Time Flys || hphm T.W

twenty three • splinters

Liliana walked through Hogwarts' halls, mindlessly admiring the Scottish castle in the moonlight. She always felt it was more beautiful than during the day, even with beams of sunlight glowing through the window sleets, it couldn't compare to the glamorous white shine the moon gave to the ancient walls.

She found herself slowly cascading the astronomy tower, looking to sit and take in the stars as she often did when she couldn't sleep.

She was dressed in simply green plaid pyjamas and her quidditch jumper, ignoring the harsh chill that ran through the towers top when she noticed a tall figure with slicked brown hair sitting at the balcony's edge.

She had wandered from the common room when she hadn't the energy to escape the loud thoughts of 6th years who were doing last minute cramming for a muggle studies exam the next day, she thought they might be the only ones in their whole house who took the subject.

The halls had been silent and comforting but now the only thing she focussed on was the stinging smell of nicotine that clouded her senses, she forgot Talbott had developed such a habit from having to deal with his parents death.

She exited the metallic staircase, looking over Talbotts stoic silhouette. Even through his white shirt she could see the faint outlines of the muscles along his back as he tensed when taking a drag of his cigarette.

She took a sharp breath in, distracting herself from the thought, "dreadful habit you've acquired Winger." He didn't turn to look at her, just chuckled lightly as he loosely dropped his hands across the towers railings.

"There's worse things I could do to cope." He was shocked at his honesty and tightened his jaw as he waited for a response.

Liliana slowly walked up to stand next to him, taking long strides across the patterned stone floor. Her footsteps causing a soft echo that glided across the tower and into the night, escaping through the windows that cascaded the entire length of the wall.

"It's their wedding anniversary soon, no? I helped you find the necklace about this time in third year." He nodded as she looked over to him, she brought out her hand to take the cigarette from him but he moved his hand away, out of reach.

"Why do you think I would let you have some?" He said with husk in his voice as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Sharing is caring?" She offered lightheartedly with a small smile.

"It's bad for you, a witch told me that once." In reality many had told him that, but Liliana stuck with him.

"Well said witch can decide for herself what unhealthy things she can indulge in." Liliana replied, looking across his side profile to the bright stars that littered the sky, she always forgot how beautiful they appeared from up here.

Talbott tutted and brought the stick back to his lips, sucking in the smoke as he straightened his back.

Liliana huffed, "stop suddenly caring for my well-being talbott, it's tiering trying to keep up with you."

"Why are you up here?" He offered ignoring her comment entirely.

She's paused, looking around the the swooning navy sky as a flock of birds passed over the forest, "same reason I've looked like shit the last month."

He nodded in understanding, he had his guesses as to what was causing it and so far stress from Rowan or her family was his top contender. He knew it wasn't the vaults, she only cared for them to get her brother back, maybe there was also a hint of plain curiosity in there too. And the vaults wouldn't cause her to shut out her friends, act on and then off with them every few days.