don't wanna be torn

1.4

"ickle thessie let her mind wander," a voice spoke from the doorway of the empty classroom she was currently sat in.

she turned around to face the door, one eyebrow already raised. only two people had ever called her that before in her life, and neither one of them had spoken to her since they'd started, even though they had two classes together, and it had been four months. whatever response she had died in her throat though as soon as she met george's eyes.

it almost felt like some sort of trick, she'd been avoiding them she knew, but it was unfair to have him in the room with her, calling her what he used to call her and have things be so complicated. he couldn't be here. she thought it had been made clear by the way they'd not said anything to her that they didn't remember her after three years or they didn't want to know her. still, it had only ever been the weasley boys that she'd let call her thessie like that.

he shot her a crooked grin. "ickle thessie thought: am i fonder of dolls? or of trick wands? of riddles or books? or of chocolate frogs and weasley boys?"

she laughed a little despite herself- felt herself soften like clay at his smile. he took it as his cue to continue. "perhaps the broom rides round the burrow or riling up the ghoul in the attic."

"the picnics out on the front lawn, watching you lot try your hand at quidditch."

"the music your mum used to play for us on her violin by the fireplace when it got colder and the days were shorter."

"while we read all those muggle fairy tales with bill or charlie from that bookstore she liked on the couch. ginny was so small back then. and ronald too."

there was a silence that stretched across the space between them for a moment before fred was suddenly there, poking his head into the room. "ok, i think it's time to go. filch is out on the warpath, and he has his girlfriend scouting ahead for him."

he started to move towards the door, pausing in the entry to check both ends of the hall quickly before he stretched out his hand back to her with a grin.

"are you coming? or would you rather stay here and wait to get caught by filch? or worse, miss norris."

he shuddered for effect, and then her hand was hesitantly gravitating towards his, letting him pull her out of the room and down the hall. she felt a pull in her heart as they ran, looking for a place to hide, and for a moment it felt as though nothing had ever changed.