Broken Mirrors [A DRACO MALFOY FANFIC]

III. THE ECHO

-Saturday, 1990-

The girl peered into the window, her hands pressed against the glass. Her nose told her to unglue her face because it hurt but her eyes told her to stay where she was because the dress was so beautiful. She listened to her eyes.

"You want that, Haz?" Her mom's arm circled her shoulders as both females gazed at the elegant dress displayed.

Haz smiled, ungluing her face to look over at her mum. "It wouldn't fit." She exclaimed, glancing down at her small frame.

Her mother let out a gentle laugh, soft as the breeze. "We're witches, aren't we? We could just shrink it for you."

Haz's eyes returned to the dress, running over the silk and gem's. "Where would I wear it, mum? It's too pretty to be worn every day. Like I want to."

"Who says you can't? There's no rules against it. When others ask you why you're wearing it so casually, just reply with 'because I have the money to wear it whenever I want, don't you?'" Her mother squeezed her shoulders, smiling.

May 2nd

Everything feels so... slow.

Everything feels so wrong,

I keep waiting for his owl to show up.

Or for her to knock on my door and ask to borrow some clothes.

I keep waiting for the past to undo itself.

I keep waiting for what cannot be done.

Hope, Hazel It's called hope.

Hope killed them.

Hope the killer.

Her eyes were stuck on the creatures before her. Thestrals. She'd never been able to see them before. Luna could, Luna always could, but she couldn't. And now she could. She was torn between disgust and awe. They were hauntingly beautiful.

A quick glance around informed her that wasn't the only one who was stunned. Many of the older kids, Sixth and Seventh Years, were staring at the creatures. Her gut was aching and she looked down. They came again.

The stares.

First it was a few kids in her year. And then she saw that more kids were looking at her. Saw the name fall from their lips. Lavender.

Bitter acid rose in her throat and she stared back at them defiantly. Heard one of their conversations. "Isn't that Lavender Brown?" A Third year.

"No, it's Hazel Brown. Lavender's twin sister." A Fourth year.

"She looks so much like her. It's creepy." The Third year.

"Merlin, I know. Don't look at her, she's staring at us." The Fourth year.

They both glanced away from her guiltily. Lavender's. Was that all she would be known for? The twin sister of a dead girl? Not Hazel's twin sister, Lavender. Of course. Because how could she overcome not being the dead twin? Death made you a hero, bathed you in glory. It didn't matter that she'd fought in the war as well. No, it didn't matter. Because she wasn't dead. She was alive. 

"Zelly, come on. We're going to be late." Luna's enchanting voice broke through her stupor and she glanced away quickly, climbing into the carriage.

The carriage ride was tense, as she could tell Neville was visibly shaken from having glimpsed the thestrals for the first time. It was reassuring that she wasn't the only one. "Ignore them." Neville's loud voice startled her and she jerked her head to look at him. He was watching her carefully, his eyebrows drawn together. "The students who stare. Ignore them." He repeated.