The long-awaited Friday came like a blink of the eye, coincidentally, it was Christmas Eve too. Aine was sitting by her bed, and when she caught sight of her owl, Hestia flying onto the window, she handed the bird the letter she wrote to her dad, it was a usual tradition that she'll send him an extra letter on Christmas Eve because she wasn't there with him. "Thank you, Hestia." the girl says, tickling the owl's little head before taking off with her letter.
She heaved a sigh, almost half of the students at Hogwarts had gone home to celebrate the holidays but she decided to stay behind with her friends. Aine stood up, it was around 2 o'clock and she was preparing to head to the Astronomy Tower where she agreed to meet and hang out with Draco Malfoy. It seems silly when you think about it, just casually chilling with Draco, whom everyone literally hates. Aine thought so too until she decided to not let it bother her, everyone had a free opinion on who he was and Aine's view of him had changed.
Hopping off the bed, she made her way to the long mirror and brushed her wavy raven hair, it was flowing beneath her breast and it was glossed and shiny. She made a simple braid with it and wore a wine-red jumper with red leggings and black laced boots, grabbing a black wool shawl since it'll probably be freezing before heading off.
Aine left the Gryffindor common room, her shawl over her body as she heads to the tower, her hand pushing the tiny little box into the side pocket of her jumper. Her footsteps were light before it picked up its pace, and now she was walking briskly, the cool wind slapping on her face. Crossing the moving staircase and onto corridors, it wasn't long until she reaches the Astronomy Tower.
She pauses, bringing her long braid to the side, and adjusts her outfit before peeping to see if anyone was there from below where she was. And there was.
He stood there, back faced her, leaning onto the Astronomy tower with his full black outfit: turtleneck with a thick black coat and pants. His hair was blowing with the wind, and as soon as she took the steps up, he turned around. Draco's face was pale, but his nose was pink, Aine wondered how long had he stood there, he was early. She wanted to come earlier, but apparently, he was even ahead of her.
"Hey", he greets casually with a smile as she walks in, "Hey", she replies, mirroring his smile on her face. Draco looks at her from top to toe, it was crazy how amazing she looks even with simple clothing and above them all, her eyes were mesmerising. "Happy Christmas Eve!" Aine says, approaching him.
"Um... Yeah," he mumbles, looking away as soon as she caught him staring at her, "Happy Christmas Eve." he finishes.
The two of them leaned forward onto the metal railings, snow dusting on their clothing but they didn't mind. There was a gust of wind and Aine held onto her hair as if preventing it from messing up, but it didn't do much help since her hair was already a little messy. Draco chuckles, and Aine looks to him, "What's so funny?" she asks, and he shakes his head, "Why don't you just let go of your hair, let it flow?" he suggested.
"It'll go all over my face, with the wind blowing all around us."
It was true, standing at the tower, with no wall but pillars supporting the structure. The wind was coming in all directions and her shawl was flying. Perhaps it was a bad idea to come here especially since it's colder than she expected. "I think you look beautiful" Draco commented suddenly and Aine looks to him, flustered with the sudden compliment.
"Stop teasing me," she replies, in hopes to brush away the embarrassment. "What? I'm just stating the facts." He said cooly.
Aine rolls her eyes, she was sure he was ridiculing her, wouldn't be the first time he does anyways.
"Why don't we sit down?" Draco mutters, and without thinking, he grabs Aine by the wrist and pulled her to sit down by the stairs, still gazing at the winter view of Hogwarts. The conversation between them was often revolving around Harry, and now that they were together here, the topics to talk was literally nothing. Both of them didn't even know what to say as their minds were flooded with questions they were too conscious to ask. All they ever did was sat down and stare at the white mountains ahead, like a blank canvas.
"This is bloody awkward", Aine suddenly spoke, and Draco glances at her, agreeing. He didn't know why he was being like this. Stunned, for the first time he had run out of words to say, as often his conversations were about bossing others around, and ridiculing people and boasting about his blood superiority. He could admit he was being such a bastard at times, but that was how he grew up being. His father was often strict, rambling on about blood statuses, and therefore corrupting his mind with it. But in actual fact, there was a tiny bit of him that wants to be like everyone else, kind, true and good.
Only the fact that how could he? The minute he starts changing, everyone would taunt him, his father would probably disown him and his mother had no power fighting his father. How would the world feel if a bully suddenly changed to be a good person? How would she feel? After everything, he had done.
"I was wondering--" "I..um--"
They both said at once, surprising each other. "Oh, you go first." Aine quickly says, "No-- yo--u can go first." Draco stammers.
"Alright" she gave in, continuing, "I was wondering since not talking makes everything a whole lot awkward, why don't we ask each other questions? You know-- get to know each other even though we probably know?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I think it'll be great." Draco agrees, "You go first then" he adds.
"Okay, um..." she started, wondering what to ask him, questions flood into her mind all at once, and she was confused into thinking which to ask first. Considering the time they had till evening, she could probably take her time in asking. But the first question was always the trickiest. "So, what are your goals?" she blurted.
Draco gives her a look, "What are you? A school counsellor or something?" he commented, and Aine shrugs, "I didn't know which to ask you first!"
"Okay, okay! My father always wanted me to inherit the family's fortune and work in the Ministry as the Head of some departments," he replies and Aine cocks her head, "But that's what your father wants you to do, not what you want."
"Precisely..." he trails off in a softer voice, it was like he had no choice but to obey. He never imagined doing otherwise what his father had said, one would say he fancies his father. But in actual fact, he was just doing it because he has been doing what his father said ever since he was a little boy. Draco hated it, he hated how he couldn't be brave enough to create his own road, and all he ever did was cowardly following the footsteps of his father blindly.
"So, what's something you really want to do?" Aine questions again, she could see the doubt in his eyes, staring blankly down at the wooden floor, thinking. "To be honest? I want to be a healer," he confesses.
"That's unexpected," she utters in a small voice and Draco gave a chuckle, "Right? It's silly, isn't it? Someone like me becoming a person who heals."
Aine looks at him, and he held a smile that seemed so sad, "I don't suppose that absurd. You're free to think whatever you want to be, so do all of us. In fact, I personally think it's admirable of you to think of something else that what everyone expects you to be."
Draco gazes at her, watching her as she went on, "All your life, you probably lived following what your father wants you to do. And the fact that you had thought of becoming something else, something you truly want to try to be; stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risks. I think it's amazing, Draco."
He smirks at her, "Thank you." he said sincerely, to think that someone supports him of his unforetold goals, he couldn't help but feel thankful. "What about you? What do you want to become?" he asks in return.
Aine ponders, she knew the answer to that too well, and she smiles to herself, "I want to become a Potions Master."
"Like Professor Snape?" he asks in disbelief, he knew she was great in potions, here in school and even at home with her dad. "Yeah, in some ways... I think it's wonderful, I do love brewing all sorts of potions, even concoctions, to know that they'll be of help to people who needs them."
Draco smiles, "I think you'll fit the job perfectly." and Aine looks down, "You think so?"
"I know so."
Aine let out a small laugh, and they looked at each other, lips curling upwards before Aine proceeded, "Alright, next question! You go first since I went earlier."
Draco scoffs, and shrugs, "Alright then."
Aine waited for his question, wondering what he was curious about before he suddenly asked, "What do you think of me?"
Aine's eyes grew wide, and she could feel her cheeks getting hot, "Wha--What?"
Draco puts his hands over his mouth covering as if clearing his throat, his eyes elsewhere but on Aine, "What do you think of me?" he repeats and Aine eyes darted around for answers, only to know that it was inside her. What does she think of him? In terms of what? She blabbered inside her head, was it about what she thinks about his looks? Grades? Personality? As a friend? Or...?
she faked a cough, "What do you mean?"
"I meant exactly what it means."
She cast her eyes away, she wasn't sure if he was joking with her or being serious. So she finally concluded and said her thoughts out, "I think you're..." she paused, contemplating. Draco raises his brows as if urging her to go on. She did, "Attractive--"
He smirked, and she continued, "-- and oddly annoying sometimes." Draco stared at her with a gaped mouth, deadpanned. He wasn't expecting the latter part. "I mean, you're great and all, but sometimes I just wished you weren't such an ass to my friends."
"It's not like I can choose who to act great, and besides, he was asking for it sometimes," he said, not trying to pick up a fight or saying an excuse. Especially to her. It was just that, there are times where he just felt so insulted and affected by some, particularly... Potter.
Aine listened, as he explained about it, "I don't know... Everyone thinks he's some Hero who caused the Dark Lord to perish, but often ignore the times he was an arrogant piece of sh--" he rambled, and she seethed before he could finish his words.
"Sorry," he mutters, he just couldn't control his emotions well enough and he would lose himself in it.
"It's fine," she replies shortly. And that was it, the answer to the question, it went quiet after all of that and the only noise was from the wind. Both Aine and Draco simply observed the view, and Aine silently tapping herself on her shawl to count the seconds of quietness between them. However, it wasn't as if the mood got bad, but because they already knew the relationship between them and their friends weren't good and the truth is that some things had a distinct line drawn to protect, and the two of them didn't want to cross that.
The quietness was something they acknowledged, in fact, they liked it. Aine closes her eyes, feeling the nature around her as she continues to taps her finger, lost track of how long it has been already. Draco turned his head, looking at Aine who's lips held a small smile that he in turn, too, had copied. He wondered what was on her mind, and as if she was cold as she simply wore a jumper and a shawl over it. He looks down onto his clothing, thick, fuzzy and warm and wanted to know if she needed an extra piece of clothing to keep herself warm enough.
He grasps onto his coat, pulling it out of him, sure he was actually feeling a little warm since he had worn a thick undershirt beneath the turtleneck he was wearing. So, he tore the layer away from him and placed it over Aine's thin knees. The girl peeked open her eyes and looked at the black coat now over her legs and when she looks at Draco, he had his eyes closed, looking very satisfied and smug with his actions and fistbumps himself secretly. She chortles and held the coat close to her, feeling the woolly material providing her with so much warmth for her legs. She whispered a small thanks, enjoying the tranquillity between them and went back and closed her eyes.
However, instead of just resting her eyes, she saw a vision. One that she had come to fear ever since the dream. Her brows furrowed as she saw the image of the huge black dog in a place that all seemed too familiar, with the scarlet tapestries and crackling fireplace and velvet red couches. She knew damn well, where it was.
The Gryffindor common room.
She wanted to scream, and let alone gasp out loud, she wanted to go back to reality and not this vision she was seeing. But she couldn't, she couldn't escape this mind of hers. Was it all fake? Was this just an illusion? She was confused, she was afraid.
Slowly she starts backing away, and the dog simply took a step closer to her, fangs baring menacingly, growling with each step. And she heard a voice, deep and rough voice, followed by one she recognized as a woman's.
"Only one will die tonight."
"Padfoot."
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Oh my god, so I remembered planning this chapter to be one with sweetness and to see how Aine and Draco's story starts to begin but when actually writing this out, I had a bit of writer's block and didn't know how to start or continue! I apologize if it seems forced and awkward, but yeah, I just wanted to take things slow between them and not go like *BOOM* they like each other and now they shall date kind of thing... Well, they already seem like they liked each other *hint hint winkings*, we shall see alright! I want to write this as realistically as possible!
I hope you have a wonderful day and as always, thank you for reading! Do comment, upvote and see you in the next chapter! Love you lots!
- Zeneria