A/N: This story was written for The Houses Competition, Year 3, Round 2.

House: Gryffindor

Year: Head Girl

Category: Drabble

Prompts: 8. [Speech] "I don't want to go."

Word count: 732 words (written on Google docs)

Betas: Thank you to Shiba (Shibalyfe) and CK (Theoretical-Optimist) for the beta'ing!

I'm still not sure if this should be the story I submit, but I am anyway. I'm going to be greedy though and ask any readers to take a look at 'Don't Go' (an extended version of the last scene) if you have time—not for judging (and I don't ask to impact my marks either—even if it's reading after marks are out and finalised) but because, well, I wanted to submit the other anyway and may end up regretting this choice haha. Again, only asking if anyone is curious—this story here is my official entry, and I thank you a million times over for reading it! XD

I love the dynamic of Walburga and Orion, and I hope I did them justice!

This is dedicated to the amazing Lynne (Inlibris) :) Xx

I don't want to go

"I don't want to go."

Orion knows he's going to cop a smack on the bottom for his cheek, but he doesn't care; he just hopes that his whining will finally get through to his mother.

"Nonsense, we're already here," she says, knocking on the large oak door.

His stomach churns as a house-elf appears and ushers them into the manor's parlour.

Whilst his mother greets her cousin, his eyes flicker over to the reason for his dismay. The beast is staring right back at him, her grey eyes shining.

"Walburga, why don't you go and entertain young Orion in the nursery?" her mother says.

The beast's lips rise into a smirk. Before he knows it, she has her claws wrapped around his arm and is dragging him upstairs.

All he can do is pray he survives when she says, "Let me braid your hair again, Ori."

"I don't want to go."

Orion can hear Walburga's protests and sighs. He doesn't want to spend any more time with her either—five years at Hogwarts was enough—but her friends don't seem to agree. Giggling, they drag her to stand in front of him.

Still, he remains calm. "I suppose you expect me to ask you to dance?"

Walburga holds her head high. "As you can see, my dance card is already quite full. If you want to dance, you'll need to write on it yourself," she says, placing a card on a nearby table.

He can't help but notice that there are several names scrawled across it. He wonders if she wrote them herself, but there's something about the way she looks this evening—almost pretty—that makes him uncertain.

He doesn't have time to refuse as a smooth voice cuts in. "I believe it's my turn."

Orion turns to see Abraxas Malfoy holding his hand out for Walburga's. Her cheeks burn as the blond guides her over to the dance floor.

He watches as the pair waltz around the polished marble floor. They look happy together, but he's sure Malfoy is faking it, perhaps to please his mother.

Turning to the table, he picks up Walburga's card. He scribbles his name on the top of the list, convinced he will be saving Malfoy from having to entertain the beast all night long.

"I don't want to go. It's too cold."

Orion rolls his eyes as he drags Walburga to the top of the hill. She isn't making the night any easier for him, and if he didn't need her for this next part, he'd have left her back at the restaurant.

"We're here," he says, letting go of her hand. His own hand feels a little clammy and he wipes it on his robes.

He turns to Walburga, but she's not paying attention. Instead, she's clutching her shoulders and shivering.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?"

Orion's heart starts beating faster, and for some reason, he can't seem to concentrate. Pointing up to the sky, he says simply, "The stars."

Walburga looks up and her eyes widen. It's the reaction he'd been hoping to get, but he still can't seem to say what he'd planned to.

"You should've brought a travelling cloak," he says instead, taking his own cloak off and draping it around her shoulders.

"It doesn't match my robes," she protests, but she places her hands inside the pockets anyway.

Too late, Orion realises that he's forgotten to take out the box inside.

"Is this…" Walburga opens it to reveal the diamond ring that had once belonged to his grandmother.

He sighs and nods. "You're always spoiling things, aren't you?"

She rolls her eyes as he slips the ring on her left hand.

"I don't want to go."

Orion rolls his eyes at Walburga. "How touching."

Walburga glares at him. "Not for your sake. I want to stay here and make sure you don't cough up anything else on our bedspread."

"You need to go—" His words are cut off as another great hacking cough comes, and he wonders if now is when his chest will finally burst. "Go because your constant whining isn't going to make me any better."

Walburga shakes her head. She wipes his chin with a cloth and says, "See? Bile everywhere."

She then settles back into the chair beside the bed.

He closes his eyes. "Fine, don't go."

Because really, he doesn't want her to go.