Clementine awoke, eyes opening slowly, met with darkness, panic filled her chest. Her heart started racing, not sure where she was or who she was with she hurriedly pushed past the curtains. In her haste she fell to the floor with a loud thud, earning looks from the two other 7th year Gryffindors.

"You alright there Clem?" Sophie asked kindly, kneeling in front to the brunette. Becca just raised an eyebrow at the girl as she continued brushing her hair in the mirror.

Clementine scrambled to her feet, taking deep calming breaths, "I'm... good... W-where's Violet?" She looked around anxiously, settled only slightly by the sun flowing in through the window, illuminating the room.

Sophie reached for Clementine's arms, only to have her flinch away, "Violet didn't want to wake you up, she went to shower and change. Can I take you up to the infirmary?" Sophie was eyeing the smeared dried blood on her cheek and lip.

"No..." Clementine shook her head looking a little dazed, "I'm just going to shower..." Sophie looked worriedly at Clementine as she ambled into the bathroom.

Sophie turned on her heel and hurried out of the dorm, she needed to find Violet.

Violet was running up to the Gryffindor common room, heart pounding in her chest, going as fast as her feet would carry her. Sophie had found her in the great hall as she was grabbing some lunch for herself and Clementine. When Sophie told her that Clementine had woken up, looking disoriented Violet grabbed what she had and started running. Sophie kept pace, her longer legs and more athletic figure allowing her to reach the portrait before Violet so that she give the password and have it open by the time Violet reached it.

The blonde ran through the common room and up the dorm stairs. When she got to the right room she burst in, leaning over, hands on her knees trying to catch her breath. She could hear the shower still running through the door and sat down on Clementine's bed, waiting, nervously tapping her foot on the ground. Becca and Sophie stayed down in the common room, allowing Violet to have some privacy to talk to Clementine.

Violet opened her school bag, taking out the food she had packed and set it on the bedspread Almost thirty minutes passed before Clementine emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of hot steam. When she noticed that Violet was in the room she looked down at her bare feet, "Sorry... I-uh... forgot my clothes..." she had a towel wrapped around her chest, hair wet and dripping down her shoulders.

"Clem, are you okay?" Violet stood, immediately scanning over Clementine with her eyes. She looked gaunt, circles around her eyes, the cut on her cheek and lip shown red against her tan skin. Violet gasped as her eyes traveled to Clementine's wrists and forearms, she rushed forward, taking them gently in her hands. "Did Marli do this?" She ran her fingers over the crescent moon wounds in various stages of healing on her arms.

The Gryffindor girl resolutely avoided eye contact with Violet, mumbling a "yes..." to the floor.

Violet gently tilted Clem's chin up, requesting that she meet her eyes, Clementine reluctantly complied. Violet's soft touch urging her eyes up, reminding her she was safe.

"Clem..." Violet's heart was breaking as she looked into the brunette's bloodshot eyes. "Have you been crying?"

Clementine shook her head no, more tears leaking out as she did, she moved her hands up to cover her face in shame. Embarrassed for Violet to see her like this. Marli was right when she had told her she was weak, that she needed to be stronger, standing here, crying like a baby, she was a mess.

Then Violet wrapped her arms around the fragile girl, she pulled her in, firm but gentle. One hand on her back, feeling the soft towel beneath her palm. The other in her wet hair, fingers against her scalp, both holding Clementine close. Pressing her into her body, eliminating the space between them. Violet turned her head and whispered softly in her ear, "It's okay to cry. After everything you've been through this past month it would be weird if you didn't. I'm sorry... for everything." They stayed like that for a while. Clementine sniffling into Violet's shoulder, clinging to the warmth she offered.

After a while Violet loosened her hug, shirt soaked through from Clementine's wet hair and stray tears, but she didn't care. Violet looked into her tired bloodshot eyes, desperate to provide comfort she pressed her lips tenderly against Clementine's, feeling the split skin of her lip beneath her own. Vividly remembering the first time she had met Clementine at quidditch practice. How the carefree, cocky Gryffindor had talked to her. She had a busted lip then too and Violet couldn't keep her eyes from drifting to them. Both repelled and attracted by the girl's arrogance, wanting to kiss her and push her away. Grateful she had given her a chance, seen past her overbearing exterior to the still strong but vulnerable girl inside.

The tender kiss became more heated, filled with everything the girls couldn't express in words. Sorrow, longing, forgiveness, everything at once spilling into one another. Violet started to pull away, not wanting to take advantage of Clementine in her emotionally unstable state. As she began to disconnect their lips, Clementine leaned forward to reconnect them, her hands at the back of Violet's head, coaxing her to stay. Violet weakly succumbed her hands caressing the soft damp skin of Clementine's bare shoulders and back. Intoxicated by the sensation, she wanted more. More of the girl she had been separated from for so long, more contact, more physical affirmation that she was safe and in her arms. Violet removed her lips from Clementine's, causing a frustrated groan to leave her's lips before Violet started pressing them along the crook of her neck. She could feel the heat rising from Clementine's skin, from the hot shower or from the kisses she didn't know. Just as Violet found herself getting lost in her actions, as her kisses intensified moving up Clementine's neck, her cheek grazed the inhibitor collar on Clementine's neck and she snapped out of her haze. She stepped back from the brunette, trying to clear her head.

"I-I'm sorry..." Violet frowned, disappointed in herself for getting carried away, "Let's um... resume this when you're feeling more like yourself, okay? We need to focus on getting you better." She burned red, watching as Clementine took deep steadying breaths before replying.

"Don't be sorry... and yeah... that, that sounds good." Clementine pecked Violet on the cheek, smiling slightly. "I missed you so much..."

"I missed you too... oh!" Violet turned and rummaged through her bag, pulling out a pair of green and silver pajamas, "I believe these are yours?" Clementine's smile became a grin as she took the pajamas, she ran and grabbed some underwear from her drawers and took them into the bathroom eager to change.

When Clementine came out of the bathroom she was dressed in her Slytherin pajamas, towel around her shoulders, hair still down, and a genuine smile on her face. Violet was sitting on Clementine's bed back leaned against the headboard. She patted the area in front of her. "Sit." Clementine did as she was told and sat facing Violet on the bed, "Now turn." Clementine turned without questioning why, so that her back was facing Violet. Violet grabbed her by the hips and pulled her close, placing her legs on either side of the brunette.

"Violet, what are you-" Clementine asked before she felt a hairbrush running over her hair. She quieted at the feel of the brush moving though her hair and over her scalp. She closed her eyes and melted into Violet 'hmming' at tingling on her skin.

"I brought some food up for you, I know you have to be hungry. I don't think I've seen you have a meal in the great hall all week."

"In a minute..." Clementine mumbled, hugging her knees to her chest, resting her face on them and closing her eyes. The feel of Violet's gentle touch, her warmth was all encompassing, lulling Clementine into a peaceful trance. Violet continued to brush her hair, gently untangling any knots she came across as she went. Admiring the thick brown waves that went past her shoulders when wet but as it dried rested just above, she started running her fingers through it, loving how soft and silky it felt between them.

"Clem?" Violet asked with uncertainty, she had grown quiet.

Thinking she had fallen asleep Violet stopped her brushing and she swore she could hear the pout in Clementine's voice when she groggily said, "Don't stop..."

"You need to eat," Violet chuckled, "and then I'll braid your hair."

"You can braid?" Violet could hear the smile in Clementine's voice.

"Yes I can braid, my step sister Jaime taught me last Summer." Violet rolled her eyes, she could tell by Clementine's silent shaking that she was trying to hold back giggles. "What's so funny about that?" Violet grinned, tickling Clementine's sides until she released the laugh into the air. Violet's heart soared at the sound and she stopped her attack.

Clementine leaned forward, picking up an apple that Violet had brought up and leaned back into Violet's chest. Violet leaned back, getting comfortable, pulling Clementine back with her, wrapping her arms around her noticeably smaller waist, holding her close as she ate.

"You need to eat more than that though." Violet blew a strand of Clementine's hair out of her face, listening as the girl in her arms crunched happily on her apple.

"I will. I just want to eat this first." Clementine said between bites.

"I know how much you love apples" Violet asked, unconsciously stroking the brunettes hair as they spoke. "Shouldn't you save the best for last?"

"Not anymore... with everything that's happened... If something makes me happy, I'm just going to do it from now on. No waiting for the perfect moment, no saving it for later when later may never arrive." Clementine's voice was serious, Violet kissed the side of her head.

"Isn't that how you've always lived? A girl of action?" Violet asked, thinking about how differently the two were. Violet being more withdrawn and Clementine being an extrovert.

"I guess so..." Clementine frowned, "It was... I want it to be again."

"It will be. Just give yourself some time." Violet nuzzled her face into the brown locks, "It's okay if it takes some time."

"Thanks..."

As Clementine finished her apple she levitated the core to the trash can in the corner of the room with wandless magic.

"Impressive." Violet smirked as Clementine grabbed a roll and began chewing on it slowly. "I was thinking... if you don't have any plans over Christmas break... you might wanna... if you wanted to... you could spend Christmas break with my family?"

Clementine froze mid bite, she had always spent Christmas break at the school alone. Louis and Duck had invited her several times but she didn't want to be a burden. She knew that Christmas was a special time that people wanted to spend with their families, not with their families plus some girl their kid went to school with. The idea was tempting though with Violet. The opportunity to meet her parents, her sisters, to see her bedroom and find out if she had stuffed animals hidden in there. It was too enticing to pass up.

"I would love to." Clementine said, turning her head so that she could kiss Violet on the cheek, "Are you sure your family will be okay with it though? People are very... particular about their Christmas traditions... Having a stranger in their house isn't something most people want..."

"Are you kidding me?" Violet smiled at the thought of sharing Christmas with Clementine, "My mum can't wait to meet you."

"Your mum knows who I am?!" Clementine almost chocked on her roll, sputtering and coughing as she inhaled some pieces down her airway.

"Of course, I write her every week. How could I not mention you?" Violet said, a grin spreading across Clementine's face even as she continued to try and dislodge the bread from her lungs.

"You talk about me to your mum..." Clementine continued to grin at the thought, breaking into a fit of giggles, "That is so cute..."

"Shut it..." Violet grumbled, cheeks reddening at Clementine's laughter.

"No, it's cute, really." Clementine turned around to look at Violet's face, "What do you say about me?"

"Nothing, forget it..." Violet looked away, feeling childish under Clementine's gaze.

"Vi... it's okay..." Clementine leaned back, caressing Violet's face with one hand, holding her hands in place around her waist with the other, "Do you know how much I wish I had a mum to write to about you... it's not silly... it's sweet."

Violet frowned at her words, "I wasn't trying to make you feel bad about your parents..."

"You didn't... you haven't..." Clementine assured, smiling softly. Rubbing her hand on Violet's, "I would love to have Christmas at your-" Clementine swore as she remembered, "I have to work Christmas break..." She swore again, disappointment clear in her voice.

"It's fine, you can floo in to Hogsmeade whenever you need." Violet said as if it were obvious.

"T-thanks Vi... I can't wait!" Clementine awkwardly hugged the blonde who was still sitting behind her, "It's nice to have something to look forward to... after everything..."

"Yeah..." Violet hugged back more easily, "Now, let's braid that hair..." Clementine smiled as Violet pulled her fingers through her brown tresses once more. Loving every second of her soft touch and kind words.

"I love you Violet." Clementine said, she felt the words so strongly that they came out of her mouth before she could even think them.

Violet smiled as she divided the Gryffindor's hair into thirds, "I love you too Clementine."