Everyone was back at Hogwarts faster than I expected. It was odd with the school so silent then suddenly bustling again with friends and classmates. It was like they never left.
In our dorm, Rina and I sat on my bed. She told me of her family's vacation to Scotland to visit her family. From the sound of it, she had fun. She told me how her brother fell face first in the snow when she returned to their parent's house.
I smiled and laughed with her; I missed her when she was away. I told her about the fight with Draco and what Dumbledore told me, but I didn't want to ruin her happy mood. A lump came to my throat from the sibling fight when she asked me about my holiday. "It was great. I had a lot of me-time and had a nice dinner with some students and professors."
"Did your parents ever tell you and Draco why you couldn't come home?" She adjusted herself on my bed.
I hesitated with a head shake, "No. I do believe Mother did mention that it was business? I can't quite remember. Draco was a git about it, though."
Rina tilted her head, "Did you two get into a fight?"
"How did you know?" I quickly sat up with a bewildered look on my face.
A laugh came from her, "Because I have a brother too and am familiar with that look on your face."
My body laid back in my bed with a huff and nodded. "It was ridiculous. He yelled at me in the halls about his image. Also, who I'm associated with, and that we aren't the people we used to be." My fingers fiddled with a loose string on my covers, "He is sounding like a broken record."
"Well, you are you. You aren't Draco. The only reason he has friends is that they like feeling powerful as your brother's second hand." Rina put her hand on my shoulder, catching my eye, "You have friends because we like being around you. Even though your attitude and social skills could use some work."
"Hey, I'm trying." I smacked her with a smaller pillow laughing. Her words made me feel better, and that lump in my throat went away. "Thank you."
She pulled me into a tight hug, "Anytime. Now come on, we are going to Hogsmeade." Rina got up and pulled on her winter coat and scarf. I followed suit and went down to the central courtyard with her. "I hope there is an empty compartment for us. I had to sit with some Gryffindor's and all they could talk about was my injury."
Rina had told me that she didn't need a cast anymore but was still sore if she moved it a wrong way, "Don't worry, I'll use my attitude to fend off anyone."
My boots crunched under the snow in the courtyard as we waited for a teacher to escort us to the town. I kicked a little snow at Rina, which then caused her to pick up the snow and throw a snowball at me. I ducked down, avoiding the cold ball.
"Hey, what did I do to you?" Ronin dusted the snow off his chest with a confused look on his face.
"Sorry, sorry. It was supposed to hit Y/N." Rina had a guilty expression on her face.
"Well then." I watched him bend over and gather some snow. Then, before I could react, he chucked the snowball square in my shoulder. "Now justice is served."
"Oh, come one." I rolled my eyes and brushed off the snow just as my eyes met with silver ones.
"Still playing childish games, I see, sister," Draco said with Crabbe and Pike right behind them. I wanted to wipe those smirks off their faces with a spell faster than lightning striking. "You'll never grow up, honestly."
Ronin rolled his eyes, "Get on the train Malfoy. Your slant is causing wrinkles to grow on your forehead." His words led my brother to turn to Pike and Crabbe, whispering something to them. They hurried off not too long after that.
"If Draco is going to be on that train, there is no way I am going." But, I said in a huff, "I can't stand being 20 feet near him right now."
"Come one Y/N. It'll be fun. You won't even know he is there." Rina begged me to go with her, but I shook my head.
Ronin let out an aggressive sigh and wrote something on parchment, "Pick these up for me in Hogsmeade. Now you have to go, or I'll be disappointed." He passed the note onto me.
"What? No, you can't throw that ball at me." I glared at him, looking at the piece of paper, "You can get this stuff from a classroom."
"That's true, but I want it from there. Now go get it." He said with a smirk, then pushed me off to the train station with Rina, who thanked him.
I walked out of a shop with a bag on my arm and the list in hand as well, "I can't believe he did that. I swear somedays I don't understand him." My hands were tucked under my arms to keep them warm.
"He only did it so that you would have a good time coming out. Plus, he did stand up to Draco for you, right?" Rina also had a shopping bag that mainly held some goodies and snacks.
"I hate it that you're right." I sat down on a cold bench. The small was beautiful on the town; the light lamps made it look like the place was out of a painting. "You know I heard that dementors were spotted here. Maybe Sirius Black is here as well." My voice was in a kidding voice, but Rina didn't take it lightly.
"Don't kid about that, Malfoy... My parents almost didn't send me back because of his sighting so close to Hogwarts."
An expression of guilt came over my face, "I wasn't thinking. Sorry for bringing it up. Hagrid and Mcgonagall are here. We are fine. Plus, I'd protect you, Hargroff." I nudged her lightly, which brought a smile to her face. I could feel our friendship was getting closer. It felt nice to have someone in my life like her.
"Alright, no more low faces. Let's hit one more shop, then head back to the train station, alright?"
I agreed just to keep her happy. On our way to the next shop, I heard a familiar yelling and voice. We saw Draco and his friends running from where the Shrieking Shack was. They had terrified expressions on their face. It looked like Crabbe was trying to keep his drawers up. That view of them made both of us crack up laughing. Karma was on my side for this one for sure.
