after dusk - draco malfoy

xvi. | sixteen

THERE WERE ONLY A FEW WEEKS left of the school year and I couldn't express to anyone how quickly the time went by. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been slightly distant in the previous month or so, but Ron still managed to make plans with me for over the summer.

He had invited me to come to the Quidditch World Cup with them towards the end of the summer with his family, Hermione, and Harry - that was if his Muggle family would let him. I had swiftly agreed, quite excited. I had known that England hadn't hosted it in decades so it would be a once in a lifetime experience, especially considering how hard the tickets were to get.

In the Common Room, Fred and George had been showing her all their inventions for their 'Joke Shop' which they had told her that they were going to set up after leaving school in two years time. At the time, I just laughed it off but seeing their ideas come to life actually made me believe they had a chance at being successful.

Due to the O.W.L and N.E.W.T examinations, the Black Lake didn't seem to be as busy any more. Draco and I spent a lot of time down there, savouring our last few weeks of being together before leaving one another for the summer. Sure, we would've been able to write to one another but it wasn't the same as being with him.

One Friday in July, after we had finished our classes, we had decided to go down there for a while. We would usually just sit there and talk or wind each other up but on this one particular day, he had brought down a poetry book.

We sat under the blossom tree and I leant my head on his chest as he read me some poems, aloud. I never thought he'd be the type of person to enjoy poetry but I had been learning a lot of new things about him each time I spent with him.

"I shall imagine life is not worth dying, if (and when) roses complain their beauties are in vain. But though mankind persuades itself that every weed is a rose, roses (you feel certain) will only smile," Draco read from the book as I took in every word, loving the beautiful tone to the poem. "I shall imagine life, by E.E Cummings."

I took the book from his hands, trying to look for a poem I wanted to read. My eyes landed on one and I inhaled a deep breath before beginning to read it.

"There is a secret only real lovers know, and it is this. All the mountains and valleys in the world cannot separate lovers whose hearts are one," I finished before closing the book and looking up and Draco, longingly. "I don't want summer to start."

He gave me a small smile, placing a kiss on the top of my head as he took my hand in his. "All the mountains and valleys in the world cannot separate lovers whose hearts are one," he repeated with a large grin on his face. I playfully shoved his shoulder, shaking my head and cringing at the same time. "We can always meet up in the summer."

I agreed with him, although knowing full well my Aunt and Uncle probably wouldn't be comfortable with that. However, I was willing to try to do some persuading. "My father and I are going to the Quidditch World Cup, you are more than welcome to join us if you want," he suggested. "I'm sure my father won't mind sorting you a ticket. The Minister of Magic personally invited us."

I paused for a moment, sitting up to look him in the eyes. "I'd love to," I started and a smile made its way on to his lips. "But I already said I would go with Harry, Hermione, Ron, and his family," I added on, his expression quickly turning sour.

He took his hand out of mine and shifted his position. "I don't see why you're even friends with Potter," he spat, shaking his head. "Why would you agree to go with them? You know I can't stand them."

I laughed at him in disbelief. "Are you for real?" I raised my voice at him. "Draco, whether or not you like them, they are my friends. You wouldn't expect me to react that way if you went with Pansy and her family so why are you acting this way with me?" I defended myself and my friends.

He turned his head in the opposite direction to me, obviously getting annoyed at me. I didn't care, though, I was just as mad at him as he was at me. "If this is going to work between us, then one, you need to respect my friendships and two, you can't have double standards," I told him, standing up and getting ready to leave. "I'm going back in."

I angrily made my way back up to the castle, just preparing all the 'I told you so's from Poppy when I arrived back up to the castle. Dinner in the Great Hall had just started but I had completely lost my appetite and appeal of talking to people. Instead, I just started to make my way back up to the Common Room.

As I was walked up to the portrait for the Common Room, the twins were exiting. "And where do you think you're going?" George spoke up, both the twins linking up with either one of my arms to drag me away from the Common Room.

"Dinner is the most important meal of the day," Fred told me. I corrected him, telling him that it was breakfast but he shook his head. "I will lie to whomever I must if it ensures you get some grub in your belly."

George nodded his head in agreement. I would've put up a fight but the walk back up to the Common Room was a chore. We entered the Great Hall pretty much straight after Draco as if that wouldn't make things even worse for me. George stopped in his tracks, halfway into the hall. "Oh, I see," he mused at me, wagging his finger about. "You've had your first lover's tiff."

Fred guided me to my seat and joined me with my friends, exactly where I didn't want to be right now. "So, explain the lover's tiff to your brothers," Fred ordered me, very loudly.

"What lover's tiff?" Ron questioned, food in his mouth. "Lover's tiff with who?" For Merlin's sake, will everyone stop saying lover's tiff?

Poppy's head snapped in my direction when she heard the words. She opened her mouth and I cut her off, straight away. "Don't you dare say 'I told you so', Poppy or Merlin help me, I will throw this goblet right in between your eyes," I warned her, a lot more violently than it intended to come out.

Tommy shook his head at me. "Tasmin," he said my name in a tone I'd never heard him speak before. "Correct me if I'm wrong but a month ago, you wouldn't have acted like this, regardless of what has just happened. Seems like a very concerning coincidence if you ask me."

I scoffed, loudly, shaking my head. "And what is that supposed to mean?" I started yelling at him, gaining the attention of a few more people on our table. Tommy eyed up everyone who was now looking before turning back to me, still not saying a word. "Please, elaborate, I'm sure I'd love to hear what you have to say."

He glanced to Stella, who still hadn't said a word yet but she just turned to Lavender who was sat beside her. Tommy looked back over to me and exhaled sharply. "Fine!" He snapped, giving in. "You never acted like this before, it's very clear Malfoy has rubbed off on you."

A choke came from across the table and Harry was now covered in pumpkin juice, which had just previously been in his mouth. "What?!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione all shouted in unison. Hermione glanced over her shoulder, not meaning to be so loud. She leant into the table a little further to be quieter. "You and Malfoy?"

I started to feel as though I was being attacked and stood up, getting ready to leave. I stopped after one step and turned to the twins. "Next time I don't want to come to dinner, leave me be rather than forcing me to be somewhere where I'm not comfortable," I snapped at the two, beginning to walk away.

Fred and George had begun to call my name, telling me to come back. This commotion caused a lot of the Hall to go quiet and a lot of eyes on me. I ignored the two boys' calls and headed up to the Common Room.

That had been hands down, the worst day I had at Hogwarts, to that date. I had fallen out with Draco and a big handful of my friends all in the space of around forty-five minutes. When I arrived at the Common Room, I went straight up to bed.

I drew the curtains on my four-poster, burying myself under the covers. My eyes began to prick with tears but I couldn't hold them back at all. The tears started slipping down my cheeks and the tears soon turned into sobs. I must've cried myself to sleep because I don't remember stopping crying that night.

The worst night at Hogwarts, resulting in me crying myself to sleep for the first time since joining Hogwarts. It did not seem like I would be finishing this school year on a good note at all.