Elaine couldn't help but think these holliday were going to be boring. Normally, during this time she would feel naturally happier, jollier. But this year it seems quiet different. It seemed oddly strange.
As she grew, she noticed her hope for christmas diminished. However she always had that little joy, not this year tho. She couldn't help but be sad? There was nothing to look up to. Her life was a mess and clearly not organized.
She used christmas as an excused to sort herself out, and leave from the grasp of Voldemort. With the horrible dreams she's been having about him, she hated him. She hated him so much and what he's done to other people.
She was so ashamed to be his daughter. She always had constant guilt when she's with Harry. It isn't her fault, but he's related to her. Her father hurt one of her closet friends and she hated him. She hated Voldemort so much.
He destroyed her entire life, her self esteem, her hope. She had nothing going for her. She pushed everyone away, she isn't capable of love. How could she? Her life always went wrong, it was her destiny.
Now, she was nervous as hell again. Her palms were drenched for the second time that week, and she was being pushed. The twins whispered in her ear that she'll be ok and that she needed to do this, but she was tired.
The golden trio were so important to her, but she's scared she'll hurt them. She's scared she will do them bad like everyone else in her life. She couldn't afford to put them through that.
"Please don't let me do this. They hate me" She whispered. "No they don't" George said while pushing her toward the trio. "Especially Ron.." Elaine said once again.
The twins suddenly stopped and grabbed her by the shoulder. "Elaine.. our little brother is very stupid. And that night he was drunk. He regrets so much what he said to you. He's been ranting about how he hasn't talked to you because he knows you hate him. please, if anything, you should hate him" Fred said with a serious tone.
"Ron isn't the best person some times, but i promise he didn't mean it. Now, he also isn't the most easy person. He's stubborn, if you don't go up to him first, he'll never come up to you." George said rolling his eyes.
"But guys i just can't h-" Elaine was saying but was interrupted. "No no excuses" George said still pushing her, once they were close enough for the trio to notice them, the twins said together, "Now go!".
She rolled her eyes and carefully made her way towards the trio. She stood in front of them, and all she managed to say was "hi". They all stood their awkwardly and said "Hello".
"I'm so sorry. I really missed you guys." Elaine answered honestly. The room filled with realized faces and they all said they missed her too. She hugged Harry and he said "We've really missed you Elaine" while Elaine agreed.
Then, she moved on too Hermione and gave her a bone wrenching hug. "Mionie' look im so sorry that i left like that.. especially on your birthday" Elaine said with embarrassment. Hermione looked at her in the eye and spoke.
"Look, don't be sorry ok? after that, it was 100 percent understandable. I'm just happy you had time to cope and come back to us. We really missed your presence." Hermione said pulling away from their hug.
Then, was the hardest. Ron. After that night, she felt destroyed. She was heartbroken. She tried to convince herself her didn't mean it. She spend so many nights crying about what she did wrong. What could have made him think she was such a whore?
It wasn't until, she realized the truth that she found the way to forgive him. She though she would never forgive him, but here she was. She realized that she loved Ron, but she wasn't "in love" with him.
"Hi" she said standing awkwardly next to him. "hi" he said back while he rubbed his neck. "Can i talk to you? alone...?" Elaine said. He gently nodded and Harry and Hermione both said "Well meet you later" and walked away.
"Im sorry" they both said together. "Let me start-" Elaine was saying but was interrupted by Ron. "No, let me start, you deserve and explanation. A real one" Elaine just nodded and listened.
"Look, ever since that night, i've regretted it so much. I've stayed up thinking about what i said. I promise i didn't mean it. I really didn't. Elaine, you need to understand you mean so much to me. You're such a great friend and person. You deserved so much more than i could have given you in our relationship. You deserve so much better, and a boy who treats you right and gives you his full attention. I was so blind to not see that, i didn't treat you how i should have. Please understand that i love you. I love you so damn much. Just not in the way you wanted me too.. I loved you as a friend. I tried to convince myself it was more than a friend. But it wasn't. I had to get my feelings sorted, and i'm so sorry to have dragged you into my mess. You deserve nothing but happiness. You need someone to love you. So yes, i'm an idiot and i'm sorry. We were always left as friends"
Elaines eyes filled with regret, they were never meat for each other. Now, she realized Hermione and Ron were meant for each other. They have always been.
"It's alright Ron. We all need to really experience things to know, i also loved you. You were very important to me and i was also blind to see you were mesmerized by another girl. She's the most beautiful smartest person i know. You deserve her. Look, you need to go for her alright? I know she loves you" Elaine said grabbing Ron by the shoulders.
"You really think so?" Ron said with enthusiasm. "Yes i really do" Elaine said stretching her face into a smile. Ron then hugged Elaine so tight she was about to break and his nerves turned into happiness.
"Alright then, we should get back to the others" Ron said stretching his arm around Elaine in a friendly manner.
They were halfway to the Gryffindor room, when Elaine remembered something. She needed to give her books to the library by 8 pm today, and it was 7:37 pm. She told Ron about it, and he said they'll meet in the Gryffindor room later.
She said her goodbye and headed toward the dungeons. On her way there, the hallways were empty as always, and she strangely bumped into something, or perhaps someone.
"I'm so sorry!" Elaine said father herself. Her eyes adjusted the figure and recognized him as the one and only, Robin.
He looked the same, but different...? She remembered her early days of Hogwarts, when they were inseparable. They went to the Yule Ball together, and they were best friends.
She thinks about him now and then, but he hasn't talked to her since that night. She felt guilty for it, it wasn't his fault. It never was. Yet, he never talked to her again. She also never sees him around.
Robin was taller, his fluffy brown hair seems very long, but still had his charm, and his honey eyes seemed brighter. His hands were now covered in silver rings and he looked more confident, happier..?
"Elaine..?" He said almost as if he didn't recognize her. Elaine also looked different, her hair was shorter, she also became taller, she used to be 5"5, now she's 5"7. Her figured developed more maturely, and she had the natural shy aura.
"Robin" Elaine said indulging who he was. The sweet boy she met on the train. "You look... gorgeous" Robin said mesmerized. "Thank you Robin" Elaine said shyly.
"I haven't seen you since that night.." Elaine said awkwardly. "Yeah.. sorry about that.. i just couldn't be around you knowing i did that" Robin said.
"It was never your fault you know?" Elaine said reassuring him. "Yeah.. now i know that. but after i realized that, you had drifted away from me and had gotten new friends. I just figured it would be better if we never talked again. I missed you" Robin said.
"I missed you too Robin. What me and you had.. it was something special. Such a shame it got thrown away like that" Elaine said with a sad smile.
"How have you been? last time i heard of you, you had a girlfriend" Elaine said curious.
"Oh we broke up a long time ago.. she was nice, but she wasn't the one you know?" Robin said honestly. "Yeah i get that.. i've also had my share of relationships going around" Elaine said embarrassed.
"Oh yeah.. are you still screwing with Malfoy?" Robin said slightly laughing. "Malfoy is quiet the thing.. he's so dramatic you know?" Elaine said laughing.
"But no we're just friends. i'm not really seeing anyone at the moment." She answered his question. They both remained silent until he said, "We should hang more". "Yeah we should. I'll like that" she said with a bright smile.
Without thinking, she hugged him. She missed his glowing aura, his optimism and his happiness. He always lit up the room. Robin was always so kind to her, and she was a foul to have taken it for granted.
He was shocked, but he also hugged her back. They both stayed like that for a while until she whispered, "I missed you Rob" and he smiled onto her head and said "I also missed you El".