Isn't He Lovely • A Fred Weasley Story

r e s t o r a t i o n

I can't stop the tears that are gushing out of me as I feel myself crumble.

Before I hit the ground, Fred's arms wrap around my own while I'm letting out choking sobs. I feel myself become engulfed in his grasp, my lips unable to form words as he holds me tightly against him.

I press my head into his chest as the gasping cries tumble out of me, his hand coming up to stroke my hair and his lips releasing soft whispers of "it's alright, it's going to be alright, I've got you, darling, it's okay," while I try to collect the broken pieces that are making me up at the moment.

I think I'm trying to form words, but they're not coming out, because they're sort of like wails and chokes and noises that are making me even more out of breath as I cry into the boy's chest, shaking.

After a few moments of being in the safety of Fred's arms in the dark night that surrounds us, he begins to guide me towards the house with one arm tightly around my shoulders, holding me into his side, with the other gently pressed against the side of my face.

I'm desperately trying to control my emotions, but every time I think of how I walked out on my mother for the first time in my life, or of Thomas, or of my father who I need more than anything right now, the sobs just tumble out of me.

Fred's led me to the front door and gently opened it without moving a single inch away from me. We step inside the warm, lit-up house and I immediately feel a rush of comfort. 

No one appears to be on the main floor at first glance. But I turn to the side and Molly standing at the sink washing a dish; as soon as she turns around to see Fred and more specifically, me, she drops the dish with a clatter and rushes to my side.

"Eloise, oh, Eloise, dear..." she quickly says with a face full of worry, her arm wrapping around my other side, "...Sweet girl, what's happened?"

I try to speak but I don't have the strength. 

Fred instead looks up to his mother while I keep my focus downward, hearing him say quietly, "I needed to get her out of there, Mum..."

"Her... her house?" Molly stammers, confused but still concerned. "Oh, let's get her over to the couch, quickly, Freddie, quickly now..."

The two of them lead me to the living room and gently sit me down on the sofa as I sniffle, my breathing rapid and messy. Fred slips next to me on the cushions and pulls my head into his chest. Molly takes my other side and gently places one hand on my arm.

"Eloise..." she starts softly, looking at me as I stare red-eyed at the carpet, "what's wrong? I want to help... if you'd like to tell me, what's going on?"

Her voice is tender and her gaze delicate when she speaks to me. I swallow and try to form the words, feeling both Fred and Molly's arms holding me in this safe bubble that I never want to leave.

"I... I was... I had to l-leave..." I stammer weakly, sniffling, "my... my m-mum's... my mum's b-boyfriend..."

Molly lifts her gaze from me to Fred, murmuring, "her mother's boyfriend?"

"He hurt her," Fred breathes.

I feel Molly sit up straight next to me.

"Did he lay a finger on Eloise? Did he do ANYTHING to this poor girl-" 

Her voice is growing louder, the woman's anger bubbling up beside me.

"No, no Mum, he..." Fred says quickly, "he didn't touch her... but he still hurt her, Mum. Badly."

Molly falls back to my side, her peace restored. She focuses on me again. 

"It's going to be alright, dear. It's alright now. You're safe."