Hierarchy of Need [t.r]

Chapter Twenty One

Ignorance was blissful, she mused.

Pyrrhus messed with the lace hem of Olive's socks and she felt goosebumps rise on the back of her neck as his fingers tickled her skin. "Have you ever heard of Folie à Deux?" she asked.

A pang of worry drove into his own stomach as he looked back at Delilah. There was a blush in her pale cheeks, which seemed a bit more sunken in than usual. His gaze shifted to Tom, who's dark eyes were alight with something Pyrrhus had only seen once before, the night of the Yule Ball when he watched them dance together. Sighing through his nose, he turned back to Olive and began to fumble with the laces on her shoes.

"A bond that exists between two people who bring out the worst in each other."

They both turned just in time to see Delilah wack Tom on the arm with a text book. If it were anyone else, he would undoubtedly want to hex them, but would take away house points and give a detention slip. But Tom simply glared halfheartedly at Delilah and grabbed the book from her hands.

"Is there a term for those who bring out the best in each other?" Pyrrhus muttered, but she shrugged and opened her book again. She'd been on the same page for nearly half an hour, "I don't think so."

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The next Friday, the conversation she had with Xan and Katerina was like a constant siren going off in her head. She'd been tossing and turning in her bed for nearly an hour, even getting a pillow thrown at her by Lolita. The darkness in the dormitory seemed oddly bright and Delilah couldn't get to sleep for the life of her. Groaning, she threw the covers off herself and slipped on her shoes before heading out the door.

"What am I doing? What the fuck is wrong with me? This is stupid."

Her voice echoed off the stone walls of the empty halls of the castle, each rebound telling her to just turn around and go back to bed. What if he wasn't even up? It was late, nearing one in the morning. Then again she didn't even know if Tom slept, he probably just napped sporadically.

But the head boy's and girl's dormitory entrance was now in her sights, the door standing tall and intimidating, urging her to go away. Her feet carried her forward nonetheless and her fist raised. As she knocked on the wood, part of her hoped Tom wouldn't answer and he was asleep, or maybe the head girl would open the door and tell her off for being out after curfew.

Nearly a minute passed and Delilah tried to suppress whatever disappointment she felt with the relief hiding in the back of her chest. Just as she turned, the sound of a door opening met her ears and a dim light flooded into the hall. "Damn," she muttered, spinning around to find a half dressed Tom who looked slightly annoyed and surprised.

"What are you doing here?" His voice carried over the cool night air easily, almost like a ripple in a still pond. Delilah wrapped her arms around herself, she should've put on pants and the night's draft made goosebumps rise along her skin. Walking forward, she gestured to the common room over his shoulder, "can I come in?"

Raising a brow, he looked her over quickly. Her hair was a mess, her nightie was slightly askew, and her socks were mix matched. Then after what seemed like forever, he nodded and stepped away from the door. He didn't exactly give her much room however, and Delilah had to squeeze her way past him, doing her best not to touch him.

The common room was more open than Slytherin, it had dark wood floors and the wind slightly rattled the large windows. She stood awkwardly for a moment, her eyes flickering around the room and pausing on Tom for only a second. Delilah felt oddly exposed, her nightwear making her feel slightly vulnerable with the thin fabric. Spotting an armchair, she made haste to go sit down next to the fire.