Light in the Darkness

Chapter 4

It was the first day of classes and the air was unusually warm, but Adelaide didn't complain. She woke up early enough to perform a hair curling charm that gave her hair a slight bounce. Viola looked at her friend with a furrowed brow, "I don't understand how you can just look like that." 

"Like what?" Adelaide giggled slipping on her expensive penny loafers. Viola waved her wand up and down "Like that! If I didn't know any better I would've thought you were a Veela." Adelaide laughed and playfully pushed her friend's shoulder. "It's a shame your brothers are so protective over you. If they'd loosen up a bit, you'd be dating Draco by now." 

This comment startled Adelaide and a deep blush set in her face. She had known Draco for almost her entire life. Their families were close friends and business partners, so it was often implied that the two would be set up together. However, Adelaide couldn't see Draco as anything more than a brother to her. She would try to envision themselves together as a couple, but it never sat right with her. 

Before the silence could kill Adelaide from embarrassment, she quickly changed the subject, "So how are you and my favorite cousin going? Should I be expecting you to be officially part of the family soon?" Viola beamed at the proposition, "We are doing splendid! Our two year is coming up next month." Adelaide's heart melted at how sweet they were together. There was no denying that they were the power couple of Slytherin. 

As painfully reminded by Viola, Adelaide had never dated anyone due to her brothers' constant threats towards any boy who looked in her general direction. They were certainly lenient towards Malfoy and some of the other Slytherin boys, but none of them had ever ventured to ask her out. She was also way too shy to ever approach a guy, leaving her in a state of romantic solitude that she didn't quite mind.

She, of course, was unaware of the fact that the boys who liked her were too petrified of her immense beauty to even consider approaching her. 

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George caught himself staring at the group of Slytherins, in particular the tall Burke girl who he caught looking at him the first night in the Great Hall. She was the daughter of a cruel, prestigious pure blood family known of their prejudice against anyone who didn't have the purest Wizarding blood coursing through their veins. 

He should have been deterred by her family's beliefs, but he found himself entranced in her beauty like almost every guy was. It was no secret that she was the crowning jewel of the "pureblood posse" as Fred liked to call them; everyone adored her. 

She had a presence that demanded attention when she walked into a room, she always had a radiant smile on her face and a laugh that would warm up the room at least 5 degrees. He swore time slowed down as she would walk by, her hair bouncing in slow motion and her eyes sparkling with invitation.

 It was certainly different than the usual permanent scowl that was plastered onto the Slytherins who thought they were the absolute coolest people to exist. 

"C'mon now George," Fred cried, "you're drooling all over my robes!" pushing George's mouth closed and snapping him back into reality. George gave Fred a menacing glare, moving his face off Fred's patronizing hand, "I was not drooling." They both looked at each other for a few moments and a smile cracked onto both their faces, unable to remain mad at each other for too long. 

"Seriously mate, you either have to give it up or talk to her. This longing staring this is starting to get creepy." 

George's cheeks grew slightly warm at the thought of approaching the girl, a feeling he hated since he was usually so confident in everything he did. But he would never forget the bloke that decided to spike her drink with Love Potion last year. The Burke brothers nearly beat him to death and then left him tied to the Womping Willow with absolutely no intention of allowing him to survive. The memory sent a chill down his spine.

He changed the subject by clearing his throat and casting the last spell on their newest invention. Holding up the homemade firework scroll, George whispered "Let's give this bad boy a go, shall we?" 

Fred's eyes brightened with excitement "after you, brother."