holding on {t.r.}

t h i r t y t w o

"Alexandra!" Melissa yelled, quickly losing sight of Alexandra. "Alexandra," she yelled again, huffing as she looked down every corridor she could've ran down.

Hearing a quiet rumbling behind her, Melissa turned around to see a door she could've sworn wasn't there only a moment ago. She opened the door and saw Alexandra sitting alone in the dark, the dull fire in front of her being her only source of light.

"I was going to bring you here eventually," Alexandra said quietly.

"This is where you and Tom hide away, then?" Melissa asked, sitting beside her friend. "No wonder we can never find you two. If I had a place like this, I would never leave."

"This isn't usually what it looks like. It tends to change every now and then. This is the room that always greets me when I want to hide away from the world. It seems as though the room didn't want me to hide this time."

"Is that the Mirror of Erised?" Melissa asked, standing up and making her way to the corner where it stood. "What do you see?"

"I dunno, I've never looked," Alexandra shrugged. "It'll just remind me of what I've lost and what I'll never achieve."

"What's gotten into you?" Melissa asked, walking away from the mirror and sitting back down beside Alexandra. "I saw you talking to Lestrange-"

"He didn't do anything," Alexandra defended, hugging her knees to her chest. "It's just that the end of our time here is approaching rather quickly and I feel as though my future is falling apart before it even begins and I'm just going to end up being a housewife to Tom who will be greatly succeeding out in the real world while I spend my days wishing I had quit holding on to my past and begin focusing on my future a little earlier. Now time is running out and I'm stuck."

"You don't need to know what you want to do right away, you know," Melissa stated reassuringly. "Maybe a little bit of time to yourself is exactly what you need."

"Alone? With my thoughts? How well has that worked out for me in the past?" Alexandra huffed. "I never realized how hard life without my parents would be. I always thought being here at Hogwarts with you would be enough, and it always has been, but the minute we walk out these doors you'll have your own life. And if things don't work out with Tom-"

"Alexandra, stop," Melissa stated, pulling a crying Alexandra into her chest. "Just because we don't live here anymore, that doesn't mean things will change. I'll always be here for you, as I know you will be for me. I also don't doubt for a second that you and Tom will grow old together."

"I miss the days where he'd constantly make it a point to tell me he didn't like me or run away when I tried to hug him," Alexandra chuckled lightly, wiping tears away from under her eyes. "He was such a mystery, and I was happily invested."

"And now?"

"He's still a mystery, but, rather than being amused, I'm absolutely terrified," Alexandra admitted. "It's not that I don't trust him, I just can't help but worry about him."

"I'd be concerned if you weren't. You love him," Melissa stated, reassuring Alexandra that her feelings were valid. "I'm sure when he's ready he'll talk to you about whatever it is that's worrying you."

"Perhaps the middle of Slughorn's party wasn't the best place to bring it up," Alexandra sighed, feeling guilty for storming away.

"Perhaps he's still there waiting," Melissa suggested. Alexandra shook her head.

"He hates these parties. He would've left by now with or without me," Alexandra stated. "I think I might wander around a little while longer before I go looking for him. You should return to Avery, though."

"Will you ever call him by his first name?"

"Will you?"

"Touché," Melissa laughed, helping Alexandra up and beginning her journey back to the party. "Are you sure you don't want to come back to the party? It's your last one."

"Absolutely not," Alexandra exaggerated, causing Melissa to roll her eyes. "But I wish you a wonderful night."

"I'll see you when I return," Melissa smiled, waving before running back to Avery and her camera. Alexandra couldn't help but scan the room, a small part of her hoping to see Tom. She sighed when she didn't see him, looking at her feet and noticing another pair appearing in front of her.

"I'm afraid he's left," Lestrange stated, leaning against the door frame. "It seems my date has run off as well. I was going to have one last drink before I end my night if you'd care to join me."

"I don't think Tom would like it if I-"

"I asked Alexandra, not Tom," Lestrange interrupted. "There's no harm in quick drink between acquaintances."

"Fine," Alexandra gave in. She didn't know what she was trying to accomplish by agreeing to this 'quick drink', but the last thing she expected was to have a good time. Her and Lestrange had much more than one drink as they told stories about their time at Hogwarts and reminisced about what life was like when they didn't have to worry about anything other than tying their tie correctly or making sure they jumped on the right staircase before it started moving.

"You're a wonder, Alexandra River," Lestrange smiled, walking slowly beside her as they made their way back to the dungeons.

"Is that a bad thing?" Alexandra asked.

"Not at all. It just makes me wish I got to know you sooner," he admitted. Alexandra looked down at her feet with a smile on her face. He wasn't lying; he always had an interest in Alexandra, but Tom beat him to her. Now that he practically has Tom on a leash, he could inconsequentially let his interest show, and his manipulation led her right to him.

"You're not as horrible as I thought you were," Alexandra told him. "Or perhaps all the compliments are clouding my judgement."

"I apologize if I caused any trouble between you and Tom," Lestrange bluffed, slowing down as they approached the dungeons.

"You didn't," Alexandra assured, leaning her shoulder against the cold wall to take some pressure off of her feet that were beginning to ache from her shoes. Lestrange did the same, facing her. "It was my stupid mistake. I was overthinking and took it out on him. I'm just hoping he isn't angry with me for leaving the way I did."

"I don't see how he could possibly be angry with you," Lestrange told her. "He has plenty of reasons to be angry with me, though. I've been flirting with you all night, for one."

"Don't worry, I won't tell him," Alexandra smiled. "I wouldn't want to see what he'd do if I did."

"Right," Lestrange chuckled. "Perhaps we shouldn't walk in together, then. You can go first, and I'll follow shortly."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then," Alexandra waved, making her way into the common room.

"Hey!" Lestrange called just before Alexandra could open the door. "I hope you had a good night, all things considered."

"I did," she smiled again, entering the common room to be greeted by Tom. He stared at the door expecting Lestrange to enter behind her. There was talk that Alexandra had returned to the party and was seen with Lestrange, but perhaps he was wrong to assume that meant they'd been spending the rest of the evening together.

"I apologize for putting you on the spot at the party and storming away," Alexandra frowned, hugging Tom tightly. He held his arms out, confused by the sudden gesture, before slowly wrapping them around her. Tom looked at the door to the common room as is opened before Lestrange entered. He looked at Alexandra holding on to Tom and then nodded to him in a somewhat kind gesture before heading to his bedroom.