The Buddy System. *Updating In Process*

25. Avoidance, Austen, and a Very Determined Malfoy

Theo and I never did fall back asleep.

Not even for a minute.

Instead, we stayed curled up under my duvet in the little common room—two exhausted, broken, stitched-back-together souls—talking until the world outside the windows softened from black to grey to gold.

It felt... normal.
Safe.
Like the version of us that existed before the war had wandered back into the room and sat down beside us.

We talked about everything and nothing—old memories of sleepovers at Azaleah's house, Teeny's dramatic reenactments of Muggle movies, the time the three of them charmed an entire corridor to smell like cinnamon for a month. We laughed until our sides hurt, and twice Theo had to grab his stomach because he was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe.

I had forgotten what that felt like.

I had forgotten how much I missed it.

If only Azaleah and Teeny could have been sitting with us... laughing, teasing, stealing my duvet, complaining that Theo hogged the pillows.

By the time dawn painted the sky pale pink, both of us were wide awake—buzzing, really—and neither made an attempt to lie back down.

By seven o'clock, we were dressed, bags packed, and standing in the middle of our shared common room. I tugged on my boots and smoothed a hand through my newly-cut hair. Theo adjusted his tie three times before giving up entirely.

"We should go," I said far too casually.

Theo lifted a brow. "We should go... where exactly? Because you're definitely not desperate to avoid Draco or anything. No, not you."

I scrunched my nose. "I want to go to the Hospital Wing."

"At seven in the morning?"

"Yes."

"To tell Pomfrey we didn't sleep?"

"Yes."

"And to get more potion vials because we obviously used ours too quickly?"

"Yes."

Theo crossed his arms. "Rae. Be serious."

I lifted my chin. "I am serious. We should tell her how the potions worked. It's... responsible."

His laugh was one sharp burst of amusement. "Just say you don't want to run into Draco in the common room."

I opened my mouth—then closed it again.

He smirked.

"Fine," I snapped. "Maybe I'm not ready to hear whatever he's planning to say. Maybe I want the choice of when and where that conversation happens."

"That," he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder, "I can respect."

I shrugged into my robe. "And if you'd like to stay here and wait for him, be my guest."

Theo scoffed. "And miss the entertainment of watching you flee like a startled Puffskein? Not a chance."

"Shut up," I muttered, pulling the door open.

He followed me out, still laughing under his breath.

As soon as the door clicked closed behind us, I set off down the hall like someone had lit a fire under me.

Fast.
Confident.
Mission-oriented.

Theo snorted. "Merlin, Rae. Leave some floor intact for the rest of us."

"I walk with purpose," I snapped over my shoulder.

"You walk like you're trying to outrun guilt, emotional vulnerability, and one very determined blonde wizard."