Sentimental Reasons

30. Silence

It was a calm Potions class for once. I didn't hear any sneers or mean comments from Malfoy since we returned from the masquerade. His mouth was shut. He didn't laugh like he used to with his goons, nor did he insult every little thing I did. He didn't once talk to or look at me since the ball. I had previously prayed for that day, but now that it had come true, it wasn't normal - far from it. 

I was pleased to know that we were brewing an Invigoration Draught. I wasn't focused during the class, so it felt good that we only needed to brew a simple draught. I was sitting next to the Golden Trio. If Malfoy had been in his normal state, he would've shot daggers at me. But there was none of that. Nothing. It was like he was lifeless. Blaise mustn't have noticed it as he lived as he usually did. Unbothered by the lifeless body sitting beside him. 

"How do you do that?" Harry said, exasperated. "You're not even concentrating." He was holding some Filibuster fireworks.

"Harry, no!" I quickly stopped his hand from dropping the ingredient into his cauldron. I looked up at him. "Where'd you get this idea?" 

"Ron told me to put that in." He answered. Behind him, Ron was confused too. 

"George told me it'll make the brewing faster," Ron said.

"And you trust him? After having lived with him your entire life?" I reminded him as if it wasn't already so obvious. Ron's brothers were always up to some mischief. "Gosh. Thank Merlin Hermione isn't here. She would've fumed." Indeed, as crazy as it sounds, Hermione wasn't here because she was stuck in bed, blowing into thousands of tissues. Of course, she didn't want to miss any classes, but her two bodyguards, Ron and Harry, ordered her to stay inside. As they probably didn't want to catch her cold. 

To my dismay, I looked over at Malfoy's table, but he hadn't even lifted his eyes to look at the scene; his enemy being on the verge of being punished. Normal Malfoy would've loved that.

The time, too, seemed abnormal. It felt too long until finally, Snape dismissed us once everyone was done with their potions.

"You know the exams are right next door." I reminded the boys. 

"Gosh, the one time Hermione isn't here to play 'mom', you're here," Ron complained. "Remind me again why we started to hang out with you?" He joked. 

"Haha. Very funny." I said sarcastically and smiled at both of them. "If Hermione still isn't feeling well, you can annoy me with your 1st year Potions questions, alright?" I joked.

"Yeah, yeah." They both dismissed themselves as we parted ways. 

I was walking behind Blaise and Malfoy. When three weeks earlier, they would've been bickering some first years, this time, my steps resonated in the hall. I knew I shouldn't have worn some heels, even as tiny as they were.

"Did you hear about Neville's incident in the bathroom?" A voice finally broke the silence. It was Blaise. But Malfoy only responded with a mere hum from the mouth. After this attempt to make him talk, the silence surged again. It was deafening my ears.

They met up with the rest of the group, and shortly after, I joined in and talked to Daphne—finally, someone who was talking and not stupid. Professor Flitwick let us all in as we made too much noise in the hallway. Of course, Malfoy wasn't taking any part in it. His mouth was shut the entire time.

I noticed William was sitting with his usual friends at the back of the class. He shot me a little smile, and I softly mirrored it. 

I dropped my books on the table next to Daphne and started getting lulled by Flitwick's lecture. It was our last class of the year, before our big exams in two weeks. 

Indeed, the last leg of this first year at Hogwarts was the O.W.L.S. I already knew I had that wholly controlled. I was confident in myself. I hoped the professors were on the same page as I was. If I could, I'd pass them today. The sooner, the better.

Suddenly some noise came out of the garden, and some last-year students burst into our class and started to yell. "Thank you, Flitwick!!!" As they said that, they grabbed all the students in the class and dragged them to the garden. 

Now, nearly all the students from Hogwarts were in the garden in front of Hogwarts' entrance. We were all wondering what did the last year prepare for their prank of the year. I knew it had to be unique because it was Ron's brothers' grade.

Suddenly out of the blue sky, we saw the two brothers on their brooms holding what seemed like firecrackers. 

In an instant, the sky broke into many colours. There were all kinds of fireworks. Everyone applauded the performance as the fireworks wrote a colossal W in the sky. Everyone was smiling and cheering.

I looked back at my friends and immediately felt a warm feeling around my heart. Blaise was at the far back with Malfoy and Theo at his side, admiring the fireworks even though it was a Weasley performance. Daphne was next to me, smiling as she had never done before. The Golden Trio was in the middle of the crowd, applauding their fellow Gryffindors in the sky. 

My fifth year at Hogwarts was an experience I wished I had known sooner. The place was magnificent. The people, if not most of them, were warm and all so polite. I had some romance, friendly encounters, dances and, of course, rivalry. Maybe this last part could be lined over if Malfoy acted as he did now. If I didn't know better, I'd say my life seemed like a fantasy novel. I felt good. She'd be proud if my younger self saw me as I was today.