Bear

10

It must've been a few hours as the sunlight has faded and I was in darkness. It's funny how time can flash before your eyes when your overthinking, the alcohol in my system might also have something to do with that. With a slurred lumos I can faintly make out the words on the page. I conjure myself a glass of water knowing I won't be able to play well if I'm intoxicated and start to play 'electric love'.

By the time I reached the chorus I was completely engrossed in the song. It wasn't until I sensed someone sitting beside me that I stopped playing.

"That was beautiful, I didn't know you could play, never mind sing. I thought weeslebee was lying" He whispered. "Draco! You scared the crap out of me, I didn't know you were there."

"sorry love, I didn't mean to disturb you, this is normally the place I go when I need a moment, y'know?" he was oddly open with me, the Draco I had known up until now had been reserved and rude towards me, but now he was softer. "yeah I get you, that's actually what I'm doing here. I can go though, this was your spot way before it was mine."

"no please stay, maybe you could play some more for me? It was quite relaxing" that's when it hit me, he heard me play. Too many people have heard me play, I had to be more careful. "I.. I have to go, I'm sorry, forgive me" I stutter as I gather my things and sprint to the Gryffindor common room. I didn't know why my legs were taking me there, but I was too upset to care.

As I approached the portrait of the Fat Lady I realised I couldn't get in without starting another problem. That's all I was, a problem. This was a usual thing ever since my mum's death. I used to be a bubbly girl who could always see the positive side in every situation, but now. Now I can barely get out of bed on a good day. I was excited to come to Hogwarts, then I met Fred and George, and my other Gryffindor friends, then Fred betrayed me, and now I have nothing. Again left with nothing. Each step closer to the portrait, another thought would come to my head. Why did it have to be mum, she was so bright, even on your worst day she could make you smile, and now that light, that essence is gone, and I'm left in darkness.

At this point I've reached the Fat Lady. "C- can you please knock for Fred o- or George please" I notice I'm breaking. It was fine when I was at home, but here, it was supposed to be my new beginning, and now I was falling back into that dark void I like to call life. I clenched my firsts hard, I needed to feel something, anything other than this. And that's how he found me, crumpled on the floor, blood dripping from my palms and tears flowing from my eyes.

"Evalynne, Ev are you okay what's going on?" he was panicking, I don't blame him. I must have been a sight, but I needed someone, I was still mad but I needed him. "F-Fred please I need you" I sobbed. It's all I could do. "I'm gonna take you to my room okay, I'll hide your face so no one see's you, just hold onto me okay? You're gonna be okay Ev, I'm here" he picked me up bridal style, tucking my face in his chest to conceal my identity and carried me to his room. He gently laid me on his bed, and sat beside me. I couldn't let go of his chest, I felt so alone, so much pain.

"Ev are you okay to tell me what happened, or would you rather just lay here?" Soft. He was soft and kind, I don't know why he betrayed me, but I couldn't focus on that, I just needed him, he was the only person I was close enough to, to bother. "I- I'm can't. not yet" why couldn't I just get a grip, he must be so weirded out, we've only known each other a few days, yet here I am, sobbing into his chest because I felt worthless. "okay I'll leave you be, we've got quiddich practise in an hour, I'll make sure to tell the team you're sick." He was leaving, just like mum, leaving. "p-please stay Freddie. I n-need you to stay" and with that he pulled me closer, and stroked my hair. Mum used to do that, it was the only thing that would calm me, that and "would you like some hot chocolate? I need to tell George I'm missing practise, I can get him to bring us some before he goes to practise?" he was so sweet. I just nodded, I couldn't even get words out now. "I'll be gone no longer than 10 minutes okay, try sleep, I'll be back soon" he kissed my forehead and softly got up.

While he was gone I took time to embrace the room, Fred had a few pictures on his wall, of him and his family, or him and George, with lee, some of quiddich. But one stuck out to me. It was the night when Dumbledore announced the tournament, I was on his lap. He was looking at me; I was looking at our hands then we looked at each other, my breath hitching, his Adams apple bobbing. That night was perfect. I noticed from the placement, Lee must've taken the photo. It calmed me. I couldn't stop staring at it. "hey I'm back George said he'll bring it up, I told him you weren't feeling well, I hope you don't mind" he climbed back into bed, but noticed I was staring at his wall, at the photo. "Oh erm that's nothing" he leant over me and took it off the wall, I thought he was going to show me it closer, but he stuffed it in the nightstand drawer. It hurt, I don't know why but it did. I got up, I couldn't stay, it hurt. Once again something that once brought me comfort hurt me. "I-I'm sorry but I have to go" I stuttered, I shouldn't have, but I did. "What why, if it was the picture, it was nothing I" that was it for me. Nothing. I hated that word, yet it seemed to always find its way near me. "yea nothing, i- I forgot I had a detention with Snape, I um I exploded my potion today, can't be late sorry" I flew out the room, I didn't stop running I made it back to my dorm. Locking the door and casting a quick muffliato, I sunk into my bed and cried.

Fred's POV:

""I-I'm sorry but I have to go" she stuttered. "What why, if it was the picture, it was nothing I" I was panicking, she was clearly upset. I didn't want her to know that the photo meant a lot to me, if I told her she would panic right, she would stop talking to me, that couldn't happen. "yea nothing, i- I forgot I had a detention with Snape, I um I exploded my potion today, can't be late sorry" she left, she ran out the room. It was too late for detentions; Snape must've been mad. But that's when it hit me, I was in her potions class, and apart from the lecture on PDA she didn't get in trouble, there was no detention. What had I done, maybe she was with Malfoy now, I wouldn't be surprised after their PDA in potions. Maybe she just wanted left alone. But it hurt. I didn't go to practice, instead I lay in my bed, staring at the photo. Hurt.