Hexed (Fred Weasley ft the gang)

sixteen

"She's been out cold for hours, mum."

"What the bloody hell did you give her?"

Xans eyes fluttered open, her vision slightly blurry. She pulled herself to sit up, regretting it instantly as her head was dizzy and heavy, her legs slightly numb. She peered over at the clock on the wall and noticed it was only 12 midday and standing in front of her was Ron, Ginny and Mrs Weasley softly muttering amongst themselves whilst gesturing their hands to Xanthie on the sofa. She looked to her right and saw El smiling at her.

"Nice to see you finally awake...lazy bitch..." El teased, whispering the last part so Molly wouldn't hear her. Xanthie giggled at her and rubbed her hands over her face, hissing as she felt a pain in her bottom lip. This seemed to catch the attention of the bickering Weasleys standing in front of her, both Ginny and Ron turning their heads to face her.

"Oh, hi Xan. How you feeling?" Ginny asked, her expression softened and she sank down next to Xan, resting a hand on her knee. Xan smiled at her and nodded.

"Your mother is some kind of genius, I swear." Xanthie said and looked up at Mrs Weasley gratefully. Molly winked at her and smiled, tutting at her children for quarrelling as she waltzed back to the kitchen. Ron perched himself on the coffee table in front of Xanthie and looked at her, expectantly. Xan narrowed her eyes at him and looked between the two girls sitting on either side of her, with a raised eyebrow.

"I-...Are you alright, Ron?" Xanthie asked, looking back at the ginger boy sitting with his forearms on his knees, leaning towards her. He nodded and opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it again, pointing to her leg.

"Let's see it then!" He said, looking from Xanthies knee to her face and Xan screwed her face up at him. Ginny gasped and whacked his arm with the sleeve of her jumper.

"Ron!" She snapped, casting a look between Xanthie and her brother.

"The scar? It's pretty sick, look!" Xanthie said, Ron smiling. They had always had similar trains of thought so Xanthie wasn't awfully surprised when he asked to see the scar on her thigh while his sister was more concerned for Xans wellbeing. She carefully moved her leg, showing the scar to Ron whose eyes widened as he looked at it.

"Wicked..." He mumbled and Xan laughed. She looked down at it herself, as she read it again her smile faded. Although, to her friends around her she seemed entirely unbothered, it hurt her to the core knowing that such a horrible word would be on her skin forever. A word that she so desperately wanted to dissociate herself from, etched into her very body. Xanthie got lost in her thoughts, her eyes brimming with tears as Ron marveled over the scar. El seemed to notice and laid a hand on her shoulder softly, Xan looked at her with a weak smile and tilted her head back to blink back the tears.

As the hours of the midday flew by, Xanthie remained on the sofa. She watched Ginny and Ron ramble over wizards chess, Harry nattered on to her about how they were "almost cousins" considering Sirius Black was in Xanthies bloodline and he was also Harry's godfather. Xanthie only nodded along, not sure if that was how family trees worked but let him explain, animatedly nonetheless. Molly popped her head in every few hours to check on her, El deciding to help in the kitchen most of the day. Hermione appeared around 4 o'clock, sliding next to Xan on the sofa.

"Hey 'Mione." Xan said softly, lifting her head from the book she was trying to read. Hermione smiled at her, her hands sitting behind her back as she was sitting on the very edge of the squashy sofa cushion.

"Aren't you gonna ask me what I've got behind my back?" Hermione said, a grin starting to creep onto her face. Xan quirked an eyebrow at the girl and laughed.