Chapter 4

✨Helena Lestrange✨

I entered the Gryffindor common room after giving the Fat Lady an attitude since she wouldn't let me in because I wasn't in Gryffindor.  I walk up to Harry and Ron's dorm and knock on the door.  I wait patiently until Ron opens it.

"El, what are you doing here?"

"Hey, I'm just looking for Harry.  We have to work on a project for class."

"Oh, okay.  HARRY!" Ron yelled behind the door.

"What, Ron?" Harry said, not knowing I was at the door.

"El's here.  See ya." Ron said to me before leaving.

"Sorry, El.  I was just doing homework for other classes." Harry told me, walking out of the dorm so we could work in the common room.

"Don't worry about it.  I almost forgot to come from how much herbology homework I had." He laughed and we made our way to the couch in front of the fire.  We immediately started working on the essay and after an hour of goofing off and working on it, Hermione walked in.

"Hey 'Mione, where have you been?  Let me guess, the library?" I ask her.

She laughs, "Yes, El, I was at the library.  What are you two working on?"

"Charms essay." Harry says, looking up from the book he was reading.

"Well, I'll be in my room if you need me for answers...El."  She looked at me, knowing that I like to come to her a lot when I want answers for homework.

I laughed, "Thanks, but I think we've got it right now, but I'll let you know if that changes."  I said with a smile.  Hermione walked to her room and Harry and I continued working on the project.

At 10, we checked the time and saw that we worked for a while.  So, Harry thought it was best we finish everything else tomorrow.

"I'm so tired, but I'm glad I'm working with you for this project."  I said to Harry.  Earlier, we got so uncomfortable sitting on the couch, we were now on the floor wrapped in blankets.

"Me too, El."  We smile at each other before he continues, "Hey, look, I know your birthday was over the summer, and I wanted to get you something."

"Harry you didn't have to get me anything, honestly."

"I know.  Here." He said, holding out a small box.  I opened it and saw a beautiful, gold ring with the Lestrange family crest. He knew my mother loved our family crest, and so did I.

I choked down my tears as I said, "Harry, it's beautiful.  Thank you." I put it on and gave Harry a hug.  I was at a loss for words.  Harry didn't have to get me anything, but he did, and he really thought about what to get me.

"I got it engraved in diagon alley.  It's not much but-"

I cut him off as I said, "No, no, it's perfect.  I love it, Harry.  Thank you so much!"  I felt a tear escape my eyes as I admired the ring.  Harry tilted my head up and wiped the tear away.  I looked into his shining, green eyes and realized how much he truly cares for me.

✨Harry Potter✨

I wasn't fond of her mother, but El was different.  She wasn't like her mother.  Well, she is, but not to me or my friends.  To me, she's kind, sweet, caring, and so much more.  So, when I heard what happened to her mother over the summer and knew her love for jewelry, I knew this would be a perfect gift.  I knew she would like it, but I wasn't expecting her to like it as much as she did, but I also know her mother means a lot to her.  It was the first time I've ever seen her cry.  Seeing this side of her was like seeing a stranger: new and different.  At that moment, I couldn't help myself.  So, when I wiped her tear away, I kissed her.

✨Helena Lestrange✨

He kissed me, and I never wanted it to end.  I really care for Harry, but never did I expect for me to kiss him.  When we parted, I didn't know what to do.  I mean, what do you say after a first kiss?  Thank you?  We should do it again sometime?  Whatever, after we kissed, it was silent for a moment, until I spoke.

"Um, I'm going to go.  I have to wake up early tomorrow.  You know, for school."  I grabbed my books and helped Harry collect his.

"Yeah, that's probably best.  Uh, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"  Harry said, getting up with his books.

"Yeah, okay." And without another word, we left the common room.

I walked to the girls bathroom before heading back to the common room.  When I entered, I locked the door and used the muffliato spell to silence the bathroom.  Once I knew no one could hear me, I screamed in excitement.  I didn't know what to do, I mean, it was my first kiss!  A first kiss I couldn't tell anyone about.  If any of the Slytherin's found out I kissed a Gryffindor, they'd all disown me or something.  I already know Pansy would be upset and Draco would refuse to talk to me.  So, I knew the only person I would be able to tell is Hermione.  Probably during ancient runes class.  I calmed myself, unlocked the door, and headed back to the common room.

"So, how was it?" Draco said as I entered the common room.  He was laying on the couch, clearly waiting for me to get back.

"What?" I asked, wondering how he knew so quickly.

"How was the study session.  Since you'd obviously rather do it with Potter than me."

Relieved he didn't know, I replied, "Draco, for the last time, Harry and I were partnered up to do the project.  I didn't ask to be his partner."  I knew I sat next to Harry willingly, but I wasn't going to tell Draco that.

"Why didn't you switch partners then?"

"One, I'm friends with Harry.  Two, everyone else was taken.  And three, why do you even care in the first place about who I'm partnered up with?"

"I wouldn't care if anyone else was your partner, but since he is, yes, I'm going to care."

"But why, Draco?  I mean, Harry and I have been friends since first year, and now you care that I'm hanging out with him?"

I took a seat on the couch across from him.

"Draco, why do you care, honestly?"  I told him, sincerely.

"I don't know, El.  I just do."  And with that, he got up and left to his dorm.

Shortly after, I walked up to my dorm to see Pansy already sleeping.  I put on some pajamas and tried falling asleep, but I couldn't.  I kept moving back and forth, trying to get comfortable, but so much was on my mind that I just couldn't fall asleep.  It was midnight when I decided to go back down to the common room to sit by the fire and think.

✨Draco Malfoy✨

I couldn't sleep after my argument with Helena.  I was too busy thinking whether or not I overreacted about the situation.  To clear my mind, I thought I'd go sit by the fireplace until I was ready to go to sleep.  I was thinking El would be there, too.  Back when she stayed over at Malfoy Manor, she would go sit by the fire until she got tired.  It was usually on the days when a lot was going on, like her birthday.  I ignored the thought, though, thinking she would be asleep by now.

I made my way downstairs when I saw El, staring at the fire.  I would've turned back, but I couldn't convince myself to do so.  Instead, I sat by the fireplace next to her.

"I thought I'd find you here." I said, breaking the silence between us.

"Well, I've got a lot on my mind right now." She told me, still looking at the fire.  I noticed her playing with her rings, which she did whenever she was nervous or had something on her mind, and saw one ring that stuck out to me.  It was new and had the Lestrange family crest on it.

"Was that a birthday present?" I asked her, pointing at the ring.

"Yeah."

I knew she didn't have it on this morning or when she went to the Gryffindor common room, so I figured Harry gave it to her.  I've got to admit, as much as I hated the git, it was a really nice ring.

"I'm sorry I got upset with you earlier."  I said. "It's just a project and I don't know why I was acting that way."

"It's okay, Draco." She replied, giving me a warm smile.

"It's not.  I was being overprotective and annoying.  I'm sorry, truly." I hated apologizing, but with her, I knew I couldn't stay mad at her forever and I knew she wasn't going to apologize, even in the times she's the wrong one.

"Draco, I forgive you."

Those words made me feel warm inside.  I hated arguing with her.  It was like ignoring a part of me.  I mean, we grew up together, after all.  We sat in silence and watched the flames dance around.  After a while, El spoke.

"I miss her."

I watched as a single tear fell down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away.

"I know you do.  I promise, El, you'll see her again."

Now, she turned to face me and I saw her eyes on the verge of breaking down.

"Don't promise me that.  I don't want to get my hopes up."

I looked at her beautiful hazel eyes.  The lighting from the fire made her face glisten.  Honestly, if the conversation we were having wasn't so depressing, I might have kissed her.  But I knew, now was not the moment, so I responded, "We are going to find a way to get her out, alright?  Sirius did it, so can we."

"That's the thing.  Every time I think about that, I remind myself that Sirius is an adult with far more knowledge than a third year.  And besides, he's the only one who's done it."

"Well, if you keep thinking like that, you're definitely not going to find a way to help your mother."

"Thinking like what? Realistically?  Draco, thanks for trying to help, but I know I won't be able to free my mother as much as I try."

At this point, she started crying, letting the tears fall down her face.  There was nothing I could say to make the situation better, so I grabbed El and let her cry into my shirt.  She cuddled into me as I pulled a blanket from the couch and wrapped it around her.  This girl was broken inside and put on a fake smile everyday.  The last thing she needed was for her friend to be upset with her, so I told myself that from now on, I'll be there for her, whether I want to or not.  All I want to do, is make El happy.

After she stopped crying, she grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around me as well.  I chuckled at that.  She always put the people she loved first, rather than herself.  We snuggled watching the fire, wishing this moment would last forever.  It was quiet, no one awake but us, warm under the blanket and because we were by the fire, it was perfect.  We stayed like this until I heard El yawn.

"Tired?" I asked her.  She nodded into my chest.

I got up and she whined, "Noo! Stay here, I was comfortable!"

I laughed, "You'll be even more comfortable in your bed. Now, come on and be quiet because Pansy's already asleep."

"I guess." She got up, put the blanket back on the couch, and walked with me up to her dorm.  I put my good arm around her and she lay her head on my shoulder as we continued walking to her room.

When we got to her dorm, she unlocked it with her key and we walked in, careful not to wake Pansy.  El fell into her bed and got under the covers.

"Goodnight, El." I said, giving her a kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight, Draco." She said, falling asleep right after.  I exited the room quietly and walked to my dorm, tired as well.  I walked in, seeing Blaise knocked out, and fell asleep once my head hit the pillow.

AHHH!!  I hope you liked it, because it's going to get even juicier with the chapters to come!  If you guys don't know what the Lestrange family crest looks like, this is it below: 

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Much love,

M🐍💕✨