after dusk - draco malfoy

xviii. | eighteen

DRACO AND I HADN'T SAID MUCH else before he headed into the bathroom to sort himself out. On the other hand, I just walked back into the Great Hall. I took my seat back at the table, everyone's eyes on me.

I had caught eye contact with Poppy and she sent a small smile my way. I sent her one back before quickly looking away. "Have you been crying?" Ron asked me, to which Hermione had just nudged him hard. "Ouch! I was only asking!"

I had made up with Draco and we were on better terms but I still needed to resolve things with Tommy, Stella, and Poppy. There was a small space between Tommy and me, which he scooted over and put his arm around me. "I hope you're okay," he whispered into my ear before placing a small peck on the side of my head. He pulled his arm back and placed his hand on my head. "Keep your chin up, okay?"

I looked up and nodded at him before catching Stella's gaze. She quickly looked away but looked back again. "We're here for you," she uttered, holding her hand out for me to take. I took it and she gave it a squeeze. "How did the talk go?"

"Bad but then good," I explained, briefly. "We're on good terms now but I think we need the summer break apart before we try to jump back into things," I told her and she nodded her head in agreement.

She let go of my head and finished up eating her food. "So, are you two a thing or..." She trailed off. That was a good question, which I didn't yet have the answer to. I explained how I was unsure, myself, and that's why the summer break would do us good. She nodded her head in understanding.

The final Owl deliveries of the year had arrived, yet there hadn't been much mail considering we were all heading home soon. Poppy was delivered a letter from her Dad who had been working abroad. "He's managed to get us Quidditch World Cup tickets with Mr Weasley!" She squealed, very excited.

My head perked up and a large smile was brought on my face. "I'm going with the Weasley's, too!" I told her and from there, we all started chatting about the World Cup all the way to History of Magic. The rest of the day had gone pretty fast and before we knew it, we were going to bed together for the last time until September.

A wave of sadness came over me as I began to pack my things up, getting ready for the next day to leave for King's Cross. I had a pretty rubbish night sleep that night, not wanting to leave my new home. We all hauled our trunks out and on to the Hogwarts Express.

The journey home was pretty dreadful, everyone was sad to be leaving one another. Tommy and Stella had fallen asleep on the way back, and Poppy was reading her book the whole time. I had just been drifting off when a knock came at the door of our compartment. Poppy and I looked up to see Draco.

I stood up, sliding the door open. "Meet me on the Platform when we get there, I want to be able to say a proper goodbye before summer," he told me, to which I nodded my head and agreed. With that, he left to go back to where he was sat.

Poppy had been looking up at over the top of her book and I quickly looked away. "I wasn't judging," she defended herself. "I just think it's cute. No one's ever done that for me before," she explained, her eyes ever so briefly landing on Tommy.

At that point in the year, it had been quite obvious to me that she had feelings for him but I didn't want to bring it up right now. That was for a conversation, next year.

I must've drifted off to sleep as I awoke at the feeling of an abrupt stop and a lot of commotion. It reminded me of the journey there at the beginning of the year, when the Dementors made their way on to the train. Fortunately, we had just arrived back in London and it was time to get off.

Tommy and Stella also woke up, stretching and standing up. Stella, Poppy, and Tommy all gave me a hug goodbye as we reached the platform and I watched them walk away. "Tasmin!" I heard people call from behind me. I turned around to see Fred and George, waving me over. When I reached them, I had been greeted by his parents.

Their Mum, Molly, had explained she would send me an Owl, regarding the World Cup, in a few weeks time to arrange a time for me to come to their house. "Of course, you're welcome for as long as you like," she told me before they all left to travel back to the Weasley household.

As they walked away, I started searching for Draco. By this point, there weren't many people on the platform so I spotted him almost straight away. He walked over to me and hugged me for the last time before September and I almost thought I was never going to let him go. "I'm going to miss you," I mumbled out and he nodded his head in agreement.

"I'll write to you," he told me, pulling away from the hug. I forced a smile on my face as I said goodbye and watching him walk away. He stopped in his tracks and turned around before leaving me with one last kiss. "To keep you going until I see you again."

I nodded my head and watched him actually leave this time. I stayed on the platform until he was no longer in sight and I headed out to the car park, hauling Farley in one hand and my trunk in the other. My Aunt Emma and Uncle Leo were waiting in the car and looked rather happy to see me.

"How was it?" Aunt Emma asked me, wanting to hear all the gossip. I had told her all about my new friends and the World Cup I had been invited to - she was more open to the idea than I had thought she would be. I told her all the ups and downs. I had accidentally let slip about Draco and she didn't seem too happy but she didn't protest to it.

I could tell she was fighting the urge to tell me not to see him again but she knew I would only respect her wishes under her roof. When I arrived back at school, she knew I would defy her and go back to Draco. It wasn't because I was disobedient but because I was in love with love. She was and so was my Mum, it ran in the family.

Overall, I couldn't deny that Hogwarts was a new home for me. I felt safe and as though I belonged at Hogwarts.