Fine Line || Ron Weasley

Chapter 22

The great hall was decorated with Christmas decorations. A huge tree sat in the middle of the room, garlands hung from the walls and fake snow looked like it was falling from the sky. It was December 25th, and Isabelle sat finishing her and Ron's project.

She told Draco that since she needed to finish the work, she would stay at Hogwarts, but that wasn't the only reason. With all that was happening recently, it was best for her to not associate with her family. She didn't want people to think she was a death eater or anything.

The Malfoy's didn't really have any traditions, other than showering Draco with presents while her mom just sent her a postcard from Azkaban. Usually, Narcissa would give her a dress or something of the sorts. Then, that item sat in her closet collecting dust.

Being alone this time of year wasn't anything new to her, but still, Christmas should at least have a celebration. Because she didn't visit her family, she didn't get sent anything. She expected it, but it still hurt.

Isabelle and 10 other students were the only ones staying back. The other kids stayed in their rooms today, probably opening their presents and singing carols. She wanted to distract herself from the ever present feeling of aloneness that she felt around this time, so research was the perfect thing.

Ron was probably getting handmade presents and eating cookies while drinking hot chocolate. Envy consumed her. What she would give to open up her eyes Christmas morning and smell a home cooked breakfast. Sitting around the tree to open presents just wasn't an option for her.

Isabelle didn't want to admit it, but she made bracelets as presents for the people around her. Pansy, Blaise, Hermione, Ron, Harry, Enzo and Lorelai all got some. She mailed them to the gift-receivers anonymously, not wanting to come off as pushy.

Nobody had given her a gift, not even Pansy. She bought Pansy a cool eyeliner with glitter, but she received nothing back. She didn't expect to get gifts, yet she was disappointed by the fact that nobody saw an item and thought she would love it.

Draco got some of his favorite sweets as a present. When she gave them to him, he was too busy to stop and see them. He told her to put them on his bed. At that moment she decided that Hogwarts is cozier than home.

She didn't know if her so-called home was actually her home. Home for her was anywhere she was. A hotel, the ministry, even Azkaban could be her home.Although she lived in Malfoy Manor for as long as she remembered, that mansion had a chill everytime you turned a corner.

That place was haunted, not by spirits, but by every bad decision that family has made. Being blood purists made all kinds of unholy activity happen inside those walls. Torture, killings, incest, punishments.

The Malfoys and Blacks were doomed from the beginning. Take Sirius Black for example. A man marked by his last name, even so that he got blamed for murder. Andromeda Black, a woman who was burned from the family for the sake of the love of her life. Loving in that family was as rare as them being Gryffindors. How can one expect a child to love correctly when he has never seen a pure form of it.

Isabelle knew this would affect her time at Hogwarts. She has never had any friends, apart from house elves and Draco. Now she wonders if she and Draco are close by choice or by blood.

Family is the most important thing for the Malfoys. Always make your relatives proud. Isabelle thinks this is bullshit. If they cannot be happy with themselves, then other people won't be pleased. They will speak ill of you anyways, so live your life. She has never dared utter such words, but they have been lingering in her mind for a while.

She finally finished the project, and this deserved a prize. A sugar cookie was the perfect thing. She grabbed one of the Hogwarts-made cookies that looked delectable. The first bite was like heaven. It was the perfect balance between sugary and buttery.

"I'm glad that at least someone is enjoying our cookies." An old voice said from behind her. When she turned around she was met by Dumbledore and suddenly she felt as if she had done something wrong. "Care to meet me in my office, Miss Lestrange? We have plenty of other cookies."

"Have I done something wrong?" Isabelle asked, looking up at the wizard.

He shook his head with a smile. "Not at all. Just come with me."

Isabelle didn't want to argue with the headmaster, so she grabbed her things and started walking behind him. Even for his age, he walked fairly quickly. She was having trouble catching up everytime he went up the stairs.

They reached a statue that Isabelle had heard of before. When her uncle came here in Draco's second year, he said that the statue gave him nightmares as a kid and seeing it in person again took him back to his days at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore's office was huge and filled with crazy artifacts. She couldn't help but stare at the multiple portraits hanging on the walls. A lot of headmasters stared at her, others sleeping. It was Christmas so most of them were upbeat and smiling.

The older man sat down in his chair, the one behind his desk. He gestured for Isabelle to sit down across him and she fell onto the chair stiffly. Her back didn't touch the wood from the chair. She was almost falling out of it.

Dumbledore crossed his hands and started speaking. "Don't think you are in trouble for anything." He cleared the air. "I have been told that you have been getting along with Ron Weasley. Is that true?"

"We were paired for a project, so we had to spend time together." She explained, not knowing how to explain their situacion. "We have seen each other a few times outside of that, but we are just partners. I'm positive he hates me anyways."

He stayed silent for a few seconds too long, staring at Isabelle's eyes. "There's a fine line between love and hate. It's so thin that sometimes you cross it without realizing."

"If you are insinuating that I love Ronald, then that is incorrect." She was appalled by such an idea. It was even more terrifying because the headmaster of the school is the one saying it. "He's with Lavender."

Dumbledore hummed in response, a small smile on his face. "No, I wasn't insinuating anything, just thinking out loud. Apart from that, how have you been fitting in?"

"I've been okay." Isabelle answered shortly. She didn't really know how she was fitting in.

"Only okay?"

She shrugged, pursing her lips. "I don't really know. I have been busy with Slughorn's project and the other classes."

"Snape has told me that you've been with Pansy and Blaise." He said.

"They're nice." She muttered. "Is there a reason for this meeting? Because I have a few books I would like to read." She knew she sounded mean, but she did not like Dumbledore. And not because her family didn't like him, there was something about him.

He stayed quiet, staring at her. She felt judged under his gaze. After a deep breath he finally diverted his gaze elsewhere. "Yes, I'm not keeping you prisoner here. Just wanted to get to know my new student. You are dismissed."

Isabelle nodded, not speaking. She walked slowly towards the entrance and went down the way she came up.