The Hogwarts Diaries

Dani's Diary - The Matchmaker

Okay so, hello there dear journal.

You are a fuming red right now, just like my hair because I'm mad. No wait, mad isn't the correct word. Livid. Furious. Those words start to sound more like how I'm feeling. And I guess this book is as good a place as any to write why. It all started on Friday...

It was Friday night, I was happy the week was over and weekend awaited me. Hogwarts has been especially exciting lately. I was bored out of my mind that evening so I decided to go for a walk around the grounds. I got off my bed, and walked over to my dresser. Then I proceeded to stare at my clothes for a while until I decided on my leather jacket and a pair of brown, combat boots that I found at the bottom of my trunk.

I found my gloves and beanie woollen hat. Once I looked in the mirror, I saw a girl completely different to me. She was pale, tired and worn out. Her lips were chapped, her face was tired and she had purple bags that she covered every morning due to the fabulous fact that she was able to change her appearance. But underneath all that, her purple eyes were dull, no longer sparkling. They were fragile and hurt.

I didn't want to be hurt but seeing George with Arabella at the ball, that hurt. It's like my heart shredded. Then with the whole drama with those pathetic, dreaded, snakes and Kendra happened. Lets just say, it's been eventful lately. To top it off, Arabella and George were very... Lets say intimate.

You know what? You know what you unknown reader? I'm over George...

I'm sick of him pushing me around and playing with my heart. I'm done. He can have fun with Arabella. Besides I think they're happy together. I think they're better for each other. They deserve each other. I can't really compete with Arabella anyways. She's beautiful, smart, witty, funny and even though I'll never admit it to her, she's an amazing pranker. I'm sick of hiding my pain. I'm over it. I'll embrace the pain and let it go away. I have to prepare myself for battle anyways. This is the calm right before the storm and I need to be able to get through this alive.

The pain of losing George to Arabella is hard, and the acceptance is even more difficult. The tears streak silently down my face. I'm tired of looking at my face so I wipe them away angrily and walk down the stairs.

I run through the Common Room, past all the people studying and out to the stairs. I try to get past them as fast as possible but moving stairs aren't exactly easy to navigate. Once I reach the Main Hall, I race past to the doors and walk right out.

The cold hits me like a train but I welcome it. The snow is white, delicate and beautiful. I walk towards the forest and lake. Hogwarts looks dark and strong, as if it'll survive anything. I start to believe that I will survive anything.

As I walk nearer and nearer to the lake, I see someone there. Actually scratch that, I see two people there. George and Arabella. OH COME ON. Really? Now?

Well I guess I should get over it. Arabella is a lot more like me than she realises and although she thinks I don't know, I do. I know that she was abandoned. I know because ... Okay wow, I guess I'm telling you everything today...

I know because I read her mind. There I said it. It's how I know lots of things, like if someone's coming or if they're about to hurt me. I don't usually use this horrid "gift" because it is overwhelming and hard to use when everyone is thinking something.

Arabella is wonderful and she's honest and open, well at least to George. More so than me. They deserve each other and I will respect that. I walk away slowly to the other side. I hear their laughter and am happy with the choice I made. I mean yeah, it's difficult. But I will survive. I am Danielle Paige Aarons for a reason.

Feeling strong and confident I walked to the other side, the nagging voice in the back of my head saying, you aren't fine. You are hurt. I'm trying to ignore the voice but their laughter and hand holding and hugging isn't really helping. I know deep down I'm happy for them but, right now, the voice is right. It hurts.

As I continue walking, I see someone else... I don't know who it is but as I continue walking, I see its Blaise Zabini. I have above to pick with him. Cause see, I read his mind and I'm positive that he likes Frankie and I'm getting them together. Might as well play matchmaker.

"Danielle Aarons. If it isn't another Gryffindor," Blaise smirked.

"Blaise Zabini, the ass of a Slytherin," I retorted.

"Excuse me?"

I smirked and said, "Oh I thought we were stating the obvious. My bad."

Then Blaise did something I never thought I would see him do, he smiled. Genuinely.

To say I was shocked was an understatement: the Blaise Zabini was smiling.

Okay here it goes, I told myself.

"Look, Blaise, I know we aren't friends or even remotely close to anything like acquaintances but I'm going to tell you something now and you're going to have to listen. Alright?"

I looked at him and he was about to talk when I put my hand up and said, "Don't say I word. I know you Slytherins love to talk and insult but for a minute, just a minute, listen to what I'm going to say okay?"

He nodded.

"Okay good. Now I know that because of centuries of disputes and arguments and just general friction, Slytherin and all the other houses have come to dislike one another. But in the end, we are all the same and it all comes down to feelings. No matt who those feelings are for. I mean look at me. I love-or loved- my best friend and then he chose my friend. But I mean maybe its for the best. I know I would've mucked things up anyways. Continuing to my point, which is not that love sucks. Although it does. I know that it's scary and that sometimes you can't choose who you like but, love... It's the feeling of safety and even though you don't think you like them, they make you smile. You might even think you hate that person but I have to tell you that there is a very thin line between love and hate.

I think you know where I'm going with this. She does like you and she is willing to risk everything to have one moment of happiness with you. You should return the favour because we all know you like her too. We all know, no matter how much you choose to deny it that you, Blaise Zabini are in love - or very much in total, utter shock of like, as I prefer to say - with Frankie Saunders."

We stood there in total silence while he took what I said in.

"You should do something about it before she gives up on waiting for you"

I looked at the time and slowly started walking back before I heard snow crunching next to me. I see Blaise next to me. He says two sentences, only two.

"Thank you Danielle and I know it is hard for you. Thank you."

I smiled and said, "All I did was make you realise what you already knew. I'm just a messenger."

We walked in total, comfortable silence back.

I snuck back in and went straight to bed. I was happy and fell asleep with a smile on my face for the first time in a while.

***

I awoke to Kendra shaking me out of bed. Being a Ravenclaw. She was eager to get to breakfast and classes. Frankie was standing next to her.

"DANI GET UP!" Kendra and Frankie yelled in my ear at the same time.  

"Where's the banana?!?"

I sat up a with banana yellow hair and wide eyes. My wand automatically went to my hand.

Once I realised what was going on, I saw Kendra and Frankie exchange a glance about my dreams. "So I have weird dreams about bananas... Sue me. So why're you two in here? How are you in here at all?"

Frankie smirked and said, "Well, we sort of got some of the Gryffindor first years to tell us..."

I smiled and started to get ready.