Then I Met You [D.M.]

Year Two: A Touch of Kindness

13th November, 1992, Friday Evening

Violet missed her friends. She decided that no matter what it took, she would make up with them that weekend. The fight wasn't entirely her fault, as she'd only been trying to defend Draco, but that didn't stop her from being rude to her friends.

Sure, they were rude about Draco. And sure, they would never apologize for it, but it wasn't like she could explain to them why their words had upset and angered her so. That's what had made their fights so bad- she took their insults towards Draco personally and would turn the fight against them. Neither Hannah or Aimee said anything bad about Violet, yet she lashed out as if they had. And in turn, they reacted just as poorly.

They really hadn't talked since Tuesday morning, after the Herbology incident. She barely looked at each other, their interactions limited to narrowed eyes, crossed arms, and huffs of annoyance.

She'd wanted to speak with the girls after Transfiguration, but they both brushed past her in the hallway. She tried desperately to keep the tears from flowing as she made her way to the library. She might not hate Draco, but she didn't want him seeing her so vulnerable.

It was a losing battle she realized. She stopped outside the library, ducking into an alcove just as the dam finally broke. She turned to face the wall, burying her face in her hands as she cried. It was the first time she allowed herself to cry over the mess she was in, to feel her sadness so deeply.

She tried desperately to muffle her cries as she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. She leaned against a pillar, her vision blurry as she stared out the window to her left, trying to appear casual. When the footsteps subsided, she kept a palm over her mouth, her sobs finally subsiding.

"Violet?"

She startled at the voice suddenly by her side. She jerked back, bumping her head against the pillar behind her. She rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the remaining tears.

She looked up at the boy, his grey eyes alight with concern. For a moment that was all she could focus on, and she thought it was someone else, but she took in Cedric's brown curls and gentle expression.

He took a step closer to her, hesitantly reaching up to cup her face in his hands. "Violet, what's happened? Why're you crying?"

"Nothing's happened, Cedric." She wanted to step away, to escape this moment, but something about the warmth of his skin against hers and the look in his eyes had her hesitating, "I just needed a good cry."

"Is it the fight with Aimee and Hannah?" His voice was soft, laced with concern. His thumbs were tracing lines along her cheeks, wiping away any remaining tears.

Violet couldn't reply, her eyes welling up and throat tightening. All she could do was nod. Cedric wrapped his arms around her shoulders, one hand cupping the back of her head as she buried her face in his shoulder.

He held her tightly as she cried, whispering gentle reassurances that it would be okay, that things would get better. After a few minutes, when Violet felt like she was out of tears, she settled against Cedric. His hold tightened around her, and her arms tightened around his waist on instinct.

She decidedly didn't want to leave this moment anymore. She hadn't felt such comfort since she was a young child, bundled up in her mother's arms whenever she was sad or in need of a hug. Reluctantly, she pulled away, a nagging feeling at the back of her mind.

Draco, she realized. She was meant to be in the library with him by now.

She rubbed at her tired eyes, unsure of what to say now. She settled on, "Thank you, Ced."