{ important author's note at the bottom. }

                      IT WAS MUCH EASIER FOR Ophelia to avoid Draco Malfoy with Colin Creevey by her side. The pair of them would spent their days in the secret corridor of the library behind the restricted section, and, after Colin had accidentally discovered where the kitchens are, neither of them found any need to attend meals at the Great Hall. Instead, they would sneak food into their bags, and eat in the library, whilst taking thousands of silly photos and playing word games.

Everything seemed alright. Or at least, better than it was. Ophelia hadn't received a letter from her father in a long time, and although she tried writing to him twice a week, he wouldn't send any response.

But after four weeks of no letters from her father, Ophelia took matters into her own hands and wrote to her mother, asking about the wellbeing of her father. 

Narcissa's letter indicated that Lucius was merely busy at work, swamped with ministry files and business that needed to be dealt with, and that he was arriving home very late, and leaving home early, with time barely enough to eat.

Wherever he was, Ophelia hoped he was alright.

The end of the term was approaching closer, and so was the third task. Ophelia couldn't wait for the summer. She'd already written to both Lucius and Narcissa on how she wanted to go to Russia this year. 

Not many people bothered her anymore. In fact, she was left to her own devices, most of the time, and she much preferred it this way. Obviously, she was the center of attention, since she did make sure to dress over the top, as always.

While Ron and Hermione were all helping Harry prepare for the third task, somehow, Rita Skeeter was getting all the inside gossip about Hogwarts, and Ophelia tried to wrap her head around it, but couldn't figure it out.

Exactly two months after Ophelia's birthday, the twenty-fourth of June, to be exact, breakfast at the Gryffindor table was a very noisy affair. It was also the day of the third task.

Rita Skeeter had published an article on how Harry kept having seizures and troubled dreams about You-Know-Who, and that had created a big stink on the Gryffindor table, much to Ophelia's amusement.

When Ophelia read through the paper, she noticed Draco had given in most of the information, and she felt a surge of betrayal, on how the foul Skeeter woman and completely slandered their family name, and now he was helping her.

"Potter, I'd loved to have become famous one day," Ophelia remarked, setting the paper in front of the boy who lived. "But if fame comes with this, now I'm not sure anymore."

"Piss off, Malfoy," Ron spat with his mouth full, crumbs flying out from his mouth in all directions.

Ophelia grimaced and made a face. "Number one, Weasley, it's common table manners to close your mouth while chewing, but you weren't taught manners, so I shall ignore that. Number two, I was talking to Potter, not you."

Beside her, Colin was nudging her to be quiet. She sent him a glare, shrugging him off her arm.

"As I was saying, Potter. Fame comes with a price. Fortunately for me, when Skeeter published the article about me, I managed how to deal with it..."

"Yeah, I don't care," Harry said stiffly, interrupting her. "And I don't need your help. If your way of dealing with it is nearly dying at the Forbidden Forest, then I'll pass. I've got enough people trying to kill me as it is."

Ophelia narrowed her eyes, scowling, and opened her mouth to say something witty, but before she could speak, Draco made his appearance at the Gryffindor table.

"Hey Potter! Potter! How's your head? You feeling alright? Not going to go completely berserk on us, are you?"

"Leave him alone, Harry," Hermione sent a dirty look at the Slytherin. 

"Oooh, Potter's mudblood girlfriend to the rescue," Pansy said, arriving at the scene, looping her arm through Draco's. He tensed slightly.

Meanwhile, Ophelia was conversing with Colin about her latest novel, Oliver Twist. While they were engaged in a heated debate, Ophelia suddenly felt the icy grasp of someone's hand on her shoulder, causing her to freeze in her words.

"Aren't you getting a little cozy with the mudblood?"

Ophelia stopped talking, horror flashing across her features for a quick second, and she felt goosebumps travel down her spine. The voice in her ear, the harsh grip on her shoulder, and the spicy cologne that enraptured her senses told her it was Theodore Nott, without her having to even turn around.

"It's none of your business," she said coldly, clearing her throat. "And get your filthy hand off my shoulder, or I will personally cut your fingers off."

"I'd like to see you try," Theodore chuckled, leaning in to whisper in her ear. 

Harry and Draco were arguing, so all the attention was directed at them. Nobody noticed Ophelia and Theodore. 

She turned around, standing up, furiously, her side of the bench screeching across the floor as she got up.

"Lay a finger on me, Nott, and I will murder you," Ophelia snarled loudly, before raising her hand and swinging it across, slapping his cheek with as much force as she could muster. Her fingers stung as heat gathered through her hand.

Everyone's eyes were suddenly on Ophelia.

"You psychotic bitch!" Theodore hissed, before grabbing her wrist, and pushing her to the side, his arm wrapping itself around her neck, clasping her at chokehold. 

Her back was facing his chest, and one of his arms were around her neck, his other was gripping her wrist harshly. Ophelia's other hand was trying to wrench his arm away from her neck, her grey eyes wide open as she tried to fight off his strength. 

"Let me go!" Demanded Ophelia, squirming in his grasp. "Let me go, Nott!"

"Apologize," Theodore hissed into her ear. "You manner-less wrench!"

Everyone's eyes were locked onto the scene before them, but nobody did anything about it. Draco's eyes were wide, staring with hatred at Theodore and Ophelia.

Only Colin Creevey was brave enough to stand up and fight for his best friend.

"Have you no manners?" Colin cleared his throat, looking up at Theodore Nott, who was nearly half a foot taller than him. "Didn't you know it's cowardly to treat a girl like this?" he scowled. "Let go of her, you jerk."

And then, Colin Creevey raised his fist and slammed it as hard as he could, into Theodore's cheek.

Theodore instantly let go of Ophelia, and clutched his cheekbone, glaring at Colin. "You dare to touch me, you filthy mudblood—"

"She's a girl, have some self respect," Colin scoffed. "And she's a year younger," he emphasized. "Pick on someone your own size."

Theodore lunged for Colin, but the muggleborn ducked out of the way. "Don't you know you gave her horrible bruises at the start of term?" he said loudly. "And I don't care if anyone hears. They deserve to know what sort of sicko—"

But Colin didn't get to finish his sentence, as Theodore slammed the muggleborn into the wall and pummeled his boyish face with his fist. 

Repeatedly. 

Crunch. 

That sounded like a broken nose.

Ophelia looked at the pair with horror. "Stop it," she snapped. "Leave him alone," she reached for Theodore's arm, trying to pull him off Colin. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

But Theodore kept punching Colin, who was doing everything he could to fight back. But Colin was much smaller, and skinnier, and not strong enough to fight back, despite how much he tried.

Ophelia took out her wand, and pointed it at Theodore. "Impedimenta!"

Her spell caused Theodore to be blasted backwards, off his feet, and off her best friend. Colin's nose was bleeding, and his eye was black. He looked to be in pain, but he tried to smile at Ophelia.

The sight of him in pain, but smiling at her suddenly caused her eyes to water, and tears poured down her cheeks. Uncaring that more than a hundred people were watching, or present, Ophelia leaned forwards, and hugged Colin Creevey, her best friend.

She didn't care about the fact that her clothes would get dirty with his blood. She didn't care that he was a muggleborn. She didn't care about the fact that her reputation would be damaged, not today.

Today she just wanted to make sure he was okay.

"She's hugging a mudblood!" Pansy screeched.

"This just proves what Skeeter said is true! She's not really a Malfoy," Daphne Greengrass said snidely. 

"Imagine getting that filthy blood all over your clothes," Tracy Davis squealed. "Ugh, that blood is really filthy."

"The Malfoy name will be ruined if anyone found out about this," remarked Pansy. "At least Draco has the sense to pick a pureblood like me," she bragged.

Draco hadn't said a word. His jaw was clenched, as he glared at Ophelia and Colin's tight embrace, his eyes locked onto those of his sister.

"You're okay," Ophelia said softly, wiping her eyes and stepping away from the embrace. "I'll take you to the hospital wing," she said quietly. 

"I can still walk, Malfoy," he gave her a small smile. "I'll go by myself."

And he clutched his nose, before making his way in the direction of the hospital wing.

"What are you thinking?" Draco hissed. "He's a mudblood!"

"He's my best friend!" Ophelia defended. "And he was the only one who actually cared about me enough to help!"

"Yeah? Well you slapped my best friend—"

"Who deserved it!" Ophelia interrupted him coldly. "At the beginning of the year, he gave me those bruises. You didn't expect that, did you? He tore one of my books later on, and right now, he had the audacity to touch me."

Draco's gaze hardened. "Well you should have told me!" Draco roared loudly, his icy blue eyes staring down at her.

"And you would have done nothing!" Ophelia hissed. "Because the whole world comes first, before me."

"Well you're the one who's off seducing mudbloods!" Theodore interrupted. His cheekbone had began to develop into a dark bruise, where Colin had punched him. "I was merely teaching you a lesson. Protecting you! What would your father say when he hears that his darling daughter was off sliming up to mudbloods? I saw you two getting cozy on the train here!"

"Seducing mudbloods?" Ophelia snarled. "I'm not some sort of floozy!"

"You rode the train with that filth? Wait till I tell father. Wait till he hears—"

"And he will not care!" Ophelia shouted. "He knows. But, if I tell him about what you said to me in the library, or that Nott gave me those bruises multiple times—"

Draco's jaw tightened, as he clenched his fists. "Don't bring Nott into this. We're talking about how you're fraternizing with mudbloods and besmirching the Malfoy name—"

"Colin is the only one who cared enough to give me a Christmas present," Ophelia interrupted. "He wished me for my birthday, which in case you didn't know, was the twenty fourth of April. He gave me a birthday gift too," she said, slowly and clearly. "Which my own blood brother didn't," she said coldly. "So before you decide to come and order me around," Ophelia continued. "Perhaps think twice, next time, and try and get it into your thick head that you will need to earn the right to tell me what to do."

"Stop hanging around with the mudblood!" he hissed. "And I'll leave you alone."

"The muggle-born," Ophelia said slowly, dangling each word she spoke in front of him. "Is my best friend. And his name is Colin Creevey."

Pansy, Daphne, Hermione and Ron gasped, among many others.

"Then I guess you're a blood traitor," hissed Draco, narrowing his eyes as he glared at his younger sister.

"Technically," Ophelia quipped with a fake smile. "You're the blood traitor. The literal meaning is betray one of their own kind. You became a blood-traitor when you decided to abandon your little sister."

"Watch your foul mouth!" Draco snapped. "I won't be spoken to like that. You're younger than me, and shall respect me."

"When will you understand that I shall never respect you until you earn it?" Ophelia clicked her tongue. "All of Hogwarts can see what a terrible brother you are."

"And you're a terrible sister!" Draco said scathingly. "Have you thought that it's because you're so cruel, and utterly repulsive that I would actually care for you?"

Ophelia's lips parted, tears stinging her eyes.

"Have you thought about the fact that you're hated by everyone? That you're known as The Ice Princess? Or that you have no friends, and I do? You're so desperate to be liked that you'd befriend a mudblood. In fact, you probably slipped him a love potion, because I can't believe anyone would be sane enough to hang around someone like you."

She gasped at his harsh words, which sent a burning, rippling effect through her.

"And what was it that I have done to make you hate me? Since we were kids, you've hated me! I've taken the blame for you, so many times," she sniffled. "So you don't get into trouble. I wrote to you every single day you came to Hogwarts, and you didn't even write me back once! I have always loved you and respected you, but you don't seem to notice! I give you gifts every single Christmas, and birthday. You don't even bother to say thank you! So tell me brother dearest, why do you hate me so much?"

"Because my life turned to hell as soon as you came into the world!" he roared. "And I wish you had never been born!"

By the look on Ophelia's face, Draco knew he had crossed a line that would never be uncrossed. She would never, ever forgive him for this. 

"Thank you, I will leave your life then," she said quietly, before turning around, barging through the throng of people that had gathered to watch the drama unfold between the two siblings.

Draco ran after her, gripping her arm, trying to hinder her. "Wait, Ophelia—"

"Leave me alone, Draco," she pulled her arm away. "You've made things very clear here. And now, all of Hogwarts knows you wish I didn't exist."

"I didn't mean—"

"It's okay," she smiled through her tears. "I wish I didn't exist too."

Draco only watched her turn around again, saying nothing.

"What are you all staring at?" Ophelia barked at the throng of students that watched the argument. "Are you leeches that desperate for drama?"

The crowd dissipated, as everyone mumbled excuses, and scurried off in different directions.

And then, as a sense of dèja vu washed over her, Ophelia found herself crying uncontrollably, as she turned around, and walked away calmly, her head held high.

Draco Malfoy had completely shattered the heart of his younger sister, who had only wished to be loved by him, into a thousand pieces.

His words had hurt her more than she had ever been hurt. Her emotions felt raw, and her heart throbbed with pain, betrayal and loss, of the sibling she so dearly looked up to.

As she entered the Room of Requirement, which had transformed into a grassy plain lit by the stars among the night sky, with a single piano standing proudly in the grass, she felt at peace. 

Seating herself at the piano, she played her emotions away. She played away the yearning she felt for her father. She played for the longing of her brother's love. She played for the loss of her brother.

She played and played away, her fingers dancing across the black and white keys of the magnificent instrument, her melody telling the story of a little girl in pain and emotional suffering, as each note sung a different song. 

The music flooded through her ears, as she played through her endless tears. She played through her heartbreak, trying to heal her broken heart with the music. She played to bandage her mental wounds, but she was bleeding too much to be healed.

She played no particular tune, her music getting angrier and more sorrowful by the minute, as the stars and heavenly bodies looked down upon her, listening to the tale of the girl who once had so much life, love and light inside her, who now purged herself into the dark song of melancholy she was playing.

With every tear she shed, she told her story with her melody, and Ophelia Malfoy couldn't help but feel, as she played herself away, and surrounded herself in the tune, that she was lost, and no longer a part of something.

At that moment, she just felt like she was one of the heavenly bodies of fire, one of the thousand constellations in the sky.

{ here's some drama for y'all. i hope you enjoyed this chapter. please, please follow me, spam me with comments, vote and it would mean the world to me if you could share this story.
this chapter is dedicated to anyone going through a tough time, or has mental health issues. if you guys are going through any mental health issues, please, please either talk to someone about it, or listen to music, or cry. my pms are always open if anyone wants advice, or just to vent, or talk :) i am studying psychology, so i might be of help. you guys deserve to feel good, to feel calm, healthy and happy, and if i can be of any help, let me know. i'd love to help. if you want to remain anonymous, there is a link in my bio that sends me secret messages, without me knowing who actually sent it.
sorry for the sadness in this chapter, i love, love writing angst so, so much. sorry for traumatizing y'all. i want a colin :')
what's your favorite book, that's not part of a series?
i love one of us is lying, by karen mcmanus.
take care, feel free to pm me with story suggestions, or if you want any graphics, if you want my spotify playlist for this story, or to submit fanart :)
random question: do you think this book will ever reach a million reads?
love, jasmine. }

{MAR 14. 2023}