dear boy with the green eyes ⁂ golden trio era (UNDER EDITING/REWRITING)

dix-huit

       Just as she finished the letter, the edge of it blurred as a teardrop fell onto the parchment. She quickly wiped her tears with the edge of her sleeve, but it didn't help. Her cheeks were now tear-slick as her cold hard eyes stared into the fire. She struggled to keep a stoic face, which was so unlike her, but she felt so weak and vulnerable at this moment. And for the first time in a while, she felt truly alone. 

     Because of Gael, because of one horrid girl, Arabella was forced to leave whatever smidge of hope of goodness she had found. She was scared, so rarely, but this was different. Gael was violent. More than her Uncle or Aunt had been. And she'd experienced it first hand; the first time Gael burned her was when she was four. The first time she broke a bone was not long after her sixth birthday. After that, she had to walk on eggshells around the older girl. 

She had taken her warning seriously, she had threatened anyone she tried to get close to. Gael wanted her to feel alone. And she was succeeding. 

       The common room was silent; the only sound that filled it was the warm fire crackling, the swishing of water, and Arabella's occasional sniffle. Minutes passed, yet they felt like hours. Arabella was hurting; she was angry. And with no one else to place it on, she pushed it on her parents. How dare they leave her with such cruel people. How dare they not be here to love her, to give her the family she deserved. How dare they. 

      The young girl quickly looked up at the sound of feet shuffling behind her. Reaching to her face to briskly erase any signs of having cried. 

       "Silvercrest?" She didn't turn around till a voice spoke out. But when she did her grey eyes hardened as she looked up at Draco. His white-blond hair was tousled as if he had just awoken. Looking away, she kept her eyes trained on the fire, its reflection turning them orange. "What in the world are you doing down here? It's late." He took a seat on a velvet sofa to her right.

       "What does it matter to you, Malfoy?" she said bitterly, turning her face away, she moved ever so slightly to hide the letter. But much to her dislike Draco caught a glimpse of it before she could.

       "What are you writing?" he asked, his eyebrow arched

       "It's none of your business Malfoy." 

       "Love letters?" He smirked, trying to reach for it

       "I said none of your business." She finally turned on him, her eyes ablaze, teeth gritted, her tear-streaked face scrunched up in annoyance. One look at her and his arrogant expression fell.

       "Are you...okay?" she didn't reply, and after a few minutes of awkward silence, she felt a pair of arms encircle her.

       "W-What are you doing?" She spoke out in surprise,

       "I overheard a Hufflepuff say hugs make people feel better." She felt his arms tighten around her. "Is it working?" she was absolutely shocked. Was Draco Malfoy, an actual Malfoy, being nice?

       To her own surprise, it was, in fact, helping. She found herself nodding, still at a loss for words. The two Slytherins stayed that way for a while before Arabella broke the hug, turning around to face him. Her grey eyes met his silver ones.

       "Why are you being so nice to me?" was all she asked him. He didn't speak for a moment as if he were thinking,

       "You seemed like you needed it." Turning away, Draco made his way toward the dorm rooms.

       "Thank you." She spoke quietly, but he heard her. Arabella gave him a small smile, he returned it before putting back on his arrogant persona.

       "Just so you know, you owe me." He then vanished up the staircase that led to the boy's dormitories. Arabella shook her head before getting to her feet.

       "Whatever, Malfoy."