Redemption.

An unexpected confrontation

Stiorra's POV.

Stiorra walked back into the Gryffindor's tower that night with a rock as a heart. She had just seen Draco and the same girl she'd already seen him with earlier that week, and she couldn't believe he'd forget about her so easily. But you are the one who went on a date with another guy, the voice in her head said, he has every right to do the same thing. So why did it bother her so much?
It was going great with Dean, though she knew something was off, and she knew what it was. He wasn't Draco. So, right after dinner she went and looked for Draco around the castle, hoping to redeem herself and start things over with him as he'd see the photograph of the two of them. But when she found him, he was kissing that Ravenclaw girl, and Stiorra's heart turned cold as she ran the other way. She didn't expect it to hurt so much, for she thought she could get over him, even though she really couldn't.
Stiorra got back into the common room and Harry was there. She sat by his side on the couch, facing the warm fire.

"How did it go?" the boy asked her.

"It didn't."

"Oh."

"He was with another girl," she told him.

"I have a question for you, now that you probably see things differently," Harry said, still staring at the fire, "but, do you love Malfoy?"

"I do have feelings for him."

"Do they include love?"

"What is it with this stupid word?" she groaned.

"Come on, answer me."

"Yes, I think so."

"Then tell him," Harry said firmly.

Stiorra nodded. The portrait flew open and both Ginny and Hermione walked in, soon followed by Ron and Seamus. Stiorra walked up to her dormitory and let herself fall onto her bed.
Before dinner, as the others were mostly chit-chatting down in the common room or studying, Stiorra was laying down on her bed, staring at their picture. As much as she remembered it, she kept it in her hands and stormed out of the Gryffindor tower and headed for dinner. Then, she went looking for Draco. And she found him alright, but he was with someone else.
She checked her pockets but couldn't find the photo anywhere, and suddenly wondered if she hadn't drop it somewhere in the castle on her way.
She closed her eyes, thinking about just how stupid she was for taking the photograph along with her and for losing it when it was the only thing she had to hold onto. The only true thing.
Suddenly there were warm and salty tears streaming down her eyes and there were sobs shaking her chest. She missed him. She wanted him. But how could she tell him?
She fell asleep, and she was so tired from crying that the night grew to be one of the best she ever had.

The following morning, Stiorra woke up and her heart still felt as heavy and broken as the night before. But she knew how to make things right, even if she didn't have the photograph. She'd show up in class, and she hoped Draco would, too, and she'd talk with him about anything and everything. And she'd apologise, even though she was unsure what she'd be apologising for.
She got out of bed and put on her uniform, and as she tied the cravat around her neckline she thought about the kind of conversation she could have with him, and how she could bring up her apologies.
Soon enough she had gotten into the Great Hall and eaten her breakfast, and soon enough the day started. However, she realised she barely had any classes together with the Slytherin before 3pm. Still, she wouldn't let it bring her down.
The class came around, and Stiorra sat at their table in Potions. Draco wasn't here, yet. Dean was lingering at the table, talking to her about their next potential date and how he might take her to Edinburgh for a day.

"Hey," Draco said, sitting down on his chair.

Dean looked him up and down and scoffed, trying to make it unnoticeable as Stiorra shot a look at Harry, who nodded for her to talk with the Slytherin boy. Dean went back to his seat, and Stiorra found herself alone with Draco.
As much as she thought about this moment and whatever she could tell him, there were no words coming out of her mouth.
They sat there, and none of them both were saying a thing. They were staring into the void, then they just stared at Professor Slughorn as he walked around the room and presented the day's potion.
They gathered the ingredients, and went back to sit at their table. Harry was looking over to them with a worried look, and Stiorra just shrugged. As much as she imagined the things she could tell Draco, she just couldn't say a word.
She didn't feel like this was the moment to talk to him about those things, which mattered to her. Her heart felt heavy, and she felt like like the world was weighing on her shoulders. However, actions were sometimes more effective than words. The more time passed by, the closer they sat to each other, up until their arms touched and Draco tried reaching for her hand with his little pinky.
Her heart started to pound heavily in her chest, and soon enough she felt like she could tell him everything. But she needed the conversation to take place in a quiet room, where there'd be no one else but them. She felt too observed here.