stardust ⋮ george weasley

forty-five :

F O R T Y - F I V E

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Adeline didn't wake up for a few days.

Given the injuries she sustained, this was expected. The Cruciatus curse being used on someone multiple times was already enough, but then her loosing her right eye on top of it was more than enough to cause Adeline to fall into a several-day coma.

Despite this knowledge, it didn't stop her friends and George to fall into a state of panic. It became nearly impossible to drag them away from the hospital wing at night, their professor's threats of detention being meaningless to them.

Harry laid in the hospital bed nearby. His injuries were still healing, but Harry wanted to stay in the hospital wing for as long as possible. He was terrified of facing the Hogwarts students after what happened after the Third Task. Professor Dumbledore had told all of the students at the school that Lord Voldemort had returned, but there were whispers of Harry and Professor Dumbledore lying that he didn't want to address.

Most evenings, Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall met with Madam Pomfrey by her hospital bed, having whispered conversations about her so Harry couldn't overhear nearby.

"Her parents haven't responded back the multiple owls I sent, even when I gave them those explicit instructions on how to," Professor McGonagall hissed furiously, her emotions getting the better of her. "I could tell the day I met them that they hated the idea of our world but...you would think that when their daughter is blinded in one eye they'd come out to at least make sure she's okay! She's lucky to have the friends she does."

"Remus came to me at the beginning of last year after an incident in his class with a boggart," Professor Flitwick added with a shake of his head. "He was concerned because the boggart turned into her parents screaming at her about how much of a disgrace she was, and from the way she reacted, it didn't seem like a fear and more like something she experienced."

"After the trauma this poor girl experienced..." Madam Pomfrey sighed sadly, checking over the potions sitting by Adeline's bed despite the fact she had already done a few minutes ago. "Ms. Reyes is a strong girl, though. I think she'll pull through."

Professor McGonagall nodded, but then caught sight of something that made her let out a loud sigh. "Mr. Longbottom, if you try and bring any more plants up here, we're going to have to turn the hospital wing into a greenhouse!"

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Late that evening, Madam Pomfrey heard the crashing sound of something falling over. When she turned her head, she saw the shadowed form of three girls trying to sneak through the hospital wings unnoticed.

"Ladies, I've told you more than once that you cannot be up here past this hour!" She hissed, not wanting to wake up Harry who was sleeping a nearby bed. "Are you seriously trying to sneak up here again?"

"But Madam Pomfrey–"

"No 'buts', Ms. Badin! If I catch any of you three up here past visiting hours one more time, it'll be detention for every single one of you!"

"Detention in the hospital wing?" Ophelia asked hopefully, causing Melanie to nod with agreement.

"Get out! It's past your curfew anyways!"

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"Addie? It's...it's George."

He took a deep breath. Ever since Adeline had been admitted to the hospital wing, George had been a mess of emotions. George didn't know what to say.

How could anyone have known what to say in a situation like this?

"Fred caused a distraction so I could sneak in here and see you," George eventually said. "He offered to break my rib with a bludger so I had an excuse to be in the hospital wing, but I have the feeling Professor McGonagall wouldn't like that too much. I haven't got too long...they've barely anyone back to visit you, and I needed to see you so bad. I haven't stopped thinking that awful night. Harry hasn't said anything, only that You-Know-Who's back and you...you were tortured in that graveyard."

George hated how Adeline couldn't respond to him or even just give him that soft smile that made his heart melt in his chest.

He rubbed his thumb over the soft material of Adeline's hair ribbon, a habit he had gotten into ever since she had come out of the maze that awful night. Barely above a whisper, he admitted, "I...I love you, Addie. I know how scared you are of those words, and that's okay. I just can't have something happen to you that's even worse than this and not tell you how I feel. I love you so much."

Hearing footsteps approach the hospital wing – likely Madam Pomfrey coming to check on Harry and Adeline – George knew he needed to be leave soon. He leaned down and was intending to kiss to her forehead before he remembered that her wounds were still healing and half her face was still covered in bandages. Instead, George pressed a kiss to her hair and whispered,

"Please wake up, Addie."

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a/n:

i'm so sorry for the late update!! i'm in the middle of finals and move out so it's been a little hectic!!

but i hope you all enjoyed the chapter – or...as much as you really could with this content. i hope you all have a lovely day, and i'll see you at the next update!!

- g ♡