Swallowing Stormclouds

Chapter 4

By the next day I was racked by anxiety, constantly worrying and fretting over when I would see him again. We were bound to run into to each other at one point and we couldn't carry on like this, both of us clearly felt the ache inside when we saw each other. I was relieved that it was Saturday because it meant I didn't have to go to classes and risk running into him, but every corner I turned in this maze of castle I felt like I was one step closer to my impending doom.

By Sunday morning the twins had decided to teach me to fly, because I had lived in the muggle world my whole life I never had the opportunity to learn. "That's it, guide yourself along." Fred spoke soothingly next to me. Fred hovered closer to me, guiding my hand in the right position to be able to balance myself, "there, just like that." he almost whispers. I smiled at him, grateful for all his patience with me. "You're a natural at this, just like Harry." he said enthusiastically.

Puzzled I look to him confused. "What's Harry got to do with this?" I quizzed.

"How about we spice things up?" George chimed in, changing subjects. I was dreading this, of course the twins couldn't manage to not cause mischief for an hour. I honestly just wanted to carry on flying, feeling that cool wind whip my jet black hair against my back and face, in long tendrils of of inky blackness.

"Alright Aria, I'm gonna throw this quaffle in the air towards Fred and your goal is to intercept it, basically you're the pygmy in the middle." I stifle laughter at the clear appropriation of a muggle game knowing the humour would be lost on them. Instead I ready myself. The quaffle flies over my head and frustratingly enough I just couldn't get it, the twins laugh at me, saying I'm worse than Longbottom during first year but I don't give up. George goes out for a long shot and I follow, acutely aware of the other people also using the pitch during free time. I nearly collide with a young Ravenclaw girl who gives me evils as I flash her a meek smile as an apology. George catches the quaffle and taunts me.

"Common Aria, I know you're new to this but this is just embarrassing." He jeers and throws the ball back to Fred as I charge towards the other twin, determined to catch it this time. My attempt fails and I go hurtling towards Fred. I go hurting into Fred's solid chest and does all but laugh and help balance me out again. When I feel confident enough to resume being bullied by the two twins I steady myself and he squeezes me shoulder as a sign of reassurance, I brush him off this time and keep an eye on the quaffle, determined to win. Fred batters the poor ball and it lands perfectly in Georges hand with zero to non-effort on his behalf. George clearly finding my frustration amusing throws the quaffle upwards, it goes soaring and I have t squint to see it, he meant to back hand it towards Fred on it's decent, instead I rush for it, spinning in the air I just about snatch it out of the air above the rest of the fliers. I look down victorious, my palm aching from catching a hurtling ball creating a numbing sensation in my hand.

Just then, a fast whoosh zooms past inches from my face, a blur of emerald green and bleach blonde zooms past me and catches another quaffle both effortlessly and swiftly. I know who it is before looking at him and I turn, not wanting my gaze to meet his. "Screw off you bunch of scroungers, Slytherin quidditch practice." He barks, his voice demanding authority, but I still avoid his eyes, just knowing he's there sets off a dull pain in me. I hear a bunch of grumbling as students start to land and head back into the castle. The sky that had looked grey all day starts to rumble and with no warning at all water starts to pelt down, snipping at my skin and making me shudder. But for some ridiculous reason I could not move, maybe because Fred never taught me how to land, or maybe because I know that less than a feet away he was hovering behind me.

The thunder rumbles again, a clear foreboding warning regarding the events of today, I shiver regardless, the slating water slapping my skin now. "You... who are you?" the harsh voice inquires, clearly not happy to be talking to me. I don't answer, still frozen in place. All I hear is my ragged breathing and the sound of watering hitting my now drenched hair which curled around me like small waves, soft and slick. "I said, who are you?" the boy behind me pushes, a clear warning note in his voice for me to answer. I turn to face him this time. Both of our eyes round in shock as the same pang of loss strikes our hearts. We both grab at our hearts and I struggle to stay upright on my broom, which at this height is dangerous. Clearly in pain, his wincing eyes an indicator he looks at me. "Just... what are you doing to me?" I want to answer him, I really do. But my heart hurts so much, it aches. His voice is something so familiar, so homely, so... like nothing I've heard before. Why does it hurt like this? Why does it ache like I've just lost the love of my life, why does it feel like someone has just ripped my heart out and stomped on it? I feel so empty and small. I want to shrivel in on myself, but I can't.

"Sod off Draco, stop bothering Aria." George bellows from bellow us. Both of our eyes open in shock

"Draco"

"Aria"

We both say each other's name simultaneously. I can't take it anymore, the pain shoots directly into my head and I suddenly have no will to stay conscious, the pain is excruciating and it cripples me, making me want to crawl in a hole and die. My vision starts to fade and all I remember as I fall is the grey of the Storm clouds and the grey of his eyes. They swallow me whole.