Chapter 19:

Comfort

Kalya woke up the next morning, knowing classes were to start and dressed solemnly in her school uniform. The Head Girl badge glared up at her from its place on her chest. She wished last night was a dream. The only happiness she had was seeing Ginny today.

She put on light pink make-up on her eyes, with pink eye liner, blush and very soft pink lipstick. She slipped on her normal black dress shoes and tied her tie before she left her room. She smiled; Ginny was going to get a kick out of her bedroom when she was able to show her.

The Great Hall quieted down when she stepped into it. Whispered started, everyone was already afraid of her, remembering how she was last year. Ginny waved her over and she sat down next to her girlfriend. Ginny kissed her on the lips in greeting as the other's exclaimed their good mornings.

"How is it sleeping in the Head Girl's room," Roslyn asked, leaning forward slightly over the table.

"It's a bit lonely actually. You get used to sleeping in a room with people for so long," Kalya shrugged.

"Did you and Ginny share a room over summer," Colin asked innocently.

Both girls flushed in embarrassment.

"Wow, Colin I didn't take you for a pervert," Jade laughed.

"Wait! That came out wrong! I didn't mean it that way," he sputtered trying to cover his tracks.

"Ginny stayed with me at Malfoy Manor most the summer," Kalya tried to smile but couldn't stop her giggles.

"It's such a nice place. Draco and Luna have done some great stuff to it," Ginny added.

"Luna, as in Lovegood," Blair's jaw dropped.

"Yes as in Lovegood. Everyone says the same thing," Kalya smirked.

"That is such an odd pair," Lillian hummed.

"And we're not," the girls laughed when they realized they had spoken at the same time.

"You got a point," Denis nodded.

"Oh, when is the bonding by the way," Martha asked.

"We aren't sure yet," Kalya shrugged.

"My mum isn't on board with the idea just yet," Ginny sighed.

"It's okay, at least she is trying," Kalya smiled.

"So you're just waiting on one blessing," Roslyn stated.

"That's pretty much it. But we don't know when we want it. Draco and Luna say summer, Blaise and Stephine are pushing for New Years and Ginny and I want fall."

"But, they all have such great plans for the time of year they have picked we can't seem to decide yet. We had planned that when Kalya turned seventeen we would get bonded right away, but now we aren't sure."

"Wait, how old are you then," Denis asked.

"I am still fifteen at the moment. I'll be sixteen in October."

"I'm already seventeen so we are just waiting for her."

"Wow, you're really young," Colin stated.

"I suppose," Kalya nodded, looking over she noticed Emily sitting nervously by herself, "I'll be right back."

Kalya stood, noticing all eyes were on their group. Many people were gasping and shocked. Ignoring everyone she moved over to her ex-girlfriend and sat down smiling at her. Her back against the table she could see straight into Emily's face.

"You looked a bit lonely over here," Kalya smiled, "Getting to know people in this school is easy."

"I guess I'm just nervous it's been forever since I've been in a new school," she admitted.

"It hasn't been that long, what has it been three years," Kalya pointed out.

"Yeah but three years is a long time."

"Why don't you come sit with my friends? We are all seventh years and will be gone next year, but I'm sure you will find plenty of friends here before the year is up," Kalya offered.

"I will, on one condition."

"Okay, what's that?"

"Tell me, why are Slytherins mean to Gryffindors?"

"It's kind of like a house rivalry. Salazar Slytherin wanted to get rid of all muggle borns and half-bloods and wanted the school to be for pure bloods. Godrick Gryffindor didn't agree and their hate seems to have been passed down through the ages."

"You aren't a mean person so how did you get in Slytherin?"

"I asked to be put there."

"Why?"

"Cause I wanted to be placed there. The hat told me it would be the best house for me and I knew it would be too, because it's shown me a lot about myself and how life is."

"No one trusts you, not since last year. You told me all about it and I understand everything that happened, but they don't trust you for more than being Slytherin. Does no one know the real reason behind everything?"

"No, no one but my two groups of friends do."

"It's sad to see that no one trusts such an amazing person like you."

"I don't mind, they have their reasons to not trust me. You and I have a past and you know the real me, that's why you still feel safe around me."

"You're not a bad person."

"They don't know that."

"You were my girlfriend for two years; I should know who you are."

"Sometimes, we change. For the better or worse. But, our relationship kept our friendship strong long after it was over and I'm glad you still trust me."

"I want to get to know Ginny too."

"Just one thing, in England unless your friends, you call people by their last name."

"Oh, I can do that."

The two girls moved to sit with the group who were smiling at them.

"I'm tired," Kalya leaned against Ginny who smiled down at her.

"What time did you go to bed?"

"I don't know, late. I was so nervous about today and scared I just couldn't sleep."

"Maybe you'll sleep better tonight then," Ginny offered.

"I miss spending the night with you," Kalya whispered in her ear, the group around them able to hear what she said suddenly blush and nervously giggled.

"Honestly guys, she didn't mean it that way. You would know if she meant it that way, her voice always changes," Ginny huffed.

Kalya giggled and kissed behind Ginny's ear before eating more of the food that was on her plate.

"You filled my plate," Kalya realized as she looked at Ginny.

"I know what you like, and you were busy talking, I thought I would fill it because you have to be hungry, you always are."

"It's so weird, the time zone difference and the boys never ate this early in the morning."

"I'm sure we will get used to it," Ginny laughed.

"Want to meet up at lunch," Kalya asked.

"I would love to meet up at lunch."

"I want you to see my room, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it, Dumbledore sure has one hell of a sense of humor."

Ginny walked behind Kalya who lead her through unfamiliar halls. They came to a stop in front of a painting that Kalya quickly spoke the password to. It opened and they stood in the common room of the Head of Houses.

"Whoa," Ginny gasped in awe as she looked around.

The couches in front of the fireplace were completely like the ones in Gryffindor. The walls were soft silver. It looked like her common room just decked out in Gryffindor and Slytherin colors.

"They do this because you guys are two different houses, right?"

"They think it would make us more comfortable, but for all I care it could be all Gryffindor colors. I love red, I like silver, but there is no green here so they might as well just do gold."

"They didn't put green cause it would look like Christmas in here all year," Ginny pointed out.

"I know and green and gold doesn't look as good as red and silver. Here come this way."

Another password whispered and stones moved aside to show a room. Ginny stepped in and her mouth dropped. The bed from the room of requirement stood in the corner. The book shelves also stood near it. The couch in front of the fire was soft and plush in a beautiful deep blue. The floor was a soft pink and so where the walls. The small desk Kalya had originally had was now twice the size and perfect for studying and working with a partner.

The bathroom was designed the same as the one before but it was done in soft reds and gold. Ginny moved over toward the fire place and noticed five frames on it. On the very left the picture was of Kalya with her group of American friends. The next picture was of Draco, Kalya, and Blaise, she stood in the middle with her arms hooked through both boys' arms and all of them were smiling.

The middle picture was of Ginny and Kalya. They were kissing and hugging. They would pull apart just enough to smile at the people watching the picture, then turn to each other, kissing, dancing and just having fun. The next picture was of Sirius, Kalya and Harry, they were laughing and smiling their arms around each other, it was the day the adoption was finished.

The last picture was of everyone before the war. Ginny felt tears sting her eyes at a smiling Fred, Remus, Tonks and Moody. There were so many people in this one picture and a lot of them were dead. She missed them all daily; it was hard not to forget their lives.

"I personally love the middle one," Kalya smiled softly, "He had placed up a few more, but I just couldn't bear to leave them up, so I took them down because I cried every time I saw them."

"Where are they," Ginny asked softly.

"Top drawer of my dresser."

She opened the drawer and pulled out another frame. A blonde haired blue eyed man and a black haired brown eyed woman smiled up at her. Kalya's parents, yet they looked so happy. Setting it on the dresser she pulled out another. Xavier and Kalya stood hugging each other, their faces smiling at Ginny.

"You know how I feel, about losing Fred," Ginny whispered, "I feel horrible that I forgot."

"You didn't know him," Kalya hugged her from behind, "You never met him and most people don't even realize I ever had a family before coming here."

"You chose to take my attention off the loss of my brother, because you know what it's like to feel the hurt. You made me feel better without actually letting me know you were doing it."

"It hurts the most when people bring it up when you're not ready to talk about it. I wanted you to feel comfortable and ready to open up and talk about it."

"Talk to me," Ginny whispered.

"I miss him. Honestly I miss him every day and seeing you with your brother's, it stabbed at my heart to see it, but you were so happy and I just wanted to be near you. I love you and your family makes you happy and I'm willing to deal with the pain just so I can be near you.

The pain is gone now though. It doesn't hurt to see you with your family anymore. I've accepted my brother's death a lot more now than then. It was a shock to lose him. He was alive and talking to me one day and that very day he died and I didn't know till the following day. He was all I had left.

I lost everything. My parents, my brother, my girlfriend. I thought there was nothing happy to look forward to in life and then I saw you. I was so shocked with how much I liked you and wanted to meet you long before I even did meet you. When we started being friends, I couldn't stop the want to just tell you how much I wanted you.

It took me forever to open up because I had already lost everything, I didn't want to lose the one girl who had actually made me feel happy in a very long time. I never lost my smiles or laughs, but my heart never stopped hurting. Everyone thought I was okay because I didn't cry or show depression to them."

"I'm so sorry, I never even knew," Ginny cried, "now that I do know, I just miss my brother so much."

"I miss Fred too. It's not much fun without him," Kalya felt the tears slid down her cheeks.

They held each other, crying over the pain and loss they both had been through. Soft words of mourning were spoken as they told each other just how much they really missed their family members who had passed away. Their only joy that none of their other family members had died in the final battle.

They fell asleep in Kalya's bed, curled up together in an effort to comfort each other.