Chapter 30: The Sky is Blue

Note : SOOO, this is the end of the first volume of the story, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

I'm still sick but I'll manage.

POV: Aurora Malfoy /Damian Fawley

Aurora Malfoy sat at the vanity in her dormitory, absently running a brush through her hair. The day had been uneventful until Damian Fawley's confession replayed in her mind. His words, spoken with surprising earnestness, had taken her off guard.

"I like you, Aurora."

The memory made her lips curl into a soft smile. Damian wasn't one for unnecessary dramatics; his straightforward nature was one of the things she admired about him.

She had long liked him but now that her master plan to seduce him succeeded she didn't know what to do.

She heard the familiar sound of her sister's impatient footsteps before Stella barged into the room, her presence as commanding as always.

"Do you ever knock?" Aurora asked dryly, setting her brush down.

Stella smirked, leaning against the doorframe. "Not when I've got something important to say. But judging by that expression on your face, you've got something juicy on your mind. Spill."

Aurora sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Fine. Damian Fawley told me he likes me."

Stella's smirk vanished, replaced by a look of wide-eyed surprise. "He what?!"

Aurora turned to face her sister fully, a bemused expression on her face. "He told me he likes me. I wasn't expecting it, but…" She trailed off, a rare hint of vulnerability creeping into her tone.

"But what?" Stella demanded, plopping down onto Aurora's bed with all the grace of a Hippogriff.

Aurora hesitated. "But I don't know what to do about it. What if it all goes down.

I've loved him for over a year but now that it's in both senses, I don't know what to do.

I fear I will ruin it and that he will then no longer want to be with me

Damian's my best friend, and I just can't ruin that. Besides, there's so much going on right now—exams, our family's reputation—it's a lot."

Stella waved her hand dismissively. "Forget all that. You like him, do you?"

Aurora answered shakily. "I do, Truly I do but what do I do now ?"

Stella grinned mischievously. "Wow, all this master plan to make him fall for you only to then be unable to do anything !"

Aurora threw a pillow at her sister, who caught it with ease. "You're insufferable."

"And you love me for it," Stella replied with a laugh.

Despite her teasing, Stella proved to be surprisingly supportive. The sisters spent the afternoon together, wandering the castle grounds and discussing everything from potion recipes to the latest gossip. Aurora appreciated the distraction, though Damian's confession lingered at the back of her mind.

As they passed through the courtyard, Stella suddenly stopped. "You know," she said, a thoughtful expression on her face, "I think you should introduce me to Damian."

Aurora raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because," Stella said with a shrug, "he clearly means a lot to you, and if he's going to be part of your life, I should get to know him."

Aurora studied her sister for a moment before nodding. "Alright. But promise me you'll behave."

Stella placed a hand over her heart, feigning offense. "Aurora, I'm hurt. When have I ever been anything but charming?"

Aurora rolled her eyes. "Don't make me answer that."

Aurora arranged for them to meet Damian in the library's west wing, a quiet area often overlooked by the more studious students. Damian was already there when they arrived, engrossed in a book on ancient magical artifacts.

"Damian," Aurora called softly, drawing his attention.

He looked up, a smile spreading across his face as he closed his book. "Aurora. Stella. Good to see you both."

Stella stepped forward, her usual aloofness replaced with genuine warmth. "It's nice to finally meet you, Damian. Aurora's mentioned you before."

"All good things, I hope," Damian replied, standing to greet her.

"Mostly," Stella teased, though her tone was light.

Aurora watched as the two exchanged pleasantries, a sense of relief washing over her. Stella, who could be icy and dismissive toward strangers, was surprisingly welcoming.

Within minutes, the three of them were deep in conversation. Stella's sharp wit and Damian's quiet charm complemented each other perfectly, and Aurora found herself smiling more than she had in days.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting warm hues across the library's stone walls, Stella leaned back in her chair, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You know, Damian, I think you'd fit right in with our family."

Damian blinked, clearly taken aback by the comment. "That's… kind of you to say."

"It's true," Stella insisted. "You're smart, polite, and you don't take yourself too seriously. We could use more people like you."

Aurora felt a pang of gratitude toward her sister. Stella's acceptance of Damian meant more than she could put into words, though she wasn't sure why.

"Thank you, Stella," Damian said, his tone earnest. "That means a lot."

"Don't mention it," Stella replied with a grin. "Just don't make me regret it."

Aurora chuckled. "Alright, that's enough. Let's not scare him off."

Stella smirked. "He doesn't scare that easily. Do you, Damian?"

"Not at all," he replied with a small smile.

As the evening wore on, Aurora decided to bring up the inevitable topic of exams. "So," she began, looking between Stella and Damian, "how ready are you both for the end-of-year tests?"

Stella groaned, throwing her head back dramatically. "Don't remind me. I've been living in the library for weeks, and I still feel unprepared. If I fail Charms, it's Flitwick's fault, not mine."

Damian chuckled. "I know the feeling. Transfiguration is going to be the death of me. McGonagall's expectations are terrifying."

Aurora smirked. "Excuses, the both of you. You'll do fine. But if you need help, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, Aurora," Damian said, his gratitude evident.

"Yeah, thanks, big sister," Stella added with a playful wink.

Aurora rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. For all the chaos in her life, moments like this reminded her of what truly mattered—connection, family, and the strength to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

The compartment was bathed in warm sunlight streaming through the windows of the Hogwarts Express. Damian Fawley leaned back against the cushioned seat, a soft smile on his face. The exams were over, the oppressive weight of preparation and expectations finally lifted. For the first time in weeks, he could relax.

Opposite him sat Aurora Malfoy, her platinum hair catching the sunlight, and beside her, Stella, with the same piercing eyes but a far sharper tongue. They were deep in a discussion about some Ministry gossip Stella had overheard from their mother. Damian wasn't paying much attention to the details; his mind was elsewhere, replaying the memories of the past few weeks.

Exams had been brutal, as expected. McGonagall's transfiguration test had been particularly grueling, but Damian had emerged relatively unscathed. It wasn't the tests themselves that lingered in his memory, though—it was the moments afterward.

The three of them—Aurora, Stella, and Damian—had spent the final days before departure lounging by the Black Lake, enjoying the rare warmth of early summer. They'd laughed more than he thought possible, shared stories about their childhoods, and bonded over shared frustrations about their families.

For Stella, the transformation was remarkable. She had gone from a guarded but civil, sharp-tongued skeptic to someone who openly called him "brother."

"You're stuck with me now," she'd said with a smirk, tossing a pebble into the lake.

"I can think of worse things," Damian had replied, grinning.

Aurora had said less during those moments, but her presence was no less profound. The way her eyes lingered on him when she thought he wasn't looking, the subtle shift in her tone when she spoke to him—it was impossible not to notice.

There had been a moment by the lake when they were alone, Stella having run off to chase after a mischievous Puffskein. Aurora had leaned close, brushing an imaginary leaf off his shoulder. For a fleeting second, Damian thought she might kiss him.

But she hadn't.

And that was fine, he told himself. They were young, and there was no rush.

Now, as the train rumbled toward London, those memories felt like the opening chapter of something much larger. Damian glanced at Aurora, who was currently reprimanding Stella for her unpolished manners.

"You can't just call everyone at the Ministry incompetent," Aurora said, exasperated.

"Why not? It's true," Stella shot back, unfazed.

Damian chuckled, earning a curious glance from Aurora. Her expression softened when their eyes met, and she gave him a small, almost shy smile.

The compartment door slid open then, revealing Luna Lovegood.

"Hello, Damian," she said dreamily, her silver eyes sparkling.

"Luna! Good to see you," Damian said, standing to greet her. "Come in."

Luna stepped inside, her ever-present radish earrings swaying with her movements. She glanced at Aurora and Stella, her usual unflappable demeanor intact.

"Hello, Malfoys," she said politely.

"Hello," Aurora replied, her tone cool but civil.

Stella merely nodded, her sharp gaze appraising Luna like one might a curious magical creature.

Damian shot Aurora a warning glance, and she sighed, softening her expression. "It's nice to see you, Luna."

Luna smiled. "It's nice to see you too. I just wanted to say goodbye before we all go our separate ways for the summer."

"Thanks, Luna. I'll write," Damian promised.

Luna nodded, her gaze lingering on the trio for a moment before she stepped back into the corridor. "Oh, by the way, Holly and Ronda are in the next compartment over with Hermione, Ginnie, Arcturus, and me. If you feel like visiting, you're welcome."

"I'll think about it," Damian said, though he had no intention of leaving his current company.

As Luna disappeared down the corridor, Aurora's lips tightened into a thin line.

"She's... eccentric," Aurora said, trying to sound neutral.

"She's a good friend," Damian replied firmly.

Aurora huffed, looking away. Damian didn't miss the way her hands fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, nor the slight flush creeping up her neck.

Was she jealous?

The thought sent a spark of unexpected joy through him. He wasn't cruel enough to enjoy her discomfort, but the idea that Aurora cared enough to feel possessive warmed him in ways he didn't fully understand.

The train chugged along, the rhythmic sound of the wheels against the tracks blending with the distant chatter of students. Outside, the sky was a vivid blue, the sun glowing warmly overhead. Birds flitted alongside the train, their cheerful songs audible even through the thick glass windows.

Damian leaned his head back against the seat, letting the moment wash over him.

For the first time in a long while, he felt at peace. The weight of his "seer" reputation, the pressure of his family's expectations, the challenges of navigating friendships and rivalries—it all felt distant, like a fading echo.

Here, in this sunlit compartment, surrounded by Aurora and Stella, life felt... beautiful.

Aurora nudged his shoulder gently, drawing his attention. "Penny for your thoughts?" she asked, her voice softer than usual.

He smiled at her, shaking his head. "Just thinking about how lucky I am."

Aurora raised an eyebrow, but her lips curved into a smile. "Well, don't let it go to your head."

Stella snorted. "Too late. His head's already big enough."

Damian laughed, the sound mingling with the hum of the train and the cheerful chirping of the birds outside.

He didn't know what the future held, but for now, he was content to bask in the warmth of the present.