𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦 ; 𝑜.𝑜.𝓅

eighteen

Zoya felt as if her confidence had been sucked out of her the way a Dementor sucked the happiness out of people.

She was staring at herself in the mirror, criticizing everything about her. I should cut my hair again. Maybe I should not have stopped wearing so much makeup. But if I still wore so much I'd look like I'm trying too hard while Estella doesn't seem to be wearing any makeup at all.

My cheeks are too chubby, why can't my face be as sculpted as hers? And my height... Good Godric she must have been tall enough to model. And she's his age, she will leave Hogwarts with him.

"Zoya?"

She turned to Hermione, who was standing in the dorm with a confused expression, "Yeah?"

"Are you okay? You seemed lost in your reflection."

"I'm fine. Just thinking."

She sat on her bed as she looked at Zoya worriedly, "Harry told me about Estella." She apologetically said.

"Do not tell me you think it's nothing. I already know that." Zoya said as she turned back to herself in the mirror, suddenly hating what she had on.

"Do you?" She asked, "I can tell you look bothered."

"It doesn't take much to bother me, you know that. But regardless, I know it was all harmless and he didn't mean to be like that. Fred sometimes gets a little too ahead of himself."

"He's always ahead of himself." Hermione replied with a small smile.

Zoya sighed at herself in the mirror, "He is. He's always moving at 100 miles per hour and sometimes it's hard to keep up. He's brilliant in a way not a lot of people see. That's part of what I love about him."

"Do you?"

"What?" Zoya asked, looking at Hermione through the mirror.

"Love him." Hermione replied, "Not just have love for him but... are you in love with him?"

That's when it all hit her. They had never spoken those three magical words to one another. But it felt natural for Zoya to say her next few words, "I am in love with him." She said.

"That's why you feel the way you do. You want him all to yourself because you know what you two have is something more than just a school crush." Hermione said with a hint of excitement, "I'm not saying you should say it to him right now, but knowing that you love him does change things, doesn't it?"

"Makes the thought of losing him a lot scarier." Zoya replied in a bit of a lighter tone.

"I promise you, I may not know much about love, but as long as you are around... I don't think anyone else could hold his attention as much as you do. You've got him wrapped around your finger, everyone knows it. As for Estella... I wouldn't go assuming the worst of her just yet."

"A bit too late for that."

Hermione stood up and wrapped her arms around her neck, hugging her from behind, "You look fine. Fred would think you're beautiful even if you looked like Peter Pettigrew."

Zoya now let out a snort of laughter, "Bloody hell, I was not expecting you to say that."

The two girls broke out into a fit of laughter. When it slowly died down, Zoya felt just a little better.

"Thank you, Hermione."

"That's what I'm here for."

Fred was right about the weather. As Zoya made her way to Hogsmeade, the sun was shining brightly. He was already waiting outside of Three Broomsticks with two butterbeers at a small table that must have been set up recently.