BORN TO DIE ╱ DRACO MALFOY
꒷꒦ · ˚.‧ . written by ella . . . © -lostgardens
057 ━━━━━━━ ❛ happy christmas ❜

"Wake up, Olivia! Wake up!" Lucas cheered as he jumped on his sister's bed. He knew that he was going to startle her and wake her up like he and she had done to each other before, but he didn't care. It was somewhat of a tradition for them.

"Lucas, I don't think—" Pansy began.

Olivia sat up swiftly, startled and breathing heavily. She had Mr. Snake clutched in her arm and sweat beading down her forehead, the nightmare still fresh in her mind. Lucas's wake-up call had interrupted it. But it was still as unsettling as ever. Her chest heaved up and down as Lucas stopped jumping and fell down on her bed, sitting beside her.

"Happy Christmas." The boy tightly hugged his sister, speaking into her hair.

This snapped her back into reality. Her arm slipped out from around Mr. Snake and wrapped around the boy's neck along with the other. "Happy Christmas," she muttered, her eyes focusing on her other friends standing at the end of her bed.

Daphne wasn't there, and Olivia hadn't expected her to be. The girl had been keeping her distance from the group since the interaction between the two of them in the courtyard. And Olivia was completely fine with that—grateful, in fact—no longer having to face the one person whom she despised most in the world.

Lucas pulled back from their hug and gave her a bright smile. Olivia tried to muster one in return, but she was certain he wasn't nearly as strong as his.

"Are you all right, Olivia?" asked Draco.

Olivia's eyes snapped up to him, furrowing her brows. Did she not look all right? Sure, the cold sweat and ragged breathing that she was still trying to calm were very apparent, but no one else seemed to feel the need to ask her that question.

"Of course, it's Christmas," she replied, her eyes falling between everyone with a tight-lipped smile planted strongly on her face. She was fine. She was fine. She was fine. She was fine. There most definitely was not a pit in her stomach—and not just because she was in desperate need of some breakfast.

The expression on Draco's face told Olivia that he wasn't convinced, but he didn't say anything more, perhaps not wanting to push his luck with her. The room was silent for what felt like forever, but eventually Olivia got out of bed.

It was Christmas. She was fine. There were gifts awaiting them.

The girl moved around to the front of her bed, coming to stand in front of her friends, their piles of presents for each other behind them. Olivia's gifts sat at the end of her bed. This was what they'd done last year. The group met in the girls' room and opened all of the gifts before going to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Looking up, Olivia saw everyone still staring at her, and her stomach churned. Had they realized she was having a nightmare? Or did they just not have anywhere else to look? Whichever reason it was, she ignored their stares and offered them a smile. "Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas!" they all replied, returning the smile.

They seemed fine, not worried at all. So perhaps they hadn't noticed her nightmare or the small amount of sweat around her hairline. That was something she was glad for as she inhaled through her nose, keeping the small smile on her face.

After that, the group sat down, ready to open their presents. They kept the ones they'd gotten for each other by their sides, planning on opening them one at a time. Youngest to oldest, which meant Lucas went first. 

Everyone handed him their gifts, and he stared at them, deciding which he should open first. He started with Blaise's first, and Olivia had the sneaking suspicion her brother already knew what it was. It was wrapped in shiny green paper, square-shaped, and quite flat. He tore the paper, revealing the jacket of a vinyl record. A smile curled his lips as he looked up at Blaise, running his hands along the soft paperboard. "Thank you," he told the boy.

Blaise dipped his head with a small hum, pleased that Lucas liked the gift. "We need to start your collection early, so you'll be a prime collector by the time your schooling is over." Blaise sometimes talked like an adult—his words carefully chosen and with a smooth tone—and it was amusing for Olivia. She didn't know if it was all an act—sometimes it was, but other times, she wasn't so sure. Perhaps it made him feel mature. He sure needed that feeling when scheming with Draco and Theodore.

Olivia's eyes found the record, reading that it was a band by the name of Fleetwood Mac. She believed they were a muggle band. She looked up at her brother, nudging his shoulder gently from where she sat beside him. "That'll bring some life to the manor," she joked with a half-smile. He just snorted in response, shaking his head in amusement. "And I believe that we have a record player in one of the closets back home."

After that, Lucas opened Theodore's gift. The boy got him a candle that helped focus and calm whoever lit it. "You can use it before exams or whatnot. Or before Quidditch matches when you make the team next year." He pointed an accusing finger at Lucas, giving him a pointed look like he had insider knowledge of him making the team.

"If I make the team," Lucas corrected.

Everyone smiled. "You will."

Lucas' face heated at their sureness, and he quickly moved onto Pansy's gift that was placed in a red and white bag with sparkly white paper stuffed inside. He removed the paper and dug out the contents of the bag. The girl had gotten him fancy paints and new sketch pencils.

"I know you've been needing new ones, so there you are!" Pansy beamed with a bright smile. "I got them over the summer when I was in France and have been waiting to give them to you ever since. When I saw them, I knew they were perfect for you."

Olivia smiled, while Lucas thanked the girl. Lucas had already spent a year at Hogwarts, with Olivia's friends becoming theirs, so she wasn't surprised to see the kindness they sent him, but that fact didn't stop how it warmed her heart.

Lucas opened Draco's gift next. It was a bunch of different things for a terrarium. Lucas shuffled through it, as Draco said, "I've noticed that you like plants or whatever, so..." He lifted his hand to the things he'd gotten.

Olivia knew that was the best it was going to get, but she didn't mind. At least he was trying.

"Thanks," Lucas replied, putting everything back in the bag.

And last, it was time for Olivia's present. She shifted in her seat, excited for Lucas to see what she had gotten for him. Well, at least, one part of what he had gotten him. The boy grabbed the wrapped box from beside him, and he began ripping the paper. Once the paper was gone and the box was open, he dug through it, pulling out different pieces of Quidditch equipment. The goggles, protective pads, and gloves.

"I'm not even on the team yet, Livvy," Lucas reminded her.

"But you will be," she assured, lifting her chin.

Lucas just playfully rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he looked down at his new equipment as Theodore spoke up. "All that's missing is a broom." He shot Olivia a quick wink before Lucas looked up.

"I have one," said the younger boy. "It's a few years old, but it still works well enough."

Theodore nodded. "Right."

Next, it was Pansy's turn to open her presents. She started with Blaise's gift, seeming extra excited to open it. It was a fancy black gift bag, but inside was an even fancier dress. A pretty and pristine a-line dress with a square neckline and long, sheer sleeves that were cuffed at the wrists. Completely perfect for Pansy. "Oh, Blaise, it is gorgeous!" she said cheerfully, holding up the dress so she could take in the entirety of it.

"There's something else in there as well," he told her, nodding to the bag.

Pansy gave him a suspicious look before setting the dress down on her lap and digging around in the bag. She pulled out a long, inch-tall box, and her eyes went wide. The excited scream she let out was almost deafening to the ones around.

"Don't worry, Pans. I don't need my eardrums," Theodore, who was sitting beside her, grimaced, pushing his tragus down as he tried to get the ringing to stop. He smirked when the girl glared at him, and Olivia and Lucas laughed softly, glancing at each other.

Pansy rolled her eyes at the boy. "Oh, hush." She waved a dismissive hand, focusing back on the box in her hand. "These are my favorite chocolates from France! You know this," she reminded, letting out a breath. Then she turned to Blaise, offering him a kind smile. "Thank you." And he returned the smile.

The girl moved on to the rest of her presents. Theodore had gotten her a painting, one that matched her style well and suited her decorations in her part of the room. She received perfume from Lucas—a strong, flowery scent that she was quite swooning over. Draco gifted her an expensive, dark green handbag that he explained his mother picked out, almost seeming disgusted at the thought of himself shopping for a bag. And last, but certainly not least, Olivia had made her best friend a crochet hat.

"I made it with my skills that I learned from Professor Nott, right there," Olivia explained, offering Theodore a teasing smirk. 

He just returned it. "I'm glad my teachings could come of use."

Blaise was next to have everyone's attention, examining the presents in front of him as he decided which to open first. Wisely, he went with Pansy's—a small box wrapped in fancy-looking silver paper. He opened it and pulled out a book. It was a romance novel—Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Olivia wasn't surprised by the girl's pick of a Muggle novel, like she would've been if it were Theodore or Draco, because Pansy had actually agreed to read some of Olivia's books as long as she didn't tell a soul due to the fact that she was embarrassed. Clearly, Pansy was fine with their friends knowing, though.

Inside the book was a small note. Blaise didn't let anyone see what it said, despite Theodore's attempts to peek, and thanked Pansy for the gift. Then he moved on to what Lucas had gotten for him. It looked identical to the shape and size of what Blaise had given the boy. And sure enough, it was a vinyl record—Lucas seemed to be returning the favor—a record by the band Queen, one of Blaise's favorites.

His gratitude was shared with Lucas, and then he opened Draco's gift. It was quite an expensive watch, with a black band and silver details. Then Theodore's—a new wizard's chess set because apparently Blaise had been needing one. And lastly, the one from Olivia. It was a gold lighter, engraved with his initials.

Draco was after him. Pansy had gifted the boy a nice, thick winter coat. Theodore got him a broom servicing kit. He received a book on constellations from Blaise, which made him curious as to how the boy knew about his obsession. Perhaps he just assumed because the boy's name was that of a constellation. Lucas got him a book on Quidditch.

That made Olivia wonder if they had an unspoken goal to get Draco to start reading more. If so, then she hadn't gone along with it because she got him a tapestry of his namesake constellation. "You can hang it above your bed so that you're always staring at Draco," she suggested, waving a careless hand with a half shrug of her shoulders.

Draco looked up to meet her gaze, his eyes gleaming as he stared at her. She just sent him a small smile in return as one curled at his lips.

"Merlin, Olivia, that is really sweet and thoughtful," Lucas began with a small smirk on his face. A smirk that reminded Olivia all too much of one Theodore would give her. She feared her brother was spending too much time with their cunning friend. "In zekere zin bijna romantisch," he teasingly added.

She shoved his shoulder gently. "Hou het dicht!" she replied sharply with a narrowing of her eyes.

"What'd he say?" asked Pansy.

Theodore looked between the siblings suspiciously. "Why do you two always have to speak Dutch around us? You know we don't understand it."

"That's the point, mate," Blaise answered, rolling his eyes at the boy's cluelessness. "How many languages do you two know, anyway?"

Lucas and Olivia glanced between one another, then focused on the three sitting in front of them, while Draco, who sat beside the girl, just stared at the side of her face with that same gleaming look. She tried to not pay him any mind, hating the feeling his gaze sent through her. "English and Dutch," she said as if it were obvious since they all already knew that, "and Spanish, French, and Italian." She lifted her chin, proud of being multilingual.

Blaise blew an impressed breath through his mouth as Pansy and Theodore raised their brows and glanced at one another.

"You all know how to speak English and French," Lucas continued, gesturing his hand to all of them. "Some better than others," he muttered under his breath when his eyes landed on Theodore, who looked as if he took offense to the boy's not-so-quiet insult. "And you know Italian, Blaise. So we speak in Dutch whenever we want to say something that we just want to keep between us two." He paused for a moment, glancing over at Olivia. "Though, I suppose we could speak Spanish as well."

"That makes sense." Pansy nodded. Then she thought about it for a moment longer. "Wait, why would you need to keep things between just the two of you? Are you two hiding things from us?" she inquired like a mother scolding her children, causing Olivia and Lucas to grimace.

"We're not necessarily hiding anything." Olivia glanced over at Lucas, then back to her best friend. "It's sort of second nature at this point since we've done it for so long," she explained with a half-shrug of her shoulders.

"Okay, then. If you're not hiding anything, then what did Lucas just say?" Pansy lifted her brows questioningly, and Blaise and Theodore followed. Draco just stayed quiet, watching Olivia curiously.

"Uhm..." Olivia glanced over to Draco. "It's not important."

Pansy opened her mouth to retort, but Lucas spoke before she could. "Olivia, it is your turn to open your gifts, is it not?" The boy asked, focusing on his sister with a tight smile.

"No, it's actually Theodore's turn," Olivia answered, looking at the boy she spoke of and sending him a soft smile.

He returned it for a brief moment. "You know, Lucas, I'm hurt that you could skip over me that easily." A look of disbelief fell on his face as he shook his head in disappointment.

"Sorry," Lucas replied sheepishly, grimacing at his error.

Theodore just dramatically sighed, then mumbled, "It's all right, I suppose."

After that, he began opening his presents, starting with Blaise's. It was a hand-held mirror with a handle, detailed with flowers and intricate designs because Theodore loved to stare at himself, according to Blaise. Thanking the boy with a bright smile, not caring about how it was supposed to be a dig at him, he moved on to Pansy. Her gift was loads of things from Zonko's Joke Shop. Theodore looked ecstatic.

"Pansy, are you sure that's wise?" asked Olivia, eyeing the box in the boy's lap.

"Don't worry, it's nothing he can harm us with." The short-haired brunette waved a dismissive hand. And then she sighed, glancing beside her at Theodore and Blaise. "But knowing these two, they'd probably find some way."

The boys just smirked at her.

Next, Theodore opened Draco's gift, and it seemed to be the blonde boy returning the favor of receiving books as his present. He got Theodore a book of jokes because, apparently, he needed a little work on his own. Draco was thanked with complete sarcasm. Lucas's present was after that—a homework planner to help Theodore better coordinate his time rather than his usual do-when-he-remembered strategy. Lucas even offered to help him sort everything out.

Then, finally, it was time for him to open the one from Olivia. It was a pocket watch since the boy always seemed to be late for everything, which Olivia let him know. Theodore pondered if this Christmas was just a way to try and improve what didn't need any improvement, also known as the great Theodore no-middle-name Nott. No matter, he appreciated it.

It was Olivia's turn now, last but not least. She started with what her brother got for her—a ton of new stationary, quills, and school supplies; a new cauldron; and new potions and divination books, the latter hopefully to help her with the struggle she was having in that class. She could just drop it, but she wouldn't dare. She didn't give up.

Blaise got her the book Atlas of Celestial Anomalies by M.P.N. Carnierus, and she thanked him. Then she opened Pansy's. A framed picture of Olivia and Lucas was what her best friend had gotten her. The two were smiling and laughing brightly as they sat in the common room, Olivia with a book in her lap and Lucas with his sketchbook. Olivia looked up at her with a smile.

"Blaise took it, so it's more so from me and him," Pansy explained, returning the smile.

"Thank you."

Next was Theodore's present. She pulled the bag closer to her as she dug into it. She pulled out a medium-sized box of chocolate frogs, and she let out a surprised gasp as she met Theodore's knowing gaze and matching smirk. "Theodore," she said, gaping at him.

"Olivia," he replied, copying her tone.

She lifted her chin as she bit back a smile and adjusted her spot. "Did you get me these, not only because they're my favorite ever, but because you want—"

"—to go through them and prove that you don't get Dumbledore with each one you open?" he continued for her, raising his brows. "Yes. Yes, I did." There was no way, out of the one hundred chocolate frogs that he had bought, that all of them would be Dumbledore. There was no bloody way, and he was going to prove that. "There's also something else in there." He nodded to the bag.

She gave him a curious look, still fighting back her smile. Then she set the box of chocolate frogs to her side, between her and Lucas, and looked in the bag. She grabbed the crochet version of their beloved (she mentally eye-rolled) Headmaster, as well as a crochet version of Snape and one of a Hebridean Black.

She snorted a laugh, looking at the small, crocheted figurines of Dumbledore and Snape. He captured their likeness. Then she focused on the dragon. It looked just like her patronus and reminded her of the glass statue Draco had made for her. "I love them," she said with a smile. "Thank you, Theodore." Her eyes met his, and he returned the smile.

A moment passed, and her stomach churned when she realized that it was Draco's turn to give her a gift. She wondered what he got her. Was it going to be something meaningful and thoughtful, like Tommy, the glass dragon, or the necklace she still wore around her neck? Or was it going to be something jokey like what he had gotten for Theodore?

The boy pushed the black box closer to her. She watched him closely, his eyes planted on hers with an unreadable expression on his face, then she began to slowly open the box. Everyone watched her intently, and she didn't know why her stomach hurt all of a sudden. Perhaps it was because she was hungry, glad that they were going to be heading to breakfast soon enough. (She knew that wasn't the reason.)

When the lid was off the box, she set it beside its bottom, staring down at the white paper wrapping of whatever Draco had gotten her. She pulled open the paper, revealing what was underneath, and her eyes went slightly wider. She looked up at Draco, seeing him give her a soft smile, then she focused back down at what was in front of her.

It was a painting of Tommy. Much like the ones hanging in Hogwarts, it was magically enchanted to move. Tommy was in a gloomy field, like the cemetery back at Mallard Manor, where he used to run off and hide. And he was doing just that. He went from staring at her in the front of the painting to running around and chasing leaves whenever they blew by him in the wind.

Olivia's heart swelled as she stared down at the painting, and even more so when she met Draco's gaze. His cloudy eyes were twinkling like they had stars in them, seeming as if he were wondering if she liked the gift.

Did she ever? She felt her eyes starting to brim, but she fought back the tears, never planning on crying in front of Draco, no matter how close they got to each other. "This is beautiful, and I love it. Thank you, Draco," Olivia told him, softly smiling.

"You're welcome," he replied, his tone as soft as her smile.

"Nu is dat romantisch," Lucas said under his breath.

Olivia and Draco just kept staring at each other.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

They were now in the Great Hall, sitting at their house table with the rest of the Slytherins that had stayed for the holidays. After Olivia had opened her present from Draco, the boys had left the girls' room to let Olivia and Pansy get ready for the day and get ready for it themselves, as well. Then they all met in the Christmas-exploded-on-every-inch-of-it common room.

The tree stood tall and bright with green and white lights, decorated in everything Slytherin colored. Garland was placed along the edge of the fireplace's mantle and the windows all around the room. Students hung around, enjoying their new gifts or passing time before they left for the Great Hall themselves, some still in their pajamas, some dressed for the day.

When they had entered through the double doors of the chatter-filled room, they were met with an equal amount of Christmas covering the room. A large tree stood, decorated in ornaments, lights, and garland, behind the professors' table, while others lined the walls. A wreath was above the fireplace to their right, and bewitched snow fell from the sky-looking ceiling, disappearing before the flakes landed on the tables.

In front of them, as they sat at the table, was their breakfast—on their plates as well as the dishes that held them—ready to serve. Everyone was mostly silent; the Great Hall was mostly silent since barely anyone was there, and they stuffed their faces with food. The group was more graceful in eating than Theodore, who didn't seem to care about the fact that he was eating entirely too fast and was going to end up sick if he didn't slow down.

"So how does the reading go, Draco?" Blaise asked, giving the boy a knowing look. "Time's ticking away."

Olivia stopped mid-chew, her eyes finding the face of the blonde as he focused on Blaise with annoyance. "I'm almost done with the book; I'll have you know," Draco admitted, his voice slightly hushed, not wanting anyone besides the group to hear, despite not even saying what the book was.

To say Olivia was surprised would be an understatement. He was actually reading it. She knew he'd never turn down a dare, but he was actually reading a muggle book. Draco looked over at her, his face blank, as if he knew he was proving her wrong in a sense but not reveling in it. She just studied him carefully.

Olivia swallowed her food and looked away from him, only for her eyes to catch on to someone else. Two someones, to be exact. Daphne and Astoria sat a ways down the table, both staring at the girl—one with distaste and annoyance and the other with a worried look, perhaps more so for her sister than Olivia. A smirk just curled at her lips as she stared back at them, scooting just a bit closer to Draco, whose cloudy gaze was still focused on her, unreadable.

Daphne looked away, letting out a very obvious huff.

Olivia's smirk deepened.

She was getting what she deserved.

"Mail's here!" Theodore said, snapping Olivia's attention to him. His words were slightly muffled due to the food in his mouth. His eyes were cast on the swarm of owls flying in and over the table, dropping envelopes, boxes, and bags.

One familiar-looking owl, however, was flying towards the group, carrying something that looked oddly broom-shaped, wrapped in brown paper. Olivia smirked as she glanced at her brother and saw the confused look on his face. He turned to ask her why their family's owl was there. But before he could say anything, the broom dropped in front of him.

He hastily focused on it; his brows creased while everyone stared at him knowingly. Lucas glanced up, and his eyes landed on Theodore questioningly. The boy just gave him a shrug and a did-not-know-either look. Then the youngest boy moved onto Pansy, who held a blank expression, then Blaise, who matched Pansy's, then Draco, who was more focused on his food, and finally, Olivia, who just smirked at him.

She nodded to the gift. "Open it," she instructed.

Lucas hesitated, not sure if he were dreaming or not, before he pulled the paper back. Sure enough, he was not dreaming. "It's a Firebolt," he muttered, staring at the broom with wide eyes. His attention snapped back to Olivia. "But who would?"

"Think of someone who is incredibly brilliant, is the best sister in the world, and got you Quidditch gear for Christmas this year," she told him knowingly, looking up at the ceiling as if she were trying to decipher the gift giver as well.

Lucas practically jumped on her as he wrapped his arms around her neck and brought her into a tight hug. She lightly laughed, hugging him. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he excitedly mumbled into her hair with a bright smile on his face.

It wasn't their typical handmade, greatly meaningful gifts, but it meant something to him. The broom their parents had gotten for him a few years prior was just a simple broom. It hadn't been a Firebolt or any other high-marketed broom—it hadn't been an actual good broom. They'd only gotten it because they knew Lucas liked Quidditch well enough; Olivia had gotten him one because she knew he loved it and wanted to see him succeed.

"You're welcome," Olivia replied.

He pulled back from the hug, offering her a thankful smile, then focused on the broom as Olivia said, "Look, Draco, now Lucas is ahead of the team." She offered him a teasing smile as he returned it, more sarcastic than hers.

She loved that she could still have a go at him. They were friends, after all.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

Later that night, Olivia sat in the Astronomy Tower alone, not even shivering from the coldness of the air. It wasn't even bothering her. And that fact was what made her friends, excluding Draco and Lucas, call her "bloody mental" for going out. The stars were shining brightly, though. A full moon was approaching in the coming days, and she loved to watch the phases change. So there she was, sitting on the cold, metal floor of the tower, watching as her breath puffed out in front of her.

"If you keep sitting up here, Olivia, you're going to freeze to death," that familiar voice joked as Draco walked up behind her. His hands were in his pockets as he shrugged his shoulders a little closer to himself, trying to stay warm. He was clad in the new coat Pansy had gotten him, but it still wasn't providing enough warmth.

Let me, Olivia thought.

She didn't voice it, however, as he sat down beside her. Her eyes stayed trained forward as his own fell on the side of her face, offering her some heat. Still, she did not say anything. She wasn't upset with him; she just didn't feel like speaking, and she hoped he wasn't taking that the wrong way. They were quiet for a long time as he came to that realization.

But there was a singular thought that clouded everything else in her mind. And, after another lengthy moment, curiosity got the best of her. "How do you like the book?" she asked, still not looking at him.

He studied her for a moment before sighing and facing forward. "I hate it," he admitted.

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Of course you do."

"I hate how Scout is judged based on her skin tone and her appearance—something she can't control," he elaborated, completely finding, yet missing at the same time, the point Olivia wanted him to discover. But that didn't last long. It took a second before it hit him. But when it did, he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes.

Olivia finally glanced over at him with raised brows as he opened his eyes and focused on her. His expression was nothing short of boredom to counter her questioning gaze. "It's not the same." He didn't even have to say what he meant; she knew that he was speaking of Muggleborns and the prejudice against them.

But she wanted to hear him try to argue his point.

"What's not the same?" she inquired, acting clueless.

His jaw flexed a few times before he sighed. "What Scout went through and my thoughts about Mudbloods are not the same." He used that word so effortlessly, it made Olivia's anger rise. But not enough to get a reaction out of her.

"You're right, they aren't entirely the same," she began, nodding her head once. "Both Scout, as well as other people of color, and Muggleborns are all judged based on something they cannot control—one being their race, skin color, and ethnicity, and the other being the people they were born from and their blood status," she explained. "But the oppression is still quite similar. They are still treated as less than equal as opposed to you and me because of people like you and your family who think our blood status is superior."

He just rolled his eyes.

"You cannot hate the fact that one goes through oppression, and yet you still oppress the other," she continued, narrowing her eyes as she heaved in breaths through her nose. "That's not how it works, Draco." She took a second to let her words sink in, despite not thinking they were. "Just imagine if Theodore was a Muggleborn, or Pansy, or Blaise, Lucas, or even me. How would you treat us, then?" Her brows raised. "Would you hate on us? Or think of us as less than scum on the bottom of your shoe and call us slurs?"

He narrowed his eyes as he thought, almost sneering at her. "But you're not," he said slowly.

Scoffing, Olivia shook her head in disbelief. Then she stood, and he watched her walk towards the top of the stairs. She was now clearly angry with him; her fists balled at her sides, and her cheeks tinted red, and that wasn't because of the cold weather.

At first, it didn't seem like she was going to stop, but she did. She glanced over her shoulder at him as he continued to stare at her with a narrowed gaze. "Happy Christmas, Draco," she spat before descending the stairs, no longer wanting to deal with him. She didn't know why she even tried.

He was never going to change.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

The next morning, Olivia awoke, got up from her bed, and was heading towards the bathroom when her foot hit something on the ground. Something hard and rectangle-shaped. She bent down with her wand lit at the end from the cast of Lumos and found her book, the one she had given to Draco.

She picked it up, studying it. It was in good condition still, so he hadn't destroyed it, despite the "hatred" he had for the story, which was something she was grateful for. He would've gotten another earful if her book was damaged.

She supposed he was done with it, or else he wouldn't have returned it. Or perhaps he would've. She didn't know—she never knew with Draco.

Her eyes drifted over to the painting of Tommy that was hung on the wall above her desk, finding the cat fast asleep, curled up in a ball as his ribs expanded with each calm breath he took. It brought her peace knowing that she now had a reminder of the cat every day, and even more so that Daphne had to stare at the painting anytime she was in the room.

A protective charm had been cast over it so it couldn't get damaged. She didn't know what her roommate was capable of. And she didn't want to take any chances during the time when she wasn't in the room or when Daphne decided to make her return—if she decided to make her return. The girl had been mostly held up in her sister's dorm since it was just Astoria in there over the holidays, so Olivia hadn't had to worry about anything. Not that she would, otherwise.

She focused back on the book, wanting to make sure all of the pages were still pristine. A small piece of paper fell out when she pulled open the cover. She squatted down to the floor, her brows slightly furrowed, wondering if it was something she left in the book when giving it to Draco or if it was something he had added.

She felt the latter was the better option of the two.

Shifting the book to her left hand, which still held her wand, she picked up the parchment. Then she moved back to her bed, sitting down on its edge. The book and her wand were placed at her side before she unfolded the parchment, then she grabbed her wand and shone the light on it so she could read what it said.

It's not the same.

Ah, yes. The phrase Draco seemed to be so fond of saying. Olivia just rolled her eyes, folding the note back up and placing it in the book where the boy had put it. She walked over to her bed and set the book down before finally making it to the bathroom. She cast Nox, de-illuminating the tip of her wand, and then lit the candles as she entered, closing the door behind her. Then she tossed her wand on the counter, resting her hands on the edge of it.

She stared at herself in the mirror as she took deep breaths.

He was never going to change. She knew this, so why was she still trying?

Usually, whenever she and Draco got into a disagreement, she would stop speaking to him, but that always ended the same—him not changing and her giving in to his apologies. It didn't work, and frankly, she was tired of being angry with him. He was the way he was, and nothing would knock that loose.

So, in that moment, she decided not to be mad at him. It wasn't his fault he was like that, after all; it was his father's and his mother's. It was his family's fault for teaching him such things. Perhaps one day he would see things differently. But for now, he would only be the same, never-changing Draco Lucius Malfoy.

It wasn't his fault.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

━━━━ ella's speaking !
12.3K?? TYSM !!

i want to give a big thank you to my pookies -fairyszn && riotsuns for helping me come up with most of the gift ideas bc i was struggling, and that struggle is why this chapter is one of the last i've written for act three 😭😭

i hope y'all enjoyed! make sure to comment & vote 🫶🏻

kisses.

━━━━━━━━━━ born to die,
© -LOSTGARDENS, feb 2024

word count: 6073.   written: 2.14. - 2.16.24.   published: 2.25.24.