petrichor ; harry potter

2.3 | abscond

Abscond
to secretly depart and hide oneself.

January 4, 2001

Ciana walked into Transfiguration exhausted. The eye bags under her eyes were more prominent and the slouch in her shoulders more noticeable.

After the conversation she had with Harry, she went back to the compartment and mostly stayed quiet, avoiding him. She went straight to the Ravenclaw common room after and to the dorm. She laid on her bed but didn't get any sleep at all. The past days replaying in her mind. Everything seemed like a dream. It couldn't have really happened, she would say to herself. There's no way.

She sat down and put her head down. She shared a seat with Luna, she wouldn't bother her when her head down.

The familiar warmth that Luna radiates is noticeable by everyone. Ciana lifts her head to greet her but is met with a nervous-looking Luna. She narrows her eyes, "What is it?"

"I was wondering if it would be okay if Ginny took your spot and you take hers? It's fine if not," She asked in her calm voice which Ciana couldn't say no to.

"It's fine," She stands and grabs her things, "Who does she sit with?"

"Harry, of course. That shouldn't be a problem," Luna gives her a soft smirk before calling Ginny over, while Ciana stands there questioning everything that has become her life.

Ginny gives her shoulder a pat, "Thank you for the seat, I hope it wasn't an inconvenience."

"No no, it's fine," Ginny nods and takes the seat next to Luna, and Ciana starts making her way to where Ginny's table was in the back. Harry was already sat there, his head was resting on his arm, while his other played with a loose string on his pants. She sighed deeply before sitting down, alerting Harry.

Harry expected to see the familiar red hair that Ginny had but instead was met with the side of Ciana's beautiful face. He immediately straightened out and coughed, "Ciana?"

"Ginny wanted to sit next to Luna, so I let her take my seat. I forgot you were partners. If I had remembered, I wouldn't be sitting here, so I'm sorry if this bothers you." She clenched her jaw and faced forward, avoiding his stare.

"Why would this bother me?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe 'cause you told me you wanted nothing to do with me."

He shook his head rapidly and tried to will her to look at him back, "I never said—" He didn't get to finish his sentence before the professor entered, starting today's class.

They were quiet, listening to Professor Cal talk about what was to be expected for the week. Harry took a deep breath in and leaned into Ciana, causing a shiver to run through her body. "We'll talk later," He whispered before going back to paying attention.

•••

Ciana walked out of the class quickly, trying to avoid whatever Harry wanted to talk about. She knew that it would be a complicated conversation and didn't want to deal with it. She also knew that she was semi in the wrong back on the train, she could've told him about her father and this would've been averted but she can't speak the words. She can't physically say "My father died" out loud. She can't.