Chapter Eighteen

Jessie tied a knot in her knitted shawl in the back, put it on and looked in the mirror. There she was; in a black corset with a black skirt, black heals hair in curls. She looked a little slutty for a Christmas dinner.

Blair walked in the room in her red dress and stared at Jessie. "Don't say anything. It was the only thing of yours that would fit me." Jessie said still looking at herself in the mirror.

"We'll, that won't be very easy to get off if you plan on getting some tonight."

"I don't, Blair. I just hope it doesn't burst when I'm done eating." Finally she looked at Blair and laughed.

"Shut up, you're a twig. Harry and Ron are waiting for us."

"What about Draco and Hermione?" Jessie asked trying to pull the corset up a little more.

"They're already there. Marissa came up too; she said Hermione looks gorgeous and alive for once. I think she might have a crush on Ronny-kins. She's been all over him."

"I don't like him, Blair. Think what you want, but I will never ever like a Gryffindor boy." Blair smirked at Jessie's dumb comment. She turned to the side to smooth the wrinkles in her clothing and then her eyes stopped on her butt.

"Hermione said she would never fall for a Slytherin, didn't she?" Blair said, and she turned around and walked out of the room. Jessie looked at her leave and then looked at the present peaking out from the bed. She rolled her eyes, kicked the present under the bed and then left.

She stepped out and saw Marissa in her spaghetti strapped mauve sparkle dress. Her hair was all pretty like and her sandals were great. Jessie looked…well Jessie looked nothing compared to Marissa. Ron turned and looked at Jessie, seeming surprised by her outfit. Marissa blinked and then finally came to a half glare. Marissa and Jessie never seemed to get along, so why start now?

They walked down to the Great Hall seeing only a few tables, some of them empty, one of them being sat at. Jessie looked over and saw Draco and Hermione holding hands and leaning in to kiss every once and a while. She did look beautiful that night, had she always been that beautiful?

Fuck, everyone in the school was an idiot for ever telling Hermione Granger that she was ugly.

She looked like Juliet in a red gown that touched the floor, with her hair pulled back in twists, shimmering dust around her eyes, her lips glossy. Jessie would have done anything to be her in that moment. She felt a hand tap her arm and she blinked, looking back. It was Ron with Marissa on his arm.

"Can I escort a lady to the table?" Jessie sneered and then shook her head walking to the table. She sat down across from Hermione, hoping she would embrace some of the beauty she was seeing.

Draco looked over and gawked at Jessie. "Wow, you…uh…look great." Draco managed to say. Hermione nodded in agreement. Jessie blushed but soon her tan came back as Ron sat next to her. She glared as he smiled at her.

Blair sat next to Jessie, Harry next to Blair and Hermione. Marissa sat in between Draco and Ron. They erupted in conversation as the food began to appear on TV, but Jessie watched Hermione glumly. She was so happy now; she was so in love, she was so wanted. Everyone loved her and everyone liked Jessie. Liked, they only liked her; it wasn't friendly love like the love towards Hermione. Suddenly, Jessie became jealous.

In her mind she was plotting out how she would black mail Hermione. She could make up a nasty rumor that she was a tri-sexual and had sex with poor dogs. No, that would be stupid. No one would believe her then. She could stain all her clothes with a dark red, making it look like she had ran out of tampons in the wrong place. Or she could just jump over the table and try to strangle. It was exactly black mail but, Jessie loved the idea. Too bad she was too scared to do it.

Jessie snapped out of her revenge-filled mind and into the better half of her mind. She grabbed some bread rolls and started stuffing her face. Blair stopped her once she reached over for a fifth roll. "You really might bust if you don't stop eating like that. Eat some lobster or ham or chicken. Eat some meat you skinny bitch." Blair said. Jessie nodded, tears filling her eyes as she looked over at Marissa and Hermione laughing at a joke.

She filled her face as fast as she could and then sat back and waited for everyone to be done. Finally late at night, about 11:30, everyone had got done eating and starting breaking out presents. Jessie rolled her eyes, expecting no presents.

"I think I'm going to bed, I'm too tired." Jessie said, everyone looked up at her. She stood up, said goodbye and then left. She lingered in front of the cold entrance doors, sniffing at the cold air. She wiped the space between her nose and lips, feeling moisture. Nothing was there though, just like no one was there for her. Tears filled her eyes once again, stinging them softly.

She turned hearing the doors open. Ron poked his head out and then walked towards her, leaving the door to shut by herself. He wiped a tear away with his thumb but Jessie pushed him away.

"You're stubborn, aren't you?" Ron commented. Jessie pulled her shawl tightly around her and then stepped outside into the wintry Christmas night. Ron stood in the door way, hands shoved in his pockets and watched her from behind.

Jessie's lips trembled from her emotions, but her teeth chattered from the cold. She felt a jacket be put over her shoulders and softly cried. Ron pulled her soft hair out from under the coat and Jessie turned to look at him.

"You care, don't you?" She whispered. He nodded his head and reached for her hand. They stood there, watching over the cloudless, starless sky, listening to the whistle of the wind…holding hands.

§¤§

Hermione spun the ring around her finger and smiled as it sparkled. He had given her a silver ring with red and green diamonds lacing in and out. Draco grinned looking at her. "So you like it."

"Words can't explain it." Hermione retorted, as the finished walking up the stairs. They stepped into the common room and Hermione stepped dead in her tracks. Rose petals and candle light filled the room, with the scent of warm vanilla filling the air. Bubbles were falling out of the bathroom; the sound of water came from Hermione's room…but Draco's room, his was the one to see. Hermione walked into his room feeling warm sand underneath her toes, incense brought tears to her eyes. The bed was covered in silk sheets, but the headboard and frame were gone, leaving the bed on the ground.

Draco moved Hermione's hair away from her neck and kissed her softly. "Did you do this all by yourself?" Hermione asked feeling a nibble on her neck.

"I had a little help from some third year. I paid him too, all for you. All for my girl." He whispered. Hermione lifted his face from her neck and kissed him on the lips. Draco pulled away and pressed his smile against hers. She pulled him towards the bed and then fell onto it. Draco looked at her, Jessie suddenly popping into his head. He wondered if she was okay. She looked sad at dinner.

Hermione looked at him, brushing the hair out of his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," He said and leaned into to kiss her.

§¤§

Jessie opened her eyes, hearing the steam of a kettle whistle as loud as it could. She sat up, hair a mess and her face all scrunched. The warm smell of honey filled her nostrils as she sat up and looked around. She rubbed her eyes and looked over, seeing Blair pouring some tea into a cup. Oh yeah, Jessie came here last night. Blair turned back and smiled at Jessie.

"I found some little orphan girl on my couch this morning."

"Sorry, I just didn't feel like going all the way back to the Slytherin common room. I didn't mean to interrupt anything…if I did." Jessie told her quietly. Blair finished pouring the tea and walked over to Jessie. She handed her a cup and grinned.

"You didn't…believe me. No one ever got a chance to give you your presents, so Harry and I just brought them here." Jessie blinked as she took a sip of the hot green tea. They got her presents? She thought she would only be getting late presents from her parents and maybe her grandparents, but hardly anyone else gave her a present. She looked down at the coffee table and a lot of presents. She smiled and put the tea down.

She grabbed the first present and opened it. There was a card from Draco and Hermione;

Dear Jessie,

We wish you the best of luck for the rest of the year and hope you are as happy as ever. We hope that you can overcome your battles and have a lot of luck. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Love,

Hermione and Draco

She looked at the present and it was a silver necklace with a diamond pendant cross. Jessie gasped at the thought of them getting her something so expensive. Blair crossed her arms and smiled. "All they got me was a pair of diamond earrings."

"How could they ever afford something so expensive?"

"Something tells me Draco's mother sent it for Hermione because you, Marissa, and I all got diamonds. But Hermione got a ring and a pair of really expensive shoes and some clothes. I don't think Hermione would every keep all of that just from one person." Blair told her.

"Well I don't know why she wouldn't; this is absolutely gorgeous."

"Open that one from Harry; I got a good one from him."

"Potter…?" Jessie smirked. "He got me something?"

"It's the heart that counts, Jessie. Brighten up. After all, he is ranking in all this money. What's a seventeen year old boy to do with all of it?" Jessie rolled her eyes and picked up the present with red penguin wrapping. She tore the paper and opened a blue velvet box to see another necklace, this time sapphires seemed to leak out of the silver and down a pendant. She smiled in awe.

"Is he here?" Jessie asked.

"He left early this morning. He and Ron have plans to go pick up Ginny Weasley from the train station today." Ron…Ron, oh yes. What did he get her? Jessie put Harry's present down and searched the presents. Did he even get her anything?

"I was hiding that one for later, but if you want it now-" Jessie looked up at Blair, wishing she hadn't made it so obvious that she was looking for Ronald Weasley's present. Her expression was blank, yet Blair knew Jessie wanted that present more than anything. She sighed and then called her tiger out. Along side that tiger was a snow fox. Jessie blinked and her jaw dropped.

"He got me that?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah, but its collar is amazing. It's really special." Blair said. Jessie looked over. She couldn't believe that all Blair could think about was the fox's collar. It was a damn fox he had gotten her for Christmas! Who gets someone they've hated for a really long time a fox? Was it his way of showing her how much he hated her, so that she could pay for all the bills of this damn fox.

The fox walked over to Jessie and sat down next to her leg. It yawned tiredly. Jessie got down on the ground and searched through the soft fur for its collar. She found a leather collar with the name "Tarra" encrusted in it with diamonds. There was a small card hanging from the collar also. Jessie pulled the card off and read it.

Dear Knowlton,

I know we haven't been very good friends and our history doesn't make it much easier either. But I found this little fox thing outside and it was really nice and the collar came with it so I thought you might like it. The day after Christmas…I don't know what you're doing…but I thought you might like to come to Hogsmeade with me for a bit. I have to get my sister later on that day, but if you want to hang out before I'm free. I hope you have a great Christmas and ring in the New Year the best way you can.

-Ron Weasley

Jessie bit her lower lip to keep herself from erupting in smiles. "You know you want to," Blair teased. Jessie looked up and giggled. She then buried her face into the fox's fur to hide her smile.

§¤§

Hermione woke up to see Draco already getting ready for the day. He was so weird after sex. It was like there was nothing more embarrassing for him. "Where are you going?" Hermione asked in a tired voice.

"Me and Blaise are going to Hogsmeade today. Mum sent me money so I could buy myself a new broom. But Marissa said she wants to hang out with you today…so I don't know. You could tag along secretly if you wanted." Hermione rolled her eyes. Even after he had told her he loved her, he was still so self conscience about showing his feelings for her.

Draco pulled a gray Sweatshirt with the word DUKE on the front over his head. What the hell did DUKE mean? "What's DUKE?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, I found it in my closet today. I thought it was yours." He said looking over. Hermione grinned. He then walked over and kissed her. "I'll tell Blaise sometime, don't worry." Hermione's grinned was washed away. She nodded feeling like a loser. It seemed like she'd never be good enough for Draco's friends.

§¤§

Jessie dressed herself in a black pea coat, white pants and black boots. There was a large bag on her shoulder with the little fox in it. She stood in the cold weather watching everyone go by and then saw Blaise and Draco walking up to her. DUKE was printed on Draco's sweatshirt. How weird…what did DUKE mean?

"Hey, Jessie." Draco said.

"Hey, thanks for the earrings. They're really nice." Jessie said. Draco grinned and nodded. He looked at the head poking out of her bag.

"Who's that from?" Jessie blinked, feeling very dumbfounded. She looked down.

"Blair, you know she's into those exotic animals."

"Oh yeah…" Draco said. "Well were going to look for a new broom. Do you wanna tag along or something?" How dumb was he? 'Tag along' was the same thing he said to his girlfriend that his best friend didn't even know about. He felt like slapping himself, but the cold that was scratching his face was enough punishment already.

She sniffed and then said, "Uh, naw. I'm waiting for Marissa anyway." Draco cocked his brow at her. Marissa and Hermione were supposed to be hanging out today. Did they make plans with Jessie too? That'd be weird because Marissa wasn't too fond of Jessie and Hermione didn't seem to be either.

"Oh, okay. Well, you know where we'll be if you need anything." Draco said and he walked away wondering why Jessie was acting so weird.

Jessie sat down on a bench and looked at her new pet. Tarra…it sounded so familiar. It sounded like the name of an exotic princess, but Jessie couldn't recall. "Morning, Knowlton. See you got my present." Jessie looked up and smiled, the sun blinding her and giving her the one eye open, one eye scrunched up look.

"It's…she's, uh, very beautiful." Jessie said standing up. She pulled a present out form her bag and handed it to him. "I meant to bring it last night, but I don't know. I expected to be lonely."

"That's okay." He undid the ribbon and the paper fell off slowly. It was a new pair of Quidditch gloves with the name Weasley encrusted on them. He smiled and looked at her. "Thanks, Knowlt-"

"Jessie, you can call me Jessie, Weasley."

"Thanks, Jessie." They continued walking, Ron holding his gloves in his hand. "So where do you want to go?"

"I don't care; let's just get out of the cold."

They walked into a lonely coffee shop and sat down at a table. Jessie sighed and took off her leather gloves. Her fingers were red and chapped. She sniffed at the sweet smell of French vanilla. "So, why'd you invite me out here?"

"Just for fun. I wanted to see if you were okay from last night."

"Oh," Jessie remembered last night. Ron Weasley cared for her more then he cared about himself. She was a rich bitch and he was not a bitch or rich. Poor silly girl, just like Titanic.

Jessie rubbed her hands together trying to create warmth, but it didn't seem to work. She stretched her fingers out and looked at them hopelessly. Then Ron reached over and took them in his own hands. "Body heat is the best way to create warmth." Jessie felt the warmth creeping into her cheeks though, not her hands.

§¤§

"Do you really think Jessie was waiting for Marissa, I mean Marissa hates Jessie." Blaise stated as Draco held a broom in his hands. He studied it carefully and then blew the dust out of it.

"I don't know. Maybe they came to peace finally."

"I just don't think Jessie would ever hang out with Marissa, even if they didn't hate each other. Marissa is the Boho Babe and Jessie is like the Abercrombie hottie. The two click and clash."

"Blaise, seriously, are you gay? You seem to know a lot about clothes." Draco said coolly, picking up another broom.

"No, I was quoting Jessie."

"Maybe Jessie feels like Marissa is someone she can talk to, considering they both went out with you. Where were you last night anyway?"

"You know me, there were some girls at the Pitch last night drunk as could be. They were all over me." Blaise told him. Draco nodded in disbelief and brought the broom to the front desk.

"Can I get this one?" Blaise had to be gay. There was no way drunken girls could have been at the Quidditch Pitch last night in the cold. They probably would have died or something.

§¤§

Hermione sighed looking at an Ugg. Marissa was already trying a few pairs of shoes on and they had only been in the store for five minutes. "He's never going to tell his friends will he?"

"Maybe, but Blaise says mean things about girls like you so it may take some time."

Hermione grabbed the Ugg off the shelf and brought it over to the counter which was right in front of the window. "Can I try these on? Size 35," Hermione said. The cashier nodded and went to the back, taking the boot. Hermione tapped her fingers on the counter and looked out the window to another store. She looked into the coffee shop across the street and gasped. There sitting at a corner table was Ron Weasley and Jessie Knowlton holding hands.

"What?" Marissa asked.

"Ron likes Jessie Knowlton." Hermione squeaked. Marissa nearly fell over trying to get off the bench to see. She stood next to Hermione her mouth agape.

"That bitch," Marissa said in anger.