Maybe it was because it was so late, or maybe it was because of how boring the party had become, or maybe it was because of the alcohol in her body. Dominique didn't quite understand why but something had pushed her to be on her way to the Gryffindor common room at 3am.
She hadn't spoken to Alice in months, hadn't spoken to her since she started dating James. She had also avoided her cousin and stopped attending Quidditch practice, which was rare for her because they had always been so close, the two of them against the world. But the fact that James had started dating Alice had ignited something inside her that she never thought she would feel for her cousin. It wasn't hatred, she understood that her cousin wasn't trying to hurt her, especially since he didn't know anything about what had happened between them.
In truth the estrangement between Alice and Dominique had started a long time ago, it was one day when they were in the castle alone in the bathroom. Dominique held Alice's face in her hands as she caressed her cheeks and looked cherished those brown eyes that she could have adored all her life, the brunette's hands rested on her hips and then what Minnie feared the most happened ‘What are we?’ were the 3 words she said and the same ones that ruined everything ‘Friends?’ was the answer she received. Not being the one she had expected she pulled away abruptly, each ended up at an opposite end of the cubicle, after that it all became a space full of shouting, reproaches and scuffling. Alice grabbed her bag and walked out of the bathroom, leaving Dominique crying on the bathroom floor.
Maybe she was asking more of her than Alice was willing to offer, she had felt terrible. She didn't want to be anyone's ‘experiment’ and finding out a month later that she had started dating his cousin and best friend didn't help.
Now through the empty Hogwarts corridors she walked calmly towards the Gryffindor room not quite sure how to get in, possibly sitting on the landing until someone came in or out.
When she arrived she sat down and leaned against the wall ready to wait, took out a small bottle she was carrying and continued to drink, unafraid of being caught and punished for this. After she had been waiting for half an hour the painting moved and through it she saw the figure of a girl emerge. She stood up quickly and as she stepped out of the shadows she could see it was her cousin Lucy.
- Where are you going Lucy?
- What are you doing out here Dominique?
- Just let me in.
- Well I'll let you in, but don't tell anyone you saw me come out.
- I'll do that. And you don't tell anyone I was here.
After that Lucy let her pass and Dominique winked at her knowingly. She didn't insist on knowing where her cousin was going, she knew that third year was when the students started their ‘rebelliousness’ she wasn't going to interfere in whatever her little cousin was planning.
She continued on her way to the girls' rooms, she knew her way around as if it were her own common room. See climbed the stairs and knocked on the door of the room hoping for an answer. It wasn't long before she heard a noise from inside and the door was opened for her. There she was, the mistress of her thoughts and heart for over three years, standing in front of her with a half undone bow tie, wearing pyjamas and glasses that indicated she had been studying or reading.
- Minnie, what's wrong? How did you get in?
Alice held the door open while Dominique simply stood in front of it. On impulse Dominique threw herself at Alice and began to kiss her as if the world was about to end, Alice broke away in shock and closed the door making sure there was no one in the hallway to have witnessed this scene.
- What are you doing! Have you gone mad? What if someone sees us?
- I wouldn't care, I wouldn't care - Minnie leaned against the bedpost with her arms folded and dropped the bottle on the bed.
- Have you been drinking? Are you drunk? My God - Alice began to fidget around the room and picked up the bottle and set it on the desk, then sat down on the bed - Do you see this as normal? You haven't spoken to me for months and you show up here in the middle of the night, kissing me knowing I have a boyfriend. What do you want, Minnie?
- What if what you've done to me is normal?
- I didn't do anything - Alice jumped out of bed to stand face to face with the blonde.
- Nothing? Nothing! You've come and started going out with a boy. And not just any boy, he's MY cousin.
Dominique threw her arms off her chest. Alice fell silent, not knowing what to say and her eyes began to glaze over.
- It's not my fault that you're willing to give more than I can offer.
- I was fine with what you were offering.
- You were going to end up wanting more, you already wanted more - Tears began to run down her cheeks and Dominique reached up to wipe them away.
- If you needed it, I wouldn't ask for more.
- But you wouldn't be fair to yourself. Minnie you deserve more, you are more.
Dominique started to get nervous and moved away to the table to take another swig from the bottle. She took a swig and leaned against the table looking at the other girl who was now sitting in an armchair in the other part of the room.
- You're enough - She said in a faint whisper but audible to the brunette - Is it because he has something I don't?
- Don't say that.
- But that's it, isn't it? What does he have that I don't? I can be better. I can change anything.
- It's just that Minnie you don't want to understand me. He hasn't got anything you haven't got.
- And why does he have and I don't? What's the difference? - Dominique walked around the room and knelt before the other girl almost as if she was begging.
- The difference is that I do love him.
Dominique started to cry after hearing the one thing she didn't want to hear. She knew it but hearing it from the other girl was a different kind of pain. She was facing the harsh reality she hadn't wanted to accept for the past few months. Alice dropped to the floor beside her and gave her a hug in an attempt to comfort her.
- Tell me.
- Tell you what?
- Tell me. Tell me you don't love me and I'll leave. I'll never come back.
- I can't tell you that.
- Then choose me.
- I can't do that either.
- Alice please, I've always been second choice in everything, all my life. Please choose me.
- Minnie, you're not a second choice - Dominique looked at Alice and regained hope - You weren't even an option.
That was the trigger for Dominique to finish breaking down that night, she got up still with tears in her eyes determined to get out of that room. As Dominique made her way to the door of the room to escape as quickly as possible from the place she was stopped midway by Alice's hand that had grabbed her arm. She turned and now they were face to face again, looking into each other's eyes, those eyes she could have been adoring for a lifetime. “Please don't hate James, he was really worried about you and he's not to blame for anything that's happened between the two of us” deep down Dominique knew she was right, it's the only thing she would dare to agree with the other girl about tonight. She made a mental note to talk to him in the morning and apologise for being distant, surely she would offer to play Quidditch to make amends.
She nodded and parted her lips not quite knowing what to say, she thought for a while until finally the pressure in her chest disappeared and she was able to let out “Good luck, Alice”. Alice let go of his arm letting her finally be free and leave, Minnie turned without looking back and ran down the stairs even faster than she had come up them and out of the Common Room. She ran like she had never run before, as if her life depended on it, not really knowing where she was going but her body was going faster than her mind. She ended up in a corridor that seemed to have no escape. The end was a beautiful stained glass window that began to filter the first glimmers of sunlight that signalled the beginning of a new day. Then she sat down on some nearby steps looking into the window and began to cry again, releasing all the emotions of the night again and letting them wash over her. She didn't care if anyone was around the place, if she was found, if the teachers could punish her. Right now she was just focused on her broken heart. Facing the reality that it seemed all those months together had meant nothing to Alice.
As she hugged her legs and continued to sob she noticed a presence sitting next to her. She raised her head and could see a girl with light brown hair sitting in the same position hugging her legs.
- Rough night? - The unknown girl said this with a sarcastic tone and shifted slightly in what Dominique could tell was a Hufflepuff uniform.
- Well yes, you could say that - Dominique laughed a little and wiped her snot with her sleeve, resting her hands on the floor.
- I'm Audrey, by the way. Audrey Macmillan. Ree to my friends - The girl she now knew the name of held out her hand and gave her a warm smile.
- Dominique. Dominique Weasley. Although everyone calls me Minnie - She returned the handshake and looked back at the window.
- Looks like it's going to be a good day.
- Yes, it does.