The Hollow Beneath Hogwarts

81. Let's Go Crazy

The Great Hall buzzed with noise.

Hundreds of conversations overlapped beneath the enchanted ceiling, creating a constant hum of laughter, gossip, clattering cutlery, and scraping chairs. Candles floated overhead, casting warm golden light across the packed tables. The smell of roasted meat, fresh bread, gravy, and baked desserts filled the air.

Sloane settled onto the bench beside Hermione, feeling more exhausted than hungry after the day they had just had.

Across from her sat Ginny and Luna. Ginny was talking animatedly about something that had happened in Charms while Luna listened with her usual dreamy smile, occasionally nodding as if everything made perfect sense.

Harry sat beside Hermione, looking tired himself.

Sloane's eyes automatically searched the Hall. Old habits. She looked for the people who mattered.

Pansy and Ron were both missing.

She frowned slightly.

Neither absence surprised her individually. Together, however...

Her gaze travelled further down the Slytherin table.

Daphne was sitting alone.

Not lonely. Not upset. Just alone.

In fact, she looked happier than Sloane had seen her in weeks. There was a softness to her expression. A glow. Every few seconds she found herself staring down at her plate with a little smile before quickly looking away again.

Sloane couldn't help smiling herself. She knew exactly why. Her chest felt warm.

Daphne was going to be a mother. Theo was going to be a father.

It was terrifying. Wonderful. Completely insane. And somehow perfectly them.

She had just broken into her chicken pie when a pair of lips pressed gently against the top of her head.

Before she could react, a chip vanished from her plate. "Oi."

She looked up. Draco smirked unapologetically as he dropped onto the bench beside her. "Mine now."

"Thief."

"Sharing is caring."

"You stole it."

"Exactly." Before she could argue further, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. The familiar gesture immediately softened her annoyance. "What a day," he sighed heavily.

Draco looked exhausted. His tie had already been loosened. His sleeves were rolled up. His blond hair was slightly messy from repeatedly running his hands through it. He looked like somebody whose brain had been overloaded.

Sloane immediately poured him a glass of pumpkin juice without even thinking.

Draco smiled at the gesture. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He squeezed her knee beneath the table.

For a few moments they simply ate.

Sloane was dying to know what had happened after Theo had dragged Draco and Blaise away. But she didn't ask.

If Theo wanted her to know, she would know. If he hadn't told them...

Then she wasn't going to be the one to do it.

Across from them, Harry was trying unsuccessfully to stop Ginny stealing food from his plate.

Luna was feeding scraps of bread to a tiny creature only she seemed capable of seeing.

Hermione was reading a book while eating.