I'd Follow You (a Draco Malfoy story)

Chapter Five

The Christmas tree was huge and set up in the corner of the living room with different ornaments of varying shapes and colors. Angelina always loved seeing the tree after it was decorated with tinsel and ornaments that sparkled in the firelight. 

"Pansy! Do you want to help put up the--"

"No," Pansy snapped, continuing through the living room to the dining hall. 

Angelina frowned, recently Pansy was quick to snap and distant, but Angelina could only think that it was due to the upcoming OWL exams. "Fine," she muttered. 

Pulled the chair over to the tree, Angelina carefully stood on her toes as she reached the top of the tree, trying to put the glass angel on the top. As the topper slipped into place, Angelina felt the chair shift beneath her, causing her to grip the tree--which shook the branches, sending ornaments to the ground with a shatter. 

"The bloody hell is going on?!" 

Angelina looked over her shoulder as Pansy ran in with a glass in her hand, "Pansy, please help me?" She pleaded as she struggled to get back onto the chair. 

Pansy snorted, "what can I do? You've already gone and wrecked the tree!" 

"Please Pansy!" Angelina tried again as her left foot fell from the chair and she was left balancing on one foot. Closing her eyes, she pushed herself away from the tree and into the chair hard enough that she toppled the chair onto its back with a thud into the ornaments that adorned the ground. 

"What'd you do that for?!" Angelina yelled at Pansy. "You just stood there while I asked for help!" She pulled herself up, shards of ornaments leaving gashes in her legs and palms as she stood up. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," Pansy shrugged. 

"What's your problem?" Angelina growled, "not just from not helping me just now, from being so cold to me for the past few weeks!" 

Pansy opened and shut her mouth slightly as she thought of an answer, "I've been really stressed over my OWLs. They're very extreme exams." 

Angelina rolled her eyes, knowing that wasn't the answer, "whatever you say," the fight was lost in her as she looked at the ground. 

"Mum and dad are going to murder you." 

"You could've helped then!" Angelina barked. 

"What's going on--Oh!" the girls turned to see their parents staring at the scene before them, "what happened?" Mrs. Parkinson demanded, concern dripping from her voice as she walked to her younger daughter. 

"I wanted to put the topper on the tree and I lost my balance," Angelina looked at all the ornaments with a frown, "I didn't--" 

Her father shook his head as he took out his wand, "reparo." he muttered. All the shards found partners, forming their original shapes before returning to the tree. "Everything is alright," he gave a comforting smile to his young daughter, "let's get you cleaned up." 

Angelina hesitated by the door, if she knocked, would her sister answer or just blow her off? She played with the hem of her skirt before deciding to walk away with a defeated sigh until she heard the noise of the door open behind her. 

"Merry Christmas," Pansy said quietly. 

Angelina smiled, "merry Christmas," 

 "You look cute," Pansy commented as the two walked to the dining room for breakfast, Angelina looked down at her emerald green dress and smiled. 

"Thanks," she looked at Pansy's outfit, a cream colored dress that reached her knees. 

"Merry Christmas, my dears! Take your seats! we're just waiting for our guests," Mrs. Parkinson greeted as the sisters took their seats at the large wooden table strewn with breakfast foods.