WILD FLOWERS ✿ d.malfoy

37.

"Oh My God."

There are gasps from behind me as the room materializes around us. I turn around, biting my lip.

"So?" I ask uncertainly. "What do you think?"

Caelum closes his mouth that was open like a fish and looks at me, wonder crinkling in his eyes. "You finally put the supplies I brought you to use."

I giggle sheepishly and nod.

"There's me!"

"And me!"

"Oh my Gosh you look so pretty!"

Carina and Tracy run around the Room of Requirement, which right now, is my art sanctuary. They admire the artwork resting on the floor and against the walls and the ones that are hung up. Caelum joins them as I smile mindlessly, immensely proud of my work.

Tracy is staring wide eyed at a portrait of her: I've painted her best angle, which quite honestly, is every angle of hers. Her eyes are crinkled and mouth half open as she giggles, her cheeks flushed and her hair bouncing around her. She's glowing, radiating happiness.

"What's wrong?" I ask her, hesitantly. "Did you – do you not like it?"

She just shakes her head, her eyes not looking elsewhere. "It's just – I – how did you make me look so, I don't know, beautiful ... glowing even." Her voice is soft.

" 'Made you look' ?" I ask, astounded. "I didn't make you look like anything. That's literally how you look."

Her eyes are glassy when she looks up at me. I totally forget our height difference sometimes.

"Really?" Her voice is so fragile.

"Yeah," I nod profusely. "I paint and sketch things and people how I view them. I don't manipulate the reality. That's a crime." I laugh dryly.

Tracy hugs my tightly, her curls tickling my nose. I hug her back.

"You are beautiful, Tracy," I say slowly. "Inside and out."

It slowly turns into a group hug. It's a miracle how all our hugs turn into group hugs.

"That's true for each and everyone one of you," I say.

We let go of each other, Tracy wiping her nose. "I might have gotten some mascara on your shirt..."

I wave it off, "ah, no matter."

Caelum is looking at Tracy with a gentle expression; he slowly hugs her again, whispering in her ear. I smile and move away to give them some space.

"You're so amazing, Celestia," Carina admires. "This art is –" She stops abruptly, noticing a portrait of mum, Rosie and me. She sits down, tracing a finger over Rosie's hair. I take a seat beside her, my heart thumping in my chest.

"Is that – them?" She asks slowly.

"Yes," I whisper back.

"They're – they're beautiful."

I feel my eyes swell up with tears, my throat feels constricted and my chest tightens. "Beautiful and gone." My voice breaks and the tears fall.

Carina hugs me tightly, rubbing my back as I sob into her neck.

"They'll always be with you, Celestia," she says slowly. "Always." She lets me sit there for some time, rocking me back and forth.

"And can we talk about how you've painted me," she giggles after. "Honestly, I look like a goddess."

I sniffle a little and straighten up, "I've painted you in a purple hair too." My voice is slightly hoarse.

Her eyebrows shoot up, "have you now?"

I nod, reaching for the rolled-up canvas sheet, "I think a boysenberry shade would suit you."

She whistles, "definitely going to dye my hair now."

Caelum and Tracy lean over, both sporting identical blushes. "You should paint me with neon green hair," Caelum smirks. "Add a giant spike in there."

I chuckle, "sure. Maybe even some piercings."

"Have you painted everyone?" Tracy asks.

"No," I rub my neck. "Only selective people."

"Well, if you ever happen to paint Draco," Carina smirks, looking over at me. "Paint him like a Russian doll."

I laugh, "is that because he's too full of himself?"

"Exactly."

"Maybe I'll gift him that for Christmas," I joke.

"I would love to see his reaction," Caelum smirks.

"Or you could paint him like a trash can," Tracy shrugs, smiling.

"That's a brilliant idea."

• • •

I curse profusely and land with a groan on my broom. This was my tenth failed attempt at a Chelmondiston Charge. Annoyed and exhausted would be an understatement because I was annoyed and exhausted to the very brink of killing someone and myself.

"Come on, come on, come on," I groan as the Quaffle is passed back to me. I feel like I'm going to cry.

"Come on, Morgana," Montague persists, slightly annoyed, though not at me. It was Malfoy who was the cause of his headache. "Just once – I SWEAR TO HEAVENS MALFOY, if you don't get back to practice right now, you are officially off the team!"

Montague wipes a finger across his brow, his face red with fury. Malfoy raises his hands up in mock surrender and then turns to me. I swear if he opens his mouth once more I will –

"I bet a rat could play better than you, Morgana!" he cackles. – chuck the Quaffle at him.

I flare my nostrils and jump off the broom (because I'm going to be that extra) and thrust the Quaffle at Malfoy. "And a ferret could think of a better insult than you, Malfoy!"

He narrowly misses the Quaffle zooming towards his head. From his sloth grip position, I see him look at me – fearfully. He then gets on his broom again, ruffling his hair, he looks at Montague.

Montague's mouth is left agape by what happened. I instantly feel like recoiling because this could be the moment when he screams at me. The blood rushes in my veins. Instead, he looks at me and chuckles, "you did it. You actually bloody did it!"

"I – what?" I tilt my head and swallow my heart beating in my throat.

"You did it!" Warrington, Pucey and Bletchley cheer. "You did the damn Chelmondiston Charge."

"I..." I look down at my broom, "oh yeah." I suddenly feel so light; I want to fly. I am flying though. I throw my head back and laugh. "I did it!"

The Fawleys high-five me and ruffle my hair. Montague flies towards Malfoy and slaps him on the back. "All that did come to use, eh Malfoy?"

Malfoy just looks at him for a moment and then looks away, groaning. Montague ruffles his hair and brings him in closer to the group. Malfoy is the embodiment of the word reluctance. The wind picks up pace as the last of the sun rays retreat plunging the world in darkness.

"Now, even though this time it resulted in something good," Montague says sternly, eyeing me and Malfoy. "What you were doing, Malfoy, destroys the team spirit."

Malfoy opens his mouth to object but closes it with one look at the Captain. "So, this is the time to swallow your damn ego, Malfoy and for once give in to team spirit."

"But I -"

"Do you want Slytherin to win or not?" Montague cuts across firmly.

"But what -"

"Do you want Slytherin to win, Malfoy?" Montague's words grow heavier and his expression scarier.

Malfoy lets out a deep breath and looks the Captain in the eye, "Yes, I do Captain."

"Good," Montague smirks, "at long last we're all on the same page."

Adira is shivering, "Captain, can we please be -"

"Wait," Montague asserts. Adira sulks and hugs herself. I pass her a sympathetic smile. "Malfoy and Morgana," my head shoots up, "shake hands."