The magic of love

Dresses.

I turn around gasping, I see hagrid looking at me like I was crazy.  I look down and see fang, who was growling at me. Reliefs floods over me "oh Hagrid it's just you"
He gives me a stern look "come back to my shack"
When we arrive he offers me some tea and I politely accept his offer. The warm liquid slides down my throat, my whole body feels warm now. "Are ya crazy? Do ya know how dangerous it is out ther? Somethin or someone coulda killed ya!"
"Look I know I was dumb but I just needed some fresh air" I lie.
"Does this have anythin to do with yer breakup with that fella Malfoy?" He asks and I freeze.
"How did you.....?"
"Word travels fast around here. Even the teachers over hear the gossip sometimes" he tells me.
I should've known. 
"it's not what it looks like. I wasn't trying to put myself in danger. I just needed to get out of the castle for a while." I say. "Being cooped up in that castle seeing Draco and that girl together, it's all so overwhelming I needed space. From everyone"
"Look kid, it's ok to feel like that sometimes. But it's dangerous out here at night. If ya need some space, come here. I can make ya tea and you can pet fang."
I look over at fang, who was just a big old teddy bear.
I took a sip of my tea "sorry if I scared you, I didn't mean for you to be so worried"
"Ahhhh it's ok. I've been through heart break so I know how reckless it can make ya. Promise not to do that again" Hagrid says.
"I promise"
"Good, so how are you feeling with all this? Not good I suppose"
"Yeah. It just feels like being stabbed in the chest over end over again. A never ending nightmare"
"Yeah but aren't ya going to the Yule ball with cedric?" He asks.
"I'm not sure if I even want to go anymore."
"Why not?"
"I don't want to see Cedric and Seren together. It just hurts too much" I say.
"Aurelia, yule ball is the most magical time at hogwarts. Dancing, good food, beautiful dresses.and it's yer first dance. Don't ya want it to be special?"
"It would've been special if Draco and I went together" I say
"Aurelia no offense but yer better than him. Yer someone who will do everything for everyone, you put other people's happiness first before yer own. Ya find the good in everyone, no matter how rude they are to you. And yer positive energy during classes is contagious.
Ya don't sacrifice a special night, that ya looked forward to since last year,  fer some fella who lost the best thing that's ever happened to him. Soon ya will know it's not yer loss but his."

Hagrids words seemed to have stuck with me all week.
It must've had some influence on me because when Cedric came up to me and asked if we were still on for the Yule ball next week I told him yes.

The rest of the week I was determined to just focus on myself and happiness.  I studied, hung out with my friends, I went back to hagrids and started to fall back in love with mythical creatures, I meditated, worked out, and started doing my makeup again. By Friday I felt mostly myself again.
I still couldn't look at the slytherin table, but other than that I wasn't crying myself to sleep anymore or having nightmares.
I felt more refreshed than I have in a month.

On Saturday, I am shaken awake
"Aurelia, get up!" Ginny yells. I groan "what?" I look up at hermione and Ginny looking at me.
"We are going to Hogsmead for dress shopping,
You're coming with us"
I get up and get dressed.
The walk is freezing, it starts to snow again and we end up running into the nearest dress store. We laugh and start trying on dresses.
I forgot how fun it was to be carefree. We danced in silly dresses and cracked up.
I smiled and felt so grateful for both these girls, whose helped me through my darkest time. I could never repay them for all they've done for me through this time.
Ginny walks out from the fitting room in a red dress