Throughout the village, teenagers spread out, shopping, laughing throwing snowballs at each other. A platinum blonde head weaved through the joyous crowd.
"James!" She exclaimed as she latched onto a brunette, hugging him from behind.
"Drae!" He exclaimed turning and kissing her on the mouth, until a snowball hit him in the back of the head. He turned to find two possible red headed assailants giggling. Drae took the chance to launch her own snowball then ducked into Honeydukes. James followed her as did the other two, the red headed boy then whispered something into James's ear and a look of excitement lit his features. He bounced over to his girlfriend.
"Fred and I have some stuff to do, uh, book shopping and stuff. K?" He looked at her pleadingly, as his accomplice stood behind her making faces.
"I'm not your keeper silly." She giggled then kissed him on the nose. He and his cousin ran out of the store.
The red headed girl ran over to the blonde.
"You too are so adorable! Drae, have you got any idea what he's getting you for Christmas?" The red head literally bubbled with excitement.
"It's a surprise Rose, I wouldn't want to pry, but if a certain other Gryffindor might stumble across it…" She giggled and shook her head "Nope no idea, I'll bet its romantic though, I have got to be the luckiest girl on earth." She sighed and reached for the candy quills absentmindedly.
"Definitely, he's head over heels for you too. I can tell."
"Head over what? Never mind, candy quill?" She grabbed a bundle and threw a few knuts on the counter.
The girls gushed excitedly as they munched on candy and trudged through the snow, all the way to the three broomsticks.
"Your so cute Hype." A slightly tipsy Albus slurred across the table.
"Don't call me cute and don't call me hype, and what is that you're drinking?" Scorpius grabbed the glass and sniffed it. "Fire whiskey? What is wrong with you?"
"Jeneane dumped me, but you know what? " He stood raising his empty hand before realising he didn't have a glass, he shrugged and loudly slurred "I don't care! For I am a man in lo-" He hiccupped "In looooo-ve" He accentuated the word finishing with a bow before Scorpius forced him back into his seat. Albus protested then loudly whispered "I could get used to this new you Hype, all manly and bossy, its HOT" he attempted to grab Scorpius's hips, but Scorpius slid back to his seat and resumed scanning the room.
"Shut up Albus, you're making a scene." He hissed across the table. Albus looked confused and drunkenly protested
"Hey! You were the one molesting me. Pfft" Albus attempted to get up but Scorpius muttered a leglocker curse, so he settled for huffing and looking away childishly.
"Molesting Albus again Scorpius?" Rose asked as she pulled up a chair. Albus glared at her muttering something about jealous cousins minding their own business. He then saw the other girl and brightened up.
"Drae!" He moved to hug her, then went back to his indignant stance upon realising he couldn't move. The blonde girl laughed quietly and whispered finite incantatem when her brother wasn't looking. Albus smirked and attempted to get up, sliding gracefully onto the floor. The two girls started laughing then laughed even harder as he attempted to get up. Scorpius was at his side instantly helping him.
"We'll see you later, he needs fresh air." Rose jumped up.
"I'll come with you" She offered hopefully, as Scorpius draped Albus's arm around his neck.
"Its fine, its easier if its just us." He gave rose a pointed look as helped Albus out of the bar.
Rose sat down slowly, sighed and reached for the glass Albus had been drinking out of. Drae grabbed it before her and placed it out of her reach. She conjured a jug of water and accioed glasses from the bar, she poured one and handed it to Rose.
"Just give him time." Rose sighed and stared at the glass, she began to trace circles in the condensation forming on the side.
"Yeah. Anyway what did you get on your OWLS?" The girls moved happily onto the next conversation.
"Drae will kill me if I do this, Murder, I swear I'll be dead." James stated nonchalantly as he excitedly perused the contents of a box at WWW.
"Maybe, but imagine the look on Filch's face" Fred and James both imagined it. James turned resolutely and marched to the counter, fumbling with money. He put the box on the counter and rang the bell.
"James Potter! What on Earth are you doing with the re-con-loo?" Both James and Fred looked up sheepishly and cleared their throats.
"Aunt Hermione… Hi" She glared down at them her hands on her hips.
"Boys, I hope you weren't planning on buying this." She scolded sternly.
"Hermione if you plan on scaring away customers every-time they buy anything were not going to make any money. Hey Fred, James." Both boys sighed with Relief as their uncle Ron came out of the stockroom with more of the Re-con-loo merchandise.
"Sorry boys, we're a staff member short, so Aunt Hermione offered to help out." He said as he put the stock down, both boys looked at each other before making various excuses to leave then bolting out the door. Ron and Hermione high-fived before laughing and setting up the stock.
"Hey was that… JAMES SAVE ME! I'm BEING MOLESTED!" A very patient Scorpius helped a very tipsy Albus down the path, until they finally found a seat that wasn't covered in couples or ice.
Albus flopped on the seat, with Scorpius next to him. He snuggled into him."Your very comfy Hype" Albus closed his eyes and began dozing, unbeknownst to him Scorpius was running his fingers through Albus's hair.
A Loud bang and a scream awoke the pair, more screams filled the air as the smell of smoke wafted from the central street. Both boys jumped up with their wands out, slowly walking toward the alley which connected the courtyard to Hogsmeade. At the end of the alley a girl lay unconscious. The boys, unable to see any further, ventured into the alleyway.
"What's going on?" Albus whispered, as they reached the girl. Looking out into the street they saw chaos. Directly across the street Albus saw his brother and his cousin, he dragged Scorpius over to them.
"James? What's going-"He was cut off by his brother's hand over his mouth pulling him between two buildings.
"Death eaters, by The Three Broomsticks. Shut up." James hissed signalling for them to get back. Albus and Scorpius's eyes went wide as they lay themselves flat against the wall. Scorpius was the first to realise.
"Dracinta is in the three broomsticks" he said in a very small voice. James had to be held back by his brother and cousin.
"James, they're escaped death eaters, probably insane." Fred whispered half-heartedly in his ear. Scorpius and James both gasped, Albus and Fred tightened their hold on the pair.
"The aurors will get there soon. She'll be fine."
Occasionally they'd hear of an escaped death eater going on a rampage for their lord. They'd kill anyone on sight, with the raw magic unleashed from 15 years locked in Azkaban.
James whimpered and let out a breath he let his body relax, and his captors let him go. He ran Scorpius, Albus and Fred in tow.
"I think i'll wear blue this year, I know it's not Christmassy but maybe I can get James to match!" Drae explained excitedly, her silver eyes glimmering.
"Yea, Malfoys look good in blue." The hazel eyed girl sighed, and pushed her bright red hair off her face. "Maybe we should head back? It's getting late." Rose stood and walked toward the door.
"Yeah, sure!" The bubbly blonde headed toward her friend and pushed open the door. As they walked out into the streets they noticed the still and deserted street.
"Drae?" The pale girls skin was a ghostly white, she glanced around nervously.
"Rose, go back inside." She pulled her wand out and stood in her duelling stance.
"Drae, what-"
"Stupefy!" Drae turned to face the attacker.
"Leave her; she isn't the one you want." Drae yelled across the street at the masked figure.
"No, where is he, hmm? Your dear boyfriend?" The figure slowly sauntered closer.
"He's at home, for the weekend."
"And you did not warrant an invite? I thought you did everything together these days." The attacker reached out and touched her face. Drae shied away. He leaned in and whispered in her ear.
"Dracinta, don't lie to me. I can see it in your eyes, when you lie."
"Drae!"
"No!" Drae turned and ran toward James, she glanced over her shoulder and saw him pull out his wand. She ran to James and hugged him as a green light left the mans wand, she slumped to the ground as a stupefy flew over her head.
Everything was a blur as the aurors arrested the man, and revived Rose. James had to be wrenched from Drae's body by one of the aurors, and Scorpius sat staring at her until Albus finally pulled him away.
"Dracinta Malfoy was a perfect student, she was bright, friendly and encompassed everything any of us could ever strive to be, I'll miss you Drae." Rose stepped away from the podium and placed a Rose on the coffin as she solemnly walked back to her seat.
The great hall was filled with grieving students, white lilies were everywhere and a large image of Dracinta modestly waving and smiling at last years Yule ball was projected above her coffin.
In the first line sat the Malfoys, Scorpius, Draco, Astoria and the rarely seen Aurelia, her trademark black fringe causing her to stand out in the line of platinum. All sat up perfectly straight with perfect hair, and unlike the rest of the grievers, not one tear was being shed. The Malfoys sat as a collective cold, hard and quiet.
Opposite to them sat the Potters, Ginny was crying quietly into her husbands shoulder, the eldest son fought back tears staring unyieldingly at the coffin. The youngest son stared over at the seemingly emotionless Scorpius, the occasional tear being wiped away from his face. Next to him was Rose Weasley who was constantly dabbing at her eyes and whimpering every-time she looked at the photo of her friend.
A slow mournful tune began and the coffin rose and began to float down the aisle, the four Malfoys stood and followed slowly behind the coffin. The potters joined the procession, and then the rest of the hall. When the coffin reached the end of the aisle a bed of white roses appeared and the coffin was lifted to the sky to complete the final journey to the Malfoy plot.
The grievers watched the coffin rise and after a few stunned minutes, disbanded. The youngest potter watched the two blonde siblings leave and quickly followed them to the dungeons.
"What do you think you're doing showing up here?" Scorpius hissed at his sister.
"She was my sister too; I'm allowed to grieve Scorpius." The girl replied nonchalantly.
"You're not grieving, you're celebrating, and you just wanted to make sure she was dead." His voiced hitched in his accusations.
"I loved her! How could I celebrate? My sister is dead."
"Yes exactly you loved her, the rest of us still love her, Aurelia." The girl stood speechless for a second, and then waved her hand at the door.
"Can we help you, spy?" Scorpius quickly pulled in the sheepish looking Albus.
"You should go Aurelia, people who actually cared about Drae don't need you around." The girl left quietly shutting the door behind her. Both boys stood silent for a while then Albus spoke up.
"So that's Aurelia." Scorpius nodded then pulled Albus into a hug.
"Don't you dare ever sacrifice yourself for me, Albus Potter, swear that to me." He pulled back and looked into Albus's eyes.
"Scorp, I can't do that." Scorpius shook him, then pulled him close and whispered.
"I need to know that you'll be safe, no matter what happens. I need you Albus" Albus snuggled into his shoulder and whispered
"I swear"
James found himself watching a blonde head weave through the crowd, and followed it.
"Dracinta wait!" He grabbed her arm and turned her around to find himself staring into green eyes instead of silver, a black fringe instead of blonde, a rounder nose and chin, and pulled away quickly.
"I'm Aurelia." The mysterious girl snapped, pulling away.
"Her sister? I think Drae mentioned you once." James still looked shocked and the girl sighed.
"I have to go, was there something you wanted?" When he didn't respond the girl turned and began to march away.
"Are you anything like her?" the answer was a sharp "No" and James made his way back inside, once again thinking how easy everything would have been if he'd taken the curse instead.