The Daughter of Sirius Black

Chapter 53

Leona had fixed her dress and redone her hair into a low side bun before tying Fred's tie for him as they walked out of the classroom and back down to the hall. Fred had draped his robes over her shoulders before tucking the small girl under his arm as they went to hunt down food and maybe have another dance before heading off to bed.

But as they were about to walk down the stairs, Leona saw Hermione sitting on them as she cried, holding her bare feet as her heels lay scattered on the stairs next to her.

"You mind?" she asked her boyfriend who gave her a small smile.

"Go on. I'll save you some food."

And he jogged down the stairs after pecking her lips before Leona sat next to Hermione.

"'Mione?"

The girl merely put her head on Leona's shoulder as she sobbed, Leona hugging her instantly.

"He ruins everything!" she wailed. "He ruined everything! Ron, he-"

"Shhh. It's alright," Leona soothed as she pulled the crying girl to face her. "No matter who he is, or what he did, he is not worth your tears," Leona said as she wiped them away gently.

"But he-"

"Hermione! Did you have a good night?"

The girl thought back to how she danced with Viktor and talked with Leona and Ginny and how they laughed and had dinner.

"I did."

Leona nodded encouragingly. "Then forget about it. Be angry at Ron tomorrow that's fine, but don't let him ruin tonight."

Hermione sighed heavily as Leona rubbed her back, trying to calm herself down.

"How are you so good at this? And know exactly what to say?"

Leona gave her a sympathetic smile as she pulled the handkerchief from Fred's pocket and handed it to Hermione.

"Believe it or not, I've had my fair share of breakdowns. People weren't exactly nice to me in my first few years of school."

"Because of your father?" Hermione guessed and she nodded.

"No one clapped when I got Sorted into Gryffindor other than Fred and George."

"How did you survive all that? I don't think I could have lived through half the stuff you have."

"By remembering the people who love me," Leona said with a smile. "You don't have to go through everything alone. And words can only hurt you if you let them."

"Thanks, Lena," Hermione said gratefully.

"Of course," she said as she hugged her and then pulled Hermione to her feet. "Now it's your turn for bed. You've had a long night."

Leona passed Hermione her shoes.

"Goodnight, Lena," Hermione said as she began to make her way up the stairs.

"Sweet dreams."

And as Leona turned back around, Fred was already waiting with a plate of food in his hands.

"You'll never believe what I just walked in on."

"What?" she asked with a furrowed brow as she ate her chicken wing.

"Georgie and Angelina in a position that looked very uncomfortable but clearly not to them with the amount of noise they were making."

"Yuck," Leona exclaimed as she scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"Yeah. And I saw it."

"Where were you that you walked in on them?" Leona questioned, knowing that there was no secluded place in the great hall.

"They were in that broom cupboard down the hall. Everyone was walking away from it, and I want to know why."

Leona laughed.

"Only you would do that."

She picked up another chicken wing, her body dwarfed by the large set of robes she wore. Living with Fred was actually a huge bonus because she stole his clothes often. And she was sneaky about it too, sometimes he wouldn't even realise until he would see her wearing his shirt, or jumper or scarf or sweatpants.

"What do you say we get out of here and finish this food in my room? I want to see Angelina when she finally gets back."

Fred chuckled as he stole a bite from her chicken wing.

"Sounds like a plan."