In Her Eyes

Chapter Eighteen

Alastriona emerged from the green flames and grinned at Theo and Blaise who were waiting beside Darcy, she hugged them both - even the reluctant Blaise- before being lead into a large sitting room.

Both Alastriona and Darcy couldn't believe their eyes, the ceiling was high and the tree was just as high and shimmering like a beacon of light with presents under it already, the fireplace was roaring with hot flames and spreading warmth throughout the room.

All the couches had been pushed back in favour of mattresses lined up across the room. On a coffee table sat a bottle of opened butterbeer, biscuits, several chocolates and a little Santa that was dancing across the table rather majestically.

Alastriona grinned at Blaise, "This is perfect! Everything looks amazing!"

Blaise shrugged but had a small, proud smile on his face, "You can mostly thank Bumble for that." At their blank stares he smiled a little more, "She's our House-elf."

Theo grinned, "She makes the best shortbread in the world." He grabbed a plate from the coffee table and Darcy grabbed one, it felt like she'd taken a bite out of Heaven.

Alastriona grabbed the bag Darcy had taken with her, and took their presents for the others out, placing them underneath the tree, "I hope you don't mind but Darcy and I had a pre-Christmas morning with my uncle, we've already exchanged our gifts."

Theo shrugged and flopped down onto one of the beds, "Doesn't bother me, plenty more to go around."

Alastriona sat next to him and laid down on her stomach, feet up in the air, "Draco isn't here yet?"

"He sent an owl saying he'd be a little late." Theo coughed awkwardly at Alastriona's downtrodden face, "So what did Darcy get you?"

It distracted her well as she showed off her new necklace, Darcy and Blaise joined them too and she showed the boys her new watch and raved about Finn giving her the guest bedroom.

"Alastriona, your uncle is seriously awesome." Theo commented, upon hearing of Finn's gift to Darcy.

The others nodded and a happy smile came onto her face that wouldn't leave, "I know. As soon as he took me in he just made his entire life about me and making sure I was always taken care of."

Darcy giggled lightly, "He's such a gentle giant, I bet if he wanted to he could be really intimidating."

Alastriona groaned, "Like when he was trying to force me to change schools! That was the biggest argument we've ever had."

"Who was trying to force you to change schools?" All four of them turned suddenly at the voice and jumped up as they saw Draco standing in the door way with his things.

Darcy got up first and hugged Draco, Blaise was next and he took his things off him, Theo patted Draco on the back lightly and then they all waited as Alastriona made her way over, tucking some loose hair behind her ear, "You were going to change schools?" Draco asked again, he sounded nervous.

"My uncle, after everything that happened last year, he didn't want me going to Hogwarts anymore, we had a massive fight, I told Dawn and the others and they came over to help convince him to let me stay."

Draco's eyebrows drew together into a deep frown, "How come you didn't tell me?"

Alastriona shrugged innocently, "I didn't really think about it much after we convinced him to let me stay, I was just so happy to still be going to Hogwarts."

"Right." Draco nodded and walked past her, he took out a bag and knelt by the tree and placed all the presents he bought underneath the tree. 

Alastriona decided to ignore him for now and turned to Blaise, putting on a forced smile, "Did you get lots of snow here, Blaise?"