D.M. Hate.

Ch.2

A/N
Another kind if boring chapter without any Draco, but I swear it's just building up and Ill be writing loads more with him.

The next few weeks went by quickly, nothing crazy happening, just time.
Walking down the hallway after the Ancient Runes lesson with Bells, Lia and Lily, we decided not to go to dinner that night. We heard that some of the boys were going to be playing chess in the commons and for some reason that was more exciting than food.
We entered to see Zacharias Smith and a seventh year playing against eachother, a small crowd of students gathered around them.
"Come on, mate, have some compassion!" Zacharias said to the older boy.
"What can you mean? You told me not t'go easy on you," he smirks, "y'change your mind?"
He was taller with dark hair, much like Bells'. I felt myself subconsciously stepping behind her.
"Ah!" The older boy sighs, grinning widely at us, "the girls've arrived!"
Lily giggled. He must be the boy she had been telling us about the other night, Michael Hopkins. So far, eating our dinner felt more important still.
"Come on over and introduce me to your lovely friends," he says to Lily, tipping his head toward the three of us other girls.
She skips over to him, and he lifts her hand to his lips. Such a gentleman. She looked absolutely pleased though, so my support could not be thrown out the door.
"This," she gestures to Bells, "is Jezebel—which you probably already knew— Lia and Maeve."
She finishes quickly.
"Pleased to meet you all," his voice is gruff and his thick eyebrows lower, causing him to look through his lashes at me.
"Maeve, I believe I've seen you before, I'm not sure from where,"
"My brother?"
"Your brother?"
"Jameson Benton. He's in Slytherin." I clarify.
"Oh, yes!" He snaps his fingers, "thats what it was. I hardly see you two together anymore, though—Mind if I ask why?"
I clear my throat, feeling my face warm, "no, he—um—"
"Blimey, Hopkins, could you get on with it?" Zacharias yells from the table, "We've got to finish the game!"
I had to admit it relieved me to not have to explain everything going on with my brother and I.

Flashback
"Maeve, for merlin's sake, what the hell is going on?" James yells.
"Nothing!" I yell back.
He approaches me, laying a hand on my shoulder and softening his eyes.
"Seriously, Mae, if something is bothering you, you've got to let me know and not just avoid me, especially if it's got to do with Mom and Dad, I know how tough that was for us both."
My eyes stung, and I had to bite back my quivering lip, "It's nothing, okay?" I suck in a breath and collect myself by force, "I don't know why you're so pressed about this, honestly James." My tone is cold and disconnected, "I haven't done anything and I think you are just looking into things that aren't even there."
He lets out a humorless laugh and drops his hand from my shoulder.
"You haven't done anything?" He steps back, "Mae, you have been distant all year long and every time I've tried to bring it up or just talk to you in general, you shut me down and completely ignore me!"
It feels as if a deep piercing knife is what's skewering me in place and not allowing me to move or say anything that could give me away.
"I'm sorry, James, I just don't know what you want from me," I say calmly, "I guess it just hasn't crossed my mind to approach you or spend time with you," my heart feels as though it is being ripped into pieces. I feel a voice in the depths of my chest screaming to him 'No, please! I love you, you couldn't believe how many times that all I've wanted to do was run to and hug you and confide in you everything that's been going on with me! Don't walk away! I know I'm stubborn, I know I am making it extremely difficult but please don't let me let go of you.'
He looks like I've just punched him in the gut, and I can hardly contain the sob in my chest that's almost overwhelmed me. I can feel the grief growing inside of me, waiting to sprout, the second he walks away because I know he will.
"I don't know what's happened, Mae," I can see the glossiness in his doe brown eyes, "we used to be so close, we used to talk to each other about everything, but now I feel like I hardly know you at all."
My nose is burning but I remain controlled, "Well, thank you for telling me how you feel but I don't think I agree. I don't have to tell you about everything in my life," it was exhausting trying to keep myself together but I could not allow anything to slip, not to him. "And if I'm being honest, I don't really like talking to you anyway, so I would just leave me alone if I were you."
The tears were gliding down his cheeks now and I felt my hands itching to hug him, "I know you don't mean that, Maeve."
"Well, you just said you don't know me anymore, so I guess you were right about that anyway."
His face got stern and he wiped the tears from his face quickly, "I don't care what you say to me now, I know it isn't true because I know your heart," he sniffs, "so, if at any point you're willing to talk to me, know that Ive already forgiven you."
Then he walked away and my knees buckled.