Kaia Black

11

I woke up gasping from a terrible nightmare. I was completely drained in sweat. Ever since I received the letter from the vampire the nightmares had gotten worse and more frequent. The nightmares would always be about the same thing. I'd watch my mother's body losing its life, slowly. And all I could do was watch because two arms pinned me down on the floor.

It drained me both mentally and physically. I'd wake up exhausted even if I slept for a reasonable amount of time. Angelina was a deep sleeper, she wasn't aware of me sometimes waking up crying. At least now I didn't have to explain it to her.

Outside it was still pitch black but I was wide awake. I climbed out of bed and tried calming myself down as I left the bedroom and decided to get myself some water. I got a cup of water and sat down on the couch in the common room.

I pulled my legs up to meet my chest and tried to think of anything that could calm me down. But grief overwhelmed me and I bursted into tears. The aching pain shot through my body as I sobbed. I spilled the water on the floor and dropped the cup. I pressed my face into the palms of my hands and couldn't care less about the spilled water.

I flinched when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. My instinct was to pull of my wand and aim it at the person behind me. But as soon as I saw the familiar green eyes of Harry I lowered my wand.

"H-Harry?" I stuttered as I tried to wipe the tears away and hide them from the world. But obviously Harry had seen them already and concern laced his face. He sat down besides me and gently grabbed my hand.

"The nightmares— they won't stop. I keep seeing her, her bloodied body— she's dead, Harry." I cried and pressed my face in the crook of his neck as he wrapped his arms around me in comfort.

"It takes time but I promise you, it'll stop."

"It hurts so much, I miss her so much."

"I know, you loved her. But you have to know that she loved you too and eventually you'll have to accept that she's gone."

I pulled back and looked Harry in the eyes. His watery green eyes told a story not many were able to relate to. He had been through so much at such a young age. It formed him to be a strong and brave boy. I found an incredible amount of comfort in his eyes and words.

I looked down and caught the scars on Harry's hand. I suddenly felt the anger towards Unbridge return like a tornado. I grabbed Harry's hand and held my hand next to his, showing him my scars.

"Umbridge." we said in unison.

"Should we tell Dumbledore?" I asked but Harry shook his head saying "Dumbledore has enough on his mind already, the ministry's giving him a hard time."

I nodded knowingly. I had noticed Dumbledore's absence and figured it had been because of the ministry. I sighed and leaned against Harry's shoulder, wiping the remaining tears off my cheeks.

"Soon this will all be over, Kaia. I promise."

We sat there in silence for some time. It wasn't uncomfortable, the opposite even, I appreciated the fact that someone could be silent without feeling the urge to talk all the time.

After a while Harry decided to head back to bed but I kept put on the couch, not wanting to go back to sleep and face my fears. But I eventually fell asleep on the couch. I vaguely remembered waking up by someone carrying upstairs and laying me back in my bed. But without looking at his face I could tell who it was, George.

The next few weeks I tried my hardest to keep up with homework and practicing my patronus charm as Harry had told us to at the Dumbledore's army meeting.

George and I met up at the astronomy tower almost every night, it wouldn't take much to know what we were up to. But both of us couldn't get enough.

"Hey, Kaia." Angelina mumbled as she plopped down next to me. She pouted her lips and huffed out a long sigh. I looked up from the book I was reading and furrowed my eyebrows.

"Hey, Ang. What's wrong?" I asked. She groaned and leaned further back into the couch, looking fed up about something.

"I'm sick and tired of the Weasley twins and their stupid pranks all the freaking time!" she complained. I grinned to myself thinking about it. It surprised me how the twins never got bored of it.

"Anyways, are you looking forwards to spending Christmas with them? Or should I say George?" Angelina asked wiggling her eyebrows like a little kid.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I lied and folded my arms together.

"Oh my gosh! It's kind of obvious you two are becoming a thing!" Angelina chuckled.

I looked away trying to hide my blushing cheeks but others knowing it was inevitable.

"Oh my gosh! I'm right, aren't I?"

I shrugged while Angelina excitingly clapped her hands like a little kid that just got some candy. I grinned to see her so excited.

"So you two made out right?"

I merely looked her in the eyes and she knew my exact answer. Her smile grew and she clapped her hands in excitement once again.

"You did, I knew it! Did you two— you know?"

"Gosh, Ang. No, we haven't." I muttered and hid my face into the palms of my hands. She giggled and wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

"Nothing to be ashamed about, you two make the cutest couple at Hogwarts."

I couldn't contain a fit of nervous giggles but quickly told Angelina to keep quiet when I saw the twins entering the common room.

"What are you girls talking about?" asked Fred as he and George sat besides us.

"Nothing." Angelina and I said in unison. We shared a look and bursted out in laughter. George and Fred looked somewhat confused.

"I'll never get you girls,"

I rolled my eyes and met George's brown eyes who smirked down at me. I moved a little closer to him until our legs were touching. Angelina must've noticed as she jumped up and dragged Fred with her.

"Come with me, Fred."

Fred was about to complain when he looked back and forth between me and George. A smirk appeared on his face as it clicked to him. Both him and Angelina walked away, whispering things to each other.

"That was—"

"Weird." George finished making me let out a giggle. He wrapped his muscular arm around me securely. I leaned into his touch and grinned to myself in satisfaction.

"Are you looking forward to see your dad again?"

"Yes, a lot actually."

"I know I'm looking forward to spending Christmas with you." he said smilingly.

"Is that so?" I asked smirking. George chuckled and leaned closer, placing my hand into his.

"I really want to kiss you." he said, his eyes flickering between my lips and my eyes. I bit my lip and asked "Right here? In front of everyone?"

He simply nodded and leaned closer, making me lay on my back. I could already feel the eyes burning on us but I didn't care anymore and made the distance nonexistent. I kissed him on the lips and trailed my hands down his muscular back.

Whispers erupted in the common room and someone plopped onto the chair besides the couch. George pulled away and cocked his head to the side. There he sat, smirking at us from a distance, Fred Weasley. George rolled his eyes and pulled me up to sit.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Freddie?" I asked chuckling. With the smirk plastered on his face he nodded. George shook his head and threw a pillow at Fred's head. We laughed as we watched him pouting his lips as if he was actually hurt.

I was still slightly freaking out about how we just made out in front of all those students. But boy was I thrilled to do it again.