Found AIAOY 4

Chapter 19

"Repeat after me," George commanded in the empty classroom McGonagall had ignored their usage of in the days before exams and the final task.  "I am more than my exam scores."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, irritated by the interruption of her revisions.  "I know that, George.  Don't distract me."

"Love, humour me?"  Fred asked gently.  He hadn't moved from his seat beside her a day that week but his concern grew with each passing lunch hour.  Just then, for instance, Rebecca had two parchment unfurled in front of her to bounce between.  "You haven't even blinked."

"Exams start tomorrow."  Rebecca said, tearing her attention away from her work.  One parchment was devoted to herself, the other to any spells or information that could aid Harry.  "And the final task is Friday.  There isn't any time to-"

Fred closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her tightly, laying his cheek against the top of her head.  

George's answer was a little different.  "Ugh!"  He groaned, leaning back in his chair so only two legs were on the ground.  "Why do you even study?  If you don't know it already, are you really going to know it after reading it just before?  It'll only confuse what you do know!"

"Your O.W.L.s start tomorrow as well."  Rebecca looked up at Fred, unknowingly forcing his heart faster with her eyes peeking up at him over the rims of her glasses.  "You're not doing anything to review?"

"We feel our minds are better put to other queries."  Fred pecked her forehead before turning back to George.  "Don't worry, RJ."

"Here's something we've been thinking about!"  George let his seat crash back down with a bang that startled Harry at the other end of the room, the dummy in front of him finding reprieve from the constant barrage of defensive and offensive spells it had been under.  "What flavours should the Lying-Lollies be?"

"Grape, apple, strawberry and..."  Rebecca sighed.  "I don't know, pick something that's a different colour than those."  Rebecca turned back to her books and began writing and reading again, opening another book from the stack of her texts.

"Well aren't you just no fun."  George said, sticking his tongue out and letting his head fall to the table.  He couldn't help his attention turning towards where Hermione was scolding Ron for letting his attention drift in the emergency study-session he'd asked for while Harry let his arm fall to his side and he didn't cast any more spells.  George wasn't handling his own stresses and fears about the coming week well and, while he knew that, he didn't know how else to channel his nervous energy.

"Don't listen to him."  Fred said quietly, rubbing Rebecca's shoulder.  "He's just jealous."

"What do I have to be jealous of, Fred?"  George demanded, his self-reflection cut short.

"Well, for one..."  Fred lowered his voice as if he were trying to keep George from hearing.  "He's not the most handsome of us."

George scoffed and put his bag over his shoulder, warning the room that lunch was nearly over and leaving with a huff.

Hermione closed the books she and Ron had around them before stacking them only to find that the pile was scooped away by Ron who returned them to the shelves himself.

Rebecca's books were grabbed similarly, despite the fact that she had originally intended on putting them away herself.  Fred set the books back on the table--though still out of her immediate reach--when she looked at him as if there was something she wanted to say.  "Yes, love?"

"I just-"  Rebecca shook her head and lowered her eyes.  "I want to prove that I can do well this year, that I will do well next year on my O.W.L.s."  She lowered her voice further, sensing that what she was about to impart was something she wouldn't have shared to anyone other than Fred.  "I want to prove that I belong here--at Hogwarts."