Diana's POV
Everything was so dark, I wished for death, but nothing ever seemed to go my way. After what seemed like years of the same deep nothingness I started to hear the faint sobs of someone, as the darkness seemed to lighten, I realized I was waking up. When I opened my eyes I saw the Hospital Wing, bathed in the light of a winter's sunset, but I still heard the sobs. Looking over to my left I saw Fred, crying into his hands over my body, as if I was dead, I felt his immense sadness almost immediately, hitting me like a truck and I couldn't stand it one moment longer.
"Fred." I whispered, my voice hoarse from disuse. His head snapped up, our eyes meeting and I felt his relief and happiness that made me smile. He jumped up, wrapping his arms around me and whispering my name, I was happy to see that I had the strength to do the same. After about two minutes and Fred showering me with kisses, he let go and sat down next to me with tears of joy in his eyes.
"I'm so happy you're awake. Don't do that again! You were in a coma for almost a month and a half!" He said and looking at Fred I noticed he was much skinnier than I remembered.
"Have you eaten at all since the first task?" I asked, looking at his skinny frame.
"You saw me eat at the feast." He said with a laugh and I hit him on the shoulder.
"Not very funny!" I said, glaring at him, the smile faded off his face and he couldn't meet my eyes.
"No, I haven't really, not everyday and not very much." He said and I groaned, I couldn't believe I did this to him.
"Dobby!" I yelled as loud as I could and the Malfoy family house elf appeared.
"Diana Clement! Dobby is very relieved to see you're okay!" He said, he always loved the people he served so much.
"Thank you Dobby, can you get the two of us dinner?" I asked, smiling.
"Yes miss, I will be right back!" Dobby said and popped away.
"There, that wasn't that hard." I said and Dobby popped back with two trays, one with what looked like soup and the other with actual dinner. We ate in silence for a while, only broken by me threatening Fred when he stopped eating. When we finished Madam Pomfrey came in and was surprised, but happy to see I was awake, giving me a quick check up than leaving.
"So what happened while I was out?" I asked.
"Well, let me think… hmmm. Well, you got first in the tournament, you have a lot of homework to do, James Potter was tortured and murdered in the most gruesome way ever seen, and they announced the Yule Ball was going on." Fred said in the most casual voice you could possibly imagine.
Wait, James was tortured and killed in the most violent way ever seen?" I asked, I couldn't believe he just glazed over that.
"Yup." Fred said, popping the 'p'.
"I'm guessing you got my note and made your own conclusions." I said and Fred smirked, with an evil look in his eye.
"It was a very fun night." The gratification that was coming off him in waves was actually scaring me a bit.
"Okay than. What's the Yule Ball?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Oh, it's a ball held during the Triwizard Tournament to give everyone a break, it's basically just a huge ball during Christmas time and II don't know why they don't do this more often! Every guy in the school is going crazy and all the girls are filled with anxiety wondering who's going to ask them! It's fun to watch if you get the chance." I laughed, something Fred always managed to make me do in some way or another.
"Well, I hope I'm strong enough to dance, I'm pretty sure I am, but you never know."
"Oh, no, you see, I already have a date, sorry." He said and for a second I believed him until he burst out laughing.
"God, you're such a dick!" I said, but I was still smiling.
"Please, how could you think I would go with anyone other than you? I love you Diana, I always will." He said and I leaned in close to him and kissed him on the lips, as the kiss grew in passion and intensity, I could feel my energy leaving me and so I backed up.
"I'm tired, I'm going to go back to sleep." I said, turning on my side, putting my back to Fred.
"But you just woke up!" Fred exclaimed, but I just shushed him and closed my eyes, falling asleep minutes later.
When I woke up, I was all alone, but I didn't care this time. Just as I thought that, Madam Pomfrey came out, coming over to me after seeing I was awake.
"Ah! It's good to see you're up again, you slept for a little bit. If you want, I believe you are well enough to go back to your dorm." She said, smiling kindly at me, I always thought she was one of nicest people in all of Hogwarts.
"Okay, thank you." I was planning on going back to the dorm, back to Elios and back to normalcy for as long as I could get it. As I walked through the halls, I was happy to see that there weren't as many people, but the people who were there just gave me pity, moving out of my way not because they were scared of me, but because they thought I was fragile and broken. I hated it. I walked quicker than usual, trying to take the weirded root so to avoid as many of those sad eyes as I could. When I finally got to the girls Gryffindor dorms, I felt like I had just ran a marathon and all I wanted was to leave, just to run away to a place where I would be treated normally, but I couldn't, I had a challenge to compete in. Looking around, I was completely alone, thankfully so I decided to go take a shower, something I hated done in almost to months, I don't know how Fred could stand the smell, but I guess you don't generate much sweat when you're in a coma, or do you? This is why we need a health class.
"Elios!" I yelled once I came out of the shower, he was sitting on my bed, but upon seeing me, jumped up and just about knocked me over, showering me with love. "Hey babe, I missed you so much!" I said hugging him, but trying not to hurt him, I just wanted to hold on and not let go.
"He really missed you, but unfortunately, Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let him into the Hospital Wing." I looked up to see Fred smiling as he walked over to me and sat down with Elios and I.
"How did you get up here? Hogwarts has that little thing that turns the stairs into a slide if you have a dick!" I said, still holding Elios as if life depended on it.
"Please, I'm a master of getting into places that are forbidden to me! You really think that in the five years I've been here, I haven't been able to come up with a way to sneak up here and look at all the girls? Please." He said with a laugh, I scoffed and hit him in the shoulder, only making him laugh harder.
"I hope you're the only one who knows about this, I don't want anyone but you watching me and I don't even want you sometimes!" He stopped laughing and pouted.
"Do you not love me?" I hope he was just joking.
"Yes of course, but that doesn't mean I want to see you all the time!" I said, trying not to hurt his feelings, he was joking, I could feel his amusement along with a bit of sneakiness, what was he planning? He scooted closer to me, smirking and I got kind of nervous on what he was going to try.
"Well, you know how much I've missed you to over the past month and a half, and I'm happy you took a shower." He said, I knew he noticed.
"Shut up, I can't shower in a coma." I mumbled, he was really close to me, I wanted to kiss him and go farther, but I don't know how far we could possible go after what happened, but it did help knowing that Fred had brutally murdered him.
"Tell me if you want to stop." He said as we both leaned in, meeting each other halfway. What I realized from kissing Fred was that the entire experience was completely different from what happened with James. With James I could feel his malice and hate, but with Fred all I felt was caring and passion, it was rough either way, but passion was with love and James didn't handle me with love, also I was drugged so you can imagine it would be different. I ran my hands through Fred's hair, pulling him closer, everything was fine as long as I was reacting and loving my arms and stuff, reminding my frantic brain that I was not, in fact, drugged and this was 100% consensual between the two of us. Everything was okay. I took off Fred's shirt, something he wasn't expecting, but was welcome, he was surprised, I'm guessing it's because I was so comfortable with this. I would've gone a bit farther, but Elios started barking and I knew someone was coming, I looked up from where I was on top of Fred to see Hermione walk in.
"Diana! You're back!" She exclaimed and I got up and ran over to her, wrapping my arms around her neck.
"I missed you." I whispered and she relied in the same way.
"Why didn't you come and visit me? I've been awake for a week!" I asked.
"What!? I didn't know that, Madam Pomfrey wouldn't tell us anything and Draco and I thought Fred needed sometime alone. I was actually planning on visiting you today as soon as I dropped my stiff back here. Well it's good to know both you and Fred are… fully functional. Wait, Fred how'd you get up here?" She asked, Fred who was right where I had left him, his arms propping up his head as he looked at the ceiling, now turned his to look at Hermione.
"I have my ways…" He said and I rolled my eyes at his dramatics, he was so extra sometimes with his secrets.
"Okay, well, if you're not doing anything, I was planning on visiting you either way. Do you want to go outside?" She asked and I looked out the window, there was now snow on the ground and I knew it was going to be freezing, despite that however, I nodded. I hadn't been outside in forever and my brain was thirsty for some fresh air, no matter how cold.
"Fred, would you like to come?" I asked and he sat up, shrugging, but I could feel his excitement. "Come on, you know you can't lie to me."
"Forgot about that, but I need to get a coat on." He said.
"But first a shirt." Hermione piped up and I laughed, this was so bizarre after the past few months, everything was so light and casual, it was nice. I got my coat on and Fred put on my scarf, making sure to wrap it all the way up to my eyes.
"You're going to suffocate me." I said, pulling it down to where it's suppose to be, my neck. Hermione and I waited in the common room, melting, as Fred got his coat and I could tell Hermione was trying to keep me distracted from all the people who were throwing me their attempt at empathy, but it wasn't worth it, I could feel the emotions they were sending and I wish they would all just hate me, that would be better. Finally, Fred came down bundled up like Hermione and I and we started, but there was one thing I really needed at this moment, a drink.
"Hold on, I almost forgot something." I said, running back up the stairs before they asked. I ran over to my trunk and pulled out a flask along with the first bottle I saw, luckily it was rum and coke and not something like straight vodka, I would've taken it though, I know I would. I quickly filled up the flask, putting it in my coat and locking up my trunk before going back down to the common room.
"Okay, let's go."
I can't believe they really think that insolent child could be the one to fight me, it's a shocker really, how could that piece of nothing defeat the great Lord Voldemort? Preposterous! No, it was the girl, I remember it clearly, luckily I have one of my followers at Hogwarts doing my work and getting me ready for a new body. I wonder if he killed James Potter? If so, he must be rewarded, that was some excellent work in the torture department. Now, what to do when I get my body back? I wonder, maybe a bit of torture and some play with the girl, nothing sexual, no, I'm not a monster, but till, some nice screaming of excruciating pain would really soothe my sorrows and put me back in my old mood.
Days passed and Christmas break started, everyday I was working out to reach what I had just about two months ago, but it was hard when didn't do anything for two whole months. The Yule Ball was in about a week and Hermione and I were going to go shopping together this weekend, I know when in Hogwarts you're not suppose to go anywhere but Hogsmeade, but they didn't really have many dress shops so we were going to sneak away. I know what Fred was going to want to do the night of the Yule Ball and I wanted to do it to, I just hope when he was going to try something, that I was comfortable with it, I know he wouldn't mind, but I just don't want to ruin the night for either of us.
"Come on Hermione." I said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her behind one of the shops in Hogsmeade, we were getting out of here to go shopping, but I didn't want anyone to see us.
"Ready?" I asked, I hadn't apparated in a while and I just hope that I didn't accidentally splinch the two of us.
"Yes, come on. I want to get back before sunset." She said, looking up at the rising sun on the horizon, the guys weren't even up yet and I just hope Hermione wasn't too picky with what she liked to wear.
When we got to Diagon Alley, we walked around, I didn't know if we should just go get muggle dresses and a robe to go over it, that's what I was planning on doing because wizarding dresses looked ridiculous and I think Hermione agreed.
"Hermione, would you just like to go get dresses in the muggle world?" I asked and she looked over at me with relief in her eyes.
"I thought you'd never ask." She said with a laugh and we turned and left immediately then there afterwards. We walked for a bit before coming across a little mall and going inside, going to the first dress store we could find to get some dresses. It took over an hour and a half for me to find my dress which was a short, white strapless dress with little silver gems on it, classic and simple. Just as I had feared, Hermione was pretty picky with what she wanted and decided she didn't like anything in that store and so we left, but before going into another dress shop, I went and got some five inch, plain black heels to wear. After countless dress shops, we were on one that was massive and it would take at least three hours to look through and try on the dresses Hermione wanted and so I got an idea.
"Hey Hermione, while you're here I'm going to go pick up some muggle things for school that I want like some books and whatnot so we don't have to take up more time, but I'll be back quickly." I said and she nodded, I then left the store and apparated away thankful that my apparition was silent. I had gone to Michigan, one of the best places I knew to get what I was looking for. I quickly put on a glamour, making myself look a bit older and walked into the liquor store. I got whatever I wanted and afterwards went to the grocery store to get some mixers and then behind the grocery store to get some weed from my weed guy along with a brand new pipe I loved. I then apparated back to Hogwarts and put my stash in the refrigerated compartment I had put in for this very reason. I put up my dress that I had shrunk along with my heels and apparated back to the mall where I bought a random fiction book from the bookstore and went back to the dress shop where Hermione was still trying on dresses.
"You almost done?" I asked when she came out in a beautiful, long, strapless forest green dress that was a bit scandalous with a cut almost to her hip all the way up the side.
"I think I like this one." She said, looking at herself in the mirror.
"I think Draco will to, do you want it?" I asked.
"Yeah, I think I do."
"Thank God!" I said with a laugh as she changed and I bought the dress for her. We then went back to the store where I had gotten my shoes and she picked out some shorter heels that looked just like mine.
"Now, let's go back because we can't just wear those dresses, we also have to have cloaks." Hermione said and I nodded surprised by how we were on the exact same page about this. We walked all the way back through London to Diagon Alley and I tried to keep my head down, I was know there already as Lady Clement and I didn't want to draw attention to the two of us. We went into Madam Rosmerta's and looked for some cloaks, the one I found was a very deep crimson with a black lining that I thought went absolutely perfectly with my dress and surprisingly so, Hermione found one almost as quickly as I did that was straight black with a shining silver lining. When we got back to Hogwarts it was dusk and I was surprised at how spot on Hermione was with predicting how much time it was going to take to get a dress for her.
"Where have you guys been?" Fred asked as Hermione and I approached where he and Draco were hanging out in one of their favorite abandoned classrooms.
"We got up at seven in the morning to go shopping and just got back." Both their eyes went wide in shock, I could feel their surprise. "Don't look at me, it was Hermione who took what? Nine hours? Yeah, I on the other hand, would've been out in at least two." I said and Hermione was appalled that I threw her under the bus like that.
"Whelp, it's settled. I'm never going shopping with either of you two because either way, it was to long. Draco and I got our dress robes in less than an hour between the two of us." I rolled my eyes, but I could feel the fear coming off Hermione and looked over to see her uncertain expression.
"What's wrong Hermione?" I asked, sitting down on Fred's lap.
"I'm afraid to see what you guys got." She said, still looking at the two guys and when I thought about it, my fears started to grow as well.
"I hope you didn't get anything crazy, please, tell me you didn't. I really don't feel like entering the Great Hall with you in a clown costume." I said, looking into Fred's eyes, scanning every spike in his emotions to tell me the answer.
"Don't worry, I think both of us look damn fine in what we picked out and I think you'll like it." He said and I felt the truth in his words, but that still settle my fears, what did he think was fine?