I am not a dramatic person.
I really don't know how I got into this situation, it seems like I was unaware of what was happening to me until the very last moment. I should've known not to do this. I should've known that it would change everything. I should've known that it would change me. I'm not the same person I was before and I'm only just realizing it else seemed to realize how I was changing, except for me. I'm not sure if I've changed for the better or worse. But it doesn't really matter now, I have changed and now I need to fix what I've done, what I've ruined. Just as everything is being torn apart. Just as everything that these events have been boiling up to has exploded.
All I really need is time to think, but that's not possible. I need to move, I need to save them.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Platform 9 3/4 still strikes me with that feeling of pure unadulterated excitement. My last year, even without Fred, was going to be amazing. I caught sight of the sea of red-heads and headed over.
George saw me first, and swept me up into a hug"Dahlia! I haven't seen you in forever!"
I laughed,"Hey, Angelina!" I said to his wife, she replied with a knowing smile and a wave,"I know George, three months without you? How did I even survive?"
"I really don't know, love. How did you survive without your precious Georgie?" Fred came up behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist.
George turned back to Angelina with a smirk, and pulled her back into the crowd of red-heads.
I turned around in his arms so I was facing him, "Don't be such a butt Fred, you know how much I missed George."
"I know," he sighed,"I just get-"
"Possesive? Jealous? A big-" he kissed me swiftly, stopping what was about to become a full-on rant.
"I know, love. I'm sorry I'll work on it I promise." He smiled as kissed me again.
"Okay, okay but I didn't even ask him how his honeymoon vacation was! I've never been to Australia Fred!"
"I know, how about when you graduate I'll take you anywhere you want to go." He smiled, his eyes twinkling.
"Anywhere? Really Fred? Promise?" I begged slightly, and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Anywhere, I promise." He kissed me then, deeply, and with more love than I would've thought possible.
"Oi! Lovebirds! She has to get on the train!" George interjected and slapped Fred's butt.
"Wait! I have to say goodbye to everyone!" I flew into his family's huddle. I quickly hugged everyone, they were all there to see Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione off.
"Have a nice year dear, send me an owl every once and a while." patted my cheek fondly.
"Of course, I'll see you all at Christmas!" With one final wave I went back to Fred. He had already loaded my trunk for me.
"I gave your devil cat to Ginny, she said she'd take it to your compartment."
"Thank you Fred. I'm going to miss you." I held onto his hand tightly.
"I know love, I'll miss you too. I'll write you every day."
"Fred, you have a business to run, you can't be writing me all day long! Just write whenever you get the chance okay? It doesn't have to be everyday."
"Okay, I love you."
"I love you too." And with one final kiss, I boarded the train.
0o0o0oo0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The compartment was easy enough to find, we had had the same one last year as well. It was filled to the brim. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Luna plus me was the maximun a compartment could hold.
"Hey, Dahlia! Didn't see you on the platform." Harry greeted me.
"I know, I had to say goodbye to Fred, he worries you know?" I hugged them each of them in turn.
"Yes, we all know how much my brother is sickeningly in love you. We had to hear about it every single time he came to visit." Ginny said in her usual bluntness.
I blushed, "I'm sorry, I didn't know-"
"I think it's sweet Dahlia, you two are great together." Hermione interjected.
"Thank Hermione."
Just then the compartment door slammed open behind me, I spun and seeing Draco Malfoy, took a seat. He would never hurt any of us, even if he despised the Golden trio, he from what I understood was now working for the Order as a secret spy, only a couple of people knew though, just the people Harry and I only know because I overheard. Nevertheless, I was surprised he came back for his final year. Hermione was never a question and Mrs. Weasley bullied Harry and Ron into it, but why would he come back?
"Granger, Mcgonagall needs to see you." His voice was crisp, but his face was that of someone who had just swallowed a particulary sour lemon drop and smelled poo all at once. It was remarkable really, how he could make his face move like that.
"Oh! Of course, I was just about to head down." She jumped up and exited the compartment.
Malfoy regarded the rest of us with a sneer, "Potter."
"Malfoy"
He swept away, leaving us in silence for a moment.
"I've always found him interesting" Luna said dreamily.
Ron scoffed,"Bloody lunatic"
Harry quickly captured Ron's attention but talking about qudditch, Hermione came back five minutes later and soon her, Luna and Ginny were deep in conversation. I felt lost without Fred and George, even though I was in the same year as the Golden Trio, I always felt closer to the twins. Even now, that I was dating Fred and George was recently married, I felt more like I belonged with them. I felt off, out of place with the people in my compartment.
Not because they weren't wonderful, no, they were excellent. They really were helping save our world and I respected them. But I knew we would never be as close at the twins and I. Maybe Luna though, she seems a little out of their circle, maybe if I got to know her a little better I would like her almost as much as I love the twins.
I must've fell asleep during my thoughts because soon enough, someone was shaking my shoulder, Hermione.
"Dahlia, you should probably get changed now. We're almost there."
"Thanks Hermione" I muttered sleepily.
I barely had time to get changed before we arrived. I was the last one off the train thanks to my devil cat, as Fred so eloquently named him.
Luna stuck her head out of a carriage,"Dahlia! We're in this one, Harry, Ron and Hermione met up with Neville and Seamus, so it's just me, you and Ginny for this one."
"Okay Luna, thanks for waiting for me."
"No problem Dahlia, I like you."
I blushed,"Err- thanks Luna, I like you too."
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Soon enough we were all seated at Gryffindor table, with the exception of Luna, she had to sit with the Ravenclaws for the welcoming feast, but otherwise she would sit with us.
Dumbledore made his welcoming speech and the first years were sorted before we were finally able to eat. Dinner passed quickly, the Golden trio were always very nice and Hermione and Ginny kept Harry and Ron on their toes.
I was barely awake as we exited the hall, Hermione was telling me about our Arithmacy class, apparently we had a new teacher. When someone slammed into the back of me, knocking me forward and sending flying face first onto the ground.
I lifted my head as Hermione lifted me up by my elbows, she held onto them as I stood most likely because she guessed correctly that I wouldn't be able to stand by myself.
"Malfoy! Look what you've done now! Dahlia hasn't done anything to you, you can't just go around hurting people like this!"
"Alright, alright quit your squealing Granger. I'll take her to the hospital wing."
I was hesitantly handed over to Malfoy and he grabbed my elbows as well, holding me upright.
"Well, make sure she's alright," Hermione glared at Malfoy before speaking to me,"I'm sorry Dahlia but I have Head Girl duties, you'll be fine, and if he does try anything, just let Fred know, I'm sure he'll have something for Malfoy."
She turned and left then speaking quickly to the rest of our group, before heading up the stairs presumably to Dumbledore's office.
"Go to the common room, I'll speak with you later," He ordered Crabbe and Goyle.
"I'm really fine Draco, I'll just go by my-"
"Did you just call me Draco?" I turned to look at him, he had an uncharacteristic look of surprise on his face.
"Well, yeah I mean that's your name right?"
"Yeah, just everyone calls me Malfoy." He was speaking slowly with almost amazement.
I was suddenly aware of how close we were standing, his hands firmly grasped my elbows while my hand were curled slightly and resting on his lower abdomen. I removed them and took a quick step back, wavering slightly.
"I'll just go to the hospital wing myself, you can go to your common room- I feel fine, really"
"No, I told Granger I'd take you, now come on."He wrapped an arm around my waist to hold me steady and walked me slowly to the hospital wing.
After a few moments of silence, he spoke,"I'm sorry about that by the way, I tripped Crabbe and he fell into you. I wasn't trying to-"
"It's okay Draco, really."
We arrived at the hospital wing and Madan Pomfrey instantly got to work, she said I was fine just a little shook up but insisted I stay overnight.
"Well, I guess I'll tell Granger you're alright."
"Okay, thanks."
He turned to exited the hospital wing
"Goodnight Draco."
He turned back to look at me, something peculiar in his eye.
"Goodnight Dahlia."