Yours Regardless

Letters Read

           It was suffocating the way Dumbledore spoke about Cedric. Going on and on about how brave and gallant he was, and Charlize itched to tell him Cedric was so much more than just some brave marder, he was annoying and sarcastic, and he was playful. Cedric Diggory, not only incredibly handsome, was a genuine person who's glow could light up the darkest of rooms and Charlize was the one to rid the world of such a person. Even worse were the cries of Amos Diggory and his wife, neither of which had been consolable since the death of their son, and neither of which stopped from looking in Charlize's direction with complete and utter hatred. But she'd take the looks and the sneers from the parents mourning their son any day over the way Taylor now sat next to her, head on her shoulder as she silently cried. Unbeknownst to her, crying on the shoulder of the murderer. Charlize wanted to tell her, really she did, but she couldn't lose another person just yet.

Dumbledore finally ended his speech, concluding with the haunting information that Lord Voldemort was back, and Charlize couldn't get up to leave fast enough. It had been the last day of school and she was prepared to leave. Her friends had tried to be there for her, pillar of support, especially Fred, but she couldn't look at any of them. Her nightmares now filled with scenes of her not only killing Cedric but being forced to kill Hermione, or Ron, even George. But the worst of them was when her mind tortured her with images of her killing Fred, in the dreams where he had stood at the opposite end of her wand were the only dreams where she wasn't under the imperius curse. Instead her tingled strongly, forearm to the sky as a dark mark swirled itself into prominence just as she uttered the killing curse in Fred's direction. To say she hadn't gotten much sleep lately would be an understatement.

Taylor and Fred followed after the girl, tired of being ignored by her. Charlize was the last person who had seen Cedric, and it brought comfort to her being around the girl. She refused to let her walk away, she refused to lose another friend.

Charlize tried to swerve in and out of groups of people, knowing that Fred and Taylor were hot on her trail. In her haste she seemed to not notice the blonde with his back to her, and ran straight into him.

Draco dropped the papers and the book he was holding as someone quite literally barrelled into him. His Ancient Runes textbook tumbled a few times, before falling flat. Pressed lilies and his letter to Charlize now scattered along with other papers. He was going to turn and give the person a piece of his mind, but the vanilla and floral accent that surrounded him made his throat tighten and shoulders tense.

           "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking an- oh." Charlize said, attitude returning to her tone once she realized who she bumped into.

          "Draco?" Taylor asked from behind the two, finally having reached Charlize.

Charlize paused, her mouth going dry and her hands starting to sweat. She refused to make eye contact with him and chose to just keep quiet, she couldn't handle him right now, not after the night in the forest.

Fred however only offered a snarl in the boy's direction.

Raised with manners, Charlize knew she couldn't just leave him there so she bent down to help him gather his things. Taylor, always one for kindness, also started to help but Fred remained where he was as he watched Draco scramble to the floor too.

           "No it's alright." He answered, his hands trembling in worry that she would find the letter.

Why had he been stupid enough to write her name on the envolope he placed it in, but he calmed as Charlize stood up returning hhis book back to him. In all honesty, her eyes welled ever so slightly in tears as she saw the lilies, but shoved them back into the book before she could think about it too much.