familiar ; draco malfoy

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

The raucous, metallic shriek heralded the arrival of the Hogwarts Express.

It sounded loudly over the students' chatter, prompting everyone to step away from the platform to make way for the coming train. As the crowd retreated, yelps and arguments could be heard by those whose foot had been stepped on or who had been pushed rather violently to the side.

With purple lips tinged with blue and gently chattering teeth, Ramona wrapped her coat around her tighter. She hated being late for things and made it a point to always be early, if not exactly on time. So she had, both intentionally and not, left for the Hogsmeade train station earlier than most, dooming both Luna and herself to endure the horrid cold for longer than necessary.

The cold that had seemed mild at first now numbed her face and extremities. It had been a full half hour of waiting once the scarlet steam locomotive came into view. Ramona breathed out a sigh of relief and with each breath more heat rose in puffs of white vapour, dissipating into the whiteness. Even though her coat was long enough to reach her ankles, cold licked at her face and crept under her clothes, spreading across her skin like the lacy tide on a frigid winter beach.

"It was bloody time," she muttered under her breath, hugging herself tighter as the train approached the station. Her fingers were chilled into clumsy numbness.

"You shouldn't have worn a skirt," chimed Luna, who had wisely worn a thick, periwinkle blue coat and white wool scarf that she'd wrapped around herself so many times you could only see her eyes. She had layers and layers of clothes on beneath the coat and Ramona swore she saw beads of sweat glistening on her forehead.

A yellow Hufflepuff hat covered her head- one that Romeo had gifted her as an early Christmas present, so she'd be safe and warm during the holidays, and so that she'd remember him whenever she wore it. It was a sweet gesture and one that made Luna tear up, gifting Romeo with a Ravenclaw hat in return.

"I like this skirt," said Ramona, "it's worth the suffering."

Luna couldn't keep herself from mumbling a quiet, "If you say so." She grabbed Ramona's icy fingers as they waited for the train doors to open, the comfort of Luna's warm fluffy glove stinging her skin.

"And is there someone in particular that you're wearing it for?" Luna suggested, wiggling her eyebrows comically.

"You've offended me with such a foolish suggestion," Ramona said, "As if."

"I didn't mean to offend, it was an innocent question."

"Innocent, my ass." Her muscles began to ache and grind like the cogs in old machine. The frigid air penetrated her skin, chilling her blood, sinking into the marrow of her bones like wet concrete until she could no longer hide how much she was shaking. Her teeth chattered like a pneumatic drill.

"Speaking of your ass, can you feel it?" Luna teased. Ramona shot her a side-way glance that gave away how little she wanted that conversation to continue. Luna knew better than to argue and, judging from her eyes, she was sporting a mischevious smile. She opted for silence and ceased fire in order to preserve her friend's sanity, holding onto her hand even tighter so the students pushing past wouldn't separate them.

Ramona had never had a friend like Luna. She never imagined she would and, after their conversation the other day, she felt undeserving of such a person.

Ramona felt her eyes brimming with tears once her story came to an end,but decided she wouldn't cry.

Luna held her hand the entire time. Her wide, alert eyes never straying from her friend's face. She was a good listener, drinking in Ramona's words as if they were made of gold. She didn't rush her or interrupt, letting her breathe when a breath was needed and holding her hand a little tighter during the rough parts.