𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐀 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐒 | h. granger

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Is Blake still there?" She whispers up to Hermione in slight fear. The thought of him wandering around school terrified her, and she hadn't been able to sleep last night, knowing she was going to return to school today and might have to see him.  

"They expelled him, Rory." Hermione says, taking her hand as Aurora struggles gets out of the hospital bed. She looks up at the bushy haired girl in shock.

"Really?" An immense sense of relief flooded her body, and she felt some of the knots in her stomach loosen and the weight on her chest lift. 

"Yeah. Dumbledore was furious, you know." Hermione says, smoothing out a wrinkle in Auroras uniform. "He had a speech at supper, where he vaguely said that serious bullying would result in expulsion." 

Aurora sighs. "Everyone must know what he's talking about. That its about me. Us." She hated the thought of people knowing he was the one who sendt her to hospital. 

"It was pretty obvious, I'm afraid. But people actually came up to me afterwards, and asked how you were doing." Hermione gently cups her cheek. "We'll be fine now, I think." She whispers to Auroras worried face. "You'll be fine."

"Thanks, Mione." She whispers. leaning forward to peck her lips softly. "Thanks for everything. I wouldn't be able to go back without you." 

Hermione smiles up at her, patting her cheek gently.  "Anything for you, Rors." She steps back so that Aurora can put on her shoes.

"Your dad really wanted to be here today." She says. Aurora stays silent as she hides her crest fallen face from view. "He's been like a new person these last couple of days." Aurora closes her eyes, remembering back to the betrayel she had felt. The fear. 

"At least he knows now." Hermione says, gauging her girlfriends reaction as she stood up straight once more.

Aurora had to admit it was a small comfort that her father knew, both about her relationship, but also about what had happened. He... he had seemed accepting. Somehow he had watched her kiss Hermione and said nothing. That was something she never could have imagined until a couple days ago. So for that, she was willing to give him the chance to explain. She did not forgive him, she didn't know if she ever would.  Because what he had done, or lack thereof, would forever traumatize her.  But she didn't want to stoop to his level. She would be the bigger person.

And he was still her father, and no matter what he did, having him on the same page as her, brought with it a sense of comfort. 

______

She walked down the hallway on her first morning back at Hogwarts. She was nervous, and the stares following her did not help. No one spoke a word as she passed, they all just watched silently. Her bruised face had healed considerably, so what they were looking at was only the considerably healed part of what had happened.

She rounded a corner and bumped right into Mafloy himself. Her whole body seized up in fear, but she managed to grab her wand, point it at him, and step as far back as she could. He raised his hands up in mock surrender and took a small step back himself. 

"Back of, Malfoy." She got out, her hand trembling as she tried to stop her eraticly beating heart from jumping out of her chest. He was staring at her face, more correctly the bruises the covered it.  His face was drawn into what looked mildly like horror.

"Look, Snape, I never meant for this to happen." He got out. "I didn't know you would be hurt badly. I'm sorry." He bowed his head after speaking, avoiding her gaze. She knew to expect this because Hermione had already told her what happened, but to witness Malfoy apologizing, was strange. Never in her life had she known him to apologize for anything. Ever.