UNVEIL | D.M (UNRAVEL BOOK 2)

[ 18 ]

Today was finally the day where many would love, it was Christmas.

Many students had headed home this year, with Sirius Black's attack in Hogwarts, most of them had gone back to their respective houses because it wasn't just safe anymore. Not to mention the dementors, guarding the sacred school at every entrance. There have been quite a handful of cases of students being attacked by the cloaked creatures too.

"Aine, wake up!" 

"Aine!" 

"Go away, I want my bed." the girl groans in annoyance with her two roommates energetically cheering in the morning. Ginny grabs Aine's quilt and peeled it away from the girl who presses her head into her pillow, while Hermione tears apart the darkness of the room by welcoming the light from the windows. Then they proceeded to take the sleeping girl's pillow, giggling at their friend. 

Aine's eyes were forced open by the blinding light, it was different from her own room at home, her walls were bright so she was alright with the morning light every day. But here, the room was in dark maroon, alongside the walnut stained bedframes and drawers, it was dark.

"Come on! We're going to be late!" Hermione started to nag, "Yeah! There's Christmas breakfast! It's only once a year we get it!" Ginny added.

"I can always eat that again next year", Aine mumbles, before being pulled out by the two of them, her spine curved into an arch as her eyes still remain deeply shut. "It's different!" Hermione says.

"Then tell me what they serve and I'll cook it myself..." she trails off, her voice muffled, the other two girls weren't sure if their friend was still in deep sleep, and sleep talking or not. While no one spoke, Aine slammed her body back onto the soft bed, dozing off again.

"Oh, please wake up," the brunette girl begged, "You girls go ahead, I'll just lay dead for a while more," Aine mutters. Ginny turned to Hermione and said, "Alright, we'll go ahead first then." 

"Thanks, Gin."

"But I'll call Fred and George to come in and wake you up instead." she finishes, grinning and the girl's body immediately jerked up like a vampire, although still very much groggily. "Okay, fine. I'm awake." Aine was fine with anybody but the twins, recalling one memory when she was so tired that she wanted to skip breakfast but Ginny had called her brothers to wake her up in her stead. 

Cringing at how they literally enchant their quills to tickle Aine awake and creating bubbles that would constantly pop in her ears like alarms. Or the worse one, transfiguring her pillow to make the feathers inside becoming slugs so you would hear the squishy, gooey sounds as if they were in your ears. Of everything she ever hated, bugs and insects would always be the top thing of the things she hates. She always told others that she would rather eat toothpaste than touch a bug. Fred would always tease her that he'll put a small insect in her toothpaste that every now and then, she'll feel very intimidated to open the tube of her toothpaste.

"We'll just meet you at the Great Hall, alright?" Ginny chuckles and together with Hermione, they start to walk towards the door. 

"I hate you." Aine groans, finally fluttering her eyes open.

"You love me," her friend answered sweetly, winking as they left the room, Hermione waving before the door shut close and she heaved out a loud sigh. She dragged herself out of her bed and sat at the edge of the mattress, then standing and walking to the window. Pushing open the window panes, she breathed in the morning air, filling her lungs with the coldness that woke her up once and for all.

By the time she was out of her room, the common room's hall was emptied out, and the portraits around the room greeted her and wished her a Happy Christmas, and she too, did the same. Aine wore a simple outfit consisting of what she pulled out from her trunk -- a forest green turtleneck with thick black leggings and her feet were covered with a pair of leather boots, polished, but worn into time. Her black wavy hair was up in a half ponytail tied with a silver ribbon and her fringe curled like curtains, framing her face. Despite the chilly weather, she was fine without her outerwear, perhaps Hogwarts have heating systems around the castle, she thought to herself, skipping out of the common room, to the great hall.