𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 | 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 BOOK ONE

eight.

Soon enough, the incident of my freak accident dwindled from rumors and gossip as time went on, and the holidays rolled around before anyone knew it.

Almost ninety percent of the students went back home for the holidays, which included all of my friends, except for Warren. I learned that Warren had only his mother, and his mother worked back in the States as an ambassador for the Ministry. She was busy, and he stated that he didn't want to watch her work through paperwork all-day, so he decided to stay.

And since we were the only two left of our little band of emerald snakes, we decided to spend the time together.

Harry was too busy working on his investigation into some guy named Nicholas Flamel with his best bud, Ron. He'd little time to entertain his own twin and he downright refused to involve me in his egregious plans.

It's too dangerous, He claimed.

But I gave him the space, and instead, Warren and I got up to our own shenanigans, too.

On the morning of Christmas Eve, Nyx awoke me as he pressed his paws into my stomach for a good stretch. I lifted my head toward the knocking at the door, before groaning as I slid out of bed.

The door swung open, and Warren stood leaning on the door with crossed arms and an amused look. He was ready and dressed properly for the day, unlike I who quite literally had just rolled out of bed. And, in his hands, a silver box with a green bow on top.

"Merry Christmas, Lizzie," Warren prompted, holding out the box to me cooly.

He strolled right in, only because he knew no one would notice him in the girls corridor. Pansy and Daphne were gone, as well as the Head Girl.

The lack in authority made it too easy for him.

I stared down at the box, rubbing at my sleep eyes to wake myself, before growing a big smile. "You got me a present? You didn't have to do that."

Warren took a seat at the edge of my bed and placed Nyx in his lap. "I didn't, we did. After you told us that you never had presents, Noctis and I decided to chip in together to get you something," He explained.

I skipped over to sit beside him, still beaming.

Presents on Christmas? I couldn't ever believe such a thing.

Harry and I used to wake up early enough to see the snow before the Dursley's would force us to chores all day, while raining presents down for Dudley. And we would have to clean up all the wrappings and tape he made messes with.

This was the first time I didn't have to gain paper cuts or get tape stuck in my hair for hours.

I plucked the green ribbon by it's tail, then opened the box to reveal the silver hair clip with small green gems. It gleamed when the light hit it, so beautiful yet expensive looking.