Ashley awoke too early the next morning, but sleep had abandoned her and she had no choice but to get up before dawn. Quietly she dressed, grabbing her books and heading down to the Common Room.
The fire had died down, embers spitting and crackling in objection to their slow death. Before she could let herself think of her heartache, she sat down at a table and opened her Transfiguration book to finish her essay. Looking at the clock, which read half past five, she decided to re-write her entire foot and a half long essay. As she was finishing, other Gryffindors started to trickle down from their dormitories, greeting her tiredly. Ashley struggled to put on a smile for them, greeting them as warmly as she could.
"Good morning!" Hermione said brightly, setting her books down next to her. Seeing that she was working on her essay, she continued, "Oh good! I was hoping we could look over each others."
"Just a moment." Ashley said quietly, rushing to finish her last paragraph. She watched as Hermione took out her essay, holding it up at arm's length. Ashley couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed when Hermione's roll hit the table, twice as long as hers.
Show off, she thought, rubbing her head in frustration.
She shoved it towards Hermione, who was writing her name in her perfect, little handwriting at the top. She gave hers to Ashley, eagerly starting to read, her quill already making a red mark within her first paragraph.
Ashley started to review, dreading how long it was. As always, Hermione had a strong introduction, a solid body and fantastic resolution. Just as she was on her last paragraph, Hermione broke her concentration.
"So...its getting pretty serious then, isn't it?"
Ashley looked up, confused.
"I suppose, only a few more months, then we'll be done." She shrugged.
"No, I mean..." She gestured towards Ashley's hand.
She looked down to see Draco's ring, the silver lettering glittering up at her.
Instant tears welled at Ashley's eyes. She fingered the ring, enticing a strong itch to fling it off, to rid herself of the empty promises it represented. But she couldn't, it was the only remnant she had of him.
Tears fell onto her essay, she could hear Hermione object and then hold her tongue.
"Oh, Hermione!" Her voice cracked, waving her wand over the essay, "I'm sorry!"
"What happened?" She asked, taking it back from her, afraid she would get any more tears on it.
"H-he left." Ashley looked up into her brown eyes, watching as her shoulders slumped.
"Why did he give you his ring?" Hermione asked, trying to muster shock and confusion.
"He promised he would come back." Ashley quickly wiped her eyes, trying to hide them from the constant stream of students that were coming from the dorms.
YOU ARE READING
Slytherin's angel
FanfictionIt had all come down to this. He had left the one thing that had made him happier than anything else...for this? But there was nothing he could do. He couldn't go back, knowing that this was his fate. He had left her. And now, there was no way to...
