BORN TO DIE    ╱    DRACO MALFOY
꒷꒦ · ˚.‧ . written by ella . . . © -lostgardens
048 ━ ❛ stargazing and birthday presents ❜

A little less than a week had passed—long, boring, and full of school work and conversations amongst friends. Olivia was out of her mind trying to figure out links between Sirius Black and Professor Lupin, aside from the fact that they were a part of the Order when it was still up and running and went to Hogwarts together (where they may or may not have been friends—that was still up for debate). Now more than ever, she needed to know.

She had first pondered whether to ask Snape about the two after learning of his suspicions when Dumbledore hired Lupin, but then she thought better of it. The man would ask too many questions, pry himself into her investigation, and ultimately figure out all of the secret plans she had.

Was she being a little paranoid? Yes.

But it wasn't Snape's business. If he found out what she was thinking of, researching, and planning, then he'd tell her parents. And frankly, it wasn't any of their business either. Olivia was approaching the ripe age of fourteen; she could do things on her own without her parents or Snape budding in and trying to take over or tell her what to do and not to do.

If (or when) she needed them and their help, she'd tell them. But, for the time being, she was doing it all on her own, just how she liked it.

So there she sat—in the library, her face in a book, content with her plans. She was taking a momentary pause from her Black-Lupin-Connections research and catching up (or rather, getting ahead) on her school work. She only had one more assignment to complete, and she was grateful. She was also grateful for the fact that she finally no longer had to wear the godforsaken bandages around her torso, covering her scratch marks, which, despite Madam Pomfrey's initial worries about the girl's rapid healing, were slowly but surely closing up.

She was healing; that was the main point. But when she'd visited the hospital to make sure everything was good and well earlier that day (meaning she wasn't going to almost die from an infection in her wound again), Madam Pomfrey seemed rather surprised that the marks were still healing.

Surely they would've been gone by now; that was what Olivia believed Pomfrey thought.

With the memory of the hushed and rather suspicious whispers of Snape, Dumbledore, and the Matron, Olivia knew all too well that the healer was shocked. That, and the look on the woman's face. But she'd quickly covered that look before she thought Olivia had noticed and assured her that she was just fine—no need to worry and no need to wear the bandages any longer, since the wounds were mere scabs, and that she could go on her way, just not to get into any debacles between a hippogriff and an idiot (not the word the Matron used) boy who liked to rile up said hippogriffs.

Olivia had simply nodded, left the hospital, and made her way to the library. Her friends were off somewhere, and she was guessing they were planning a "surprise" gathering for her birthday, like they had done in their first and second years since her birthday was in the short time of a few days.

It wasn't really a surprise, seeing as though she knew it was coming. She told them—practically begged (quite an exaggerated statement) for them—not to make a tradition out of it. But, alas, they didn't seem to want to listen to her.

Nonetheless, she was sure Lucas would eventually make his way into the library, tired of present planning, and join her at the book-and-parchment-covered table that also hosted her bag, wand, quill, and inkwell while she worked. He liked the quiet of the library, much like her, and Theodore would probably make some teasing joke that made Lucas's face heat and annoyance brew under his usual calm and collected self. Theodore certainly had a way with words.

But not all ways are ones a person should follow.

Speaking of which, a chair was drug out from under the table, opposite Olivia. She looked up from her book on fire omens. After the tea readings and a few odd topics, Trelawney had moved their lesson onto fire omens, and she wanted each student to write a report on them—study them through a book, learn all about them, and then they'd eventually actually study them in class. It was busy work, rather boring to Olivia, but enough to keep her occupied well enough, and she was still determined to be one of the best at Divination. She hated the class, but she chose it as an elective, so she had to stick with it whether it made her want to rip her hair out or not.

As she focused on who was in front of her, she saw her brother staring back at her with reddened cheeks and a trying-to-be-calm yet annoyed expression on his face. She knew Theodore would joke around with him. She didn't say anything about that thought as she looked back down at her book. "How was the planning?" she asked, reading over some words and then making notes in her notebook.

"What?" Lucas's face was twisted in confusion to match his tone.

Olivia exhaled, dropping her book down on the table and looking up at him with boredom. She gave him a knowing look and watched as he sat up straighter in his seat. "None of you are good at keeping secrets," she began, setting her quill down and clasping her hands together in front of her. "And this has happened for two years now—the drifting away, hushed whispers, and sideways glances. You've only been here for one, now two, of these occasions. Now, please save us both the awkward silence of denial—I know that you lot are planning the gathering, or whatever you'd like to call it, for my birthday."

Sighing, Lucas dropped his shoulders. "We aren't very good at keeping secrets, are we?" He breathed out a laugh, giving her an amused look. She offered a small smile and shook her head as he leaned forward. "Whatever. I'm just glad that I don't have to keep tip-toeing around the topic of your birthday," he admitted, sinking into his seat as his back pressed against its back.

"Do you know what they're all getting me? If they're getting me anything, that is," she inquired, looking down at the pages of her book and pretending like she wasn't all that interested. She was, in fact, extremely interested.

"Yes," he answered, causing her to look up, "but I'm not going to tell you."

She just hummed in response, playfully rolling her eyes as she leaned back in her seat to mimic his posture. She studied him closely for a moment as he matched her gaze. His face remained blank, and his eyes were untelling.

She had taught him well. Almost too well.

He didn't break as she stared at him for another few moments. And finally, letting out a breath, she sat up straight again, giving up on breaking him. She'd figure it out soon enough; there were only a few more days to wait.

"Never mind that, then," she replied, picking up her book again.

"What are you working on?" He leaned closer to the table, trying to look at the page she was reading, despite it being upside down. "Something for a class?"

"Yes. Trelawney is moving on to teaching fire omens and wants us to write a report on them," she explained, glancing over the page and writing some more notes in her notebook. She didn't know why she was putting so much effort into a class she believed was the bane of her existence, but Divination was an art form, one that she wanted to learn. Perhaps all of the effort would be worth it.

"Interesting," he muttered, raising his brows in intrigue.

For the rest of the time in the library, they were silent as Olivia worked and Lucas grabbed a book off a nearby shelf and read. Neither one of them had anything particular to say, and that wasn't unusual between them. They often sat in silence, just in each other's company, doing their own thing. But they hadn't been on their own, just the two of them (apart from when they were at the manor) recently.

It was refreshing for Olivia to spend some quality time with her brother, even if they weren't divulging in conversation or doing anything specific. She adored having friends (though she wouldn't admit that—a small like was all they'd ever get), but she missed those times at the manor when she and Lucas just sat next to each other, silent while reading or drawing (on his part). The times when they were just enjoying each other's presence were always the best for her.

"I hear you're going to be going to Hogsmeade again during the first weekend of December," Lucas said as they walked out of the library doors an hour later. "I still wish I could go; I need to gather presents for everyone."

"Yeah. I wish you could go as well." Olivia let out a breath, clutching a book to her chest with one hand as she fumbled with her bag's strap with the other. "But, if you want, I can get the presents you need while I'm there. Just make a list and give it to me," she offered, smiling.

"While I would be absolutely appreciative of that, those gifts include yours—for Christmas, of course, but I also need to get something for your birthday as well," he explained with a knowing look on his slowly-becoming-less-boyish face. "The latter sooner rather than later."

"Well," she began, but her words fell short when she struggled with what to say next. Exhaling and ignoring his amused gaze, she looked forward, focusing on the corridor.

There was no one around except for the two of them. She wondered where everyone else was lingering. She knew her friends and Daphne, in the midst of their not-so-secret planning, were probably in the common room. Still, it was the weekend, so there should be other students. Perhaps they were sleeping in on this slightly chilly day. She knew what it was like to feel a bit more tired during the cold, holiday-filled months.

"I'll give you a list of the gifts I want to get for everyone, except you," he concluded, breaking the silence that had fallen between them for a few moments and snapping her out of her thoughts. "I'll tell one of the others to gather the gifts I want to get for you," he added, raising his chin, not paying much mind to the narrowed look she was giving him.

"Fine," she huffed, annoyed that she wouldn't be getting a sneak peek at her presents.

He just breathed out a laugh, shaking his head in amusement. And they continued walking in silence, not heading anywhere in particular. Just enjoying each other's company.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

Later that night, Olivia sat in the astronomy tower. She was sure this routine was getting to the point where her friends didn't even have to venture a guess as to where she was if she weren't at dinner with the rest of them. She just wasn't in the mood to socialize, and rather than sit in her room doing nothing since she was done with all of her schoolwork and homework, she thought it'd best she be somewhere she enjoyed.

It was rather chilly out there, seeing that it was around an hour before curfew, almost to the point where the short hand on the clock marked eight. Dinner was ending soon enough, and she only had an hour to spare before she was required to go back to the commons for the night. She had a warming charm cast on her and a thick coat on, helping fight the chill of the night.

She was breathing in and out, trying to rid her mind of all thoughts. The fresh air relieved her senses, like a fresh start or cleansing of all worry, stress, and strain. The stars were shining bright like glistening diamonds, and the full moon was like a light in the sky, shining down on the Black Lake as it cast its reflection on the ripples of the water.

The floor of the tower was cold to the touch, but Olivia didn't mind it. It felt good on her skin. She never had any ill will towards the cold months; she loved them, in fact. She despised summer and spring; they didn't suit her.

She loved bundling in warm coats, scarves, and other autumn-winter clothing. She loved when the blush from the biting chilliness formed on her cheeks. She loved when the colorful leaves and white powder would cover the ground in a thick, almost protective blanket. She loved when snowflakes fell in her hair, lingering for a moment before they ultimately melted.

It was all so... cozy. It was almost heartwarming and comforting.

She watched the stars, blinking when the cold hit her eyes. And she saw them blink back at her. They continued to twinkle when she heard footsteps coming closer as someone ascended the twisting staircase.

She first assumed it was Draco; he liked to check up on her when she missed dinner. He always knew to find her there whenever she was nowhere else. She hated that he knew—well, every one of her friends knew. She hated that he checked up on her, even despite having changed their status to friends.

"Hey," a familiar voice said, standing behind her. It wasn't the blonde boy that occupied her thoughts more often than she'd like to admit. It was Lucas.

She glanced over her shoulder, clutching her knees to her chest a little tighter as she met her brother's gaze. "Hi," she replied, offering him a tight-lipped smile before returning her attention to the blinking stars.

She heard him inhale deeply before he sat down, as if he were preparing himself for his next words to be spoken. "You need to start coming to dinner more often, Olivia," he told her, his eyes falling on the side of her face as she stayed trained on the twinkles floating in the dark sky.

"I know." She took a breath. "I just needed some time to think."

"About what? If you don't mind sharing," he asked, giving her a curious, almost worried look.

"Everything," she breathed out with a small laugh—though nothing was funny in her mind.

She had almost been killed when she was stabbed, and she almost died from an infection that no one had a clue about in that wound. She almost got trapped in the Chamber of Secrets with Potter, Weasley, Girl-Weasley, and Lockhart (she still shuddered at the thought) because of the younger version of Tom Riddle, who left her with more questions about herself than answers. Her cat had been murdered by someone she'd once considered a close friend. And she had yet to seek her revenge. She almost had her soul stolen from her by a dementor on the train. She was attacked by a hippogriff as she protected a boy who she barely thought of as a friend (or at least that was what she liked to tell herself). A boggart reflected a broken version of herself, letting her in on a fear she didn't even realize she had. And Sirius Black had apparently been in the castle.

Her paranoia ate away at her.

None of it was funny.

"Right," he replied, exhaling as he focused on the stars. He released his breath and said, "Well, I'm here if you ever need to talk."

That made a small, genuine smile fall on her face. She glanced over at him, watching the side of his face, before she rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Luke," she muttered, barely loud enough for him to hear. He hummed in response before she could say, "I'm always here for you too. And I'm sorry."

He furrowed his brows, looking down at her. "Why are you sorry?"

She didn't meet his gaze as she answered, "Because I feel like I've been distant from you since you've come to Hogwarts." She sighed, and even she could tell that it sounded quite sad.

"It's alright, Livvy," he assured, smiling though she wasn't looking at him. "You've been busy; I've been busy. Yule will be here in a few months' time, and I'm sure that'll go by in the blink of an eye. We can spend time together then," he explained. "No need to fret. I promise I will not leave you alone for those two weeks of break."

She could practically hear the smile in his tone. He sounded almost devious, like he knew that once most students went home for Yule and it was just them and some of their friends remaining at Hogwarts (as well as some other staying-behind students), that he'd annoy her so much to the point where she'd want space away.

Lucas was turning more and more like Theodore with every set of the burning sun.

Olivia didn't know whether to be worried about that or happy that her brother was finally coming out of his shell. Perhaps both.

"Good," she replied, smiling as well.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

The rest of the week leading up to that special day that Olivia was despising less and less each school year had come and gone, and it was finally her birthday. November 5th. It was the day she'd be in the common room, sitting on one of the couches and surrounded by her friends (and the Greengrass sisters).

When she awoke that morning, it was the same routine she had gone through in her first and second years. She found that Pansy and Daphne weren't in their beds, and she immediately knew why. Still, she took her time getting ready for the day. Then she went downstairs and was greeted by her group and other Slytherins, who really didn't care about her birthday and were just there for the sake of argument. A party hat was placed on her head by Pansy, despite the warning and glare. Then she was led over to the couch.

So there she was, sitting on the couch with an embarrassing party hat on her head while people smiled and stared at her with presents in their hands. The other students (the ones who had been surprising her for the sake of argument) had moved on with their morning, sitting with their own friends and chatting away before breakfast. But Olivia was stuck on the couch. She was terribly hungry, so instead of arguing, she decided it was best to open her presents as fast as she could, give her gratitude to those appropriate, and then go to breakfast before she missed it.

"Open mine first!" Pansy, who sat to Olivia's right, beamed, handing the girl a bright pink bag. "I picked it out when I was in France this past summer. I hope you like it!" She sounded so excited, and Olivia was sure whatever the girl got her would be good for her. It would probably be clothing, makeup, or something of that sort—and if it were clothing, it'd be pink, purple, or orange, or some other color Olivia wasn't particularly fond of.

She wasn't fond of wearing most colors (or just the colors in general), only shades like black, gray, and white. And she was surprised that Pansy was fond of those colors. The girl seemed like she would only wear her house colors and black, not some brightly blinding colors.

Taking the bag in her hands, Olivia somewhat offered her best friend a smile. She then focused on the bag, removing the tissue paper that covered whatever Pansy had gotten her, and took out her gift. Her guess had been right. It was clothing and makeup. But her assumption of the color of the clothing had been wrong. It was a dark and rich green sweater—big and baggy, just like Olivia liked it. The makeup was pretty neutral as well.

"I know you said that you might start wearing makeup next year, so there you go," Pansy gleamed, gesturing to the small amount of makeup. "I bought you the essentials to start you off. And I know how much you like sweaters, and I took note that you have yet to wear the one I got you in your first year, so I went with a different color," she explained, meeting Olivia's thankful gaze.

"I really appreciate this, Pans," Olivia confessed, placing her gifts back in the bag.

"Really? You like them?" Pansy asked, raising her brows.

"Yes, of course." Olivia nodded, putting the bag next to her feet on the floor. The smile that came across Pansy's features was one that warmed Olivia's heart; she was glad she made her happy. She wasn't fibbing when she said she liked the gift—she truly did. Focusing forward, she looked between the others.

Leaning forward, Theodore picked up a black gift bag from the floor. "Here, open mine next," he said as he handed her the bag. He had a bright smile on his face that had just the smallest hint of his usual charm mixed in.

Olivia took the bag, giving him a curious look as she took the bag off his hands. She set the gift in her lap as everyone watched her closely while she removed the tissue paper, like she had done with the present Pansy had gotten her. When all of the white paper was discarded on the floor, her eyes landed on what was laid beneath it, and then her eyes flickered up to Theodore, biting back a knowing smile.

"Crochet materials?" she asked, raising her brows.

He simply nodded, humming in response with a blink of his green eyes. "I made the basket especially for you, so you have somewhere to store it all." He took a breath, giving her a teasing look. "And this way, you'll no longer have to bother me with wanting to use my things," he added, lifting his chin.

She narrowed her eyes at him with a gaze full of boredom. "I do nothing of the sort," she countered, playfully shaking her head as she looked down at the gift. The basket the boy had spoken of was black, gray, and white in color. And inside, there were bundles of yarn, varying in colors, crochet needles, stuffing for the three-dimensional projects (if she were to make them), and all of the different types of accenting elements for said three-dimensional projects in them. At the bottom of the basket, underneath all of the essentials, was a how-to crochet book. "Thank you, Theodore." She sent him a small smile, placing the bag on the floor next to the other one.

The next person to hand her something was Blaise. He gave her a box that was familiar to her in shape and size. She smiled, completely knowing what was inside the box. She met his gaze as he leaned back in the chair he sat in. "Another pair of boots?" She raised her brows knowingly. It had somewhat become a tradition between Olivia and Blaise for him to get her new boots on her birthday, even when the ones he had gotten her the prior year fit well and were nowhere near being worn out.

He smirked and nodded his head. "You know me so well," he replied, placing a hand over his heart like she had touched his soul. "But there's something else in there as well—a little something I picked up when I was back home."

She offered him a glance that was swimming with curiosity and slightly suspicious before she focused in on the box on her lap. Taking off the lid slowly, hoping that nothing was going to jump out at her, she saw the boots lying there. However, that wasn't what she was focused on.

On top of the boots was a framed picture, moving in its magical glory. It was a picture of her and Tommy. The cat was curled up in her lap as she read a book—very typical of them. Olivia felt her heart warm as she took the frame in her hand and studied it closely. "When was this taken?" she asked, glancing up at Blaise.

He shrugged. "Sometime last year. I took it with that camera I got in France." He paused, and she looked back down. "You know, at first, when Pansy was trying to convince me to get it, I was hesitant, but now I'm not. It's actually quite fun to capture moments," he explained, sitting up a bit straighter.

"Thank you, Blaise," Olivia replied, sending him a small smile. She placed the picture back in the box carefully, and then put the lid back on. Bending down, she sent the box next to the two bags and then straightened her spine with a small smile.

"Here you are, Olivia," Daphne said with a soft voice that matched her smile all too well. Olivia wondered how she could fake a smile so well. "This is from me and Tori." She glanced over to her sister, who sat beside her, not making a peep but with a bright smile on her face, and then handed Olivia a gray bag that was a bit smaller than the ones Pansy and Theodore had given her.

Olivia kindly took the bag, ignoring the lingering (and hateful) thoughts in her mind. "Thank you," she muttered, setting the bag on her lap. It wasn't heavy, so she didn't expect books of any kind unless they were really short in pages. Whatever it was, she wasted not another second in taking out the tissue paper and handing it to Draco, who gave her an annoyed look but took it anyway. Next, she pulled out the gifts the sisters had so graciously gotten her.

The first was a singular Quick Quote Quill.

"That's from me," Daphne began, shifting in her seat. "I know how much you take notes, so I thought it was appropriate." She gestured to the bag. "And there's a notebook in there as well—for your notes." She breathed out a small laugh, as if she were nervous.

Why would she be nervous? Olivia hoped she wasn't making her nervous.

Olivia nodded, grabbing the notebook from the bag, then set it and the special quill beside her. Pausing for a moment and inhaling, she gathered what Astoria had gotten her from out of the bag. It was two objects that she didn't even have a second to identify.

"Those are from me," Astoria gleamed, practically bouncing in her seat. "The thing in your right hand is a Sneakoscope, a very neat object that detects when someone is doing something deceptive. I'm told it also keeps away enemies," she explained with a bright smile. She took a breath, then said, "Daphne says that you're rather suspicious of most"—she glanced between Olivia, who raised her brows at the admission, and her sister, who was giving her a pointed look—"so I thought... it was fitting." Her voice grew quiet as she realized what she had said.

"And the other thing is a..." When her eyes met Olivia's, she seemed to shrink in her seat and move closer to Daphne.

Astoria went silent, so Daphne continued for her. "There's a bag inside that box with an extension charm because you never know when you'll need one." The blonde offered a weak smile, pulling her sister a little closer to her side protectively.

Everyone was silent for a moment as Olivia put her gifts back in the bag. "Well, thank you both." She sent them a tight-lipped smile as she took the tissue paper from Draco's hands, ignoring how their fingers brushed and a chill went down her spine, and placed the bag among all of the others.

The two girls just hummed in response.

Lucas cleared his throat and leaned forward next, handing his sister a small box. "I'm sure you're going to guess what I've got you, but humor me and act surprised," he told her, sitting back in his seat.

Moving on from Astoria's words, Olivia gave her brother a knowing look. They both knew she wasn't going to act surprised like he asked, but she also wouldn't ruin the fun of a present. She took off the top of the small box, already knowing what to expect inside. It had been the same thing he'd gotten her the prior year—a new charm for her bracelet. This one was a small cat that somewhat resembled Tommy.

"I love it, Luke. Thank you," she gushed, her voice full of cheer.

Despite the constant revenge she was planning in Tommy's name, that cat had been her world. He had been her other half, her best friend in a sense. And a betrayer decided to take him from her—a certain blonde girl Olivia put on a fake smile for.

"I'm glad," he replied, giving her a small smile.

Olivia took a moment to put the charm on her bracelet, then refocused on the group. Her stomach had an odd feeling in it once she realized that there was only one last person to give her gifts. She glanced over at the boy beside her, who was looking at her with something she couldn't quite place swirling in his stormy eyes.

"Last, but definitely least, is Draco," Theodore joked, cocking a smirk.

Draco, after rolling his eyes, sent a knowing glance over to Lucas before he stood up from his seat and moved behind the couch.

Olivia watched him closely, ignoring the feeling running through her body. "Why is it that you're always hiding the gifts you've gotten me?" she asked, raising her brows.

He just shrugged, disappearing behind the couch as he presumably grabbed her gift. When he stood back up, he had a small, square black box in his hands. Rounding the couch, he took his seat back beside Olivia and handed the box off to her.

She took it after giving him a suspicious look. It was smaller than the box he'd given Tommy to her in, and she was glad for that. She wasn't sure if she could handle having another cat so soon.

Staring at the box for a good minute or so, she tried to figure out what it could be. But nothing came to mind. The easy solution would be to just open the box and see what was inside, but she didn't, not until Theodore said something.

"Are you going to open it?" the brunette boy inquired with a lift of his brows.

Glancing up, she met the boy's questioning gaze, then looked over at Draco, who was looking at her with studying eyes and leaning back against the couch with one arm on the armrest and the other on the back of the couch and behind her head. She ignored the weird feeling in her gut and focused back on the box sitting in her lap.

Pulling the lid off, she felt the couch shift as Draco sat up to watch her closely. When she saw what was inside, she was surprised. It was a glass dragon, which was extremely detailed and all too familiar to Olivia.

Her eyes found Draco's. He had a smile on his face as he stared at her slightly shocked look. And after a moment of her eyes flickering between his, she focused on the glass dragon and took it out of the box. With it held in her hands, being careful not to break it, she examined every little detail.

Its scales were etched into the glass, covering the entirety of it. Its tail was curled, with a triangle spike at the end and less-uniform spikes on its face and down its back. The giant wings that were sitting in the strong and large body were pointed at the end between each wing web. Its eyes were encrusted with amethyst gems, burning a bright purple, while the mouth was open, showcasing its sharp and deadly teeth as it breathed out a large flame.

It looked frozen in time.

It was truly beautiful.

"Oh, it's a dragon," Daphne stated.

Olivia shook her head, her eyes not leaving the sculpture. "It's not just any dragon; it's a Hebridean Black," she corrected, her eyes falling between her friends. Then she focused on Draco, the one who'd given her the gift. "It's my patronus—this looks exactly like my patronus." The look on her face was full of nothing but curiosity and a slight suspicion.

He smiled at her. "I had Lucas sketch your patronus so that I could get this made," he explained, brushing a piece of fallen hair behind her ear. Then his fingers brushed along her cheekbone. The touch was barely there, but she felt a chill creeping up her spine and the back of her neck.

Her breath caught in her throat because of the motion, but he didn't seem to notice, and she was glad for that. She hoped the others didn't notice either. Quickly looking away from him, she ignored how the string of the party hat she was wearing felt a little tighter under her chin. Her eyes fell on her brother, also known as the boy Draco had been scheming with, and they narrowed. All she saw was his confident smile.

Lucas took a rolled-up piece of parchment held closed with a small ribbon from beside him in his seat and gave it to her. She carefully shifted the glass object to one hand and reached for the parchment in the other. When she had a hold of it, she placed the glass dragon back in the box and then began unrolling the parchment.

Lo and behold, it was a detailed sketch of her patronus, the one that Draco had used as a reference. She let out a breath, staring at the drawing, then looked up, glancing between the boy beside her and her brother. "Thank you both." She offered them a small smile. "I love these," she added, gesturing to the sketch and glass dragon.

"Once again, leave it up to Draco to outshine us all," Theodore interjected, huffing.

Olivia just shook her head in amusement. She loved all of the gifts, but even she would admit (in her head) that Draco's was indeed her favorite.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

Now in their room, two of the girls stood at the end of their beds while Olivia was at her desk, laying out all of the gifts she'd received. She needed to find a place for them; she knew that. But she felt that if she brought them to her room and separated them, then her life would be easier later, when she did decide to find their permanent spots.

Her eyes were falling onto the glass dragon when Pansy spoke.

"Your face was burning a rather blushy color when Draco... well, when Draco just was there," the short-haired girl began, focusing on Olivia, who turned to face her quickly. "Especially when he brushed your hair back behind your ear," she said, giving her a knowingly teasing gaze. "What was all that about anyway? It seemed very romantic."

Olivia stared at her in horror, with wide eyes and raised brows. "My face was nothing of the sort. And neither was the hair thing," she scoffed in disbelief. She could believe Pansy would say such a thing—it was Draco, after all. Draco! Not some beautiful and brilliant boy she would swoon over.

"Daphne, help me out here," Pansy muttered, not even sending the blonde a glance.

"Your face did have a little more life in it than usual—almost like a blush-tint," Daphne added with a smile.

Pansy snorted a laugh. "Told you," she sang.

"Whatever." Olivia rolled her eyes, focusing on her desk.

Those two were totally and utterly wrong. Completely wrong.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

━━━━ ella's speaking !
if you remember this being published as chapter 46, no you don't lol. i had to do a little revising of the timeline, meaning that this chapter had to become chapter 48 lmfao

n e ways, back to the old notes:

this took me two weeks to write...🧍🏻‍♀️

i got a little lazy while proofreading so ignoring if there are any mistakes. besides those may-or-may-not-be-there mistakes, i hope you enjoyed!! make sure to comment and vote 🫶🏻

kisses.

━━━━━━━━━━ born to die,
© -LOSTGARDENS, dec 2023

word count: 6020. written: 12.11.23. published: 12.21.23.