ADDICTED - [D.M.]

Seven - Escape.

Gracie's POV
Hogwarts - October 1996

1st October 1996
Hi Mom! Hi Dad!
                       
I hope you are okay. I have been sick for the past three days. Today is the first day I am feeling better and I have even made it into the common room. Luckily Severus could convince Madam Pomfrey that I didn't need to stay in the hospital wing, I really hate it there. The last potions exam was pretty good, I reached 91%! Everything else is fine, we are having a good time, even though learning stresses me out some days. I am looking forward to hearing from you, I miss and love you!

Gracie

Lies. That is what I told them, lies. Not everything was a lie in the letter, I really reached 91% and I feel better today. "Everything else is fine." That is a huge lie. Nothing is fine. Theo is currently drinking or smoking away his problems. Daphne is most of the time in a bad mood, because of Astoria obviously. I guess Daph made it her mission to have a healthy relationship with her sister and it doesn't work at all currently. Pansy is literally never there. And I hate her for that. I haven't been in the mood to party, I went to a few small parties, but I just took care of Theo every single time, because he drank too much again. Well, Blaise is happy, he and Luna got together a week after they stargazed, he told me every detail about it. I am glad that he is happy, but I miss him, he is most of the time with Luna. Draco keeps avoiding me, I avoid him too, to be honest. That stupid kiss was and still is embarrassing.
Since my friends are all busy, I at least had time to focus on school. I don't know if that's good, I mean I get good grades, but I feel this kind of mental pressure now. It's becoming an unhealthy obsession.
Anyway, I feel better and I finally get to sit in the common room. It's already late and the room is almost empty, it's a Friday night so it's normal. I put the letter aside so I could give it to my owl later. I grab my book and lean back onto the black leather couch. It's good to see something else after three days of isolation.

I flip to the next page, the next chapter. I start to read, but then a lot of people barked in.
"Wow, this room looks noble!" What the fuck, is that Neville Longbottom? I turn my head so quickly it hurts. There they are standing, Harry Potter, the two youngest Weasleys, the Know-It-All Granger, and Neville. And there is Pansy closing the door behind them.
"Yes, I love our common room, you want to see my dorm?" she asks them, then she spots me. "This way," she guides them towards the dorms, "wait there, I'll be with you in a second." Pansy hurries to me. The group of Gryffindors barely spot me.
"Hey, Gracie! I thought, since you are fit again," I am not, I just feel a little bit better than yesterday, and you know it, "I invited them over. Do you have a problem with sleeping somewhere else tonight? They will probably stay till the morning, and don't worry I cleaned the whole room! I am so happy that they are accepting me! So, you okay with that?" I stare at her for a few seconds, not able to talk back. I am overwhelmed with this situation. "Gracie?" I nod. Happily, she runs off and I realize what I just agreed to.

Draco's POV

I walk over to my dresser and I pull out a hoodie. My hair is still wet, but the shower was totally worth it after this Quidditch practice. It knocks at the door. I am alone in our dorm, Blaise headed straight to Luna after practice, and Theo, well, I have no clue where he is, probably at a party. "Who is this?" I call and pull the hoodie over my head. No answer. Another knock. "Yes, I am coming!" I groan annoyed. I open the door, "Gracie?" I look her up and down, she is a mess with her book in her hand, she stares at the ground. "What do you want?" I ask. Then her eyes meet mine. Her complete face is wet from tears, her eyes are glassy. I step aside, symbolizing her to come in. She doesn't. I pull her by her arm inside the room. After that I peek my head out to make sure no one saw us, I close the door. She stands there completely lost, "Gracie, hey, what happened?" She starts to cry, really hard, what do I do? I am really not good at comforting people. She keeps crying, she mumbles something under the heavy tears. I understand nothing except "sick", "left alone" and "Pansy". I pull her into a hug, I hold her tiny body and press it against mine, she cries, cries, and cries.