Disclaimer: I am not JKR.
Author's Note: Well... I know I promised fluff, all the fluff, but even I can't resist a bit of angst. Please leave a review :)
Chapter Thirty-Five
Thursday, November 3rd 2022
Ravenclaw Common Room, Hogwarts, Scotland
Their little couch shaped bubble burst. She can hear them whisper now. Whisper about how she ran after Lorcan. Whisper about how he's avoiding her. Whisper about Lysander and Zoe and about how she and Lysander haven't really spoken either. That last one is not her fault. He's simply attached to Zoe whenever she sees him. If he weren't she'd probably ask him how people got the idea that the two of them were dating. It makes no sense to her still, but it also doesn't really matter.
What matters is that it's nearly eleven and it doesn't look like Lorcan will be showing up today. She closes her eyes to avoid Louisa's concerned looks, but also because every time she closes her eyes her mind replays the kiss he gave her at the party. She doesn't think she's ever been kissed quite like that, so sweet almost hesitant, but incredibly certain at the same time. She's imagined reaching out to him and kissing him back too many times to count, she's wondered if it would have made a difference if she had been able to find her voice to call out to him. She imagined finding him after he ran and kissing him again.
She had been so excited about the kiss, so excited to know for sure that it wasn't nothing, she wasn't imagining it, and it wasn't just her. And then he had started avoiding her. Grace is quite sure the last time he met her eyes was at that party just after he kissed her. And the last time they actually talked was exactly a week ago with her head in his lap and him untangling her hair and their couch shaped bubble still intact.
She almost wants to turn back time and not know what it feels like to kiss him, because then at least she'd still have that. Almost. Because now that she knows what it feels like to have his lips on hers, she never wants to not know that feeling again. And maybe he'll come. Maybe he'll stop avoiding her, because it's Thursday and even when he doesn't come to dinner he comes to see her here.
Grace opens her eyes for a moment only to find that Louisa is still looking at her concernedly, the gossips are still whispering amongst themselves and Lorcan is still not there. She sighs and turns over onto her other side so that she's facing the back of the couch and won't have to see any of them no matter whether her eyes are closed or not.
Flora had offered her a few days off when she had seen the dark circles under her eyes just this morning, but Grace had declined rather vehemently. Rounds weren't a bad distraction from the fact that she was worried, upset and confused and on top of that being avoided. The only thing she had requested was no rounds on Thursdays. Flora being Flora had agreed easily.
Grace sighs again and glances at the clock. Eleven thirty. He won't be coming anymore. But she won't be getting up either. She isn't sure how much time has passed when she hears someone approach her. The steps are too light for it to be Lorcan, so she doesn't turn and pretends to sleep. Whoever it is drapes a blanket over her. Grace drifts off soon after.