alluringly entwined | f.w, d.m

68

A true love's kiss.

In Oshun's mind, that was what the cure was to her sickness. But in reality, it wasn't.

Unfortunately, it was only in fairy tales. In reality, she had no cure.

Dying was always on her mind now—her death.

There really was no escape from the thought. But perhaps it was because it was her reality and it was her ending, so she always had it on her mind.

"What happened, Oshun?" Fred had asked after her sobs had subsided.

She had stayed in his arms. Curled in his broad chest, vulnerable.

"Did someone say something to you? Did someone hurt you?" he had pressed in a soft tone, patient.

She had only shaken her head.

"Then what's got you so upset?" he murmured, and she could hear him frowning in concern. "I don't like seeing you so sad, my love."

"Just hold me," she whispered with a tremble in her voice. "Please, Freddie, just hold me."

"Okay, okay." He nodded and held her tighter, rubbing her back as he kissed her head multiple times and murmured reassuring phrases in her ear.

She refused to tell him anything and she knew he wouldn't press on about it if it upset her so much even when he desperately wanted to know. He was sweet like that.

He had just held her for the rest of the night until she fell asleep in his arms on the floor.

Every cry she had ever cried since the day she found out about her sickness was probably one of the most painful things she'd ever felt. Every single one of them.

It was her reality though, so she was going to be as strong as she could and have one hell of the rest of her life before she lived no more.

She was still a student, so she did what any good student would do and she headed to class.

She hugged Forest's arm as they both went to Divination, their least favourite class. They had Divination with the Slytherins, so several Gryffindors and Slytherins poured into the room.

"Let's go over there." Forest guided her friend to the highest row.

The two ladies took their seats on opposite sides of the circular table and waited patiently for class to start.

"I can't believe this class is mandatory until sixth year," Forest complained, and let her pant legs rest on the level below, her knees wide. She rested her elbows on her knees, arms dangling between her thighs.

"It is what it is," Oshun said simply with a sigh, crisscrossing her legs and adjusting her skirt.

"How much could we possibly need to learn in this class? I don't understand," Forest muttered, and eyed all the students walking into the classroom.

When the Professor closed the door and began her lesson, Oshun noticed Draco wasn't there and he had this class with her on this day.

The Professor instructed her students to drink the tea on their table and then to read the form of the tea leaves at the bottom of their cup. There was a sheet on the table that defined the shape each student should see, indicating their future.

Oshun drank her tea and then studied her shape. Her gaze shifted to the sheet to try to find one that matched.

But none of them did.

The shape of her tea leaves were of a teardrop.

She frowned and tried turning her cup to see if she could see it as something else, but nothing.