𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 | 𝐌.𝐑.

48 | A Pine Tree With Lights

EVELYN NOTT

"Worst night of my life." I hold my head in my hand, my headache not getting any better.

"At least my scary aunt is gone." Draco teased and I nudge his shoulder in response.

I glance over at Theodore who was awfully quiet, staring at the ground. "Are you alright?" I ask, his eyes become darker as he focuses on the ground.

"Fine." He clears his throat. "It's late. I'll be heading to bed." He walks around Draco and I to the steps, hearing his footsteps disappear as he got farther and farther away.

"There is definitely something going on. He wouldn't leave me alone down here with you." I cross my arms, leaning my back against the banister.

He scoffs, "As if I'd want to be down here with you." I roll my eyes at his stupid attempt to rile me up.

"Does the House Elf need help with cleaning things up?" I question, peeking my head around the corner to see.

"No. It's their job Evelyn." He grabs ahold of my wrist and pulls me back from walking over to the dining room.

I whip around to face Draco, my palm laying flat on his chest from how close we were, only another inch and we'd be closer than we ever have been before.

"You're very entitled." I breathed out in a whisper, so close that I could hear his own breaths. My palm on his chest feeling his pounding heartbeats.

"Yeah?" He mumbled quietly, I nod in response noticing he looks everywhere but my eyes.

"Can't hold eye contact, can you?" I question teasingly, running my hand down his chest and then letting it rest back at my side.

"It's cute that you're trying to arouse me. But I know you're still getting over what happened with Riddle. You and I hate each other remember?" He takes a few steps backwards and my face burns of embarrassment, likely red.

"I'm not getting over anything. Merlin Draco. Why can't you comprehend that I want nothing to do with him?" I run my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"You know he was staring at you all night. Couldn't take his eyes off of you. I couldn't help but notice you also caught his glance." He chuckled, letting his head lean back.

I stand taller and lean forward repeating carefully to make sure he heard every word, "I don't want anything to do with him. Coward."

"Then why are you so upset about it?" He quirks an eyebrow. I bite my bottom lip and look to the ground without another word.

"That's what I thought. Come on." He murmured, I follow him upstairs, the wood creaking as our feet step on it.

My hands that were now trembling smooth over the bare skin of my arms, feeling how cold my body was now that I was behind Draco.

Gnawing at my bottom lip in all nervousness, Draco leads me to my room at the end of the hall, "I'll see you in the morning." He speaks no louder than a whisper.

"Goodnight Draco." My voice comes out weak, fidgeting with the charms on my bracelet.

"Goodnight Evelyn." He returns the same message. His voice as weak as mine, I watch him turn on his heel and head to his own room as I leaned on the wooden door, closing it slowly as he makes it to his room.

//

I glance up at the grey clouds that covered the sun that was now nowhere to be found, the grey color absorbing the sun's light as the drops of rain hit the ground with a light but firm splash.

I watch the rain melt away the light layer of snow that was beautifully painted over the grass, revealing the sharp dark green color of it.

The drops of rain soak my tied up hair, and partly my clothes, looking down at the freshly short mowed grass that shines from the water showering it, and the flowers that have risen in excitement from the rain that we haven't had in weeks.

I trudge through the mud that mushed into the soles my shoes. Christmas Day, I thought. It rains instead of snows.

Christmas Day did not lighten my face like it would for most children, hurrying down the staircase almost tripping to see the bundle of presents their parents had wasted their hard earned money on.

I in fact did not rather care for Christmas. The feeling was however pleasant, enjoyable, delightful even. I liked the feeling of being able to decorate a house, turning it into something you couldn't imagine.

Replacing the dark old gloomy lights with bright warm ones that invited anyone in. I enjoyed baking the gooey chocolate chip cookies that Theodore always died for and the hot chocolate with extra marshmallows you could purchase only during holidays at Hogsmeade.

Most of all, I found great pleasure in the Christmas tree. Putting a tree up and having it stand tall where you can see it when you first walk into your home brought a smile to my face.

Some would say it was just a pine tree with cheap lights slung all over it. But I, not having the tradition as a child, would think of it as the best part of Christmas Day.

Christmas was a holiday that brought pleasure and joy. While for some it brought bad memories and horror.

"Father Father! Merry Christmas Father!" I looked around and my face falls. No warm lights. No stockings. No Christmas Tree. No cookies. No hot chocolate.

None of it. Theodore and I stand in front of Father, he lays on the couch with a few bottles of beer surrounding him, five or six at the most.

"Father?" I step forward, tapping his shoulder. He jolts up like lightning had struck down on him, his eyebrows furrowed as he looks down at my brother and I.

"Merry Christmas, Father." Theodore's smile creeps a smile onto my face as well.

"Where's the Christmas Tree?" I ask with a grin on my face, happy to see he's awake, my hand holding Theodore's tightly.

"You think I'd spend my hard earned money on a brat like you? Why would I spend money on a fucking pine tree with cheap lights slung all over it? Christmas is just another excuse for bratty kids to be even worse than they already are. You don't deserve a Christmas you worthless piece of fucking—

"Evelyn! What are you doing out here?" Draco's voice snaps me back into reality, I look around to see where I was, I feel his hands on my shoulder's making me jolt up.

"I've called your name like five times, didn't you hear me?" He asks, releasing one hand from my shoulder and slipping off his coat.

"No— I'm sorry. I didn't hear anything— I just was zoned out—" I stammered, he moves his hand to my lower back and starts to walk, slinging his coat onto my soaked but clothed back.

"You're soaked and freezing, Come on let's get inside, there's hot chocolate and you can sit by the fire to warm up." His vacant hand meets my trembling one, holding it to build warmth.

"Thank you."

//

i hope you guys enjoyed. this was more of a fill in chapter with lots of detail! but don't worry because as we all know Mattheo's birthday is coming up ( December 31st ) and it's the day before new years!!! just an fyi. ;)