Chapter 11
Soon it was mid-December and almost time for winter break.
“I do feel sorry for those who have to stay at home because their families don’t want them home,” Said Draco, “Don’t you Delilah?”
“Shut up, Draco!” Replied Delilah.
“Why?” Draco stepped closer to Delilah, “Are you too ashamed of the muggles you live with? Huh?”
“Leave me alone.” Delilah in a fit of frustration kicked him in the shin and walked the opposite direction of him towards the school. “Hey!” She said as someone bumped into her. He wore emerald green robes with dark brown eyes and dark gold hair. “You’re one of Draco’s little club members.”
“Um, yeah. Korban Kaldor.” He held out his hand as Delilah pushed it away with two fingers.
“No thanks-” She said. He awkwardly pushed his hand behind his back and said,
“You’re Delilah Black?”
“Yep. Did Draco tell you?” She said, She had seen in the past weeks Draco trying to bully Harry, Ron, and Hermione, so she was pretty sure she was next.
“Um no I heard it at the sorting ceremony You know the one at the beginning of the year. Where they put the hat on your head and it pi-” He rambled.
“Yep I know about the only ceremony we have had this whole year.” Replied Delilah
“Uh yeah..”
‘Well instead of bothering me,” Delilah said, sending a look towards him that could kill, “why don’t you bother your bestie Draco.”
“Don’t ever talk to you,” He said walking away from Delilah and towards Draco with a slightly rejected look on his face, “Got it.”
“Yep.”
Delilah then started to make her way towards the great hall. She had heard murmurs that they were decorating the hall for Christmas and she had planned to meet Florence near the entrance. Over the past couple weeks they had become closer especially after they had a long conversation about Snape’s cape fire.
“Florence!” Delilah waved towards Florence as she returned her greeting, “Do you want to head in?” Florence nodded in response as they both walked into the great hall. It was lavish with trees full of ornaments and lights as the rest of the hall was covered in gold, green, and red decorations. “Here you go.” Delilah said. She pulled out a long box out of her raven blue cloak and pushed it over to Florence. She grabbed the box and pulled the top of the box off and sat it beside the box. It was filled with an assortment of different colors of quills.
“I didn’t know what your favorite color was so I just asked Wood to pick up multiple different colors from Hogsmeade.”
“Thank you, now I have my gift for you.” Florence said, “I’m not sure if you will like it. It is more muggle than your gift.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that. I grew up in the muggle world with my stupid muggle adoptive family.” She pulled out a book. It was dark blue and aged. The spine was taped together with floral duct tape.
“It’s this book of poems that I found at home. I know you are not into reading but I feel like it is something that just felt like you.” Florence said with a weird sort of smirk on her face.
“You wanted to get rid of it.” Delilah said with a skeptical look in her cloudy eyes.
“I wanted to get rid of it.” Florence repeated as they produced short laughs, “Well I better get going. The train will be leaving soon and I have to feed my cats and make sure my parents don't sell them.”
Once the holidays started, the school became a lot more quiet. Delilah was sure she wasn’t going home to the Harrington’s. Not that they thought that they would even want her back. She had visited Harry and Ron a few times but to her Ron was as insufferable as a Slytherin. She was walking back to her dorm after one of those times until someone came up beside her.
“Make no mistake, the only reason I am not hitting you over the head is because I find a certain Gryffindor named Ronald Billiaus Weasley more insufferable at this moment.” Delilah said to Korban, “What are you here to critique me about something. You abnoxus snake”
“No, but if you want me to, I can.” He replied, “Got any suggestions?”
‘Sure because I want one of you vile slytherins to critique me like me telling you will stop you.”
“You’re a Slythernist.”
“A what?”
“A slythernist. A person who judges people just because they are in Slytherin.”
“I know Ronald Weasley and Steve Harrington and that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.” Delilah said, “I thought I told you to stay away. Korban Kaldor.”
“What have I ever even done to you? I haven’t provoked or teased you once!”
“Yeah well you hang out with a group of foul people such as my cousin and you were practically sorted into the evil house.” She left him near the moving staircase and she walked to the great hall.
“Hey Delilah.”
“Harry,” Delilah replied. He wore an evergreen sweater with a large white H in the center, “Well you seem pretty down for it being the most wonderful time of the year. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I miss my parents.” Harry said his voice somber, “I don’t even really remember them but I wish they were here.”
“Yeah I get it, “ Delilah said looking down at her hands as she sat next to Harry, “but you’re not alone ya’know.”
“What?”
“You’re not alone. You have Ron, Hermione, I heard that you and Ron helped save her from a troll so I think you have definitely won her favor. I can see why you were sorted into Gryfindor. Fred and George seemed quite excited to see you on the train. Hagrid, You don’t just invite some random student for tea to your hut. Me, even though we’re not in the same house. We’re all here for you.”
Delilah held out her hand, her fingers widespread, her deep brown eyes glanced into Harry’s green ones. Harry looked at the hand and then firmly grasped it.
“You can fall down now.” She said, Tears then started to fall slowly down his face. He lifted his sleeve and wiped just under his eyes.
“Merry Christmas Delilah.” Harry said with his face damp.
“Merry Christmas Harry.” Delilah replied as she laid her head on Harry’s shoulder, their hands still intertwined her face almost just as miserable as his. Just then both Delilah and Harry realized that the only person who could possibly understand exactly what their lives were like, exactly what they're going through is each other.