The Girl Who Lived

Fearless

March 10th, 1996.

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"Can you believe Umbridge? Banning us from Quidditch..." George Weasley trailed off, shaking his head. "It's a load of shit."

Professor Umbridge had banned George Weasley, Fred Weasley and Harry Potter from playing Quidditch forever, just this morning. It had sent Harry Potter into a blind rage and asked Ginny Weasley to fill in as seeker. She had agreed of course, never turning down a chance to play Quidditch.

Elena Clairmont sat in the Gryffindor common room, hunched over a book she had read too many times over again. Her head was pounding at the sunlight pouring through the windows. Before she might have rejoiced at the perfect playing weather for her favorite sport but now, she was silent as she continued to read her book.

Fred Weasley was slumped in a chair, still in his leathers from Quidditch. His heart shouted at him to look over to her but his mind was telling him otherwise. He was angry- beyond angry- at her. For everything that's happened since January.

Things had been fine with them, had they not been? Was Elena not alright? Fred sighed, giving into the temptations. His gaze lingered on Elena, sitting in a chair. She leaned back against the wood, nose slightly scrunched. She had always done that when focusing on something. Fred knew that about her. He knew everything about her.

Or he thought he had. But the one thing that wasn't changing about any of it was how he felt about her.

Sitting back in a chair, focused on the words written, was the girl he intended to marry one day. He had always known it was going to be them that got married and lived together. His heart couldn't help but tell him a small doubt.

Elena knew he was staring. He had been staring for a long time these days. She hadn't tried to meet his gaze or even speak to him because she was pissed. How dare he believe those rumors about Malfoy? It hadn't been fair when he stopped speaking to her.

She had tried to speak to Fred multiple times but he only walked in the opposite direction when she spoke to him. So, Elena had given up and tried to push him out of her mind. Much to her surprise, it had been easier than she first believed- pushing him away.

It had hurt her but she had to do it. How could she ever be alright with someone who wanted to quit speaking to her whenever he felt like it? Relationships do not work that way.

She couldn't stop herself from peering up through her eyelashes to Fred. He looked just as handsome as she remembered. Seeing his face, it was like being back in the Burrow, welcoming the new year and being coated in the smell of sweet firewood and cherries.

Maybe she could do this. Play pretend, act like Draco Malfoy was nothing, pretend she was still the other person. For Fred, she could let herself drown and sink into the abyss. For him, she would do it.

Her lips parted and Fred watched it spread it a small half-smile. As much as Elena tried, she couldn't fully smile. Not since that night with Draco had she laughed or truly smiled but she was trying, damn it.

Elena shoved everything away and sighed, allowing a painted smile to spread. Fred's gaze was enough to make her want to cry out of relief.

"There goes Gryffindor's whore." A sixth year girl taunted, singing it for the entire common room to hear. Several laughed but most of the people who truly knew Elena did not.

Elena tensed, the smile wiping away and being forgotten. Her fists were clenched and she was trying to calm the fire roaring in her veins. Not yet, she cooed.