𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 | √

⎡65⎦

My birthday had passed by already and I warned the twins not to do the usual ritual. I feared that we would get in trouble by Umbridge. I still got presents per usual but it wasn't the same. Not having two people hoist you up onto their shoulders and having confetti shot at your face felt much different.

However, Draco was a different person this year. He got me a present. He socialized with me. As did James.

I had received all my presents from the Gryffindors at a different time, I didn't want to make a huge deal of it. I sat down next to James. He became less antisocial and began to talk to me again over the summer. There wasn't much to do at Grimmauld Place anyway. He was still going from girl to girl but he and I bonded. Just like we used to. As I slipped into my seat James nudged me a bit.

"Happy Birthday," he said with a small smile which I gladly returned.

He handed me a small box. Inside was a silver cuff bracelet.

I smiled broadly at the gift and slipped it onto my wrist.

    "Thank you. Thank you so much," I said as I wrapped my arms around my older brother.

We pulled away from the hug and I began to put food on my plate. I soon felt a body slip into the seat next to me. I turned to see my Draco smiling at me. A genuine smile and not a smirk.

He also handed me a small box saying, "Happy Birthday Hazel."

I took the box from him gently and opened the box. Inside were beautiful earrings. They were (you can make up your own description.) I smiled and squeezed Draco in a hug.

"Thank you," I whispered in his ear, enjoying the embrace.

. . .

A few days later, I decided I needed some air. I've been stuck in the castle for too long now. I went into the Forbidden Forest. The further I went I could hear faint sounds of a horse neighing. Soon, I came across a striking girl with long and curly dirty blond hair. I turned back into a human and walked up to the young Ravenclaw who was rummaging in her bag.

"Hello Hazel Rosewood." she chirped without turning around.

"Hello, Luna is it?" I asked.

She nodded. 

"Aren't your feet cold?" I asked looking at the girl's bare feet.

"No. Not yet at least. My shoes have mysteriously disappeared, however, I suspect the Nargles."

I nodded, not having a clue what a Nargle was.

"I'm sorry to hear about your boyfriend." she said rummaging through her bag again, "He must have loved you very much. I can see in your eyes that you miss him very much."

"Thank you. He did love me. And I loved him very much. I miss him, but soon I'm going to have to start a new love life. And that scares me. But I know that Cedric wouldn't want me crying over him for years."

She stopped rummaging in her bag to look at me. "Don't be afraid to start over. It's a chance to rebuild what you want. It's a chance to start over, to start with a clean slate."

I shrugged and whispered, "I guess so." I looked back at the blond. "Is there something that you are looking for?" I asked nodding towards her bag.

Luna reached her hand in and pulled out a piece of raw meat. "Seems I've found it now." She giggled lightly.

"What's the meat for?"

"That."

I looked up. Looming over us was a winged horse with a skeletal body, face with reptilian features, and wide, leathery wings that resembled a bat's. It was completely fleshless, its black coat clinging to its skeletons, of which every bone was visible. Its head was dragonish, and its pupil-less eyes were white and staring. A Thestral.