The Darkest of Roses
Chapter 51: Hurtful Daydreams

AuthorNotes: So this is the official end of TDOR. I will be posting a prologue to not keep you guys hanging. Look out for that soon! I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I love all of you, and am so glad most of you stuck with my random updates. Please enjoy.


The days came and went until finally, it was the night before the students left Hogwarts. It was a cool night with a light breeze hanging on the edge as the students eased down for bed, ecstatic about heading home for their summer vacation. Most had plans to stay home and visit with family; others were going to out of town, to visit faraway countries and eat foreign foods. Very few felt like home was where Hogwarts was, whilst others couldn't wait to step on that express and head on home.

Abigail Jones sat on the windowsill of the Astronomy tower, staring out across the black lake as the moon glistened its beautiful face along the rippling water. It was a magical scene and she drew her knees closer to her chest, leaning back against the windows' pillar. There were barely any stars in the sky but she knew in a couple more hours, the sky would be lit up with a million winks.

A tear slipped from her eye, betraying her want and need. She hadn't cried in a while and had been forcing her feelings underneath her newly formed concrete fortress. She hoped it wasn't breakable, or else she'd be in trouble if she saw that face on the express tomorrow morning. She felt so lost and confused; should she cast away something so good that makes her knees weak and shake like jell-o for the sake of being Switzerland?

She bowed her head down onto her knees and took a deep breath in through her nostrils. She wished nothing more than to see his face, to confess how stupid she's been. But what if she's wrong? What if all he wanted was the sex and no-strings? She has been wrong on those sorts of things. Her assumption of Timothy Zachary had been so far, it made Pluto look the size of an atom.

Suddenly, she wished he was with her now, holding her and comforting her, and making love to her like he always did. Abigail looked over and promptly shook her head. She slept the night there, in the Astronomy Tower. She was already packed for the trip home to spend her summer vacation with aunt Kendra and her family. It was strange to think that she wouldn't see her parents' face at the train station tomorrow, but she had to deal with that issue.

By morning, she woke up earlier than necessary due to the sun's happy face peering into the window of the Astronomy tower, almost as if it was circling her. She poked her head up and groaned, looking around. She gathered her small amount of things and hurried from the tower, rushing down the stairs and pausing at the door before heading out into the halls, toward the Ravenclaw tower. She solved the riddle for the last time and headed inside. It was quiet inside with only a few students lingering in the common room; everyone else was asleep. It was probably only around five o'clock in the morning. Breakfast was in three hours and after breakfast, everyone was to head down to the train to head on home.

Abigail walked up to her dorms and peered around. There were a few early morning risers starting to pack up a few lingering items around their beds, or even making their bed. Abigail didn't bother making her bed. Why should she? She made it every night for the past couple months and on her last night here, she didn't even sleep in the bed. It was a bit untidy but she left it as she gathered her trunk and supplies, lugging them down to the common room to pile them in the corner nearest the entrance. She proceeded to head to the couch to sit down, twiddling her thumbs as she waited.

Abigail almost dozed off while she sat there – and probably did since she woke up and the common room was bustling with students – and stood up, following the crowd out into the halls and toward the great hall. The great hall smelt fabulously this morning and Abigail sat in her usual seat in the middle, waiting for Heather's arrival. She was sure Heather was still up in the dorms packing her stuff. The girl was a major procrastinator.

So Abigail helped herself to a hearty breakfast, enjoying and savoring the bites she took. She had pancakes, sausage and eggs, and toast with cranberry sauce on top, some orange juice and a nice fruit bowl. She felt like a fat king as her plate piled high and her fork got a work out from feeding her.

"Wow, you must be hungry." Abigail looked up to see Leon sitting across from her with a smile on his face. She smiled, blushing before shrugging. "So, did you ask your parents or whomever about coming to visit me this summer?"

"Not yet," Abigail answered truthfully. To be honest, she was stalling. She knew Aunt Kendra would say yes but she wasn't sure if she wanted to meet Leon's family. He was a nice guy but she has been feeling the "feelings" he's had her for lately. It was awkward since she could never really love him since her heart was starting to tug in somebody else's way.

Draco hasn't tried to make contact since that day in the hallway. He's been very translucent to her and she's hardly seen him this past couple of days. It was strange but it was only making it harder. She looked up from her plate as Leon began talking animatedly about what he was to do this vacation. Her eyes drifted to the Slytherin table, to the blond haired man sitting there next to his posse. He looked so suave sitting there with his black suit; it was black on black and her favorite outfit on him. He looked so sharp and handsome. It was hard not throwing herself over the tables between them and demanding he take her there, on the table surrounded by food.

Abigail giggled at the image and Leon looked over at her, confused. "Nothing, just an inside joke," Abigail whispered. He nodded and went on with his story just as Heather slipped in beside her. "Hey, you," Abigail greeted, smiling.

"Morning, Abby," Heather greeted, grinning. "I am so excited for summer vacation. We must get together this summer. If not that, at least send me a letter every once in a while." Abigail laughed.

"I'll try. I'm not good at the letter thing," she answered. Heather glared over at her but said no more as Leon cut off from his story, poking at his food. "What's with you, Leon?" Heather asked.

"Nothing. It's just weird. We're in our fifth years and only two more years are left until we graduate from this place," Leon stated. "It's going by fast, isn't it?" Heather and Abigail looked at each other and started to laugh. "What?" Leon snapped, glaring and growing a radish red blush across his cheeks.

"You are so weird, child," Heather teased. "I'm excited to graduate in two years. I can't wait to get out there on my own, making a life and getting a job. I just hope I don't become a dead beat." Abigail rolled her eyes.

"Like you of all people would become a dead beat." After breakfast, the students were filed outside where the carriages waited for them. Professor McGonagall was standing there with a few other professors behind her, saying their goodbyes as the students filed into carriages. It was strange to think that this year went by so fast. Previous years hadn't gone by this fast; she guessed that snogging and shagging Draco all the time didn't help with the time speed.

Abigail looked behind her and saw Draco not too far. Heather tugged at her, oblivious to Abigail's lagging, and shoved her up into a carriage. She sighed and looked out back to see if she could spot him at all. She couldn't see him and frowned, sitting back and staring down at her hands. Leon joined them in their carriage as it started to roll down the hill and toward the train station that awaited them.

It was a slow, rocking ride down to the station and finally they were unloading and watching their luggage get packed into the train, one by one. Abigail saw her trunk and allowed Heather to lead her up to the train, and to lead her to a cabin. It wasn't hard since Heather had a good talent for beelining for things. She could weave better than a small sports car.

"Here's one!" Heather pulled a door open and shoved Abigail and shutting the door behind her after Leon walked inside. Abigail sat down and peered out the window. Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she saw Draco walking almost directly by her window. He looked perfect standing there. But then her heart dropped into her stomach as Parkinson weaved her arm through his and he smirked down at her before loading onto the train, disappearing from Abigail's view. Her heart seemed to thrum against her sternum so hard that she began to breathe real heavily.

"Abby, what's wrong?"

"I need to do something." Abigail stood, ignoring Heather's disapproving stares as Leon looked depressed sitting there, staring out the window. Abigail walked from the compartment and down the aisle way. She tried to look into the compartments as she weaved between students. She probably looked frantic as she darted through the people, sometimes not being so coordinated and slamming into people.

She smacked into someone and almost fell but two strong arms caught her upper arms. Abigail looked up to stared into the smoky blue eyes of Draco. They seemed to swarm over her and her heard skipped a beat. "Watch where you're going, Jones," he stated, steadying her and walking around her. She almost hyperventilated at that moment at the sound of her last name coming from his lips. His lips, of all lips, should only utter her first name.

She whirled around and frowned. "It's Abigail," she called. Draco stopped walking – as did the rest of the students around them – and he pivoted his head toward her. "I thought we had an agreement to not use our last names when addressing each other." Her heart felt like it was ready to explode as he turned to look back at her.

"Draco?" Parkinson stated, reaching her hands up to his shoulders and chest, glaring over at Abigail. "Don't listen to the crazy wench. Let's get a cabin." Draco didn't look back at her as he stared at Abigail, who tried to relay all that she was feeling through her gaze. It must've worked because he looked down at Parkinson and reached up to shove her back. It seemed to take him forever to make his way toward her, moving through the few students who weren't able to make a pathway. The hallway really wasn't that wide.

Abigail's whole body seemed to melt into him as his arms wrapped around her lower back and his lips pushed against hers. Their lips molded together in a fiery passion. Their tongues danced against each other as Draco ran his hands up her sides before weaving through her hair. They were in their own little world as they pulled back, staring into each other's eyes. His hands were warm against her scalp and her hands couldn't seem to grip onto him fast enough or grip enough skin. Her stomach felt ready to heave, but at this sort of moment, that was a good feeling.

"Abby, stop daydreaming… Abby!" Abigail's eyes opened and she found herself still in the compartment with Leon and Heather peering at her. Her heart was thumping against her chest madly and she looked out the window, frowning when she saw Draco just now walking by her window with Parkinson on his arm and Crabbe and Goyle behind him. He looked up and their eyes met; her lips frowned and she saw his lips mirror hers. But it was a quick glance and she leaned back, closing her eyes and pushing her hands against her face, breathing in shakily.

"It's okay, Abby," Heather stated, moving to sit next to her. "What were you daydreaming about, anyways?" Abigail looked out the window and frowned.

"Nothing important…" She frowned and was glad when the train was finally loaded and starting to take off from Hogwarts. She looked up and frowned at the Hogwarts castle starting to grow smaller and smaller the farther away they pulled away from the station. She frowned and leaned into Heather's embrace, enjoying the comfort of another person. Leon frowned at her but she paid him no mind. She felt as if her world shattered; of course, she didn't have the guts to go find Draco and be so bold as to pull something like that. 'And like he'd kiss you like that with all those witnesses,' Abigail thought angrily.

She really could not wait until she was in Aunt Kendra's arms, and on her way home to relax for three months without being worried about seeing Draco, until next year…