𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐟-𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝

A Brutal Game

Rewritten

A thoughtful silence stretched over them after Aurora's talk with Hermione.
She sat with her book; read every sentence, every word, and none of it registered in her brain.

Hermione knew to leave her to her thoughts, for now, so she was revising some of her notes as she waited for her class to start.

There were little things that alarmed Aurora. Very few things had her like this. Number one on top of the list was emotions.

She of all people was the worst person to be in this situation. How the hell was she to react to a bomb like that being dropped on her?

Harry---the guy she called by his last name up until a week ago to distance herself from him likes her? The Boy Who Lived fancies her? Her out of all the girls in the school that are pining over him, he chooses her to fancy?

There were certain times when Aurora the Creature genuinely felt like she'd missed out on a pinpointing part of growing up. Most of them were certain social customs she didn't know nor did she care for. This, however, this whole emotional business of a boy who could go for something far more normal went for her, made her think that maybe she was the only normal one and everyone else were at fault.

Cho Chang. Hermione had mentioned her passingly. Who the bloody hell was Cho Chang? Aurora had never heard of the girl, despite keeping tabs on people. How did Harry go from a normal girl to her? Or maybe she wasn't so normal either. Suddenly Aurora was curious to see Harry's previous crush. . .former. Former crush. Previous would insinuate that he currently has one, which Aurora doesn't want to believe to be true.

Cho Chang was probably pretty, with a delicate smile and soft skin and fingers. She probably was academically smart or maybe she was a good Quidditch player---Aurora wouldn't put it past Harry to like her for her athletic prowess. Cho Chang probably was someone who'd never harmed anyone in her life. She was probably the polar opposite of Aurora.

But after all of that, Hermione still insists that Harry Potter likes her.

Sodding wizards and their mind games.

Humans were such messy creatures, how was she supposed to understand them?

The contemplation on whether she should bail or not was stronger than ever. But now she wouldn't have to sneak away in the night and wait in the shadows for wizards to finish their wars. Aurora was certain that if she left soon, Harry would forget his feelings for her and find himself someone more appropriate.

But was she ready?

It was such a depraved business, emotions. It made her gut tighten uncomfortably, like a knot being pulled on. All her life she'd struggled with it, it slipped out of her grasp like water through cupped hands. She failed to recognize them and when she did, it was far too late and far too irretrievable. She cared for Golden Boy, perhaps the only emotion in her heart she recognized, that wretched night when it all went to hell he was the only one who came to her aid, despite his painfully human nature. Hamilton was the only person who would ignite those emotions in her, which is why he's all Aurora needs.

That's all she needed to know and all she needed to worry about.

But---and a demon in her head spoke this---was that true anymore?