SORROW'S / SONG

it was the question that catches him off-guard. he had been acutely aware of the festivities in front of him, while the band on stage kept playing a heavy set that had the audience completely under a frantic spell. his fellow slytherin’s had insisted (or, more like, dragged him out), to come along and join them, against his protests of being anywhere near this damned night club somewhere off charing cross road.

 – and though the act of sneaking away without anyone being none the wiser had proved itself difficult, he managed it nonetheless. still, draco had been very careful to arrive fashionably late for the grand opening. he hadn’t even had a chance to mingle with his old acquaintances yet, other than when he had greeted them briefly at the front entrance. they had all but disappeared in the crowd almost half an hour ago, and he had no intentions on finding them. if not now, then eventually. 

but until that happens, draco finds himself against a wall, downing his third glass of whiskey with a violent tilt of the wrist. he refused to enjoy himself, though the girl next to him gave him plenty of other ideas. and he couldn’t help the smirk that spread on his face when their eyes met as she flushed ever so slightly. “  well,  ” he starts, leaning forward, close enough that he could speak aloud over the music.  “  i can’t say i disagree. it’s a bit boring, wouldn’t you say?  ”

beneath the effervescent lights  , one could say that they truly did not know the company they’d kept . that notion in itself could be supported by the fact that hannah had taken note of not one , not two, but three oddities within the bodies mingling mere feet away from her . perched , as if gazing through glass window at a world in which she wasn’t quite sure she’d fit any longer , it’s a breathy sigh that follows as the boys sharp vocals cut through thickened air . throat growing dry with the realization of who it was she’d spoken to . lights flicker , the crowd cheers , and the beat drops heavily around them in mere moments . 

“ never really been one for parties to begin with so –– who am i to judge , i ‘spose. “ careful shrug rolls from slender shoulders as grip tightens upon tumbler in her hand . gaze flickers towards him , draco malfoy . for all she’d read in the papers , the slander that his name was now wrought with , she couldn’t for the life of her find a terrifying thing about him . brow furrows as she studies , perhaps allowing gaze to linger for a moment too long as her own inquisitive nature gets the best of her . “ ‘lthough , boring might not be the word for it . “ beyond melded bodies , there’s frantic hands , sweaty palms , the writhing of desperation if only to lose ones self for a night . something inwhich hannah had found , however , hers was discovered at the bottom of a glass , a bottle . there was no comfort found in her .  shallow laughter escapes her , bodice twisting slightly to face him . 

lips curl slightly , lithe digit pushing loosened lock of honey golden curls behind her ear as attempt to feign amusement crumbles . “ –– ‘m sure you’ve an onslaught lined up and willing to have a go at dancing . “ her assumption seeps from liquor kissed tongue , honest jest lingering within her tone . it’s an uncertain shiver that crawls through her veins , raises hair upon nape of her neck before she continues . “ so what is it that would excite you , may i ask ? “ 

it’s funnier when she does it, devoid of the years of loathing for the woman harry has been building up since he was fourteen ( disturbed and dangerous, she had called him ) and her quill scratched out horrible things about harry and his friends. he laughs softly and props his head on his hand, elbow resting on the bar top. harry’s not so sure it will pass, but doesn’t comment as much. “dungbomb pie might be a punishment i wouldn’t wish on any soul living,” there are a few souls dead, though, that he would consider, “-like the yule ball but less filled with teenage angst, yeah? though seems like i’m spending both sitting around, watching the dancing.” it’s a lighthearted jab at himself and the fact he seems doomed to not enjoy a single dance he attends. “how about you? are you worried about who you’ll see and what you’re wearing?”

a grimace crosses his features at the mention of the reporter, all-too familiar with the sewage her quill scrawls across tabloid headlines. he does laugh at the thought of hannah abbott absconds with troll! as a headline, though, shaking his head. another sip of the burning alcohol is downed and he hitches one shoulder in a lopsided shrug at the question. why did he come? harry isn’t even really sure. “it’s a perfectly good flat, not a hole,” he responds in faux defense of his current social habits, “i dunno. figured if i wasn’t here people’d think it meant something. boy who lived condemns new muggle-born club! read all about it!” the words lose their jovial tone and take on something more heated for a moment, though harry’s able to shake it off, “and i do think this place is a good idea, even if it’s not my - thing.”

     susan has researched muggle things for years, anything that could help her feel closer to her father. listening as her mother did her best to explain - knowing she would learn of him from the woman who knew him best. it was a never ending tunnel, learning various bits of knowledge that most would see as pointless. but due to this, a dance club is not a completely foreign concept - though it might as well be, with how she feels, attempting to squeeze through the moving bodies. the dark room, flashing lights, loud music, and people crowded together causes her anxiety to prickle at her skin. something that has only gotten worse throughout the years, only emphasized after the war. susan picks up her second drink, a mulled mead, and decides she needs to breathe.      she finally finds solace in in the corner of the club, where her best friend stands alone nursing a drink of her own. it takes a moment for her to capture what hannah says, the music and people making it difficult. but she lets out a laugh, shaking her head, as she joins her at her side. “ no, “ she says, feeling slightly out of breath, even though she hadn’t been dancing. “ thought i’d give it a chance, y’know ? ” it felt odd, dancing and celebrating, when often times susan feels like the war still has a grip on her. she has not felt that light in ages. but her mother promises the first steps of rebuilding often feel forced and unfitting. “ it’s an attempt, at least. ”

RELIEF washes over her at the sight of susan , another lost soul within a crowded room . it’s susan that hannah seeks out in moments such as these , when the world seems too big , when she cannot help but feel as though she herself was drowning . she’d come here in search of something , a moment of weakness that had simply caused her to regret leaving the comfort of her flat . there was something so calming , something so pleasant about being alone within the confides of hogsmeade . to walk the streets freely at night , empty and quiet with nothing but the moon leaking unto her skin to light the way . knockturn alley had been anything but such a solace . perhaps the sun herself had found herself prey to the moon , to the darkness and shadows that covered every corner and crevasse . her smile is genuine , the warmth that fills her a mixture of recognized comfort and the whiskey she’s been downing to stay in place . “ well , i’m glad you’re here to share my misery then . “ free arm links through susans. “ don’t think i could’ve survived the evenin’ if it wasn’t for your efforts . can’t say i would’ve dragged my arse away from my kitchen –– “ 

It wasn’t often that Jade found herself with a night off from both work and Kayden, but after the month they’d had, she needed it and she was beyond glad that his aunt was taking him for the night despite everything. The bright lights flashing against sweat-filled bodies’ as they swayed to the music blasting through the club. She’d missed it, the scene, living a careless life filled with names she couldn’t remember, faces that blurred into the night. A time where everything was easier. Not that she’d change her current situation for the world, she adored Kayden and couldn’t imagine a life without him in it. So, despite wanting to straight back in and let loose, the girl found herself closer to the walls, watching the crowd from a distance with a vodka soda in her hand. 

“ not anymore, no.” she admitted with a soft smile, glancing over her shoulder at the blonde, eyes filled with curiosity and desire. “ i thought maybe putting on a fancy dress would change that, but seems it takes a lot more these days.” jade chuckled. 

" anymore –– “ word echoes as curiosity washes over her features . shoulders roll into a small shrug as gaze trails towards the girl , her attention unwavering . “ you’ve got one up on me i’d say , i’ve not really been out like this in –– well –– the yule ball perhaps , though really shouldn’t count that now should i ? “  teeth graze against bottom lip , a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she continues . whisky dripped tongue , she fades into the crowd , allows herself to be swallowed by the bodies and voices that echo throughout the club around them . however , her solace had been one in which she could find the heart to share , if only for a moment . to act as a shoulder to cry on , or an ear to remain open for those who’d poured out secrets from liquor laced lips . “ i have a feelin’ you aren’t alone in that . wasn’t even sure i was showin’ up and so i’d have to say i’m a little underdressed. “ she shakes her head , waves of blonde locks mask her features , smile faltering if only for a moment of brevity , if only a moment to breathe before she returns to a guise of pleasantries . “ can’t be hard for the likes of you , a nice dress and a few cocktails bought from admirers –– “ gaze focuses atop her companions shoulder before chin nods towards a sea of glazed hues . “ i myself have noticed at least two , you might just have a line up by the end of the night . “ 

it feels like he’s being ungrateful, when he speaks unkindly about the attention he’s received for years now. after all - he’s still alive. that’s more than so many can say. fingers scrub through his hair and he takes his drink with a grateful smile when it arrives, downing a few large gulps of it in quick succession. if he lingers too hard on that feeling he can hear the echoes of aunt petunia’s voice in the back of his head, ungrateful child, and shivers. he looks at hannah and makes himself more comfortable on the bar stool, deciding in that very moment that this is likely where he’ll be spending a large portion of the night. “with a troll? is that something we should worry about?” a sardonic quirk of his lips punctuates the words. he swivels to look at the crowd as she talks, a mild laugh of his own bubbling through his lips. “good enough reason, i’d say.”

the darkness of the club has proven an ally to harry’s attempts to get through the night unbothered by prying eyes and overly enthusiastic questions. the flashes of bright colors illuminate his face and bounce off his glasses in reflective rays as harry ducks towards the bar in an effort to escape a curious wizard who had questions that made harry’s spine itch - he doesn’t feel like telling the guy off on what is supposed to be a fun night. it’s hard to have fun when people keep talking to him about the war. he slumps against the bar and orders a glass of firewhiskey, turning to look at hannah. harry’s expression morphs from a mess of exhaustion and irritation to something lighter at the sight of his friend. “not at all,” he glances back towards the crowd, their pulsing movements under the lights and loud noise of music that radiates through the club, “didn’t expect t’see you here, hannah.”

she wonders , if only for a moment , how hard it must’ve been to be here . for harry , the crowds meant something else entirely . while hannah could fall into the background , fading as if she were a ghost amongst the people. he himself had stuck out like a sore thumb , all eyes following the chosen one , the saviour . to be such a thing , to have such a halo propped atop ones head , was something in which hannah wouldn’t wish upon anyone . it’s after this thought that , though she wears a smile permanently plastered for the man , she feels her heart strings tug ever so gently . he , deeply rooted in a tragedy that had only in turn found himself poster boy for change , for recovery . her vocals are tender , softer than she’d hoped amongst the blur of people , the rapidly changing beat of songs as she speaks . “ yes well , couldn’t very well let everyone think i was avoidin’ or that i’d run off with a troll to live in seclusion, now could i ?” 

RHYTHM has never been her strong suit ,  so whilst others find themselves drawn to the dance floor , hannah opts for a darker corner . too used to being the shadow , the fly upon t he wall in which her former classmates could hardly suspect . fluorescent lighting seeps through her skin , bodies becoming nothing more than a blur mere feet away from her . there was something about the confined space that had managed to strike an anxious chord within her heart . yet , it remains unbeknownst to those around her . petal pink lips plumped to perfection , lightly blushed cheeks shining if only to mask something likened to sorrow that lay beneath . fingers , nimble and delicate , are gripping rum filled glass that she so carefully consumes . it burns , and for a moment she regrets ordering it , but she’ll take anything that keeps her warm . it’s with a curious brow that hannah’s gaze falls upon her companion , another soul seeking solace from the drown out words that echo throughout the dance floor. 

“ not really your scene either , i’m assumin’ ? “ her vocals are sweet , as if liquid sugar , and louder than usual. another moment to masquerade , to hide her feelings beneath the guise of discomfort . 

HANDS RUB TOGETHER, trying to fend off the biting cold as he walks through the near-empty streets of hogsmeade. blaise lets out a frustrated groan at having forgotten his gloves that morning —– the warm leather the last thing on his mind as he practically ran out the door of his apartment, almost late for class. and now, as the night grows darker, he’s left with the consequences —– ( and oh, how dramatic he could be. ) 

HE QUICKENS HIS PACE upon reaching a familiar path, the cozy little establishment at the end calling out to him. the bell above the door jingles, announcing his presence as he enters. blaise lets out a relived sigh as he takes up a bar stool —– ears ringing with hannah’s warm voice. ‘ good evening, ’ he greets. he can’t recall when exactly he’s started to frequent the small place —– when he has other, much classier options but.. the three broomstricks seems to be a vague reminder of simpler times. ‘ the usual, miss abbott. ’

“ zabini . “ his name was venomous , a reminder that snakes shed their skin time and time again , wearing faces most interchangeable , as if masks , facades. yet , she’d only ever known him to be something regal , something untouchable . “ ‘course , comin’ right up. “ she doesn’t take long , a glass topped with liquor kept top shelf for this very occasion before she slides it against wooden countertop . it was better than silence , she’d tried to convince herself . no need to tire herself with a parade of pleasantries , nor a sickeningly saccharine voice . not around blaise . for , the less they knew the better . 

@hanabbott​

Hermione stifled another yawn behind her hand as she squeezed past the flowing crowd of people. She hated that to get to her flat she had to go through Diagon Alley after work. It was always so busy now that people had started to feel safer. Which was a good thing don’t get her wrong but MERLIN if it wasn’t exhausting sometimes!

Shuffling her way past what looking to be an overbearing mother clucking at her gaggle of young children Hermione ducked into Slug & Jiggers and couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. The place was close to empty at this hour and after the day she’d had it felt amazing to be able to just get what she wanted and hopefully leave. 

Walking quickly through the aisle until she reached the new potions weekly magazines, she flipped through until she got to the new discoveries section. Hermione quickly became absorbed in the world of potions and knew the shop keeper probably would understand considering she did this everytime the periodical was published before she’d ask to talk to the brewer so she could debate. Some part of her wished that she actually knew a potions master simply to debate the ingredients and how things had to be made. Was instinct or tried-and-true method better?

to be alone , comfortable in her own company , weaving though bustling cobblestone as she’d manoeuvred into shop after shop , was something in which hannah had excelled at. she herself had learned that , whether she’d grown used to it or not , that everyone had families to return to , significant others to wander the world with , and she had only ever had the static silence within her head . it was easier this way , better this way . a constant reminder of that every person you’d let in , every person who saw past the thickened layer of doubt and dark under eyes , was a person who you could lose . 

it’s the curiosity that bites at her heels that causes her to turn into the apothecary , a morbid wonder as if in another life she’d frequent here more so than anywhere else . fresh scent of brews washes over her senses , and hannah cannot help but allow shoulders to fall , a veil of blonde curls masking her features as she enters . students had come and gone , surely sorted and settled into their houses with their new cauldrons courtesy of slug & jiggers . and she , well , here she was , light footfalls carrying her across the floor before gaze falls upon a familiar face . it’s a small sigh that escapes her , a selfishness within her that yearns to turn around . yet , she perseveres if only to save face , to remain in good graces . 

“hermione –– “  her tone is laced with surprise , honey suckle sweetness dripping as eyes surely sparkle. in an old fashion , she finds herself much more like the hannah the world had once known , the one they’d remained blissfully unaware that had faded like a scar . “ fancy seein’ you here . would’ve thought the ministry was holdin’ you up in your office night n’ day ! ”