Aurora had known that it was foolish of her to show off as much as she had in Transfiguration that day, and even more so to then lose her temper at that twat Jenkins. She wasn't sorry, it was all worth it for the look on Dumbledore's face, but she was sensible enough to recognise that it may have been a mistake to display quite how powerful her magic had become.
What was also worth it, however, was Raoul's response. After recovering from their rather swift exit, he had all but pulled her into his arms and dragged her into the nearest broom cupboard. The Quidditch players were never ones to disappoint.
The response she hadn't expected however, was Tom's. Instead of sneering at her like he usually did, or making some derogatory comment about her inaptitude to Abraxas, he had just stared at her with an expression she couldn't place. She had blamed her own anger in the moment for her lacking skills of perception into the illusive character that was Tom Riddle and his very few emotions. Has there been confusion? Fear? Maybe there had even been hatred. Ever since the Quidditch match Tom had become even harder to read than he had been before.
Something that hadn't made the situation any easier was Raoul that had convinced her to sit with the boys at meals, saying it would mean the world to him if she were able to get to know his friends. Aurora's only hesitation had been that his 'friends' included Tom, of course she never brought this up with him, just saying she felt unfair leaving the girls. After a few days of nagging though, she had agreed, but not without dragging Thea, Dorea and Olive with her.
Raoul had been ecstatic, and insisted on preparing her breakfast plate for her every morning, which she had to admit was rather endearing. The girls didn't seem to mind either, Thea taking it as an incentive to get to know Abraxas better given that they were meant to be marrying each other in less than two years and had only ever exchanged pleasantries in class or at events. Dorea knew all the boys well enough from family functions over the years to keep a decent conversation going and Olive seemed to particularly enjoy staring between Arche and Tom at every meal.
Aurora had decided it would be best if she just tried to ignore Tom, and lucky for her he barely spoke at meals, except to occasionally correct facts in a story or chastise Raoul for his eating habits, always earning a glare from Aurora despite her efforts to not rise to him. She knew Raoul spent enough time in Quidditch practice for his need to eat three helpings of every meal to be justified, and could safely say it had no effect on his figure that she could complain about.
Yet Tom seemed completely unphased but her scowls, if anything he seemed far less hostile that he'd been towards her at the start of the year. He had stopped narrowing his eyes when she spoke or tutting impatiently when she sat down. Instead, he seemed happy to just pretend she didn't exist. It should have relaxed Aurora, knowing that maybe he was willing to ignore her too, and they could go on about the rest of their education politely refusing to acknowledge the other existed at all whilst interacting amicably with those around them.
But it only worried her. Tom was not one to ignore people, especially if he thought of them as a threat to him, and Aurora would know all about that having been his close academic rival for so long. She didn't think he was stupid enough to believe she's gone soft. He had seen her in Transfiguration, after all. She couldn't help but feel like he was plotting, but she couldn't tell what exactly.
November drew to a steady close, and the rumours about the bird incident came and went. The usual about Aurora being 'unhinged' and 'dangerous' mixed with those about how someone had seen her sobbing out of guilt' in the bathrooms afterwards.
What the rumours seemed to have missed out on though, was how the Gryffindor girl Aurora had been restrained from cursing the very same day in the corridor has turned up in the Hospital Wing the next day with a severe case of cystic acne that had mysteriously appeared overnight and wasn't responding to any of the Matron's potions. Completely unrelated, of course. Aurora had a watertight alibi when Raoul had questioned her in the evening.
It was the first Sunday of December when Aurora had barely dragged herself and Raoul out of his dorm in time to actually make it down to breakfast. As much as Aurora liked Raoul, she couldn't help but bask in how offended Tom had initially been by their unashamedly public displays of affection. Sleeping in his bed had started off as a horrifically selfish way to annoy him, but after a couple of weeks, Aurora had realised she had never slept quite as well as she did when she was in Raoul's arms.
The sign up sheet for those wishing to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays had been posted that morning, and immediately put Aurora in a foul mood. She had always spent her holidays at a family home somewhere in the world, whether it be France with her aunt or at the Rosier estate in Buckinghamshire. This year, she was set to spend it in Austria, but it seemed that plans had changed.
The morning of the day Aurora had lost her temper in Transfiguration, she had received an owl from her mother. Guinevere Rosier was, in Aurora's opinion, one of the most spineless women you could ever meet. Aurora despised her. She had been a powerful witch, and would have been well on her way to working her way up the ranks of the Ministry, but gave it all up to accept a role as a complacent Pureblood wife. Yet she had refused to raise her own daughter, instead loading her off onto her sister-in-law or the constant slew of nannies she had gotten through over the years. She never seemed to have any problem raising her son Evan, though. Figures.
One of Aurora's most distinct memories of her childhood was from when she was only 7, after she had scared off the fourth nanny of the year with some form of accidental magic far too strong to have come from any normal child. Guinevere, with her perfect little Evan perched on her hip, had grabbed Aurora by the hair, and dragged her up to her room, screaming at the little girl the whole, making sure she knew what a hindrance she had always been, and that she was nothing but an attempt to provide a male heir for the Rosier line.
Often in situations like this, Aurora's accidental magic would trigger again, and something would explode or fly across a room. This time in particular, it had caused a large tome that really had no place in a children's bedroom, a young Aurora had told herself in consolation at the time, to fly off of a bookshelf and hit her mother directly in the head, knocking her clean out causing her to drop Evan.
Aurora had managed to grab her brother, of course, but Guinevere had been left on the floor until her husband returned from the Ministry that night. He found his children unsupervised in the kitchens and surrounded by empty sweet wrappers, his daughter claiming to have no idea why her mother was laying spread eagle on her bedroom floor, and why would he ask?
After that burst of magic, Guinevere had been terrified of Aurora, refusing to even make eye contact with her daughter if she could avoid it, understanding just why they had gotten through as many nannies as they had. The time Aurora spent in France with her father's sister increased exponentially as well. When Aurora had been accepted to Hogwarts, her mother had barely even acknowledged it, only signing the bottom of the letter she received from her father, congratulating her.
Etienne Rosier had always been the parent Aurora gravitated towards anyway, he was never scared of Aurora's abilities ever since they had presented themselves at such a young age. In fact, he had always encouraged her, maybe you could even go as far as saying he loved her. Secretly, Aurora knew he only saw her as a product of his own skill and ability, but she had supposed it was nice that she had at least one parent willing to pretend they liked her. She wasn't his heir, not since Evan had been born, so why should he even bother?
Given the rocky relationship with her parents, Aurora had been more than shocked when the huge greater sooty owl she recognised as her father's had landed on her dorm window sill. She had been even more surprised to see her name in her mother's cursive on the envelope. What was in the envelope had been less than welcome, however.
Aurora,
You are no longer needed in Austria over Christmas. Stay at Hogwarts or make your own plans. The estate will be empty over the time as I am taking Evan to France and your father has prior engagements and I do not want you to return there alone.
Regards,
Guinevere Rosier
Never one for many words, was Aurora's mother, but something about the distant formality of the letter had really wound Aurora up that morning. 'Not needed'? What did she mean she wasn't needed? And who was Guinevere to tell Aurora when and where she was needed? The woman hadn't taken any interest in Aurora for almost ten years now.
So, as Aurora stood staring at the sign up sheet in the Slytherin Common Room, she was reminded that this was in fact where she would be spending her holidays this year. Alone and unneeded. The familiar hatred she associated with her mother boiled steadily in the base of her stomach at the thought.
The only thing that had ever truly scared Aurora was the prospect of being unwanted, shunned by those she was closest to. Her whole life she had strived to be nothing but the best, gaining the respect of any and all she met. She had never told anyone this, of course, but her fear had woven it's way into every facet of her life.
She was shaken from her thoughts at the feeling of fingers brushing across her palm and intertwining with her own that had hung limply at her side. She felt the hatred settle as her eyes found Raoul's, full of concern at the way she had been staring at the list as though it were some sort of death sentence.
"You okay, 'Rora?" He asked, his voice soft as he gave her hand a small squeeze.
Aurora had told him about the letter, but not of its contents. She hadn't wanted to let anyone know she'd be staying at Hogwarts, simply sign the list the night before the Hogwarts Express left and hope no one wondered where she was on the train the following day. The thought of taking such a blow to her pride as having to admit she had nowhere to go filled Aurora with disgust.
It was a stupid plan. Of course they would notice she wasn't there but that didn't stop the shame that flared every time Olive gushed about Christmas shopping or Arche had mentioned the Christmas Ball at Malfoy Manor.
"Yeah," she replied quietly, "just tired after last night, that's all." Aurora mustered up a grin, hoping it didn't look as weak as she felt.
Her answer seemed to satisfy Raoul as he laughed, leaning down to place a kiss on the side of her head, and led her away from the notice board and down towards the Great Hall.
Aurora's saving grace that morning, however, came in the form of Abraxas Malfoy.
She had sat down rather gracelessly next to Thea, ignoring the inquisitive way Tom had been looking at her upon their late arrival and scowling at Arche as he made a comment about the Princess waking up on the wrong side of the bed that morning as asking if a public execution would appease Her Royal Highness's sour mood. She had bitten back a laugh at the fact it probably would have, instead asking him if he was offering himself as a sacrifice.
Raoul had proceeded to butter a piece of toast for her, getting the hint that she probably wasn't in the mood for much that day, when Abraxas cleared his throat, making a point to adjust the front of his robes in a very exaggerated way.
"I received an owl from my mother this morning asking to confirm which of you will be attending the Christmas Ball. Now, given how many times I've had to give her my opinion on incredibly minor decorational details in the last two months, I am expecting all of you to be there, if only to admire my impeccable taste in French imported chair covers." He spoke seriously, but was met with laughter from all those at breakfast, except Aurora, who had sat in silence gnawing at the toast Raoul had just passed her.
" 'Course I'm coming Brax, wouldn't miss it for the world." Arche returned jovially as Olive giggled excitedly next to him, nodding her head in agreement.
"And you, Tom? You're still planning to come?" Abraxas asked Tom tentatively.
Tom said nothing as all heads turned to him, just nodding towards Abraxas, far less enthusiastically than Olive had, over the mug of coffee he had been nursing, Aurora had never really thought about where Tom went during the holidays. She knew he never attended any of the Pureblood functions she or her friends had ever been dragged long to, but never until now had it spiked her curiosity.
Abraxas just offered him a small smile in acknowledgment. Thea then rounded on Aurora.
"And you, Aurora? Please say you'll be there, you haven't come to any of the Malfoy's functions in years" she pleaded, tugging lightly at the sleeve of Aurora's robe. Aurora couldn't help but feel slightly guilty, an emotion it seemed she reserved for Thea and Thea alone. Something about the way her big eyes widened when she asked something of you made it almost impossible to refuse.
"Oh, I'm not quite sure, Thea-" she began, but was swiftly cut off.
"But it's going to be mine and Abraxas's engagement announcement party!" Thea exclaimed, looking desperately at her best friend as the whole group seemed to still.
Aurora was, for once, speechless. She just sat there, swallowing as Thea continued to look expectantly at her. Thea's betrothal had been a topic she hadn't been willing to discuss, not even to Abraxas as far as Aurora had been aware. For her to bring it up as a way to guilt trip Aurora into attending a party was incredibly unfair. Aurora supposed there was a reason Thea was a Slytherin, though.
"Oh you know, my mother is taking Evan to France and my father is very busy at the Ministry, I just don't think it would be fair to rely on him getting me to a fro since he's shut off the Estate from the Floo network." It was a shit lie, but the best Aurora could conjure at that moment. She normally had a lie prepared for most situations, but thinking this wouldn't be discussed at a meal was a large oversight on her behalf.
Still, Etienne Rosier was an infamously private man, and him not wanting people to have immediate access to his grounds should have been half believable. The others just seemed content with her answer and returned to their meals, Raoul looking down disappointedly at the prospect of not being able to see his girlfriend at Christmas. She saw Abraxas's eyes narrow only slightly at her before he replied.
"Well then why don't you come and stay at the Manor the whole holiday?" He shrugged as though it were the obvious solution. Which it was really, Aurora wasn't sure how she hadn't just considered asking to stay with someone. She assumed it was her pride getting the better of her, once again. Asking for something would be risking rejection, and Aurora was not one to take rejection well.
"Oh, are you sure? I'd hate to feel I was imposing because of my father's work commitments." She asked, trying her best to sound quite as relieved as she felt.
"Of course, Tom is staying with us too, the more the merrier I suppose. Besides, my mother used to adore you, I'm sure she'd be more than happy to host you." He reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Yes, the more the merrier." Aurora confirmed, he tone clipped as she stole a glance towards the boy sat further down the table, whose sole focus seemed to have returned back to his coffee mug.
Thea beamed at Aurora.
"It'll be my first public appearance as a soon-to-be Malfoy, I can't tell you how happy I am that I'll have you there!" She smiled, almost bouncing in her seat as she looked over to Abraxas.
Abraxas's smile faltered only slightly as he withdrew his hand from where it was resting on Aurora's, but he seemed to think no one had noticed the momentary change. Aurora decided to no press.
Aurora looked around at those she was sat with, and let it sink in just how idiotic she had been to think there was a posibilitly they would't notice her absence over the holidays. It only further solidified her belief that was special amongst them. She felt a surge of renewed confidence as she relaxed into Raoul's side, knowing she would be able to keep her worries from over the last couple of days well and truly locked away, her default cocky self assuredness reinstated.
The only negative in this situation now seemed to be that she would be spending her holidays in the company of Tom Riddle. She supposed he had been relatively well behaved up until now, maybe he'd just tuck himself into the Malfoy's library for two weeks and they would only have to interact at the Christmas Eve Ball. Better yet, the ball would be attended by such a volume of people that they wouldn't even need to interact.
In what felt like no time at all, the plates in front of the group had cleared and the masses began to leave the Great Hall to go about their Sunday activities. Raoul was the first to stand from the group of Slytherins, brushing the away creases Aurora had left in his robes from where she had been leaning against him.
"Well, me and 'Rora are heading to the Library to get that essay for Slughorn completed, anyone willing to join us?" He asked as everyone else followed suit.
Arche just snorted.
"Abso-fucking-lutely not, me and Malfoy are going to enjoy our day of rest, not hole ourselves up in books, thank you very much." Arche quipped, throwing his arm around Abraxas's shoulder.
"Fair enough," Raoul laughed, "Selwyn, Hornby?" He turned his head slightly as they began to walk towards the great oak doors.
"Sorry Lestrange, 'Rora, we said we'd meet Dorea after breakfast." Olive answered.
"Actually, where is Dorea?" Aurora inquired.
Dorea had been absent from a few meals now, always showing up in the dorm later in the day refusing to disclose where she's been. Olive and Thea shared a knowing look before Olive spoke again.
"She said she was going for a walk to the Quidditch pitch." She said with a grin.
Raoul looked slightly confused at that.
"But, why? It's not like any of the decent teams have practice to watch this morning, it's the Gryffindor's time slot. That, and it's bloody freezing." He finished with a slight shiver for emphasis.
Aurora just laughed at his dramatics, raising her eyebrows towards the girls, only to have Thea raise an eyebrow in return and wink at her, confirming the answer to Aurora's question she hadn't even needed to ask. Dorea was definitely not just going for a walk, but the boys didn't need to know that.
"That's okay, I'll see you guys at dinner." was all she said as the girls walked off towards the courtyards, tugging their scarves tighter around their necks.
Aurora had grabbed Raoul's hand again, and was ready for a whole day with just him, when a final voice piped up, and she had to physically stop herself from rolling her eyes, forgetting there were more than six of them that morning.
"I finished the essay last week, but I suppose getting in extra some further reading couldn't hurt, I'll join you both." Tom said as he fell in step with Raoul.
And to think he's been doing so well at staying away.
"Sweet, I just need to run down to the dungeons to grab my bag. I'll grab yours too, 'Rora" Raoul said, oblivious to Aurora's newfound annoyance, given that she really didn't feel like having Tom Riddle of all people third wheeling their study date.
"Oh that's ok, I'll just come with you, it's not that far. You know I can still do such mortal tasks as grabbing my books despite being in a relationship" She teased, but only doing so to avoid having to spend more time alone with Tom than necessary.
"Nonsense, I'll be no time at all, you and Tom go straight to the Library and I'll meet you at that table in the very back corner by the Restricted Section?" The way he had phrased it had sounded like a question, but the way he had hastily kissed her forehead before hastily walking off towards the staircases when they reached the entrance hall without awaiting her response had suggested otherwise.
Arche looked between Tom and Aurora, immediately sensing the tension between them before making no attempt to subtly grab Abraxas's sleeve and dragging him in the same direction that Raoul had gone. Aurora huffed as they left, not wishing to even look at her new and very much unsolicited companion.
"So, do you plan to just stand in the Entrance Hall all day or are we going to the Library." Tom asked from beside her, sounding rather bored.
Aurora's head whipped round, sneering at Tom's use of the word 'we', as it suggested she was actively going to study with him, instead of just putting up with his more than irritating presence for the sake of her boyfriend. He wasn't smiling at her, but she couldn't say his expression portrayed any of the malice she had grown accustomed to from him, either. He just looked inquisitive, the same way he had done when she had sat down at the table that day. It was a look that was becoming more and more common from him.
Aurora, however, decided to not dignify him with a response, making a point to intensify her sneer before she flicked her hair back over her shoulder and marched off towards Library corridor, silently cursing Raoul for being such a bloody gentleman all the time.