There is always a sense of comfort and bittersweet to whoever boards the Hogwarts Express to leave Hogwarts. No matter how little short of time or how many dreams circle their heads with the smiles of their loved ones back home, leaving Hogwarts is still never someone's favourite activity.

Especially for Winnie.

Over the years, the blonde has hated leaving school. She would push into herself and morph into someone she never really was with false smiles and kind words that were empty. The only real thing she looked forward to was being left alone most of the time, allowing her to read and enter a different reality much better than the one she had had for so long.

On the glimpse of Yule, Winnie Buldstrode, however, found herself quite content to leave Hogwarts, for she was returning to a home built upon hot cocoa, laughter that made your eyes water and to people who had accepted her with open arms. To people who understood her and protected her like their own.

While her heart would miss the grey walls of Hogwarts, she greeted the train with smiles and open arms. Winnie had spent most of her trip curled up in the same compartment as the Golden Trio, watching Ron and Hermione argue over silly things while Harry tried to chime in and be the peacekeeper ( which he often failed at. ). She was content; for the first time in months, her mind was calm and simply existing in peace with her friends.

At least until she got cornered in the loo.

( Really, what is it with her and the loo? )

Her hand had tightened around her wand, feeling that hard edges press her palm as she held it out towards Draco Malfoy. She was watching, bewildered, as he locked the door behind him, silver eyes paying her wand no attention as he tried to walk closer. Only for her to step forward and grip her wand tighter.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?"

"Why were you poking around in my mind?"

Their sentences are strung together like a complicated spider web, hanging over their heads as Winnie tilts her head. Still keeping her wand trained on him, she opens her mouth to speak, only for Draco to cut her off.

"At Slughorn's party, you were trying to read my mind; why?" He questioned harshly, silver eyes ablaze with frustration. Purple bags danced under them, highlighting the sunken skin of his face. In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but think he looked sick, as sick as she did during the full moon. Draco seemed to shake with emotion; it smacked into her brutally, making her stumble as her back hit the sink.

It all tasted wrong; it felt like her skin was on fire, burning inside her as her stomach turned. Her mouth grew bitter with salvia as she swallowed harshly. Her heart quickened, and blood pounded in her ears at a deafening pace. Draco Malfoy felt like he was dying as his emotions poured into her; she could feel every ounce of pain and anger that radiated inside him.

Suddenly, just as she was about to question why, it was all sucked back out of her. Draco straightened, eyes narrowing to a simple grey as the female blinked.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She exclaimed, feeling nothing but a reminiscence of his pain as he scowled. Her entire body buzzed, mind fuming with the impossible. Her stomach turned, and her mouth felt like cotton was seeping into the corner of it, leaving nothing but a dry surface with questions unanswered.

This was all wrong. Draco Malfoy feeling any unbearable pain felt wrong to her; ever since they were little, with barely any of their personalities, he seemed more of a thing than a person to her. He would poke fun at her mismatched teeth, trip her into the mud, and look at her with his nose high.

But now? Now she shook with the rawness of his emotions. It was off-putting, and he seemed to look at her with confusion.

At least until it was swept away with a blink.

"Stay away from me," the boy growled, and before she even had a moment to retort that he was the one who followed her in the loo, he turned and left. Winnie blinked, stunned and speechless, as she stared after his slim figure as it retreated like a wounded animal down the train's aisles.

Her feet moved slowly, eyes blinking as her eyebrows pinched downwards on her face. Nothing made sense, not really. Something was desperately wrong with Draco Malfoy; there was a coldness that would fade from her bones. It sucked all the warmth and glow out of her, a feeling she was now sure Draco Malfoy felt every day.

In some parts of her brain, she felt remorse grow home, which was probably the most unsettling part. Never in her life would Winnie Buldstrode believe she could feel guilt for the blond twat, yet...

"Winnie?" The female jumped, heart hammering against her chest as she raised her wand again. Aiming it at whoever just appeared in front of her. The blonde blinked, slowly coming back to her body as she registered the wide green eyes of Theo Nott in front of her, his hands in the air as her wand pointed directly beneath his chin. Flushing, suddenly thankful that there were no compartments this close to the loo, she quickly placed her wand back by her side. "A-are you okay?" The male questioned softly, his words slow as he lowered his arms. "You looked a little lost there," he added, his bushy eyebrows furrowed against his forehead as Winnie swallowed thickly. Forcing a smile to grow upon her round cheeks, she slipped her wand back into its holster against her leg.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she forced, her voice chipper, happy like she was just simply okay. "I guess just a little jumpy going back home," she shrugged, pushing it off as nothing. Theo stood, watching her with a little slit in his eyes, and she knew instantly he didn't believe. Winnie was never that good at lying, at least not to him. Yet, she could not find it in herself to tell him the truth; he already hated Draco with every bone in him. She didn't need him to worry about her being around the prat, so she continued to smile and pretend nothing was bothering her.

When everything was.

"Right," Theo spoke, eyes growing smaller as he stared at her for a moment longer before sighing. "We're at King's Cross; Potter came asking if I knew where you were," Theo added finally, running a hand through his curls as Winnie's eyes widened half a fraction.

"Harry talked to you?" She asked, surprised, watching as Theo rolled his eyes.

"Yes, heathen, we did speak to each other before. Remember last year when you and Cordelia were both two stubborn arses, so we had to fix it?" Theo teased, poking her softly in the arm as Winnie flushed, her eyes narrowing.

"We are not stubborn!" She argued, moving forward towards the doors to leave the train as Theo laughed, footsteps ringing around her as he moved to keep up with her.

"Right, and I'm not devilishly handsome," Theo commented, his shoulder brushing against hers as Winnie grinned, looking up at him.

"Finally," she started, watching as his eyes grew into slits. "We agree on something," she finished, giggling at the open-mouth expression he gave her. The sounds of laughter and families reuniting greeted her ears as she neared the door to leave. It was bittersweet, her eyes spotting younger kids running to embrace their parents. Love poured into her everywhere she looked, all too sweet chocolate melting on her tongue and tingling her fingertips. While perhaps she would feel safer if her parents weren't alive, her heart ached with the hurt of their abandonment and betrayal.

Despite everything, she was still just a kid and wished for her parent's approval and love.

Swallowing, she stepped off the train, feet hitting the cobblestone pavement of Kings Cross as Theo followed behind her. The ease he had carried with him faded as he eyed the wizarding world with disdain. Winnie watched as his jaw tightened; following his eye line, she found Millie waving him down, her shorter blonde hair fastened into a tight bun against her head. Cheekbones high and a smile laced with simple gloss, Winnie swallowed thickly, sniffing as she narrowed her eyes at her sister.

They hadn't spoken in school, existing around each other as if the other didn't exist. Winnie shouldn't be surprised; after everything her sister has done and taken from her, she would rather not speak.

Yet, if Millie was not betrothed to Theo, Winnie might find it in herself to try harder with her sister.

But alas, nothing ever seemed to work the way Winnie wished, and as her eyes trailed to the person beside her sister, her heart froze in her chest. Despite her better judgement, she had sidestepped in front of Theo. The wolf inside her head howled in pain and fear, deafening Winnie's ears as she turned to look at Theo. His face was a sickening pale; his jaw strained so tightly it was a miracle it didn't break or lock.

"Theo," she spoke quietly as her fingers itched to reach out and touch him, but she wouldn't dare to. Not when Sir Theodore Nott stared daggers at his son, watching his every movement. "I'll see you soon, okay? It's just a few weeks. Everything will be fine," but Winnie doubted anything would be fine for him. Sir Theodore Nott had always been a deranged father, never caring nor pouring much love into his son, and Winnie realized how foolish they had been.

Nobody knows about their feelings, but they've been seen in public, and Winnie had no doubt that he would get back to his father somehow.

They had assumed they would be okay, with Theo's father locked in Azkaban.

Oh, how foolish they have been.

Winnie let him step away from her, rigid shoulders and pale skin. Not a single word was spoken between them, and even as her heart broke into a million pieces, she forced herself to look away. To not watch her heart greet the devil in his arms, not to care what was sure to be Theo Nott's worst two weeks of his life. She tried not to dwell on how he would return to her. Instead, she forced her feet to leave, her wolf howling in her head and tears prickling her eyes.

Remus had found her rather quickly, the smell of old parchment and chocolate filling her senses. It is surprising how quickly one can break into a million little pieces and how fragile emotions can be. Winnie always prided herself on being able to keep herself strong and her emotions in check, never letting anyone see.

Remus had given her one look. However, his brown eyes traced her face, a frown laced upon his features before he reached out and drew her in. While she was aware they were standing in the middle of King's Cross, where many people could see them and stare, he only had to whisper two words for her chest to heave out heavy sobs. Fingers curled tightly into the fabric of his cotton sweater; her eyes squeezed painfully shut as her body shook.

"They're gone." Winnie Buldstrode broke, and love was the reason behind it all.