Chasing Love

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Nightmares

'Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.' Eliza woke up with a start, sweat fell down her forehead as she gasped for air. The scream it had been so real, as if she had heard it before, as if it hadn't just been in a dream.

Looking round her bedroom, all she was met with was darkness. Her pyjamas clung to her as she lay back down, trying to fall back asleep. She stared up at the ceiling as her eyes refused to close.

After what seemed like forever Eliza decided to go down to the kitchen to get a drink. It was completely empty so Eliza picked a cup up and immediately filled it up with water. Hearing footsteps she ducked behind a counter, still half in the nightmare. Her mother placed a hand on Eliza's shoulder, "Eliza, what's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare about this women screaming. It felt so real. I swear I had heard it before!" Eliza started to cry. "Why had I heard it before?"

"Shush, shush. You're okay." And for the first time since Eliza was eleven, her mother wrapped her arms around her daughter and whispered comforting words. "It was just a nightmare!"

Once, Eliza had recovered they sat down at the large table in the middle. "How was school?"

Sipping her drink she replied, "Okay. Except for the whole chamber of secrets thing but at least that's all over now." She was surprised about the straight face her mother kept. "My friends are all good."

"And the boyfriend?" Her mother wiggled her eyebrows.

Eliza laughed. "Cedric's good, we're good. I spent Christmas and New Years at his house, his family are lovely." Hurt flashed across her mother's face but she pretended to be okay.

"I remember my first love, it wasn't your father, we were in the same year at Hogwarts and were both sorted into Slytherin. He had the thickest black hair and was one of the most attractive boys I had ever seen. Immediately, we became close friends and before I knew it I had fallen for him. He was so funny and always knew what to say. It helped that he was pure blood and came from a highly respected family."

"When did you start going out?" Eliza asked out of curiosity.

"The start of our third year, everyone had been expecting it though."

"What happened to him?"

"We grew apart but I never stopped loving him even know. We broke up in my sixth year and then I met your father the summer before my seventh. He was the older mysterious guy and I was caught under his spell right from the start. I knew from our first kiss that he was the one."

"What happened to your first love?"

Her mother looked down as she tried to hide her tears that were coming. "He died when he was only eighteen years old."

"I'm sorry for bringing that up."

"It's okay, it happened a long, long time ago."

"How did you and father meet?" Eliza asked.

"Here at the Dawlish Manor. His mother and father held a banquet and my father was invited. We waited for a couple of minutes and then the Dawlish's walked down the main staircass, he was with his sister, Evelyn looked beautiful as per usual and your father looked absolutely dashing. When we caught eyes across the room I could feel my knees go weak. I didn't think he would even consider me pretty but then later on in the night he asked me to dance."

"What were you like back then?"

A small smile crept into her mother's face, "I was so happy, I had long brown hair that was always left down naturally, and apparently I always had a smile on my face even when I was being mean. I miss being her."

"What's stopping you?"

"Time. I've grown up and now I cannot be her again."

"Are you happy?"

Her mother stared at her as she thought for a moment. "Yes, just not as much as I used to be. The happiest time of my life was when you and you're brother were young, just after the dark lord disappeared."

"Why?"

"Because we were safe and my two beautiful children were happy and I was close to them both. And now, you're never home and Dominic he's going to work now and..." her mother trailed off. "I'm so proud of you Eliza, you've stuck to your guns and made sure that everything you do is what you want to do and not what others say you should do."

"Thank you mum."

"You should go to sleep." The two walked back upstairs to Eliza's room, her mother sat beside her as Eliza lay down. Her mother pushed Eliza's hair back and then she traced her hand around her face. "I used to do this when you were a child."

It was silent until Eliza asked. "Who was your first love?"

"Regulus Black. Quite funny really as his brother Sirius was with your Aunt Evelyn."

"He betrayed her."

Her mother smiled, "That's what everyone says."

"I'm sorry I wasn't the daughter you dreamt of me being." Eliza told her.

"You are more than what I ever dreamt of." Her mother said as Eliza's eyes began to flutter closed, "I love you darling."

Eliza sat up and stared around her empty room, it was as though her mother was never there. Light peeked through the curtains and Eliza noticed her mother's cardigan at the bottom of her bed. She let out a smile and realised the one thing she wanted had been her families love. Even now when she knew they were bad, she wanted them to support and love her. They never would, her heart to heart with her mother was just a one time thing. It would carry on the same, Eliza being mistreated as she was a Gryffindor but deep down she knew they did actually love her.