Chapter 18: Shadows and tears

The corridors of Hogwarts were quieter than usual that evening, the dim torchlight casting long shadows across the stone walls. I had been wandering aimlessly, trying to sort through the storm inside me, when the tears finally came. I sank to the floor near a deserted hallway, pressing my face into my hands, letting the sobs escape freely. The fight with Draco by the Black Lake had left me raw, and the silence since then had only made the ache grow sharper. “Melody?” a familiar voice called softly. I flinched, lifting my head to see Hermione standing a few feet away, concern etched across her face. Behind her, Ron and Harry had appeared, their expressions a mix of worry and confusion. I wiped at my eyes hastily, trying to mask the evidence of my tears. “I… I’m fine,” I mumbled, voice cracking despite my effort. Hermione didn’t step closer immediately. Instead, she knelt a few feet away, giving me space. “You’re not fine,” she said gently. “Whatever’s wrong… you don’t have to deal with it alone.” I swallowed hard, embarrassed. “It’s… it’s Draco. We had a fight.” Ron’s eyebrows shot up. “A fight? You two fight?” “Yes, Ron, we fight,” I snapped, though the words came out more shaky than sharp. I buried my face in my hands again, letting the tears fall. “And now… now we’re not talking. He- he doesn’t want me to meet his parents, and I… I feel like he’s ashamed of me, or that he’s not proud of me. I… I don’t know.” Harry crouched down beside me, resting a hand lightly on my shoulder. “Melody… I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The way he’s with you. He’s proud of you. Maybe he just doesn’t know how to handle his parents yet. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about you.” Hermione nodded, her eyes soft but serious. “Exactly. He might be scared, but that doesn’t mean he loves you any less. And that fight- it doesn’t erase what you two have. You just… need to talk to each other. Soon.” I sniffled, letting the warmth of their presence sink in. “I just… I feel so helpless,” I admitted. “I want to see him, I want to fix this, but I don’t even know how.” Ron crouched down beside me, giving me a small, awkward smile. “Sometimes all you need is a step back. Cool off. Then you go to him. You tell him how you feel. Trust me, it works more often than not.” I let out a shaky laugh, wiping the last of my tears. “You make it sound so easy.” Hermione gave me a gentle squeeze on the hand. “It’s never easy. But it’s worth it. You two care about each other, Melody. That’s more important than anything else.” I nodded, taking a deep breath. “Okay. I… I think I can try. I just… I just needed a moment.” Harry smiled encouragingly. “We all need moments sometimes. Go on… you’ll figure it out.” As they left me to gather my strength, I stayed sitting there for a moment longer, listening to the faint echo of footsteps fading down the hall. My cheeks were still wet from tears, but my heart felt lighter. Somehow, knowing my friends had seen me at my most vulnerable�"and hadn’t judged me�"gave me a sliver of courage. And deep down, I knew it was the courage I would need to face Draco again.