Echo of You

Chapter 18

Early winter mornings at Hogwarts are always enjoyable, a slight chill filled with the hubbub of many cheerful voices fills the Great Hall with an air of home. Sitting at breakfast Lily watches as Professor McGonagall takes down the names of all the students staying at Hogwarts over Christmas break. Once she stops at their table her friends watch her tell the older woman that she won't be spending her break at the boarding school. With a nod, she leaves them be.

Draco turns to her, excited. "Does this mean you will join my family at our annual Christmas party?"

She nods with a smile, laughing when he jumps on her in a hug. Most of the table fills with laughter as Draco rubs their cheeks together. Reaching into her bag she pulls out a bit of parchment and her quill, writing up a quick letter to her Aunt, letting her know she's going to a friend's house for Christmas.

Waiting for the owls to arrive the others begin talking about their upcoming Hogsmead trip.

Pansy reaches across the table to grab Lily's hand, "I wish you could come with us! We would have so much fun exploring."

With a smile, she agrees, "Yes, but I understand why I can't. Rules are rules and that's okay, you can show me all of your favourite places next year."

Pansy looks at her and gasps with an idea before she rushes out of the room. They all exchange looks but shrug it off. They eat until the owls arrive and drop off the mail, Lily lets out a whistle and Hedwig flies over to them from Harry and takes her letter.

Sitting in the library everyone works on different homework questions and essays. Books litter their table and there are many crumpled bits of paper with broken quills. Theo sits slumped in his chair, head held up by his hands. He's been working on his History of Magic homework for the past hour and is no closer to finishing than when he started. He begged for answers to no avail but he decided to try once more.

Speaking to the group as a whole he asks, "What's the answer to number seven?"

Without missing a beat Blaise responds, "Merlin's ass."

Looking up, Lily watches over his shoulder as he writes it down anyway. With a chuckle, they continue their work.

A few days later Lily walks through the halls during her study period when she sees Draco running down the hall, breathing hard. He turns and runs into the girl's bathroom. Confused and concerned Lily follows after him to see what is wrong. She finds him collapsed against the wall, sobbing into his arms as the ghost of a pigtailed girl floats around his head trying to comfort him. Her kind words do little to nothing and Draco snaps at her, "You don't understand Elizabeth, it was horrible!" The end of his sentence is broken up by gut-wrenching sobs.

At the sound of the door closing Moaning Myrtle looks up, recognising her friend. She holds up a hand to stop her from entering. "This may not be the best time," She whispers to her.

Draco, hearing that someone else is there, looks up with anxious fever. He quickly wipes his face; if anyone sees him a pureblood, a Malfoy, crying in the bathroom, it would ruin everything. Seeing as it was only Lily he dissolves back into tears. Choking on his tears he holds out his arms, begging for comfort.

Lily quickly descends into his arms, holding him close and rubbing his back as he cries into her shoulder. She doesn't ask what happened, just lets him cry.

Many minutes later he calms down and moves back. Lily sits crisscrossed and holds his hands as he takes deep breaths. He leans back against the wall, one leg propped up. She rubs his hands and wipes his tears. Once he catches his breath he sets his chin on his knee and lets out a sigh.

"We're doing bogarts in Defence Against the Dark Arts class and I... my boggart was a bit much." Lily quickly wipes the tear that drips down his cheek.