Chasing Shadows || Draco Malfoy x OC

Year 6- Ch. 177

They continued into the party passing what seem like two members of the Weird Sisters.

"Hermione." Harry called out. Céline looked ahead to see the familiar bushy haired girl.

"Oh, Harry, thank goodness. Céline! And you're with Céline." Hermione said in relief, pulling Céline into a hug. "I'm so glad to see the two of you talking again. Hi Luna, you look lovely."

"Well, I wouldn't say the two of them are talking." Luna said looking between Harry and Céline again.

"Nonsense, please Céline. It's much too long this time, and Harry has been missing you greatly. He might not have said it directly, but I can see it it's not the same without you. And with Ron..." she paused, not knowing what to say.

"Busy sucking Lavender's face off?" Céline added. Hermione huffed irritably.

"Yes. Since Ron is busy doing that, it's been rather lonely without you." Hermione said.

Céline in truth, was now avoiding Harry these last couple of days, not because she was still upset with him, but because she wasn't sure how to face him, knowing what she knew now about Draco.

"Im sorry I kept it from you and then said what I said to Professor McGonagall." Harry spoke, seeing that Céline didn't say anything yet. "I... I can't take back what I said, but I am sorry that the first time you heard it was like that. I should have talked to you privately."

"I think..." Céline said. "That this isn't the best place to have this conversation." She looked around at the guest, who all seemed to be in their own conversations, but you never knew who was actually listening. "We can talk later about all of it."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and nodded in agreement. They knew Céline had a good point. It was then that Harry got a good look at Hermione, she looked disheveled as if she just got out of the entanglement of Devil's Snare.

"Hermione.. what happened to you?" He asked.

"Oh, I've just escaped— I mean left Cormac," Hermione said, "under the mistletoe."

"Cormac? McLaggen?" Céline asked,

"Serves you right for coming with him." Harry scoffed.

"I thought he would bother Ron the most." Hermione said, "there was a moment where I thought of possible asking Zachariah Smith, but—"

"You considered Smith?" Harry said in disgusted tone.

"Yes I did. I'm starting to believe I should have had him come instead. McLaggen makes Grawp look like a proper gentleman. Come on, let's go this way. I'll be able to see him coming from over here." Hermione said exasperatedly. They all followed her through the crowd to the other side of the room. Harry groaned slightly realizing, too late, that they were standing by Professor Trelawney, who was stood by herself, looking rather tipsy.

"Good evening Professor." Luna greeted the Divinations professor.

"Good evening my dear." Professor Trelawney greeted, her words slightly slurred. "I haven't seen you in my class this year."

"No, I have Professor Firenze this year." Said Luna.

"Oh, of course." She said, with an angry drunken chortle. "You would think that now that I've returned, that Professor Dumbledore would rid himself of the horse, but no. Hah! That's an insult, and insult I say.."

Céline slightly turned away taking a sip of her mead, tuning out the Divination professor's tangent. Turning her body slightly towards Hermione and Harry.