Redemption.

Merry Christmas

Stiorra's POV.

It had been a couple of weeks since she got back from St. Mungo's Hospital, and Stiorra was feeling better than ever before. The scar that was already on her chest had been cut open, and now it was just bothering her. It looked darker, and nastier, and it scratched and felt sore in a way she had never thought would be possible.

She was feeling fine, even though her chest felt numb, but the way her friends looked at her as though she were about to disappear forever was troubling her. She didn't dare to tell them, but it did.

Amongst all of the things she was feeling, she also felt confused as to what had happened that very night. She remembered the streets of Edinburgh, she remembered the cold and dusty room her brother kept her in, and she could remember the pain. She remembered Draco being there, and trying his best to protect her, but she couldn't remember what had happened thereafter.

Every time she asked him about it, Draco just seemed to zone out. She knew he was probably living it all over again as she mentioned it, but she just needed to know.

However, the Yule Ball was just a day away -and that was taking all of her troubles and whatever was troubling her away. She couldn't stop thinking about it, and about how handsome Draco would look. He had always been handsome for her taste, but thinking about him in this special moment felt special, and different.

Hermione, Ginny and Stiorra had spent an entire day in Hogsmeade, and the girls had wanted to go to London for more options -but fear crept in on Stiorra at the mere idea of going away from Hogwarts again, and she declined, so the girls went alone. Stiorra had found her dress in Hogsmeade anyway, and it was gorgeous.

It was a long dark-green satin dress with a bustier -the dress fitting her every curves and falling right on her ankles so it wasn't too long for her. She'd pair it up with the golden necklace Draco had offered her, and she bought a pair of golden earrings that were matching his gift.

There was still so much to take care of, such as her hair, and her makeup. Even though she needed help with the latter for she didn't know what would look great and what would not.

Stiorra was sitting on her bed, her back resting against the headboard as she read over her notes, when Hermione and Ginny walked in the dorm. It seemed they had gotten all out for the Yule Ball, for each of them was carrying at least three bags from different shops.

"Drop that down," Ginny told her with a grin, "you'll be the judge."

The red-haired girl put her bags down onto the hardwood floors as Stiorra dropped her notes down on her bed, sitting upright to see better as the girls changed into their outfits for the ball.

Hermione had chosen a dark-red silk dress that fell above her knees and embraced her body shape, with a square neckline embroidered with gold. She had chosen a pair of golden heels that shimmered under the light of their dormitory.

On the other hand, Ginny had gone for a long black dress with tulle embroidered with roses on the skirt, and plunging neckline. Stiorra felt a pinch of jealousy as her friend flaunted this low-cut neckline in front of her, for she would have liked to wear one if it weren't for her scar. It just felt strange to her. Ginny put on a pair of black stilettos and paraded around the room.

Both Hermione and Ginny were giggling as Stiorra turned the radio up, and together they danced in their room until they fell onto their beds, out of breath.

"I'm giving a 9/10 each," she told them.

"Why not 10/10?" Ginny asked.

"Because that's me."

Hermione and Ginny both grabbed a pillow and chunked them at Stiorra, who had gotten up of her bed with a laugh, shielding her head with her arms.

The night had fallen outside, but she could still see the big snowflakes falling onto the castle grounds under the moonlight. The girls were taking their dresses off, putting on their regular clothes for dinner -and went down.

They got back up to their dormitories, and Stiorra could feel the impatience grow in the room -this child-like haste for the night to pass by in the blink of an eye so as to finally be able to open up their presents. But Stiorra was impatient for the ball.

•

There was snow falling outside the castle as she woke up. She stayed in her bed, looking at the white flakes falling from the sky, and sighed. The dormitory was empty, but she could hear laughter and voices echoing through the staircase, coming up from the common room.

Her chest ached. It was but a numb pain, still it was bothering her. She propped herself up on her elbows and sat down on her bed. A cold shiver ran down her back as she got up, her feet on the cold wooden floor.

She got dressed, and threw a jumper on to keep her warm -and walked down to the common room. Her friends were gathered around the Christmas tree and scattered across the room, sitting on the couch and armchairs, eating handfuls of chocolates as she sat by the tree. There were two presents with her name on it. She recognised Ginny's handwriting, and Hermione's.

Stiorra grabbed the packages and tore the paper apart -there was a white knitted-jumper in one, and a heavy book in the other.

"The jumper to replace the one your brother destroyed," Ginny said hesitantly.

Stiorra thanked her friends as the boys handed her full packets of chocolate chips cookies and chocolate. She realised there was a letter down under the tree, with her name written on it. It came along with a small square box.

Dear Stiorra,
I'm sorry for everything that happened to you over these past few weeks -this past month. I could live a hundred lifetimes and not feel like I'd make it up to you. If only we went to Hogsmeade instead, things might not have gone the way they did.
Anyways.
I saw these in Edinburgh that day, and thought the only person they'd fit would be you.
I can't wait to take you to the ball, my beautiful angel.
Love you forever,
Draco.

Stiorra felt a warm and fuzzy feeling engulfing her heart as she breathed and put the letter down. The tiny square box that stood nearby was white and there was a dark-green bow tied around it.

She untied it and opened the box, and gasped. There was the most beautiful pair of earrings she had ever seen sitting on a small cushion inside the box.

"Are those emeralds?" Ginny gasped.

Stiorra nodded. She had seen such earrings around jewellery shops in London, with round and white pearls, but she had never seen emeralds as dark and beautiful as these.

She ran up to her dormitory and to the girls bathroom. She stood before the mirror and put the earrings on. They were the most beautiful and precious things she had ever seen. She shook her head with a smile and went back down.

Her friends had left for breakfast already, and Stiorra couldn't wait to see Draco. The portrait flew open as she came near, and the blonde platinum haired boy was standing there on the doorstep.

Stiorra jumped in his arms, holding him as tight as she could even though her chest felt weird, and breathed out. She stepped away, looking him in the eyes, and smiled.

She stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips on his. It felt warm, and almost new. She couldn't get enough. Draco broke the kiss apart with a wide grin on his face, and his gaze fell on the earrings.

"I was right," he told her.

"Merry Christmas, Draco."

"Merry Christmas, love."