The Great Hall was filled with shouts, spells and the smell of death. Tracey Davis didn't have enough time to change her fierce smile to one of surprise or pain or anything. She just crumpled, and was dead.
Daphne felt herself slowly moving to Tracey's side. It was as if she and Tracey's body were all that were left in the world. Time itself seemed to have slowed as adrenaline pumped through her body.
But she was still too slow to catch Tracey's body before it hit the ground. Tracey's lifeless body hit the floor. Thump. Daphne could still see her fierce smile.
When Daphne did reach Tracey's body, there was blood mattered in her brown hair. Sound came rushing back in, and she was aware that Tracey's killer would try to hurt her too. But she was paralyzed. The blood from Tracey's hair was now on her hands. Someone was shouting at her to get up-
"Merlin's oath, get up Daphne, you can't sleep all day!" Astoria nagged, and yanked the blanket covers off Daphne – the cold air caused her curl up.
"Brat," Daphne spat half-heartedly at her sister, and buried her head in her pillow. She heard Astoria click her fingers.
"Mimsy, get me a bucket of ice cold water."
Daphne groaned. "Fine, I'm up, I'm up. What time is it?"
Astoria yanked the curtains open. The light near blinded her.
"Snot-face!"
"It's nearly 2 in the afternoon. You can't sleep your life away." Astoria said, not unkindly.
"Fine. I'll be down in a moment." Daphne said, and Astoria looked at her skeptically but left. Daphne rolled her neck, and stood. She hobbled to her dresser. Elves popped in and offered to help dress her, but she waved them away.
Inside her dresser were many fine dresses that were gathering dust. She picked out a comfortable grey robe. Hanging hidden in between her formal black robes was a bloodstained Slytherin tie. She let her fingers briefly brush it and closed her eye and took in a deep breath.
Okay.
Breath out. Daphne dressed without ceremony and closed her dresser. She put on simple makeup and jewelry, and also put on the best smile she could manage.
Downstairs Astoria was waiting impatiently. She had already instructed the elves to make coffee. Lemon tarts also sat in the middle of the dining room table. Daphne pulled up a chair and poured coffee for herself.
"Be honest, did you even try to brush your hair?" Astoria said, and began tugging at Daphnes hair, trying to comb it with her fingers. "It used to be such a pretty blonde when you looked after it…"
"Coffee first, then nag me."
Astoria hurrumphed, and Daphne shot her a tired grin. Astoria continued tugging at her hair, and Daphne did her best to ignore it as she down her coffee and two of the lemon tarts.
"Alright, what was I supposed to do today that I have apparently forgotten? You're being all passive aggressive." Daphne said, as she poured a second cup of coffee.
"I'm just brushing your hair," Astoria said.
"Passive agressivly."
There was a moment of silence
"You promised you would come to Diagon Alley with me. You were going to have lunch with us so you could meet Draco."
Daphne rolled her eyes. "I'm already met Dray-co," she said, imitating the sissy way her sister said her suitors name, "I was in his year at Hogwarts."
"You know what I mean."
Daphne sighed. And tugged her head away from Astoria's fingers. "Sorry."
"Whatever. I know you don't particularly like him." Astoria said, as she moved and sat in the chair next to Daphne, giving her a rather pointed stare.
"I don't particularly like anyone who acts like that around my sister." Daphne replied and finished her second cup of coffee. Astoria rolled her eyes. There was awkward silence.
"Daphne-" Astoria said softly, as if talking to a frightened animal. Daphne was almost certain of where this conversation was going.
"Please don't."
"It's just, don't you want anybody to act like that around you? Maybe it's time-"
"No." Daphne said and stood up.
"At least see a healer about your nightmares. I know you where having one just this morning and-"
"This conversation is done." Daphne started going up the stairs when Astoria grabbed on to the hem of her robe.
"Tracey wouldn't want you to live like a zombie."
Daphne swore at her sister and tugged her robe out of Astoria's hand. She moved quickly to her room and bolted her door shut. She flung her dresser open and took out the bloodstained green and silver tie. Long ago it had lost the smell of Tracy, but Daphne grabbed it and sobbed. Its fabric wrapped itself tightly around her hands, turning her fingers white.
Her chest ached and her eyes burned. Flashes of memory from seeing Tracey fall to the ground, she could almost hear the sound that her head had made as it hit the ground and bounced once. She remembered the sticky feel of Tracey's blood.
Daphne tried to remember her good memories of Tracey. The way she smiled in her mind turned into Tracey's fierce smile on her lifeless body. The memory of the warmth of Tracey's embrace turned into the memory of lying on the ground, holding Tracey's body screaming for help.
Daphne had stopped sobbing, and just lay on the floor, aching.