By Rica@TDA
“What can I get you, Master Potter?” our favorite house elf, Bitty, said.
“Can’t you call us by our first names, Bitty?” James said, “Master Potter makes me feel old.”
In reality, he thought the name Master Potter made him sound like his father, whom he hated being compared to.
“Okay Master James,” Bitty said.
“Can we just have some food, like the food for dinner?” Tom said nicely.
“Nothing more?” Bitty said.
“Can we have some firewhiskey?” James asked.
“Master James is naughty,” Bitty said angrily, “he knows that firewhiskey is not allowed for students. Do you know what Professor McGonagall would say?”
“I know,” James said, looking pitiful with his puppy dog eyes, “it’s just that, Dominique just found out that her boyfriend was cheating on her, and she wanted something to ease the pain.”
“Poor Mistress Dominique,” Bitty said, walking over to me and patting my head, “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you Bitty,” I said, hugging her.
“Are you really okay?” Tom said, watching my eyes.
“Of course I’m hurt,” I said, “we were together for three months. But ever since the beginning, something was a little off in our relationship.”
“I’m here for you,” he said, taking my hand, “and so is James.”
“You guys really are the best friends I could ask for,” I said, tears threatening to prick the corners of my eyes.
I didn’t have any girl friends my age, them not wanting to be friends with a pretty tomboy. I hated my face. I was a boy stuck in a veela’s body. Guys always asked me out, thinking I was hot and whatnot, and then they dumped me when they realized I wasn’t a slut or wasn’t a mindless bimbo, or I dumped their arsehole selves. Only Tom, James, and the rest of the Wotter clan accepted me as I was.
“I got you a bottle,” Bitty said, returning with firewhiskey and some dinner, “but you didn’t get it from me and you only get a bottle. Only this once, for Mistress Dominique.”
“Thank you Bitty,” we chorused.
We started to eat in silence, until James jumped up.
“Merlin, I forgot!” he said, cringing, “I have tutoring in the library at eight! I have to go! I hope you feel better Dommie! Tom, take care of her!”
“Will do,” he said, acknowledging James with a nod of the head as he ran out of the kitchens.
Tom uncorked the firewhiskey and poured me and him a glass.
“I know something’s up, Dom,” he said, “and I know you didn’t want to talk about it in front of James. You can tell me, we’re best friends.”
There were two sides of Tom, the funny prankster side, and the serious side, the one I saw now. I was like that too.
“I know that Dick was a bastard,” I said, letting him know that I had heard him in the closet, “but I just feel like it was all my fault. Is there something wrong with me? Why would he cheat with Jenna?’
I took a swig of firewhiskey, and Tom did likewise.
“Trust me Dom,” he said, “it’s really his loss. If he can’t see how great you are, then it’s really not worth it.”
“You’re just saying that because we’re best mates,” I said.
“It’s true,” he said, “I really wish you’d realize how special you are Dom.”
“You’re not so bad yourself,” I said.
We drank in silence for a while, until the emptiness inside me began to heal. By this time, the house elves had already finished cleaning up and the lights were dimmed. The kitchen was empty but for the two of us. I looked at him, really looked at him, in the darkness. He was handsome, there was no denying it. He had tons of girls drooling at his feet, but unlike James who pretty much took advantage of any girl that gave him the time of day, he’d only had one serious girlfriend and they’d had an amicable split.
He caught me staring at him, and looked into my eyes. His brown eyes bored into mine, and I felt like he could see inside me. Every thought, every insecurity---we had been friends since first year, but James had always been there to diffuse any tension we had. I scooted closer toward him.
“Tom---” I said, but was quickly cut off.
“I know what you’re going to say Dom,” Tom said, “but I don’t want you to say it, not like this. You’re drunk, and you just found out that your boyfriend was cheating on you and you just broke up with him.”
“Tom,” I said, “I’ve always liked you. Ever since first year.”
“And I’ve always liked you,” he said, “but we’re both drunk and this is wrong.”
“Why not?” I said, almost whined.
“Dom,” he said, sounding almost disappointed.
I didn’t listen. I grabbed his shoulders and placed my lips firmly on his. He stood up from his chair so he wouldn’t topple over, and I stood up with him, not breaking the kiss. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he whipped around, pushing me against the wall. And just like that, we were snogging each other senseless.
I had been snogged properly before, but this was something entirely different. My mind was on nothing but him, and it was pure bliss. It felt so wrong, but so right at the same time. We snogged for about ten minutes, until my lips were numb and I couldn’t feel anything. I reached to unbutton his shirt, but he swatted my hand away and gently pushed me off him.
He put his hands on my shoulders and looked at me.
“Dom,” he said, “I can’t do this. Not today.”
And with that, he left me alone in the kitchens, hair disheveled, cheeks flushed. How could one person go from ultimate high to an absolute low in a matter of seconds?
I slunk down against the wall, crying for the first time in what seemed like years. I cried until my mascara ran, cried until there were no tears left. I cried for everything, from Tom to Richard to the death of my pygmy puff when I was five. I cried until I cried myself to sleep.
Sometimes all you can do is cry, and that’s what you do when you feel like you’ve been dumped twice in one day.
The lucky ones have someone to hold them, someone to share their pain and tell them everything’s going to be alright. I thought I had that too, until he left me, just like everyone else.
A/N: Let me know what y'all think :)
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