100 Stories Challenge - Rainbow

Cher had always wondered if the weather was feeling her very feelings.

It was more than a coincidence for it to start raining after her mother had abandoned them right before Hogwarts had started. For winter vacation she most certainly couldn’t go back to the Manor no matter what – she stayed put in Hogwarts and hoped her little brother was doing fine.

She would be outraged if her mother had the least decency to leave him alone in the Manor.

No, she’d murder the woman. Scratch the previous love she had for her.

She paced around the girl’s dormitory, looking around at the wrappings on a few beds and ribbons all over. Being Christmas, most students had left home, but others stayed. Noticing a lump of a body not far, Cher was far too sure it was Luna, her older sister, snoozing her Christmas away.

“I’m going to get hot chocolate.” She spoke to nobody in particular as she walked out the door.

“Hmph,” Luna grumbled before burying her face in her pillow.

It was odd for it to rain instead of snow at this time of year, but Cher shoved that away as she walked down the dungeon hallway, reaching Slytherin’s spacy common room. No one was there – but the fireplace crackled as the fire burned, green reflecting in the room. She almost wondered how she could even see the rain falling down when they were underwater. She turned her head towards the long hallway that lead to the boy’s dormitories, tempted to see her brother, but turned away and walked out of it, heading up the empty hallways of Hogwarts.

“Merry Christmas,” The Bloody Baron said stoically as Cher walked passed.

“Merry Christmas to you too, BB.” She said before walking down to the Great Hall. Dressed in ripped shorts and a Slytherin sweater, her hair messily loose, she walked in to see a few people in the hall, but nevertheless, grins and smiles plastered on their face as they unwrapped their gifts and laughed with each other.

She grudged towards the Slytherin table, sitting next to Venus Parkinson and her best friend, Jessie Sanders.

“Hi Cher,” Venus smiled at the sad teenager aside her.

“’Sup.” She said quietly as she looked at the food in front of her. Silently stocking her plate, she picked up her fork and stabbing her strawberry.

“I got the usual – another re-stock on my vault at Gringotts and some jewelry.” Jessie continued, looking at her best friend who smirked. “Dad told me that he might be getting a promotion soon, so I’m happy for him.”

“What about you, Cher?” Venus said, attempting to bring her friend into the conversation. “Cher?”

“What about me?” Cher asked.

“What’d you get for Christmas?” Jessie smirked.

Not much, Cher wanted to respond. “Nothing.”

Jessie looked like if someone had stabbed her straight in the heart by her ‘Deer in Headlights’ expression as Venus looked at Cher horrified. “What do you mean, nothing? Surely you must have gotten something.”

“Other than a Christmas card from my little brother,” Cher sighed, resting her head on her hand as she continued stabbing her food. “Honestly, nothing.”

“That’s impossible!” Jessie half-shrieked, a few heads turning their direction. “I’m going to die!” She added dramatically.

Rolling her eyes, Cher continued stabbing her food mindlessly before she felt a pair of arms hug her from the back. She barely turned when she recognized the voice talk, “Merry Christmas Cherry.”

A silver and green box appeared in front of her as Cher rolled her eyes. Typical Slytherin, she thought as she hopped off her seat and gave a bear hug to her older brother.

“And here I was, wondering why you have decided to be so heartless this year.” Venus huffed at Jasper, giving him a knowing glare as soon as Cher released him.

“Don’t blame me,” He snapped back. “The guys and I had stayed in the dungeon thinking how the hell we were planning to hand out the gifts.”

“So dramatic,” Cher said, releasing a smile. “Merry Christmas, Jas.”

He smirked before walking away, leaving an excited Jessie and Venus in front of Cher. “Well?” Jessie said impatiently. “Open the gift!”

“What? Oh!” Cher laughed as she carefully unwrapped the girl, exposing a small box.

“Another one?” Jessie groaned.

Opening the box, she smirked as she turned the box to face Venus and Jessie. “Only the obvious,” She said casually as she lifted the piece of jewelry with a green emerald ‘M’ outlined with silver. “A family heirloom.”

“And that’s typical?” Venus said, stunned. “Just like being a Head Girl is typical?”

“Pretty much,” Cher said as she tied the necklace around her neck, fingering the silk thread. “You should have seen Jas’ expression when he found out I became Head Girl. He was all, ‘Seriously?’ like he couldn’t believe it. He must have decided that I deserved this.”

“Mhm,” Venus said, clearly not amused by her response. “I think someone’s waiting for you in the doorway.”

 Cher turned her head to see Albus waiting by the doorway, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he watched a group of Slytherins walk in. Smiling, Cher hopped off her chair and walked towards him, her own hands stuffed nervously in her sweater.

“Albus,” Cher smiled as she noticed him smile at her, his clear dimple appearing.

“Wondering when you’d come by.” He said as they began to walk down the hallway. “How’s your Christmas so far?”

Horrible. “Good.” She said casually. “Yours?”

“It’s going great so far.” He smirked as he looked down at his fellow Head Girl. “I wanted to give you a present for Christmas.”

Cher’s eyes left the raining window, falling on his bright green eyes. “Oh?” She said, amused.

“Takes a lot of guts to this,” He continued, looking down at her petite frame. Taking in a deep breath, he said, “I’m leaving you all the duties for the Winter Ball.”

“What?” She snapped loudly. “You’re kidding, right? And I actually thought we were hitting it off well! And take that smirk off your face, Potter!”

“Back to the last name basis, huh?” He smirked as she stomped off. He grabbed her wrist just in time and pulled her towards him, oddly still as they stared at each other’s eyes.

“This… is really creepy.” She said, her eyes never departing this.

“Would this make it creepier?” He said before letting his lips fall on her, her eyes widening as she tried to protest. She noticed it had stopped raining outside before pulling him off.

“… Oddly enough, no.” She laughed before stealing a last glance at the rainbow outside the large window before Albus came back down for another kiss.