strange magic- next gen

Chapter Nineteen

    The ball had began to settle down and several students were leaving for after parties, or just finding it time for bed.

    Maddie's shoes were off, James holding them and giggling as he watched the barefoot girl dance in the nearly empty dance floor. Oliver sat next to Roxanne on the ground. Roxanne had a slightly intoxicated head  on her brothers lap. Walter talked to Oliver about something, though he seemed a bit down. Chasity and Maddie stayed on the dance floor laughing and dancing. 

    "It's getting late," Roxanne yawned, getting herself up from the ground.

     "One last dance Rox?" Walter asked her, but she shook her tired head and smiled.

     "How do we get Maddie off the floor?" Chasity breathed out, having just left the floor. James nodded his head and went in, before Oliver said he's got it.

     "Hey Mads," Oliver called out, going to the floor, Maddie grabbed him by his hands and attempted to spin him.  

    "Come on, it's late," Oliver stated.

    "James will dance with me," Maddie huffed, but Oliver looked at the floor.

    "Come on, let's talk and then we can dance back in the common room." 

    Maddie followed along, a big smile on her face as the two left the dance, her telling her friends she'd meet them soon. 

    "You love him, don't you?" Oliver asked, looking at Maddie who seemed confused.

    "James. You love James, don't you?" Oliver asked, those words seeming to begin to sober Maddie up. 

    "What? No- I mean, he's my best friend," Maddie stammered and slurred out. 

     "We should break up," Oliver stated, a sad look in his eyes. 

     "No. No why? Oli?" Maddie asked, she was clearly confused and she was starting to feel hot and uncomfortable in her dress. 

    "Because I think I was starting to love you, but you're in love with James."

    "I'm not. I've never liked him before Oliver, look at me," Maddie pleaded.

     "This doesn't have to be sad, I enjoyed tonight. I really did. I enjoyed every second I spent with you and I want to still be friends. But I feel like I'm constantly competing with James, but the worse part is maybe you don't love him, but there's something there that's more than what you have with me. I want to be with you, but it's not fair to me. James was right, you need someone who will dance with you."

   "What? Dance with me? Oliver I don't understand," Maddie whined, tears swelling in her eyes as the room became blurry.

    "Just tell me you don't love James."

    "I-I," Maddien stuttered, looking up at him with her big, sad blue eyes. 

   "It's okay Maddie. I love you," Oliver sighed, taking her hand and walking her to the Gryffindor Common room. 

   When she got inside the common room, there was passed out bodies on the floor and the lights were out. She knocked on the boys dorm and when no one answered, she walked in, her eyes landing on an alarm clock that said 3:27 am. Her head pounded and she wondered how time passed so fast.    

    "James?" Maddie cried out, feeling tears begin to swell in her eyes again. 

    "Maddie, is that you?" James turned his tired head towards her, squinting to see he in the dark. He whispered a quick Lumos, his eyes widening when he saw the mascara running down his cheeks and tears in her eyes.

   "Hey, hey it's okay. It's okay. What's wrong?"   James sat up in his bed and began to worry as Maddie began to cry.

   "Oli- Oli, he broke up with me," Maddie cried out, big crocodile tears sliding down her cheeks. James felt his heart break as she cried, frantically trying to make it better.

    "Shhh, shhh," James tried to help, opening his arms wide and she nodded before letting herself in, "it'll be okay, it's okay."

     James held Maddie in his arms while she cried, resting her wet face in the crook of his neck. He hated to admit it, but he missed her so much. Even under these circumstances, he was glad to have her in his arms. 

     "I've missed you," Maddie whispered out as her tears quieted down. James shoved down a smile at those words.

   "I've missed you too," James whispered back, feeling a lot more sober than hours ago. James helped a still sad and drunk Maddie out of his bed for her to change, then found her crying on his floor with a big t-shirt of his on about ten minutes later. He picked her up and held her close in his arms, until the two fell asleep in his bed.