mahogany ; d.m

44 - truth or dare

"You forgot something."

In his hold rest the cubed box that she had purposefully left abandoned on the bedside table. She stared at it for a few prolonged seconds before peering up at him. He was glancing at her intently.

"I returned it to you," she stated.

"I know. But I don't recall asking you to," he furrowed his brows as a satirical smirk crept onto his face.

"But—"

"Just take it," he thrust his arm against the air, towards her.

Through the confusion in her mind, she took a step forwards and retrieved the box from his hand, shoving it into her pocket rapidly, almost as if she was scared someone would see it.

He turned away once again. She hesitated in the doorway as she considered saying a farewell, but decided against it. Not for any particular reason. After all, it wasn't really goodbye.

Luckily, Athena hadn't missed breakfast. There were still students entering and exiting the Great Hall. She went on inside and spotted her friends, all who looked as if they were nearly finished with their meals.

When she approached them, the only one who was facing her and saw her coming was Harry. He nodded a hello at her and she smiled in return. Hermione and Ron both turned around.

"Oh hello Athena," Hermione smiled, then broke into a chuckle. "Didn't feel like changing, did we?"

She eyed her pointedly, scanning her clothes. It was a Saturday after all. She was the only one dressed in uniform. Her face flushed when she peered around and noticed a few students glancing at her attire.

"I didn't want to miss breakfast," she chuckled, dismissing her embarrassment, before going around the other side of the table and sitting beside Harry.

"Blimey, I feel like you're never in your own bed anymore," Hermione frowned jokily, keeping her tone light. "I miss having a roommate."

"We will always be roommates 'Mione," Athena smiled with a short giggle.

Harry and Hermione had empty plates laid out in front of them, while Ron was shovelling a spoonful of baked beans into his mouth, finishing off the contents that remained on his plate.

"I won't keep you if you wanted to head off," Athena said, dishing a poached egg onto her plate, rushing slightly as she did so. She observed her surroundings to see where else she could move to. At the other end of the Gryffindor table was Neville, Seamus, Dean and Parvati. "I can go and sit with someone else."

"No it's ok. We'll wait," Hermione smiled.

She didn't take long at all. To be quiet honest, she wasn't very hungry. She wondered if that was one of the side effects of the contraception she took.

When they reached the common room, Athena slipped away to her dormitory to get ready. She shoved the ring box into her trunk, once again burying it near the bottom, then headed for the shower.

The entire day was spent rather productively as Athena managed to get the majority of her work up to date for each of her classes. It was a rather horrible day for the weather, forcing everyone to be confined to their dormitories or the common room. Athena played a few games of Exploding Snap with various different Gryffindors as well as reading through a few of the novels she had been gifted for Christmas.

Despite the distractions provided, she found it rather difficult to ignore the impatient anticipation that was pressing itself down upon her for the evening that lay ahead.

Everything seemed so unpredictable now. Although it frustrated her, she had to admit that it did excite her overall. Draco's presence alone thrilled her to say the least.