DURSLEY ― harry potter

‣︎︎ CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER TWELVE:
CHRISTMAS

☍︎︎

WARNINGS: slight depression, disassociation, and mild forms of undiagnosed PTSD

THEY LOST THE QUIDDITCH MATCH.

The Slytherins were antsy the week leading up to the match, but Draco most of all. He'd steered clear of Daisy's presence, only speaking when necessary during Transfiguration, both too awkward with the other after the troll incident.

Still, that didn't stop him from ranting around the common room about how "terrible Potter would be on the Gryffindor team" and that "it was such a waste to put him on the team, and not put Draco on the Slytherin team." He couldn't stop mentioning that "Potter wouldn't have even gotten the spot had it not been for Draco."

Initially, people were interested in what he had to say. But as his jealousy and loathing for Harry grew, said people were bored very quickly.

So when the match actually happened and Gryffindor won -- Draco was perhaps almost as distraught as the actual team.

"Wait 'till my father hears about this," he'd said over and over again. Daisy was sure her eyes would roll out of her head. She and Theo exchanged annoyed looks at the post-match party that Marcus Flint had arranged as Draco continued his rants. The party was planned before the game because Flint was so sure they'd win he had house-elves prep extra food -- but instead, they'd lost.

Theo, Daisy, and Blaise stood near the treacle tart, guarding it from other occupants. It was too good to share. The music blared loudly, but no one exactly felt like dancing. Most of the older kids had wondered off, gone their separate ways -- studying for OWL's and NEWT's, respectively -- but the fourth years and under trickled in and out of the common room.

"I can't believe he's still going," Blaise muttered, nodding his head at Draco, who, to his credit, had consistently ranted about Harry for nearly an hour. He sat across the room in the big sofa, next to a very bored-looking third year checking her nails.

Daisy nodded, taking a sip of her butterbeer. "Honestly, he's ridiculous." She elbowed Theo, who was dozing off against the wall. For a party that was supposed to be the "first of many winning match parties," it sucked. "Oi, Malfoy!"

Draco stopped talking to the older girl, who took the opportunity to rush to her dormitory. He looked to Daisy, startled, swallowing thickly.

"Just start telling people you're in love with my cousin, already! It'd be easier than boring them to death!"

Malfoy's face warmed at the suggestion and his eyes narrowed into slits. He watched her for a moment, fuming, before stalking off to the boy's dormitory. Theo burst into laughter, shaking his head.

"You're my favorite Slytherin," he told her with a grin. "But this party blows."

Blaise shrugged. "I don't know, I'm kind of loving everyone just moping around miserably. Do you think the Gryffindor's are having a good after-party?"

The three exchanged a look. Of course they were.

☍︎︎

Christmas was coming. Daisy could smell it in the air. Her nose and cheeks flushed in the cold when she went outside and she had to start wearing gloves to herbology. She couldn't wait for the snow to cover the grounds like a sparkling, white blanket.

She loved Christmas.

She'd always loved Christmas. Each year, her family snuggled up with thick woolen blankets Daisy's grandmother made before she passed. They drank homemade hot cocoa and watched Christmas films on the television. Harry always spent time in his cupboard, but she gave him whichever spare presents she hadn't wanted.