Warning: If you haven't read the Tightly Knit Series, read the other books first before continuing on or read at your own risk!
Clara Easton had a more than decent life before the start of the Second Wizarding War. Upon her first year she was sorted...
"Well, I was right," Clara chuckled as she had finally convinced Draco to go to the Great Hall once it cleared out a bit more. The two walked in to find Abby asleep at the table with her bag of candy sprawled out in front of her.
"The sugar must have hit her hard and fast." Draco smiled.
Clara sat down beside the girl and rubbed her back gently until Abby woke up, lifting her head up from the table. She had a small wrapper stuck to her forehead as she looked back and forth between the two.
"Hey, you guys are back!" Abby grinned at them.
Clara picked the wrapper off the girl's forehead. "Yes, we're back. Are you ready to open up your gift?"
"You got me another gift besides the candy?"
"Of course I did. I knew the candy wouldn't last long." Clara said before handing her a gift. "Here you go. Open it!"
Abby wasted no time, grabbing the gift and ripping off the wrapping paper.
"What did you get her?" Draco asked curiously.
Clara didn't answer as she continued to smile watching Abby tear through the wrapping and open up the box.
"Hey, check it out!" Abby said happily pulling out a knitted jumper. "It has an A on it...for Abby."
Draco's throat tightened while Clara seemed thrilled at Abby's reaction.
The jumper resembled the ones that the Weasley family wore, knitted by their mother. They would have their first name initial on them, and many times, Draco had made fun of them.
"This is a special jumper, Abby. It's waterproof, and it will keep you warm on the coldest of days. Not to mention, it defends against dark magic." Clara winked at her.
Abby's jaw dropped.
"This..this is like the ones that you told me about!? " Abby stared at the jumper in awe. "The ones that helped in the war?"
"Yup, this was handmade by the same woman who knitted all the ones supplied in the war."
"That's amazing! This is amazing! Thank you so much!" Abby threw herself at Clara. "I'm going to wear it right now!"
The girl pulled her head through it and then her arms.
"Uh Abby?"
"Yes, Clara?"
"The A is supposed to face the front."
Abby looked down. "Oh...right."
Clara laughed before she looked up, only to see that Draco was gone. She frowned as she turned her head to see if he had moved around the Great Hall but he was no longer in the Great Hall.
"I'll be right back." Clara told Abby before standing up and heading towards the doors. Glancing up and down the corridors, Draco had vanished.
"Well so much for a happy Christmas." she mumbled to herself before returning back to Abby.
"Where did Draco go?" Abby asked as Clara returned to the table.
"I don't know."
Abby could see that Clara's demeanor had completely changed.
"Hey," Abby offered a smile. "I got you a gift too."
"Y-you did?" Clara looked at her.
"Well, I didn't buy it or anything. But..I made it." she said before digging into her pockets and pulling out a small wrapped object. "Sorry, I didn't have wrapping paper."
"That's okay!" Clara said with a bright grin as she took the small gift. She unwrapped it carefully before she found a small homemade ornament. It resembled a snowflake.
"Aww Abby, this is fantastic!"
"Do you know what it is?"
"It's a snowflake, right?"
"Yes. I made you it because I think you're a unique snowflake, Clara Easton."
"Thank you, Abby, this is incredibly sweet."
"I made one for Draco too. Why did he leave?"
"I don't know Abby. I think the holidays are hard for Draco. I don't think he's ever really experience a pleasant Christmas, you know."
"Well, he could have had a nice Christmas with us."
"I don't think he believes he deserves a nice Christmas, Abby."
"He has a lot of problems, huh?"
"Not problems...quirks." Clara said.
Abby tilted her head. "Quirks?"
"Yeah." Clara said. "Problems need to be fixed. But Draco just has quirks. Think of quirks as wrinkles in a shirt. Nothing horrible, but they just need to be straightened out."
"Are you saying Draco is wrinkly?"
Clara smirked. "Maybe. But don't tell him I said that."
"I won't. Promise!"
"I'm smart. I'm nice. I..have people who care about me. I'm...I'm..." Clara fumbled as she stood in front of the mirror looking at her scars. She had her hair pulled back completely in tight bun, leaving no strand free revealing the scars completely. She swallowed, determined to finish her words of encouragement.
"I'm strong. I am a survivor."
"You forgot amazing!"
Clara jumped to find Abby behind her.
"Oh Merlin, Abby, you scared me."
"Sorry," the girl said. "I just thought you needed another reason."
"Thank you." Clara told her. "I appreciate it."
"No problem." Abby said. "Hey, I got a Christmas card from my mum, want to see it? It has funny dogs on it with scarves!"
"Sure." Clara followed Abby back to the dorm before Abby handed over the card.
Clara glanced over the generic card and it's silly saying, only to see that Abby's mother had merely signed the card offering no words of her own.
"Funny isn't it?" Abby said before flopping on her bed.
"Yes..funny. That's one word to describe it."
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