All Good Things

Chapter 11 - Talking It Out

Poppy

She hadn't been sat there for more than five minutes before the unmistakable sound of the floo flame filled the empty space, causing Poppy to lift her head, her brow furrowed in confusion. Tori came marching through the door, whipping her head around until she caught sight of the small witch buried under fifty pounds of kneazle. Poppy watched, bewildered, as Tori immediately made her way over to her, dropping down on the grass unceremoniously. The deep red of her dress billowed around her for a second before settling in a ring, a small edge of the fabric covering Poppy's ankles.

Two dark hands wrapped around the large cat, prying it off of her and sending it off in another direction before shoving a rock glass into Poppy's hand. Tori held one of her own, busying herself with opening the flask of firewhiskey Poppy hadn't noticed she brought and pouring the amber liquid into each of their glasses.

"I know you wanted time, Poppy, but I'm tired of waiting. We're going to talk this out, whatever this is, and we're going to walk out of this rather than wallowing in our own misery." Poppy wanted to shrink under Tori's gaze, her dark eyes piercing right through her soul. "We've both dragged this out long enough, and I have a feeling we're going to need these drinks to calm our nerves."

Tori took a sip from her glass, pushing her fingertips against the bottom of Poppy's until she followed suit.

"Explain to me why rather than confronting the issue between us, you've been locking yourself away. This isn't the Poppy I know, the one who would go to bat against anyone for even remotely doing something she considered to be wrong, and this certainly isn't the brave little Hufflepuff that dragged me to take down an entire dragon fighting ring run by poachers."

Poppy sighed, taking a gulp of the alcohol Tori had provided. "People change, Tori"

"Not this much. Not without an outside factor. What happened during these last three years? " Poppy shifted her gaze away, not wanting to look Tori in the eyes anymore. "Was it Eliza?"

She flinched, visibly flinched at the mention of her ex-fiancé, and she knew Tori saw it. Her stomach filled with a cold dread as she slowly began to pull her gaze back up. She really didn't want to look Tori in the eye. She knew what she'd find there, and it wasn't a side of the powerful witch she wanted to see again. And yet, she continued to raise her eyes to the nearly black ones before her, also knowing she couldn't avoid looking at her.

Poppy felt her stomach twist in knots at the fire that burned there, the flames practically tangible as they were stoked by Tori's fury. Her skin grew hot when the tall woman before her began leaning in, one hand gripping Poppy's wrist.

"I want to know what that bitch did, Sweeting. Nobody reserves the right to crush the light out of somebody as bright as you, not even the woman they were set to marry."

Fresh tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. She didn't want to relive this. Yes, a year had passed since she had left, but the pain of everything was still as fresh as if it had happened the day before. She felt her throat closing up, fear grasping onto her as if she were being held in a giant, clawed hand with its fingers caged around her.

"Tori, please. I- I can't. Please don't make me do this." Hot tracks were running down her cheeks, fresh tears finally spilling over.

"Poppy, I don't want to cause you any pain. But I can't begin to understand where I stand with you until I know why you're not acting like the Poppy I know you to be." Tori's gaze softened, her hand relinquishing its grip on Poppy's wrist to cup her cheek. "Trust in me, Poppy. Like you used to. We used to tell each other everything. Just tell me what she did."