Status: To love, is to destroy.
Cunning.
Twinning
I was curled up in one of the dark black leather sofas located amidst the Slytherin Common Room in the early morning hours. The fire wasn’t roaring, but still burnt bright enough to penetrate the darkness for me to get some reading in. A couple of my notebooks were left scattered on the table between the two sofas from when I had been studying for the Transfiguration test after breakfast.
I tugged the sleeves of my loose-fitting Slytherin hoodie down over my knuckles and set the book aside. My eyes were drawn to the clock above the fireplace in order to figure the time, 5:24, as there were no windows inside the common room to approximate based upon sunlight – or a lack thereof.
I nearly jumped when a voice quietly murmured a sleepy, “Morning, Vi,” with a yawn immediately following. I glanced behind me to find Draco emerging from the boys dormitory wearing only a pair of black sweatpants and carrying a black shirt in his hands.
“Morning, Draco,” I replied, watching him move slowly over to the couch, toss my book onto the table, and sink into the cushions beside me. I rolled my eyes. “Yes, of course, feel free to move my book and invade my space. That’s bloody fine with me.”
A sleepy smirk tugged on his lips before he shrugged off my comment and closed his eyes. “No worries, I know you crave my company.”
“Oh?” I snorted, and raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that so?”
“Mhmm,” he mumbled. “Absolutely.”
“Sure” There were a couple minutes of silence between us where I watched as Draco simply sat back with his eyes closed, breathing slowly in and out in such an even pace that I was almost convinced he had fallen back asleep. His eyes slowly peaked open and he gazed over at me, a small smirk tugging on his lips in typical Malfoy fashion and one brow arched at me.
“See something you like?”
I snorted in response and plucked my book from the table to assume reading without a second glance. “Put a damn shirt on if you’re going to insist on forcing your company.”
“Always such a charmer, Virella,” he remarked, but complied with my request. Surprisingly, he remained quiet until we split to get ready for breakfast.
**
As usual, classes drug on through the day until Quiddich, which served as a great distraction to everything going on – with Harry, the Order, the Death Eaters, with everything that a teenager shouldn’t be worried about. There were several spectators scattered about the stands, but that was nothing new.
What was new, was running into Fred and George as I was leaving.
“Virella!” grinned Fred as they both slung an arm around my shoulders.
“How’s it going, love?” asked George with a matching grin.
“Boys,” I greeted stiffly. “Listen – “
“No, no, no,” tutted George.
“We’re not here for that.”
“We’re here just to see how you are, truly. It’s been ages – “
“And we don’t like that,” said Fred, squeezing my shoulder for added effect.
“We know you don’t want to talk with Harry right now – “
“Or any of them – “
“But, like George said, - “
“Just want to see how you’re doing. You’re our friend, too.”
“You’re not too bad for a Slytherin, you know,” winked George, and I couldn’t help but crack a grin at the dynamic duo.
“I’m alright,” I conceded with a sigh. “Just trying to get through day-to-day life without one of them trying to talk about it with me. I’m not ready to talk, and they just don’t get that.”
Fred smiled kindly down at me, “we know.”
“It’s like I said –“
“We’re your friends, Vi,”
“And we’re here if you want to talk,”
“And we’re here if you don’t want to talk,” finished Fred, with a shrug of his shoulders. “Plus –“
“Who else would teach you everything you know and then some about Quiddich?”
“Oh, hush, you guys,” I giggled, shoving them both playfully. “I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding you both.”
“It’s quite alright,” said George.
“We understand.”
“Good,” I mumbled, wrapping an arm around each of the twins and hugging them to my sides. “You guys stay out of trouble, yeah?”
They both glanced at each other over the top of my head wearing identical mischievous grins, “Never.”
“But!” quipped George a moment later as they stepped back from me.
“We will come see you soon, love.”
“Take care,” they said in unison, before disappearing in front of me.
I shrugged my robe off my shoulders, stretching as I did so, and jumped when there was a soft thud as the garment hit the floor. My brow creased slightly, and I searched through the pockets. I pulled out a small package and quickly tore of the tan wrapper, a grin stretching across my lips.
I yanked the piece of paper taped to the top, and smiled at the messy scrawl.
We know how much you love Twinnings tea. Figured maybe it could at least make your mornings a bit better if you've ran out. - Fred & George.
I tugged the sleeves of my loose-fitting Slytherin hoodie down over my knuckles and set the book aside. My eyes were drawn to the clock above the fireplace in order to figure the time, 5:24, as there were no windows inside the common room to approximate based upon sunlight – or a lack thereof.
I nearly jumped when a voice quietly murmured a sleepy, “Morning, Vi,” with a yawn immediately following. I glanced behind me to find Draco emerging from the boys dormitory wearing only a pair of black sweatpants and carrying a black shirt in his hands.
“Morning, Draco,” I replied, watching him move slowly over to the couch, toss my book onto the table, and sink into the cushions beside me. I rolled my eyes. “Yes, of course, feel free to move my book and invade my space. That’s bloody fine with me.”
A sleepy smirk tugged on his lips before he shrugged off my comment and closed his eyes. “No worries, I know you crave my company.”
“Oh?” I snorted, and raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that so?”
“Mhmm,” he mumbled. “Absolutely.”
“Sure” There were a couple minutes of silence between us where I watched as Draco simply sat back with his eyes closed, breathing slowly in and out in such an even pace that I was almost convinced he had fallen back asleep. His eyes slowly peaked open and he gazed over at me, a small smirk tugging on his lips in typical Malfoy fashion and one brow arched at me.
“See something you like?”
I snorted in response and plucked my book from the table to assume reading without a second glance. “Put a damn shirt on if you’re going to insist on forcing your company.”
“Always such a charmer, Virella,” he remarked, but complied with my request. Surprisingly, he remained quiet until we split to get ready for breakfast.
**
As usual, classes drug on through the day until Quiddich, which served as a great distraction to everything going on – with Harry, the Order, the Death Eaters, with everything that a teenager shouldn’t be worried about. There were several spectators scattered about the stands, but that was nothing new.
What was new, was running into Fred and George as I was leaving.
“Virella!” grinned Fred as they both slung an arm around my shoulders.
“How’s it going, love?” asked George with a matching grin.
“Boys,” I greeted stiffly. “Listen – “
“No, no, no,” tutted George.
“We’re not here for that.”
“We’re here just to see how you are, truly. It’s been ages – “
“And we don’t like that,” said Fred, squeezing my shoulder for added effect.
“We know you don’t want to talk with Harry right now – “
“Or any of them – “
“But, like George said, - “
“Just want to see how you’re doing. You’re our friend, too.”
“You’re not too bad for a Slytherin, you know,” winked George, and I couldn’t help but crack a grin at the dynamic duo.
“I’m alright,” I conceded with a sigh. “Just trying to get through day-to-day life without one of them trying to talk about it with me. I’m not ready to talk, and they just don’t get that.”
Fred smiled kindly down at me, “we know.”
“It’s like I said –“
“We’re your friends, Vi,”
“And we’re here if you want to talk,”
“And we’re here if you don’t want to talk,” finished Fred, with a shrug of his shoulders. “Plus –“
“Who else would teach you everything you know and then some about Quiddich?”
“Oh, hush, you guys,” I giggled, shoving them both playfully. “I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding you both.”
“It’s quite alright,” said George.
“We understand.”
“Good,” I mumbled, wrapping an arm around each of the twins and hugging them to my sides. “You guys stay out of trouble, yeah?”
They both glanced at each other over the top of my head wearing identical mischievous grins, “Never.”
“But!” quipped George a moment later as they stepped back from me.
“We will come see you soon, love.”
“Take care,” they said in unison, before disappearing in front of me.
I shrugged my robe off my shoulders, stretching as I did so, and jumped when there was a soft thud as the garment hit the floor. My brow creased slightly, and I searched through the pockets. I pulled out a small package and quickly tore of the tan wrapper, a grin stretching across my lips.
I yanked the piece of paper taped to the top, and smiled at the messy scrawl.
We know how much you love Twinnings tea. Figured maybe it could at least make your mornings a bit better if you've ran out. - Fred & George.
♠ ♠ ♠
So sorry this took so long, duckies. And sorry this chapter kind of sucks. It'll get better, promise.