Bulla Aurea Puerorum

The Plan

The Plan

Eddie didn't stay at the dinner for long. He got up soon after we arrived, the things Lucy had shouted at him still ringing in his ears. She had watched him go with tears in her eyes.

When he got back to the common room, he sat down on the couch, letting the familiar warmth from the fire wash over him. He decided to wait there until Lucy returned, and make up then. He wasn't sure what he had to make up, but he wanted things to go back to how they were. Classes were insanely boring without Lucy there.

Eddie stared into the fire, his eyes burning from the heat, thinking of all the things he'd said to Lucy this morning, of all the things he wished he'd said at dinner, of all the things he was planning to say to her when she got back. His mind unconsciously drifted towards all the things he was hoping to one day say to me, when he was interrupted by a loud slam. Jumping off the couch, he turned to see Lucy standing in the frame of the entrance to the common room. She was crying, tears rolling over her face as she stared at Eddie.

"Luce?" He asked after a moment.

It happened in a split second. One moment, they were staring at each other from across the room, tears growing in Eddie's eyes as he watched the strongest person he knew cry in front of him, and the next, her arms were wrapped around his torso in a tight hug, her head resting against his chest. He stumbled back a bit at the force of the impact.

"I'm so sorry." She choked into his black cardigan.

He rubbed her back, a bit awkwardly, and rested his cheek on the top of her head.

"It's okay." He murmured back.

And they stood there, the chatter from the great hall floating down through the ceiling, the fire casting a flickering glow upon them. It felt like hours that they stood, embraced tightly together, Lucy's sobs slowly quieting as the shape of his chest and the smell of his skin comforted her.

It wasn't until they heard loud footsteps and conversations echoing from the hall just outside, that they finally broke apart.

Eddie placed his hands on either sides of her cheeks, looked into her eyes for a moment, and then bent to kiss her forehead.

Her eyes fluttered closed as every muscle in her body relaxed at his touch.

*

"Lucy?" I called, tentatively opening the door to our dorm. I was one of the last to return from dinner, as Ginny had come over to confirm our plans for tonight. I walked into the room to see Lorraine and Anna cuddled together on one of their beds, reading a book together. They both looked up as I walked in, Lorraine slightly flinching as if she was caught doing something she shouldn't.

"She's asleep." Anna whispered.

I nodded in response, glad that she was finally able to sleep after probably 36 hours of being awake. This morning felt years away.

But if Lucy was asleep, I'd have to wait until morning to find out if her and Eddie made up. I assumed they had, as she wouldn't have been able to sleep otherwise.

I instead moved to my bedside table, pulling the prank book off of the little shelf there. The yellow sticky note stuck out still, the corners tarnished from being shoved harshly onto the shelf. I sat down on my bed to finalize the plans while I waited for Ginny's owl.

It was 3 hours later when the barn owl tapped on the ground level window. He just sat on the ground while I opened the window and untied the letter.

Sorry I made you wait so long. Ivory and Olivia took ages to go to bed. I'll meet you in front of the kitchens in 10 minutes. Probably not long after you get this and finish reading it.