UNBREAK | D.M (UNRAVEL BOOK 5)

[ 29 ]

When the morning of Christmas came, the air around Hogwarts was cooler, mintier and crispier. The Great Hall was filled with Christmas dishes since breakfast, amongst the wide variety of food, Aine's favourite was the gingerbread pancakes with peppermint chocolate sauce. She was eating her breakfast without much thought despite the nightmare she had the night before. After waking up drenched with cold perspiration, Aine couldn't go back to bed and had stayed up all night cuddling with her owl and doing some mind meditation.

She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that was behind her shoulders since abruptly waking up from the bad dream. The dream with the Burrow being up in flames after being attacked by Deatheaters, and the conversation she had with the Dark Lord. Was it a warning that he had given her? Aine didn't know. All she knew was to fortify her mind, even more, barricading another wall of barrier over her thoughts so he wouldn't try to prey on it any further.

He had planted a seed of doubt in her head before and now he was putting another one, the fear of losing everyone she loved. It only motivated her to make sure she do her job right and that was mending the Vanishing Cabinet and killing Dumbledore. Both of which were still in progress. 

The two Slytherin boys who were sitting in front of her stole glances at the girl before exchanging looks with one another. No one had said much ever since they had begun their breakfast. Aine wasn't trying to think, so all she did was nibble on her pancakes soullessly. Her eyelids were heavy from the sleep deprivation and the dark circles under her eyes were enough to tell the whole world she had a crappy night even without saying anything. 

Draco was simply watching Aine intensely, wondering what was going on in her head with the silence while Cyrus was just minding his own business, he wasn't one to speak much in the first place anyways.

Unlike the other groups of students in the hall that was chatting enthusiastically, excited for Christmas, Aine and her friends were encased in a silent bubble. Subsequently, the quietness around the three was broken when Draco casually struck up a conversation with Cyrus about what they should do, causing Aine to snap to her reality.

"I'm probably going to the Owlery later to deliver a letter to my family and then spend the rest of the day in the common room, it's too cold out and I don't feel like doing anything but sleep," Cyrus answered, not giving much thought. He was always a homebody, if there wasn't much for him to do, he much rather prefer staying indoors and chilling.

Draco was tempted to face-palm himself at his friend's reply, he was expecting him to keep the conversation going but Cyrus had stopped there and then. 

"I respect that," Aine finally spoke, understanding where Cyrus was coming from. She had such opinions too at times, the feeling of just snuggling in bed and staring at the ceiling doing nothing was nice. Draco whipped over to her, witnessing the smallest smile on her face for the first time today. His eyes glittered with happiness that someone managed to keep the talk flow. "What are you planning to do, Draco?" she asks her boyfriend.

Draco's lips flattened as he thinks about it, he didn't have any plans but if there was something he wanted to do. It was whatever Aine wanted to do, he was fine doing nothing too if she wished because it was her company that had sufficed for him. "I'm fine doing anything really," he replied nonchalantly.

"Then why don't you two go check out the flowers that had bloomed around the grounds? I heard that they had blossomed overnight and were pretty," Cyrus suggested, helping out his good friend. He cast a secret smirk on Draco who fist-bumped him under the table.

"Thanks, Cy," the blonde boy mouths to his friend who returned with a smug look on his face.

Aine's eyes lightened up at the mention of the flowers, intrigued now. It was easy to get her attention since Aine was interested in plants, flowers, trees, or anything that has to do with potions and their ingredients. It didn't take long for her to be all eager about the flowers and to be acting normally again. "Oh? Have they?" she questioned, suddenly curious.