What Lies Within

The last few days of term, Sophie found herself spending more and more time with Hermione. Apparently every since Gryffindor won the Quidditch game, Ron and Lavender Brown had become a thing.

"Honestly, all they do is sit around and snog. It's really very vile." Hermione explained to Sophie while the two read in the library late the night before everyone left Hogwarts for the Holidays. Except for Sophie and Draco.

"I know it's hard to be around the person you care about and see them with someone else." Sophie says, thinking back to the short time fifth year when Draco and Pansy were a thing.

"I do not have feelings for Ron, Sophie." Hermione insisted but Sophie smiled.

"I hadn't admitted my feelings for Draco either when he was with Pansy last year but it still hurt. You're heart knows what it wants, even if you won't let your mind admit it." Hermione looks at her best friend before rolling her eyes, smiling a little.

"Speaking of unrequited love.. Harry still hasn't told anyone but us about his feelings for Ginny." She mumbles. Sophie laughs.

"Hermione, he never really told me at all. You did." Sophie reminded the brunette who laughed too. "But of course he won't. Harry values Ron too much. Have you seen how Ron is with Dean? Or was.. before they broke up." Sophie explains. Hermione bites at her lip in thought. "Ron would be livid if he knew that Harry was thinking of his little sister like that. Harry, I'm sure, just doesn't want to take the change of messing up his friendship with his best friend."

"Yeah, you're right." Hermione sighs. "They'd just be so cute together. Ginny has been in love with him for ages. It took her years before she could even be in the same room as him, let alone speak while he was in that room." Both friends started to laugh, thinking about how their other girl best friend used to be a terrified mute just at the mention of Harry. Luckily, she eventually took their advice and eased up a bit. And now look, Harry had fallen for her.

"Relationships.." Sophie shakes her head. "Too complicated for their own good." Hermione gives Sophie a sad smile.

"Not good with Draco, I'm guessing?" Sophie looks down at the table, picking at a corner of her textbook. "Have you talked to him since that night?" Hermione asks, hating to see her best friend like this.

"I've barely even seen him..." Sophie mumbles. "He's never in his dorm at night, I can't find him in the Room of Requirement. I've seen him in the halls a few times and in class but he ignores me and leaves before I can even open my mouth." Sophie shrugs. "I don't know what I did... I mean.. he's been stressed with everything going on but... to not speak to me and say he didn't need me.." Sophie breaks off as a tear falls down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Sophie." Hermione was at a loss for words. Sure, her and Draco had never gotten along, and were only civil around each other for Sophie's sake but she never expected him to treat Sophie like this. She expects if of him towards everyone else in the world, but not Sophie, never Sophie. It killed her to see her best friend this lost and broken and her unable to do anything. It wasn't like she could go talk to Draco about it or anything.

"I'm his wife.. and it's like I don't exist. I haven't seen him in four days.. And now Holiday starts tomorrow and I'm going to be alone in this huge castle for three weeks with a husband who won't even speak to me.." Sophie shakes her head and wipes at her cheeks. "I wish I could go home. I haven't been able to go somewhere and just relax in over a year. Not since...." Sophie breaks off.

"Not since your father died." Hermione mumbles, Sophie nodding.

"Even with Draco and I's anniversary coming up.. I'm still not sure I want to be here. I don't.. I can't sit alone here thinking about it and everything with my father."

"You need to get out of here." Hermione suggested. Sophie looked over at her and nodded, smiling softly.

"Maybe I'll still go home... I'll just go to Draco and I's cabin. I won't tell anyone. I can relax and just.. forget." Sophie thought but Hermione gave her a sad smile before reaching over to take her hand.

"Come home with me." She suddenly said. Sophie raised an eyebrow at her best friend who was grinning.

"What?" She asked, laughing a little. Had her best friend gone crazy.

"Oh come on. You used to come to my house before we left for Ron's during the summer. My parents would gladly let you join us this Holiday. I think they're just happy I'll be home for once." Sophie shook her head at her friends offer, as kind as it was.

"Hermione, that's your time with your family. I can't intrude on that." But Hermione shook her head, still grinning.

"I told you, my parents love you. They think of you as a daughter anyway and they've been wanting to see you for ages. Now is the perfect time. It'll be an escape for you. A nice, relaxing Holiday." Hermione urged. Sophie could see that she really wanted her to do this. Live as a muggle for three weeks with her best friend and her parents? That didn't sound bad actually.

"That actually sounds amazing." Sophie found herself agreeing. "The only problem is getting Draco to agree... I would be missing our anniversary after all." Hermione nodded.

"Not really... you two got together officially the day before term starts, that's the day we get back! So you'll still see him and maybe he'll be in a better mood by then." She offered up. Sophie had to admit, Hermione was thinking of everything.

"Hermione... you may have just saved my Holiday." Sophie reached over and pulled her best friend into a tight hug, both of them laughing. "Thank you so much."

Later that night, Sophie went on a search for her husband. She knew she really had to talk to him now. She couldn't just leave without speaking to him first. But she was going.. no matter what he said. She needed to do this.. for her.

"Looking for me?" Sophie jumps, letting out a small yelp as she hears a voice from the shadows in the Entrance Hall. She turns and see's Draco appear from the corridor towards the Dungeons.

"Yes, I am actually." Sophie looks her husband up and down. He looked thinner, and tired. Very very tired. She wanted to hug him tightly and apologize. She wasn't sure what she did wrong though so she wasn't going to apologize. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving for the Holidays. Not that you'll notice I'm gone. I just thought you should know." Sophie told him before rushing past him, heading towards the common room where she had to go pack. She'd taken to staying in the girls dormitory the last few days, not really having anywhere else to go.

"And where are you going, may I ask?" He questions, rushing after her. He pulls her to a stop before she can enter the common room, knowing it will be packed with students and they'll never be able to talk. She pulls her arm from his grasp and looks up at him, her arms crossed. His grey eyes were so dull. What had happened to her husband? Oh right.. Voldemort did.

"I'm going home with Hermione. Her parents are letting me stay with them." Draco narrows his eyes at her. She looks back up at him, her eyes narrowed as well, waiting for the argument.

"You'll stay safe?" He finally mutters after seconds of silence. Sophie opens her mouth with a retort before stopping short, realizing he hadn't said anything mean. She frowns up at him.

"Of course..." She answers. "That's it? No trying to get me to stay?" She asks him softly. Secretly she wanted him to fight with her, to get her to stay. To fight for her.

"If you feel you need to go, you need to go." Draco answers, shrugging as if he honestly didn't care. She felt her eyes begin to water. "I'll miss you." Draco whispers. He reaches out for her but she takes a step back, out of his reach.

"I've been missing you. You got to disappear and escape.. run away from me. Now it's my turn." She answers him, before saying the password for the common room and rushing in. "I'll be back the day before term resumes. Write if you need me." Sophie turns and gives him a small smile, which he fights to return. "Thanks for not fighting me on this."

"I want you safe, Sophie." He answers. People were starting to see them, calling out to them to come sit but they ignored them. "And if that's not here with me... then I understand." Draco looks down at the ground.

"I want it to be here with you, Draco but... I think we need time apart. I need to find the person I used to be, before my father died and you need to... find yourself again as well. We just... both need to relax and have some time." She explains. He gives a sarcastic laugh and shakes his head, his unwashed blonde hair flopping in his forehead.

"Relax.. I don't even know what that word means anymore, Sophie." He shakes his head again. "But I sure am hell not going to find it here." With that he turns and leaves the common room, the door slamming shut after him. Sophie bites her lip, debating whether or not to go after him. She finally sighs and goes to her dormitory, vowing to find him first thing in the morning for a proper good bye.

At breakfast, an hour before the train left, Sophie searched for her husband, knowing she wouldn't find him. So she went to the next best place. There he was. Back in front of that cabinet.

"I'm leaving..." Sophie said softly, making him turn and look at her. He simply nods. "I'm sorry for whatever I've done to cause you to not need me anymore. I'll try and figure it out during break. I hope you have a good Holiday. Happy Christmas." She turns and slowly starts to walk away.

"I do need you." She barely even hears it. He whispers it so softly she wasn't sure she even really heard it but she did.

"No, you don't..." Sophie shakes her head, turning back to him. "You're strong and have been fine without me in the past. You'll figure this out." She gives him a soft smile before taking a few steps towards him. "I get that you're stressed and that's okay.. that's why I'm giving you your space. No distractions."

"Are you going to the Weasley's?" He asks, startling her with the question.

"What? No, I said I was going to Hermione's. Harry is going to the Weasley's." Sophie clarifies. Draco nods.

"Just making sure. Who knows that The Dark Lord has planned for Harry this holiday. I don't want you near there. But... in the muggle world, with muggles... you'll be safe." His lip suddenly curls up in disgust, making Sophie giggle. "I can't believe I just said that." He mutters. She laughs and takes the last remaining steps between them. She puts her hands on his warm chest, looking up at him.

"I'll stay safe as long as you promise me the same. I want to come back to my husband in one piece." She says. He smiles and nods. "You'll know I'm safe." She reaches for his hand, pushing back his sleeve to look at the bracelet with the still glowing red jewel she had given him what feels like centuries ago.

"That's all I ever want." He mutters, wrapping her up on his arms.

"I know." She smiles up at him before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. The warm pressure he returns felt so good. The first kiss in five days and just that one little touch made her feel whole again. The cloud above her started to dissipate just a little bit.

"Now go on, don't miss the train." Draco pulls back, brushing her hair from her face. He kisses her forehead before stepping back, breaking all contact. "Have fun with muggles. Don't catch anything, I hear it's contagious." Sophie laughs while she starts to walk away.

"Have a good Holiday." She stops to smile at him one last time before she leaves the room.

"Ready to leave this place?" Hermione asks when they meet up in the Entrance Hall minutes later.

"More than ready." Sophie sighs, tugging her trunk after her. "I talked to Draco. Kind of. We're... better." She explains while they walk towards the carriages to go into Hogsmeade. "Now it's time to just... escape for three weeks."

"What better place to do that than the muggle world?" Hermione jokes, making them both laugh.

"I can't think of anywhere better." Sophie mumbles, looking up at the castle while the carriage starts to pull away. As the castle gets smaller, she swears she could see a blonde head peering out of a seventh floor window and can't help but smile...