Ivy Potter, Year Four | Raised By The Malfoys

Chapter Fifty Nine: Speak

          After a few days, Harry was released from the infirmary. I spent my nights with him so that Mrs. Weasley could return home. On the morning of his release, it was early and I spent my time alone in the clocktower courtyard with Salem.

          "Salem, do you think I'm ok?" I asked my cat.

          She blinked at me and tilted her head. I copied her and heard someone approaching from behind. My hand went to my wand until the person made themselves visible. It was Viktor.

          "May I?" he asked and gestured to the seat beside me.

          "Of course," I said.

          "My condolences to you," he said kindly.

          "Thank you, Viktor," I said softly.

          "I owe thanks to you," he said and handed me a paper.

          "For?" I asked and realized it was his contact information.

          "I was told you helped me the night I was stunned," he said.

          I blushed, "Oh! You don't have to thank me!"

          He chuckled and patted the top of my hand, "I hope our paths cross again."

          I stood up with him and let Salem roam the grounds. Before he left, I grabbed his sleeve. It caught his attention and he turned to look at me. He really is a softie despite being tall.

          I hugged him, "Dasvidaniya Viktor. Poka my ne vstretimsya snova."

          He hugged me warmly, "YA voskhishchayus' toboy. Poka my ne vstretimsya snova."

          I met with Harry in the Great Hall and we ate breakfast together. When the Beauxbatons students arrived with their headmistress, I excused myself to greet them. I haven't spoken to them much since the Final Task. Fleur must be traumatized from that night, too. 

          "Ivy!" Fleur exclaimed and hugged me.

          "Ivy, are you well?" Gabrielle asked and hugged me after Fleur.

          "Fleur, Gabrielle, I'm well," I said.

          I bowed to Headmistress Maxime, "Madam, I wanted to personally pay my respects. It was an honor to compete with Fleur."

          She had a small smile, "You did well under the circumstances. I trust my students treated you well?"

          I smiled and gracefully turned my wrists in and upon opening my palms upwards, beautiful black butterflies flew around as I sighed. The girls applauded and I curtsied again. Fleur and Gabrielle gave me their condolences and she gave me her contact to write to her. I took my time to talk to my friends individually. Roger hugged me tightly and he was devastated that he wouldn't get to fly with Cedric again. My classmates in Hufflepuff hugged me tightly and they were upset to lose someone so well loved. In Gryffindor, Neville gave me a Peace Lily plant as sympathy and I kissed his cheek. Seamus and Dean hugged me tightly. Before I could talk to my twins, Harry and I were summoned by Professor McGonagall.

          We met Cedric's parents in the courtyard near his common room. They both hugged my brother and I. Mrs. Diggory was holding the picture Cedric took of us at the tree behind them. Mr. Diggory wanted to talk to Harry privately.

          "I've never seen him so happy," she said as she and I walked together.

          "He's my Romeo," I admitted.

          "I was wondering who Juliet was. There was a box with that name on it, under his bed," she said.

          We went to a bench where the box was and she allowed me to open it. The lid was labeled 'Juliet'. It was full of his older hoodies and an old, small Hufflepuff robe. I blinked back tears and closed the box.

          "I-I can't accept this," I said sadly.

          "Ivy, we won't have any use for this. Please take it," she insisted.

          "Please accept the prize money," I said.

          "Oh, sweetheart, we can't," she said.

          "Please. I can't accept it," I pleaded.

          "I'm sorry, sweetheart," she said and kissed my forehead.

          She stood up as Mr. Diggory and Harry approached us. They looked like they had cried moments earlier. I stood to shake Mr. Diggory's hand. My heart ached.

          "My dear, I just wanted to personally thank you for loving our son," he said kindly.

          "I still will," I said gently.

          They excused themselves and I noticed Harry was holding something. Harry gave me a bottle and looked in my box. It was a bottle of Cedric's cologne. A small, sad smile spread on my face.

          "Do you want it?" Harry asked.

          "Can I?" I asked, surprised.

          "Sure. You had no luck with the prize money?" he asked.

          "None," I said.

          "Let's get packing then. The feast will start soon," he said.

          I nodded and carried my box to my common room. The box wasn't nearly as heavy as my heart. I'll never see him again. In my dorm, no one spoke to me except for Pansy.

          "Erm, Potter," she said behind me.

          "Yes, Pansy?" I asked and locked up my trunk.

          "Thank you," she said.

          I looked up at her, "What?"

          She shuffled, "I said thank you."

          "No, I heard you. But why?" I asked.

          "Look, after the Yule Ball, I thought about what you said. You really haven't done anything to me. It was wrong to try to come between you and Draco. Snape told me some things that gave me some, I guess, perspective. Just cause you looked inhuman, I didn't see you as human. Looking back, you were bloody miserable this year. So. I'm sorry. For making it worse," she said.

          "Thank you, Pansy," I said, almost speechless.

          She walked away and I was numb. Lilyth told me that I should still be cautious and I agreed. What could Professor Snape have said that changed her perspective of me? Once I was packed up and ready, I went to the Great Hall and sat beside Blaise and Viktor. There was a memorial service for Cedric with our End-of-Term Feast.