Cold Skin

Twelve: The Final Hogwarts Champion

This night was the first night in weeks Gia got any rest. She rose earlier than Fred. She was humming to herself when she heard Fred wrestle in bed. He was feeling around in her spot and jumped up as soon as he realized she wasn't there.

"I thought you left me." He was pale. He looked terrified.

"I was just braiding my hair darling." She climbed back into bed and he wrapped his arms possessively around her. She cupped his face in her hand.

"Are we alright?" Tears were filling his soft brown eyes. He knew that he had hurt her more than anyone had ever hurt her. Even more than Theodore Nott.

"We will be." She looked down at the bracelet that he had given her. She hadn't taken it off since that night after her birthday.

She had fallen asleep in Fred's arms once again. She felt safe again. She could feel his soft breath on her cheeks and the warmth of his hands on her back. She was always so cold. She woke up to find him tracing the lines on her arms and counting the freckles on her nose.

"I never realized you had freckles." He touched the tip of her nose with his finger. "Merlin Gia, your freezing." He got up and walked quickly to the bathroom.

"Freddie, come back to bed I'm tired." She said as he came back into the room she could hear the shower running.

"You're probably sick Gia. Come on."

"No. No, come back to bed. I'll be better after I shower." She tried pulling him back into bed but he threw her over his shoulder and carried her over to her closet.

"Not today, princess. Come on I'll get you some clothes. I'll have Dobby bring you some tea and soup." Gia started coughing immediately. "And I'll head to Snape's for some Pepper Up."

"Thank you." Gia smiled up at him as he set her down on the counter in the bathroom. He kissed her gently on her forehead.

She got undressed and got into the warm shower. She stayed there for almost an hour. Fred had placed a warming spell on a jumper and a pair of his sweats for her to wear. He sat outside the bathroom and listened to her sing. Dobby had brought coffee, tea, hot chocolate, soup, ice cream, and the Pepper Up potion. It was more than she needed but she expected he wasn't leaving her anytime soon. Fred had cleaned the linens and picked up her room from the sleepover with the girls the night before

"You didn't have to do all of this," she said, warming her hands on a cup of black coffee.

"You would have found a way to apparate me out of Hogwarts and take me to St. Mungo's for a cold, Gia. Cleaning your room and starting a shower is nothing." He wrapped her in another blanket and laid down with her again. She had been unconsciously humming while he played with the ends of her hair.

"When did you stop singing?" he asked.

"Around the time dad broke out of Azkaban," she turned to him. "It stressed me out. The only way to channel it was into school. Music was me and his thing. I didn't know if I would ever see him again."

"You were so good." he rolled onto his back and started laughing. "You used to wear your dad's band shirts and leather jacket everywhere. They were so big they dragged on the floor."

"Until I grew into your band shirts," she kissed him. He had rolled on top of her and she pulled off her jumper.

"Gia you're sick. I don't want to make you feel worse."

"Then make me feel better."

She pulled off his shirt and she ran a hand down his chiseled abs. He sighed and put a hand over hers. "You're sick. We can't."