After the Yule Ball ended on a bright note, students all woke up later on Boxing Day, the festive spirit still lighted the castle's grounds and students' mood. Hermione's hair was curly once more, and Ginny's braids were undone and straight, Aine was back to her original look of wearing high-waisted trousers and a turtle neck, with her height, reverted to normal since she no longer had to wear those heels that gave her blisters. Her head was hurting and she felt groggy upon waking up that she was glued to her bed longer than usual. While the girls were feeling rather down after the ball, the boys on the other hand were thankful it was over now that they didn't have to dance anymore, nor wear hideous dress robes (according to Ron). It was fun while it lasted but neither of them had plans to do that again since it was exhausting.
Aine and her friends crowded around the Gryffindor's common room fireplace, workbooks and parchment spread across the scarlet carpet as they started completing their procrastinated homework and assignments before classes resumed once more. Everyone was feeling depressed now that all the festivities and celebrations were over in a blink of an eye— Everyone besides Harry was feeling the pressure and anxiety more than others (again) now that the second task was in a few weeks. Yet, he still hasn't got a clue on what he must do except knowing for a fact that the Golden Egg had something to do with it. When he opened it before after the first task, all he could remember was the piercing screech of a monster erupting from the egg, enough to cause everyone's ears to ring. But that was it.
As the boy grew nervous, he was on edge, even more, often getting mood swings and sudden bursts of lashing outs. It made his friends around him feel more concerned and distant at the same time since they all knew the weight he was carrying on his shoulders was far more than any of them. It was a dilemma for his closest friends, Hermione, Ron and Aine who was upset they couldn't help him in any way but to listen to his rants occasionally.
The study session dragged for almost a couple of days, everyone was determined to finish it despite their frustrations of not wanting to do any of it and just play until the new term resumes, but if they were to do that, they wouldn't be sure if they could even graduate. Hence, they swallowed down on their urge to give up, and persevered nonetheless, hoping to get it all done once and for all. Hermione and Aine were the first few to complete their assignments, which resulted in them helping out their peers and even teaching them about certain topics. Aine for one— was coaching both Ginny and Harry for potions much to their disdain, especially Harry since he had absolutely loathed Potions, partly due to Professor Snape, who was exceptionally great at taunting and bullying the boy in his class.
Halfway through the tutoring, they decided to stop for an hour to take a break on their eyes and necks which they have been abusing for quite some time after bending their head down to the ground as they sprawled all over the floor. Aine checked her watch, it was about three o'clock now and since she was feeling stuffy from being cooped up in the common room for hours, she decided to take a breather outside alone.
She draped herself with a plaided jacket before strolling around the castle grounds, puffs of air escaping through her lips as she breathed, letting go of some of her stress as the freezing air cools her lungs slightly. Her brown boots dragged themselves across the gravel pavement before she stops by the black lake, sighing once more. Her mind has been all over the place ever since that night when she came back from the Astronomy tower after she caught a glimpse of that lady who flickered past the mirror, at Aine's reflection. She didn't think much about it due to the overloading work she was bound to complete and perhaps it was also because she didn't want to picture the image again in her mind. It was horrifying and even the thought of it gave her goosebumps, the way she stared at her, how identical those golden pupils were, how creepy that wicked smile was and how disturbing her name sounded off the woman's lips when she spoke.
Aine could still hear it even now, every time she closes her eyes, she could hear it. Even looking at the mirror was making her uncomfortable since she had feared the woman will be there, staring back at her. Which was why she couldn't bear to see herself in the mirror for no more than thirty seconds, her heart would always pound harshly and she had to look away for a moment before seeing her reflection again.
She fiddles with her charm bracelet and the pendant she received from her father during Christmas was now worn like a bracelet too, it always gave her a sense of tranquillity and reassurance when she looked at it. Perhaps it was partially due to the bluestone her father had given her, it made her feel assured and safe and seeming how she felt that way every time she looks at it, it must have been true.
Taking a seat by the velvet grass, her eyes drifted to the clouds that were blowing by with the wind, Hestia flying over to her side to keep her some company. Aine strokes her owl's feathers silently, watching over students bickering and playing near the edge of the lake's water, pushing one another in and daring to run on the freezing water. She smiled at the innocence of them, time was passing both quickly and long, and how the year flew by already.
While she looks ahead at the group of Hogwarts and Durmstrang students, she found a figure slowly approaching her from the group, making her snap out of it, squinting at the student who was walking towards her. When she recognised who it was, she lets her guard down and stares at him who casually took a seat down next to her. He smiles at her and her lips tremble into a curl.
"What are you doing here alone, beautiful Aine?" Draco asks, waving at his friends who were splashing water with their shoes.
"Getting some air, Mr Ferret boy," Aine answers and he narrows at her, "Stop that ferret thing. It's traumatizing and embarrassing!"
Aine chuckles, and he smacks his palms on his face, feeling the humiliation again, "My apologies, Snake boy."
"Apology half accepted, little miss," he teases and she giggles, "So what are you doing here? I assume your homework is all done since you're happily playing out here."
Draco nodded, leaning backwards as he feels the wind hit his face, "Mmhm, got it done a couple of days ago," he told her proudly and she hums, impressed, "I didn't know Draco Malfoy was a diligent student."
"Of course, I am. If I didn't, father would have disowned me years ago!" He pauses afterwards, and Aine turned to him, watching him cast a sullen gaze down before adverting his eyes to her, "What about you? Still procrastinating?"
"Mind you, I'm long done. Just... Tutoring."
"You tutor?"
"Yeah, helping out would be a better term, I supposed." she sighs, combing her flying hair with her nails away from her face.
"Let me guess, Potter still hasn't done his homework?" he questions and she nodded, "It's not just that too."
"What else could there be?"
She shot him a look, "He still hasn't found a clue about the next task and it's only in a few weeks." Worry in her voice, she knew her friend was still puzzled and lost about the Golden egg even when he stays quiet, she knew he didn't know what to do with it and it made her infuriated with herself because there was nothing she could do since she hasn't got a clue about it at all. She and Hermione went to search for books in the libraries day and night, hoping to find a hint about the mysterious enchanted egg but there was nothing.
Draco senses her concern, her eyes still and she let out an audible sigh. He wasn't sure why she was worried about it when it wasn't her job too, nor did she enter the competition. Even so, he wished she would stop tormenting herself overthinking about it, "I'm sure he'll find an answer to that soon, Aine. Don't worry about it. As much as I despise Potter, he is a smart and strong man."
Aine couldn't believe her ears, slowly tilting her head at him, her mouth hung open, smirking a little, "Wow," she breathed and Draco rolls his eyes, already knowing what she was going to say. "I must be hearing things. Draco Malfoy is complimenting Harry Potter!"
"I knew you're going to say that."
"Are you okay?" she asks him, putting her palms over his forehead to check his temperature, "You don't seem to have a fever..." she trails off, furrowing her brows as she checked her forehead, "Hm. Can't really tell."
"Really?" he questions, putting his hand on her forehead and comparing, he cocks his head, not really quite sure before he leans in and their faces touch, "Am I having a fever?" Aine inquired and Draco squints, "I'm not sure, do you think I'm having a fever?" he asks in return and she shrugged, "I got no clue, but I do feel like I'm getting warmer."
"Me too!" he shot back and they playfully locked eyes with their touching foreheads before bursting out into laughter, "What are we doing?" she chuckles, pulling away.
"Being silly," Draco replies with a grin, making her laugh in agreement. He admired her from the side, feeling his lips bend upwards at the sight of her beaming smile. When Aine turned to him, he blinked away his surprise and she raises a brow at his awkward movement, "So, did Krum talk anything about the golden egg?"
"Using me to get a hint for your annoying friend?" Draco questions and she scoffs, "Of course not!" she exclaimed, playing with her fingers, "Well, maybe a little?"
"I'm hurt, Estoileon," Draco replies, frowning at her. He never expected that she'll use him to get information from Krum, he was friends with the Durmstrang champion after all.
"Well, nice to meet you, Hurt. I'm Curious."
"You and your annoying sarcastic comments, I can never win against them!" Draco hisses, throwing his arms in defeat.
"I'm joking, Draco!" Aine reassures, and he glanced at her, "And I'm Heartbroken," He introduces, using her tricks against Aine. She darted a glare in his direction and he bit down another laugh, he felt satisfied with himself after getting back at the girl.
"Well, the answer to your question earlier, Joking, is no. We barely talked anything about the Triwizard tournament other than usual topics like 'How was Durmstrang?', 'What do you want to do in Hogwarts?', and 'What's it like being a player in the Bulgarian Quidditch Team'. Nothing more, since he's quite an introverted man," Draco explains and Aine hums in response, ignoring the new name she's gotten herself. She was rather amazed Draco was catching on perfectly well.
"That's it?"
"Yeah, what else do you want me to share with you about him? Do you want his autograph? I can get it for you if you like."
"Nothing, really. I have no interest in that."
"What interests you then?"
"Potions, maybe? I don't know, maybe what does Crookshanks, Hedwig and Hestia look like if they're humans?" she babbles, earning a hoot from her owl at the mention of her name. Aine smiles proudly at her, tickling her beak, "You probably look handsome, Hestia. I'm sure of it!" she tells her bird, picturing the human form of her pet. Draco reaches towards Aine's owl, stroking it slightly despite the narrowed glare the bird was giving him. It was as if she was warning him to keep it up and she'll chomp his fingers off. It hooted after being overstimulated before snapping at the Slytherin boy, he pouted, "That's boring," he commented on Aine's answer, making her jerk her head to him.
"What about you? What interests you?"
"What would you do if I said you?" he smirks and she gave him a deadpanned look, "No really." Draco told her and she purses her lips, "I'll be thankful I guess? Maybe a little creeped out by it too?"
"Why?"
"I don't know, no one's ever shown an interest to me," she said blankly, stacking up the tiny pebbles around them, not realizing Draco's eyes staring at her. He simpers and places one small tiny rock at the top of the miniature stone tower, making Aine scowl at him when the tower collapses. He went on while continuing making another tower, Aine helping along, "Perhaps you just never noticed. But you are an intriguing young miss, talented, beautiful, kind-hearted and brave."
"I'm not beautiful. I'm just me."
"I think the girl I danced with at the Astronomy Tower would beg to differ."
"Well, that's because I was wearing a dress and had my face powdered with makeup. In reality, I'm not... I'm not brave." Aine tells him and he pauses, looking at her from the pebble tower. Her eyes held sadness, no— It was more than that. Was it fear that flickered past?
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked her and she chews her lips, "Remember how I told you I grew up without my mother?" she spoke timidly and he nodded, letting her carry on.
"I never knew what she looked like, or how she sound like, I didn't have anything to remember her by. No photographs, no words, but this—" she showed him her pendant-now-bracelet that her father had given her. "It was my mother's," she told him, stroking the chain of the jewellery.
"That night when I came back to the common room after the Yule Ball, just... Just for a split second, I saw someone in my reflection in the mirror. She looked different, but she was just like me; golden eyes, long black hair... And when I had my Boggart lesson before that, my fear was this lady that looked just like her and I'm terrified. Who is she? Why does she keep appearing? I didn't know who she was, but she was just so familiar..." her brows started to knit together as she tries to remember the mysterious woman. Her face contorted with pain and fear and desperation all at once, "It sounds stupid, doesn't it? I can't help but wonder if that woman is..."
My mother.
But Aine couldn't say it, it was like her mouth was sewn shut by invisible threads, she couldn't speak the word out and yet her mind was screaming. Was this because she kept thinking of her that she started having delusions about it? She knew it could be anyone but her mother, but... There was just this ineffable feeling that it might be her. But why now? Her mother was gone for years, if not a decade and a half and she never dreamt about her only recently. What did it mean?
"I'm sure... When the time comes, you'll learn of the truth, Aine," Draco said, patting her hand as his smile gave her some comfort. Aine slowly leans onto his shoulders, and he strokes her head, "I'm scared, what if it's something that I shouldn't have known? What if... What if I can't take it?" she whispers.
"You will. I'm sure of it," he reassures her, leaning on top of her head as they watch the black lake's tide flowing towards the pebbled shore, washing away the sand as it left until it drifts further and further away.
"I'm here for you," he promises.
"Thanks, Draco."
They sat in silence, accepting each other's companionship before a voice interrupts their time together.
"Aine!"
The girl turns and Draco rolls his eyes at the voice, muttering a short curse under his breath as he stood up and saw a certain red-head boy and girl strutting to them.
"Ai!" he calls to her and she beamed, "George! What's up?"
"Oh! Were we barging on something?" Ginny asks her and Aine gave an awkward laugh, glancing at Draco who clears his throat.
"No, uh. Not at all!"
She ignored the head whip that Draco gave, her lips twitching as she raises a brow to her friends, "What is it?" she questions and George pulls her towards Ginny, "We were waiting for you, back to studying since break time's over!" He throws a glare at Draco, a thousand thoughts running through his mind but he decided to simply turn and leave.
"Oh! Right. I forgot about that..." Aine chuckles and Ginny sighs, "I still have two pages left, Aine. Please, I need your help for that and I don't want to ask Hermione since she'll probably lecture me about the whole topic which will be unnecessary!" she whines and Aine nodded, patting her friend's head, "Alright. I got it. Come on, little one!"
"Yay~"
"See you around, Draco." Aine turns with an apologetic smile which the boy mirrors, he waved at her and watched the girls leave before his eyes coldly wandered to the red-headed boy who stood behind, "What do you want, Weasley?"
George glowers, his fists balling up as he took a step to Draco, eyeing the Slytherin boy down, "Leave her alone," he warns, making Draco raise an amused brow, "And why should I do that?" he smirks.
"You're no good for her, Malfoy," George snarls, he went on, "You get any closer to her, I'll make sure you'll pay."
"Is that a threat, Weasley?" Draco asks, his eyes forming slits as he glares at the older boy, he restrains himself from doing anything unnecessary, he knew Aine didn't like that when he picks a fight with any of her friends, which was why he only resorted to words first.
"Yes, Malfoy. It's a threat," the boy said, hitting Draco's shoulder as he turns and following the girls back to the Gryffindor's common room.
When he was finally alone, Draco exhaled deeply, unfolding his fists as he walks back to his friends, guilt slowly ridding him away as he too, knows for a fact that his family's background isn't the purest. Even so, he didn't want to back down, not when he's attained this happiness for the first time in his life, and he'll do anything to make sure no one ruins what he wants.
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I'm sorry for the irregular update! Been really busy writing the next book that I lost track of the schedule to upload this one! Things have been rough lately, been all cooped up at home because I wasn't well with a sore throat and even coughed for days. Really thought that I may have caught with the big C but I've tested negative and hope it stays like that (since they said that the test may not be accurate). But I'm probably going to test again in a couple of days so wish me luck!
I hope all of you stay safe and remember to drink lots of fluids and wear a mask when going out! Take care and see you guys in the next one~ Love you lots!
- Zeneria