and Weasley for the past week, he realized somehow what they were up to. They've been spending most of their time in the library, searching for something. That wouldn't have worried Draco if he didn't know how stupid the two boys were. If it weren't for the mudblood, they would've long failed in his opinion. Seeing as they always came back, the boy realized they couldn't find what they were looking for and after observing how Potter started to throw long looks to the Restricted Section, Draco started to put all the pieces together. As students needed a teacher's permission to look inside the Restricted Section, he grew to the conclusion that Potter would be trying to break in at night.

But seeing as nothing was happening, Draco was about to quit and return to his bed. He'll come again next night. Suddenly he heard a piercing shriek split the silence. It was coming from inside the library.

He was about to go inside when he heard Filch running towards the door. He hid behind a statue and watched the man disappear. He smiled, thinking Potter was finally cornered and that there was no way out for him. He cursed as he realized he could've been in his bed right now, instead of running around. Filch would've caught Potter anyway. As he was about to turn around and head to the dungeons, he heard a door creak open. He looked around, frightened Filch would see him, but he saw nothing. Believing to be his imagination, he continued to walk, only to stop moments after as he heard somebody running next to him. His eyes darted around the dark corridor but they saw nothing. Thinking maybe Peeves wanted to make fun of him; he made another step, but then froze.

In thin air, where there was nothing before, was now a hand gripping a wand, floating above the ground. He could barely keep himself from yelling in joy. He knew that wand all too well. He's been spying on it for the past days. He started following it as close as he could, trying to make no sound. His anxious mind did not see anything unusual at the fact that Potter was completely invisible besides his hand. If he would've concentrated more, he would've realized it was an Invisibility Cloak, and just as Ron before, he would've gasped in awe that Harry had one. But no. He was too concentrated in following the wand, too absorbed by the thought of Harry realizing his hand stuck out.

Suddenly, the voice of Filch echoed around the two boys. They both froze as they heard him telling somebody about the person who was in the Restricted Section. And to Gryffindor's horror and Slytherin's delight, Snape answered.

Draco was too happy that he could finally have Potter expelled that he didn't realize the hand disappeared. He also didn't see the door moving in his left. All he saw were the two men approaching, as an armor shinned in the pale light Filch's lamp threw.

He enthusiastically started to yell at them, demanding that they'd move quicker.

"Professor! Come! Quick!"

Filch groaned as he ran towards the moving shadow that Draco represented. He gripped him with a hand as he started calling Snape as well.

"Professor! I caught him! He's the one who entered the Restricted Section! You little brat, made a charm on yourself? Thought I wouldn't find you didn't you?"

"No!" Draco suddenly realized he was in trouble. Snape finally came next to them and his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he saw who Filch was holding. With one flick of his wand, Draco became visible, his blonde hair falling on his pale face.

"Draco. Explain yourself" Snape looked at him in disapproval.

"I… Professor...It was Potter. He broke into the Restricted Section. I followed him until here…" Draco muttered incoherently as he tried to free himself from Filch's grip.

"And where is he then? Got to find a better excuse than that!" Filch groaned.

"He was invisible as well! But I saw his wand and hand. He must've run away while we were talking!" Draco groaned back at Filch.

Snape threw a quick look around them. The corridor was very narrow. The three of them could barely stand close one too another. The only thing close to them was an armor. And in rest walls covered in angry paintings.

"We were coming from there!" Filch responded.

Draco opened his mouth to say something when Snape cut him. "That corridor behind you was just blocked by us. I believe, moments after you were running through here."

"But Professor, it really was Potter…"Draco started to say when Snape cut him again

"Enough. Go back to your dormitory Draco. Mister Filch, I believe we should go and see if all the books in the Restricted Section are at their place."

Filch let go of Draco as he grunted, angry he couldn't punish the boy. He threw no look as he made his way back to the library. Snape stood still as his eyes followed the old man. When he disappeared from his sight, he turned around to look at Draco.

"Explain" he added in a cold voice.

Draco shivered. Professor Snape was never mean to him before. Why was he suddenly…?

"I followed Potter until here sir. I am sure it was him as I recognized his wand… But sir you were right. There is no way he could go away or stay as the corridor is blocked… I…"

"There are terrible things lurking through the castle at night mister Malfoy. You should go back and sleep and leave it all to me" Draco looked in awe at the man as he went away. Snape smiled at him. Or maybe it was just his tired imagination.

Draco went straight to bed, believing he'll fall asleep immediately after that long night. But he was wrong as his eyes wouldn't close. His mind was too concentrated on solving the puzzle. There was no way he had imagined the wand. Potter was invisible and he was sure he knew how. There were two solutions after all, but the first one wasn't possible. There was no way someone like Potter would have something as valuable and rare as an Invisibility Cloak. Therefore, the only possible solution was that know-it-all performed a charm on him. He was angry that he was right, her charm was way better than his, but the image of the floating hand popped in his head and he smirked. At least it wasn't perfect. After he found that piece of puzzle, he went on to the next one. The most important one. Where did Potter disappear?

As Filch said, there was no way he could've gone past Snape and him as the corridor was too narrow. And from the same reason, he couldn't stay as the three were talking. So the only solution was that he turned around and left from where they came from but Snape took that out as well when he said the corridor was blocked. And if it was blocked by Snape, then there was no way a mere first year could possibly go past it. So he returned to where he started, torturing his poor mind all night long, finally falling asleep at the crack of dawn.

When he finally woke up, it was almost lunch time as he was all alone in his room. Crabbe and Goyle must have thought he was still sick that they didn't wake him up, contrary to what he told them. He groaned, thinking how stupid those two were.

In a few minutes he was dressed and ready to go to lunch when the last night events struck him. He remembered Potter's magical disappearance and Snape's weird behavior. The last one was as eager as himself to see Potter out of Hogwarts.

For the rest of the day, he could think of nothing else. And what annoyed him even more was that Potter looked happy and undisturbed as he sat at the Gryffindor table, talking with his annoying friends, as if nothing happened last night, as if he wasn't seconds away from being caught by the three persons he hated most in all school.

Yes. It really was weird none of the trouble band was throwing him weird looks as Harry must've told them he followed him last night. So either Harry didn't tell them, either he didn't see him. And as he knew they told everything to each other, like some linked nuns that only meant Harry didn't see him.

But that's impossible. I was right next to him when I started calling professor Snape.

And that's when it struck him. It all fit. Potter magically disappeared, not aware he was searched for. He was searching for something. And that meant he disappeared in a room on that corridor. And as Hogwarts was full of such rooms, he was sure he was right. Seeing him so happy and distant meant only he found what he was looking for.

Draco immediately rose from his seat in the common room, running for the door, not responding to Goyle's and Crabbe's questions. He saw them from the corner of the eye as they got up, prepared to follow him.

"Don't follow!" he hissed back as he closed the door behind him, letting the two boys frozen in the middle of their actions, puzzled as what to do next.

Draco ran down the hallways as quick as he could. There was less than an hour till they won't be allowed out of their dormitories. And if Snape saved him last night, he was sure it won't happen twice.

Five minutes later he was catching his breath in front of the library entrance, trying to remember which corridor he took last night. He got angrier and angrier as he realized he was too preoccupied to follow Potter than to look around him. For half an hour he walked aimlessly, trying to figure out the right way. When he stumbled and crashed in an armor, it was misfortune. When he saw Mrs. Norris appearing around the corner, looking at him with her red eyes, it was even worse. He realized by the silence of the castle that if Filch caught him now he'd have no excuse.

He turned around and was about to run away when realization struck him and he froze in the middle of his action. He remembered the armor, as it shined paly in the light thrown by Filch's lamp.

He let out a small cry of joy as he forgot all about Mrs. Norris and Filch. He returned and walked around the armor, searching for the place Potter vanished through.

His hand gripped the wall in fear as he heard Filch's steps getting closer. But as luck was on his side that night, a small crack opened, letting him slide in, and closing behind right in Mrs. Norris' nose.

He entered cautiously, his hand stretched in front of him, gripping his wand.

A pale ray of light came in through the tall window and fell in a corner on something that left the little Slytherin wide-eyed. His hand fell down next to him as he made a few steps towards one of the most beautiful things he ever saw. It was a tall mirror, with golden frames. It was nothing unusual, a plain mirror. Still, the light that fell on it and reflected on the floor looked out of the world. Darkness surrounded the mirror, but the golden frames shone as in broad daylight. Complicated spirals circled the glass, and in his small amazed eyes, he imagined golden fireworks dancing in the night sky.

He only realized how close he was to the mirror when his nose pressed against the cold glass. With a sudden shock as if he just woke up from a dream, he made a step backwards, wanting to look at himself.

Circled by dazzling golden fire stood a first-year blonde boy. For a few seconds Draco just stared at the mirror, as the amazement of the first sight didn't disappear. Suddenly, the image in the mirror started to fade, replaced by bright light. He watched in awe as the image changed.

But before he could do anything about it, even see the finale image, he heard somebody push the door open. He immediately made his way and hid behind a stack of chairs and desks, praying it wasn't Filch who entered.

And his prayers were listened too as he watched in annoyance and surprise his arch-enemy entering the room. Half of his body wasn't there, just as before, it was invisible. He was about to say something when he saw the boy's rest of the body appear as he took off a cloak that proved Draco how wrong he was until then. Potter did have an Invisibility Cloak.

Harry, unaware he wasn't alone in the room, made his way to the mirror and sat in front of it. That made Draco angry as Potter would now see his image, an image he didn't even get to see. Once again he was about to make his presence known when he realized the mirror was blank, reflecting only Harry's happy face. At first Draco believed he just imagined it but then he saw Harry's eyes that glistened in the pale light. He was seeing something too, but Draco couldn't see it. His mind couldn't comprehend all those new things and he suddenly rose to his feet, wanting to go and ask for some answers when the door opened once again.

The sound of his feet was covered by the swing of the door, but it made no difference as Harry seemed to be too absorbed by the mirror. For a moment Draco wished it was Filch, but he realized Mrs. Norris would've found him also. Draco watched in surprise as Albus Dumbledore walked in, closing the door after him. He stood there for a few seconds, watching the little black-haired boy.

"So-back again, Harry?" Dumbledore smiled as the boy's head turned quickly around. Draco saw the surprise and fear spread on Harry's face as he gulped.

Draco himself was scared. He knew how great Dumbledore was. He might have already spotted him. He'll get detention in no time.

"I-I didn't see you, sir." Harry squeaked. Dumbledore smiled to the boy as he sat down next to him.

"I see that you, like so many before you, have discovered the Mirror of Erised. I trust by now you realize what it does." Dumbledore said in his usual wise voice.

Now Draco was interested. He saw Harry shake his head, not knowing the answer. He then looked back at the Headmaster. He was eager to find out why was it that that grand mirror did. "Let me give you a clue. The happiest man on Earth would look into the mirror and see only himself, exactly as he is."

Draco's eyes went wide. He didn't really understand what the Headmaster meant but a few of his questions were now answered. Harry answered the man, saying the exact same words Draco was thinking.

"So then, it shows us what we want. Whatever we want."

"Yes and no. It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts."

Draco was too concentrated on thinking over and over what Dumbledore said that he missed his next words.

"However" Dumbledore continued "this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. For this, Harry, I'll have to ask of you to not come after this mirror ever again"

Draco continued to listen in amazement. The more Dumbledore added, the more he seemed to acknowledge the grandeur of the mirror.

He got up, accompanied by the quiet Harry. Draco looked at them as they exited the door, but not before Dumbledore looked again in the room, straight at where Draco was staying and winked. The boy looked in surprise as the door shut close.

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live" he heard Dumbledore add.

But he was too lost in thoughts. Dumbledore knew he was there. He smiled before he could hold it. Even though he considered him a senile old man, Draco couldn't help and feel that that man was the wisest man he'd ever met.

He waited a few seconds before he made his way to the centre of the room, placing himself in front of the mirror. His eyes started to wonder around the frame, lost in the golden spirals, but when the image started to blur, he was ready. Ready for anything that would come, but not for what actually came.

His reflection was smiling back to him. He was wearing his usual Slytherin robes. He seemed as normal as ever, that until he moved his eyes to see the other persons next to him. Holding his hands were three persons he never imagined seeing inside that frame. Three persons he hated were smiling back at him, holding reflection Draco's hands, talking with him. He watched in awe as his reflection turned his head and smiled back to the mudblood. Draco made a few steps back, stumbling and falling hard on the floor. The people in the mirror looked concerned as he got up.

His hair was falling on his face. Wishing he saw wrong, he raised his head once more, only to see the four happy kids looking back at him. But this time, behind the kids appeared two people, a man and a woman. Both had blonde hair and pointy features. They looked at Draco with eyes full of love, something that he had never seen before. His parents would never look like that at him.

His eyes got teary as he studied the mirror. Was that really his heart's greatest desire?

No. He hated those three. The famous for nothing Potter, the mudblood and the blood traitor. He had spent every minute of his year spying on them, planning how he could get them expelled. He was sure he hated them.

But about his parents on the other hand, he was too proud to admit how much he desired what the mirror showed.

Scared and annoyed, thinking that the mirror was broken, Draco ran away from that room, ran away from the mirror and what it showed. He could not acknowledge, he could not crush his pride and admit that everything he craved for was love.

For more than a year he demanded of himself to forget about that mirror. But one day he stumbled upon it. He was scared and even angrier than before that the image hadn't changed at all. He was still there, holding hands with his enemies, with his parents looking at him with pride and love. What always changed over the years was that the reflections grew old with him.

Ever since he saw for the second time the mirror, he acted even more and more meaner towards the three. He wanted them to hate him; he wanted him to hate them so as to make himself believe that what the mirror showed wasn't true. And so he ended up coming more and more, wanting to see if the image would change. Along the years, there wasn't day he wouldn't check and see if maybe, just maybe those three would disappear, his parents' faces would become how they were in reality. But they never changed, not even after his most atrocious acts; those five persons would still wait for him at the end of the day and smile at his sight.

Every time he visited that mirror, Dumbledore's words rung around his head. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. But he couldn't stop.

In his sixth year, the mirror became his friend. Every time he found himself unable to move on, he would visit the mirror. He would find it comforting crying in front of their smiling faces. He still wanted them to hate him and he smiled when he walked past them in reality, when seeing their hateful glances. But the image wouldn't change.

After he killed Dumbledore, he was afraid to come back to the mirror. Somehow he felt he was not worthy of those smiles anymore.

Months passed without him checking on the mirror, which only made him even more obsessed with it. No day passed by without him thinking of it, of what it would show him then. Sometimes he would find himself in the middle of the night, staying in front of the door, oscillating in opening it or not. And every time he'd go back to his dormitory without daring to open it.

The war at Hogwarts came and passed, freeing Draco from between the tangles The Dark Lord threw him in. He returned in his seventh year back at Hogwarts, one of the few Slytherins who did. He could hear people all around him murmuring, he could see their hateful glares. Even the teachers would sometimes throw him odd looks. He heard them but didn't care. He was given a second chance he did not want to waste.

As he was walking aimlessly around the corridors one night, a habit that he never grew tired of; he stumbled against an old armor. He recognized the armor immediately as for so many years that armor meant his goal. Coming in that room meant for Draco a step forward in achieving his goal, a goal he wasn't sure of at all.

But for more than a year he stood away from that corridor, slowly forgetting about it. As his eyes spotted the little crack in the wall that when pushed would open a door to a room he knew all-too well, his hand started to tremble. The image of the winking Dumbledore invaded his mind.

Gathering courage, he pushed open the door, walking inside one of the few rooms in Hogwarts that was left unscathed after the war. His eyes fell on the golden mirror, and just as so many times before, they got lost in the spirals of the gold.

But this time, different from so many times before, he greeted with a smile the reflections in the mirror. He didn't get angry at the sight of the three. He didn't get sad at the sight of his parents. He looked happily as he watched them make a few steps behind, letting space for Draco's next goal. He saw himself surrounded by little kids that looked at him with love and respect. He saw himself holding hands with a girl he did not know. And behind all that, still smiling at him, were the friends he always had but didn't know, all the love his parents had for him but didn't show. He winked at them as he moved his eyes again on himself.

The boy finally left for good that room, free from its madness, finally happy with what he saw. He never for once thought again about it. He left it all behind and moved on.

A/N: If any of you want me to write of a certain character, you're more than welcomed to tell me. :)