𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝. - 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲

Well that happened.

Snow. There was a ton of snow. An ungodly amount of snow that made Ravenna sink inches into the earth. It was cold and gross. Ravenna didn't like snow. It was basically frozen rain, and now her socks were wet.

As she walked on its crisp once untouched piles, she made her way to the train with her bags. It was holiday break. And they were all going back to the Malfoy's, even Theodore, who had convinced his dad to let him stay.

The days leading up to their departure were nothing special. Even the SlugClub Christmas party was a complete and utter let down. The most interesting thing being when Theodore, Ravenna's date to the party, had gotten up on the table drunkenly singing Jingle Bells. Ravenna and Mattheo were still not on speaking terms, even though all she ever did was look at her ring.

Again, Christmas wasn't a holiday she was excited about. Ravenna hadn't had a happy Christmas since she was ten, and she had been away from them so long that the happiness of those days had faded. But she had her family now, and wanted to spend as much time as she could with them.

The whole group with their bags, they got into a private compartment. On one side was Theodore, Ravenna, and Mattheo, the other side held Tom and Astra.

Primrose and Draco were probably in their own compartment, alone. That's how they preferred it. Lynx was most likely with his friends, as he managed to become quite popular in the few months he had been at Hogwarts.

Ravenna sighed as she was stuck between the two boys. She laid her head on Theodore's shoulder, trying to drown out the awkwardness of the situation.

Mattheo and Ravenna hadn't said a word to each other since their birthday. But she wore the band, and it fit perfectly on her ring finger. When Mattheo saw her wearing it, he couldn't help but feel relieved. Maybe she wasn't as mad as she had let on.

Astra and Tom sat inches apart, Tom looking at Ravenna's finger curiously, seeing the ring. He looked directly at Mattheo who was sitting in front of him.

When Mattheo noticed how his brother was staring at him, he narrowed his eyes. Tom looked pointedly to the ring on the girls finger, his eyebrows raised with an unimpressed smirk. Mattheo looked at Ravenna's ring, the ring he had gifted to her, then back at his brother. Mattheo didn't say anything, rolling his eyes, before pulling out the Daily Prophet, pretending to read it.

Tom smirked, also pulling out the Daily Prophet, actually reading it. Perhaps it was best if neither of them had read it, the Daily Prophet hadn't stopped ripping the brother's a new one since they arrive at Hogwarts.

Astra and Teddy read their own collective books, the Malfoy girl reading a muggle book Ravenna hadn't recognized, 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', the boy reading 'Little Women'. Ravenna with her head on the boys shoulder, quickly fell asleep.

For the whole train ride Ravenna slept, Teddy checking on her every once in a while and when her head would slip off a little, he'd put it right back.

The train had now stopped, as it was their turn to get off. Theodore woke Ravenna up, and they all got off, apparating to the Malfoy Manor.

Snow covered the ground, the steps, the roof. The frosty air made every exhale visible. The group didn't even have to knock, Narcissa opening the door with a smile on her face. Ravenna could feel herself getting more excited. Ravenna cared for Narcissa more than anything, perhaps it was the love she received from Narcissa, that she never received from her own mother.

They all walked in, Ravenna bringing the matriarch into a warm embrace. The usual "how are you's" and small talk were shared with the black-on-white haired woman as they entered the mansion disguised as a home.