Hidden Riddle

Chapter 44: Is it Christmas again?

Christmas was coming. This morning, in Mid-December Hogwarts woke up to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and Delphini heard the Weasley Twins were punished for  bewitching several snowballs so they followed Snape around and kept hitting him on the head.  Christmas didn't feel much like Christmas this year. Delphini had returned from Mungo's Hosptial from Magical Maladies and Injuries a week prior. Today was the day that most students were going home for Christmas. However, Delphini didn't have a home to go back to.

A month back she got a mysterious letter. Inside the envelope was a piece of parchment paper with the words, 'sorry for your loss' on it. This was strange because she hadn't lost recently,  but she had already been to their funerals. Folded inside was a ripped up page from a newspaper.

It must of been sent from a wizard because the newspaper included a moving image of a house on fire and Bellatrix LeStrange and some Death Eaters, including Lucius Malfoy. It then zoomed in on three bodies. Delphini remembered as she stopped eating breakfast, screaming and then bursting into floods of tears, staring at Draco and then running out of the room after dropping the piece of newspaper as she left. She didn't speak for the rest of the day.

She start to feel tears blossom in her eyes as she stared out the window of a small unknown room to students. She lay her back against the cold stone and watch as she saw Harry, Hermione and Ron link arms as they go home for Christmas.

(During this scene, it's the song at +3.26)

"Hermione, do you think Delphini's okay?" Ron asked, quietly, nuzzling his head into the crook of Hermione's neck. "I'm not sure" Hermione said. The truth was she was really worried for her. She couldn't imagine being in her position. "I don't want to leave her" Harry said still feeling guilty for what he had said to her weeks ago in Hogsmeade, even though you said it was okay.

Delphini head towards the Great Hall, alone. She look around and she saw the Christmas decorations and the ginormous tree, that was lit top to bottom with lights and baubles. Then she saw a certain person sitting all alone. "Hey" Delphini said, sadly. "Hey" said Draco sitting alone with his head on his shoulders. "Look, I'm so so so sorry." she said sitting next to him. He just looked at her and gave a weak smiled. There was silence until Draco finally spoke.

"I didn't fall in love with you because I was lost, or lonely or broken or needed to be fixed. I fell in love with you because after getting to know you and who you are, I wanted to make you a permanent part of my world." Draco said which made her suddenly grab him into a lose hug. Draco flinched because he wasn't used to people hugging him. "The places, the scenery may change but whether it's for five minutes or fifty years, I would've just been happy to have you with me. But the point is, I think, part of me has always known that you weren't the villain of my story." Delphini said looking into his eyes. "Delphini, but I'm not a good guy."

"You're not like them, especially Pansy."

"She's my friend, watch it."

 "Friends don't look at friends that way."

"Anyway, do you think it's easy for me to see you with someone else."

"Hey, hey, you know you were the one who ended it remember." Draco said starting to get angry. "Yes because I was mad at you not because I stopped loving you!" Delphini shouted loudly. "You still love me?"

"When I touched your face, I could tell you were moving on and it's not the fact that you kissed her, it's the feeling of betrayal that I just can't seem to shake, and everything my friends tell me 'That I should just walk away' but I just want to stay."

"So your answer was yes but...."

"Hey Delph, what you doing?" Her new boyfriend, Jimmy Peakes said. "Nothing, I'm coming." "Bye Draco." Jimmy took a glance at Draco. "Happy six months babe" He said kissing her cheek. "You too."

"Are you going home for Christmas?" She asked. "Yes, I haven't seen my mum in ages, she got really ill earlier this year, so I need to go and see how she is." Delphini smiled,  "I get it, I hope she get's better. I give her my prayers." He then kissed the top of her forehead. "Thanks, I'll send you a letter every week, so you don't get bored." Her said as he kissed her lips calmly before picking up his bags and then waving goodbye as he walked to the other side of the room to meet up with his friends who were travelling together. Delphini wiped a tear from her eye and then turned around to go to The Gryffindor Common room.

"The last thing I said to you was I hated you, I loved you and now it's too late to say to you. I just don't know what to do and how to deal with it, even now deep down I'm still livid." Draco said following her, still crying. "You need to go pack, Draco. I expect you parents will be arriving shortly." Delphini said not looking at him. "So this is it?"

"Yes" Delphini said with tears in her eyes. "You shouldn't have kissed Pansy. For you I was just a chapter, but for me you were a book." Draco sneered, angry.  "Go right ahead. Laugh at the girl who loved too easily. No one will ever sit around at a table telling stories about a man that couldn't love. Say it... look me in the eye and say it.. you coward!" She shouted as  ran out of the room. "What did you do to her?" Jimmy shouted from behind Draco. Draco had a smug look on his face. "Man, this isn't fair. You had your chance with her, you had your chance... and you blew it!" Jimmy yelled at Draco, pointing at him. "And this is my chance and I'm not going to blow it.. because we are meant for each other. And you had all been some stupid mistake."

...

Delphini doesn't remember much about that Christmas. She tried to forget it. She spent what seemed like endless days sitting alone in the common room, reading. She just couldn't wait for the next year to start. She kept the collection of letters that she had written to her adoptive parents and sister. 

"Merry Christmas, Mum, Dad and Lily."

"I'll miss you forever" Delphini said kissing the unsent letters.