𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐒𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 |𝐃.𝐌 (re-write)

THIRTY EIGHT

Listen to "The Stars We Follow"
by Federico Albanease

E L I Z A

Daphne and I walked down to the Great Hall with our suitcases, dragging behind us. We followed a line of students chattering away about how excited they were to go home and see their families. How they couldn't wait to go to Diagon Alley and drink pumpkin juice at the Leaky Cauldron.

Even Daphne was excited to go home and see her family. I was not. I had to remind myself that it was normal to be excited about going home.

This time last year I would have already been at the train station, alone, waiting for the train to come. But this year I had a friend to walk with and friends to say goodbye to. And a boy who I absolutely did not want to say goodbye to.

Not even for home and my family. Let's just say, it's complicated and home isn't really home.

"There they are," Daphne gasped, pointing to our friends who were all bundled up in warm clothes and coats and stood by their suitcases.

I smiled as we walked up to them and Theo and Blaise's eyes grew wide at the sight of me. This was my first time seeing them since the bonfire. They knew now, they knew about Noah and I didn't like it. It made me nervous. I was terrified of what might happen to them.

Pansy and Draco had their backs to us before they turned, following Theo and Blaise's wide eyes. Draco wore a long black coat and a black jumper. I have never seen him in a jumper before. It had a high neck and made him look ravishingly handsome.

His eyes softened when he saw me. Almost like he had been in some sort of stormy cloud but when he saw me, the sun shined.

"Eliza I am so glad you're okay," Pansy pulled me into a tight hug, pulling my attention away from Draco but I still looked at him over her shoulder. The cold look in his eyes and the fiery look in mine made something snap in the air.

Draco swallowed and clenched his jaw and then looked down at the floor. I hate that I was still so full of anger from everything. I hate that he felt so guilty.

Pansy released me and I smiled up at her big black doe eyes. Theo and Blaise approached me and gave my arm a gentle squeeze, "you gave us a fright, Rosier."

"I'm so sorry," I looked up at Blaise. . . then to Theo. I truly was sorry and I think they could tell by how sincere my tone was. I was sorry for everything. I was sorry for what was to come.

"Don't apologize," Theo said and then smiled handsomely, "just remember that if you're ever in trouble, you can come to us."

"All of us," Pansy said and when I turned to her, she winked at me.

"We'll take down Noah together," Blaise said, something dark and wicked flashing over his eyes and although he said it almost in a joking manner, he was serious. That scared me.

"Thank you," I said to all of them, knowing full well I'll fight Noah alone, just so they wouldn't get hurt.

I turned my gaze over to Draco again. He had already been looking at me. I stepped toward him and our friends entered into a conversation. Giving Draco and me privacy to talk. I didn't know what to say, even after last night when I cried into my shoulder and kissed me ever so deeply. His deviant eyes reminded me of the intense way he kissed me.