Princess; George Weasley

thirty-seven

TW: Domestic Violence
(almost over)

As I'm walking to the Slytherin dorms, I can't help but think about what Harry told me about Sirius... again. Throughout all of my classes today I was only able to partially focus. Sirius actually is the terrible person everyone's made him out to be. Not only that, but he seems to want something to do with both Harry and I. I should've listened to George and not gotten involved. Now I'm left waiting to see what happens next.

The warm glow of the torches in the dungeons illuminates Adrian's smiling face. I fight the voice inside me telling me to turn around. I like Adrian, I've done enough pondering already. I didn't ruin my relationship with my roommates over a boy I don't like. Adrian steps away from the wall he was leaning on, and reaches out to take my hand. His cold fingers wrap around mine, his grip strong. He greets me with a kiss, and I put on a smile.

"I'm sorry about this morning," I tell him, "I promise your gift means the world to me. I wasn't thinking, and didn't want to upset the twins."

He shrugs, "You promise that I mean more to you than they do?"

"Of course," I respond, trying to hide the weariness in my voice.

We make our way to his room, and I sit on the edge of his bed. The last time I was in here I didn't really get a close look at it. It's shaped like mine, a fairly long rectangle, and has the same four beds. These are a dark wood that could almost pass as black. Stereotypically, from the emerald sheets to the lack of natural light, the entire room feels dark. I look down at my black jeans and dark green top. Its long sleeve, but the neckline avoids my shoulders. It almost looks like I fit in here. I almost look like the perfect Slytherin girl with her Slytherin boyfriend. I wonder if that's what my father wanted from me when I first transferred to Hogwarts. What if me being sorted into a house other than his own started the wedge between us?

"You're not wearing the white dress?" Adrian asks, looking into his bathroom mirror. "It looked so nice on you when you wore it at that Gryffindor party."

I frown, processing his words. "Why would you bring that up? It wasn't exactly the best night."

"I was just saying," he states, shaking his head.

I don't respond, hoping he realizes what he said. Why would he bring that up? It caused a wedge between us for months. I can't even wear that dress anymore because of what happened. What he did. I'm past it now, it was a mistake, I just didn't expect him to mention it. Now that he did, I can't seem to brush it off. I grab the heels I brought, slipping off the shoes I wore here. I put them on, clasping the strap at the ankle together.

"Are you ready?" Adrian asks, leaving the bathroom. He adjusts his watch, looking at me with a smile.

I shrug. Suddenly the last thing I want is to be at a crowded party in the Ravenclaw common room with him. I want the Friday nights I used to have with the girls, even Rosa. The ones where we'd clean the room and talk about our week. I try and fight back tears as I remember how we laughed whenever Cedric or one of the twins would stop by to call us lame for staying in before they went to a social gathering. This is all wrong. I'm not supposed to being doing this. Especially not with him.

Adrian's smile slowly fades away. I assume he's noticing my increasingly red eyes, but his expression is matched with something I assume is anger. "If you're going to sit there and sulk over something that meant nothing then be my guest."

I feel panicked. Does he really want to argue over this? Does he not think he was in the wrong? "What do you mean 'something that meant nothing?'" I ask, frustrated. "You assaulted me!"

He takes a step towards me. "You're being dramatic. I was wasted, we've been over this already."

"You're the one—"