THE NIGHT TO END ALL NIGHTS
✩
For days, the world had been weighing down on me in a way that made me feel like I was being crushed under boulders. It made it hard to breathe, hard to think, hard to be around anyone at all.
Having seen Draco with Daphne confirmed it all to me.
He really had been messing with me. He really had been trying to make me look like a fool until he grew bored and moved on to the next bird.
I was more flustered by how much it was affecting me. I would have never expected it would hurt this much. It made me realize how truly, deeply consumed by Draco I really had been. I didn't have any right to be hurt, yet here I was.
Fred held out his hand, a wrapped toffee sitting in his palm. "For you, my love."
I looked at him skeptically. "What-will this one make my head grow huge or blood seep out of my nose?"
Fred only looked at me sincerely. "Nothing. It's just chocolate."
I eyed him suspiciously but took the candy. He was being genuine, I could see it behind his eyes. Surely something was terribly wrong with me if Fred Weasley was giving me a real chocolate, no trick behind it.
"I want one," Ron reached over and grabbed another chocolate sitting in front of his brother. He watched me eat mine, seeing nothing happen, before popping it into his mouth.
Seconds later, steam started coming out of his nose and ears-like exhaust fuming out of a train. Everyone laughed, watching his face grow bright red as the steam continued fogging the entire Great Hall.
"Here-" George tossed him another toffee, one that would cancel the effects. "This 'otta help that." He was sputtering between hysterical laughs, wheezing to catch his breath.
Ron stuffed the second toffee in his mouth, taking a few moments to compose himself and sit back down. His face was still glowing red as he shrunk down in his seat. "Fuck you both. Wankers."
I bit back a laugh, shaking my head at the boys.
Fred nudged me softly. "That make you feel any better?"
I smiled gratefully. "I'm okay, Freddie. I already told you so. Don't worry about me."
As much as I tried to hide it, the sadness I was feeling was lingering behind my eyes like owls pleading to be freed from their cages in the Owlery. My friends knew me far too well for it to go unnoticed.
"Oliver Wood is throwing a party in the common room tonight," George mentioned. "Are you lot joining?"
"Wicked," Fred smirked. "No doubt. Why bother asking that question, brother."
Murmurs of 'yes' went around the table while I stayed silent. Fred's eyebrows furrowed as he turned his attention towards me. "Don't tell me Elysia Ambrose is going to sit out on a party?"
I sighed wearily. "I'm-I have a lot of studying, Freddie. I think I will sit this one out."
George frowned. "We can't party without you, Lys. That would be no fun."
"Come on," Hermione took my hand, squeezing it. "It'll cheer you up."
"Really," I forced a laugh. "I'm just really tired and not in the partying mood. I promise you'll have more fun without me. I think I just need a good night's rest."
Fred sighed dramatically, placing a hand on top of his chest. "You wound me, Elysia Ambrose. My favourite partier is leaving me to party alone."
George shoved him lightly. "I'll still be there, brother. You act as if I'm not here."
Fred pinched George's arm causing George to cry out a curse. "Shut up, you idiot."
I laughed quietly. "You will be just fine without me for one night."
I glanced across the room, seeing Draco sitting with Pansy and Blaise. His head leaned in the palm of his hand as he seemed detached from the conversation Pansy and Blaise were having.
He lifted his head as if he could sense my gaze on him.
I quickly glanced away before he had a chance to meet my eyes.
My heart was hurting.
I had felt like I had lost something, without knowing what it was that was lost.
I missed Draco and everything about him. I missed his presence.
Months ago, I would have laughed at the thought which made me feel all the more pathetic.
In Herbology, Hermione had asked me a question about one of the charms we were learning. When I explained it to her, I couldn't help but think of what Draco would say.
"Seriously, Ambrose? Know-it-all, aren't you? Pathetic-who knows that much about something as useless as Herbology."
I could practically hear his voice in my head. It had been so long since he has spoken to me, I was starting to forget the way he would spit his words out.
Actually, I don't think I could ever forget. Anything about him.
Instinctively, I found myself glancing at him. He sat on the other side of the room, his head resting in the palm of his hand as he read the textbook. He looked like he was both on the verge of passing out, and ripping his hair out.
His head lifted, the same way it had in the Great Hall.
He did it so instinctively, it was as if I were yelling his name out instead of just looking at him.
This time, I didn't look away.
His eyes landed on mine, locking themselves in.
I stared back at him, my chest aching as I breathed.
Draco's eyes looked both pained and strained. I couldn't read a single emotion the flashed past them.
He took a moment before looking back down at his book.
He didn't look at me again after that.
It had been so long since he even looked at me.
As much as the look was nearly as much, it only made me crave more of him.
I was down the empty hallways at night. It was comfortingly quiet.
All my friends had already gone to the Gryffindor common room to take part in the partying festivities but I was anything but in the mood to party. I hated that I was letting him control my mood like this. I hated that he had that type of power over me.
I sighed heavily as I entered my room, dropping my book on top of the dresser that sat near the door.
I kicked off my shoes when-
I froze.
I blinked furiously, thinking I was starting to hallucinate from my recent lack of sleep.
Standing by the window in my room was a hooded man. He was tall with broad shoulders, his robe large with a hood over his head so long that it covered his entire face.
I backed up towards the door, slamming into it when there was nowhere further to go.
"Who-who are you?"
The man stepped towards me. "You'll find that out in due time."
My hand reached towards the doorknob.
The man was quick, his movements swift and happening before I could even blink. Suddenly, he was right in front of me, harshly grabbing my wrist. "Not so fast, are you?"
I winced at how tightly he had grabbed me.
The fear bubbling inside me was overwhelming. Taking over my senses and clouding my mind so I couldn't figure out what to do.
I can't think.
What do I do?
I can't breathe.
"Come along, darling. Don't make any trouble."
Within a flash, he had apparated us.