Brown Eyed Boy // Fred Weasley ( Rewriting )

5.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

She dashed out of the castle, her heart racing, and stumbled onto the sprawling Hogwarts grounds, where she collapsed beneath the familiar branches of her new favorite tree. Sobs erupted from her, each wave of emotion crashing over her as she curled her knees to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Um, I know this sounds stupid, but... are you okay?"

Startled, she opened her eyes to find Draco sitting on the opposite side of the tree, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity.

"Oh no," she murmured, her embarrassment washing over her. She covered her face with her hands and peeked through her fingers. "You saw all of that, didn't you?"

"Sadly, yes," he replied with an uncomfortable smile. "Just so you know, I'm really not great with... this kind of thing." He gestured vaguely toward her.

A small chuckle escaped her lips as she wiped her tears. "Sorry for interrupting whatever deep thoughts you were having."

"Nah, it's fine," he said, glancing away awkwardly. "So... do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head, feeling the weight of her emotions press down on her. He nodded, respecting her silence. They sat there together, the air filled with unspoken understanding. She gazed at the clouds, their shapes shifting and drifting, while her body gradually relaxed, finding solace in the quiet companionship.

☆

Elizabeth stepped away from the tree and looked down at Draco who still sat there. A small smile played on her lips. "You know, you should give yourself more credit," she said softly.

Draco shrugged, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "I didn't really do anything..."

"You didn't have to," she replied, her gaze warm and encouraging. "Thank you, Draco."

His heart surged with unexpected warmth—surprise mingling with something like joy. Did I... actually help?

He nodded, and as she turned to head back toward the castle, he felt a strange mix of pride and uncertainty wash over him. She passed the Great Hall, where now the lively chatter of students echoed around her. Her stomach grumbled in protest, but she pushed the hunger aside, focused instead on reaching Gryffindor Tower.

Once inside her bedroom, Elizabeth let out a deep sigh, collapsing onto her bed. She had never imagined her first day would unfold like this, and embarrassment flooded her as she recalled her earlier vulnerability. Cursing herself for letting others see her in such a state, she scanned her bookcase and randomly selected a novel.

As she flipped through the pages, she didn't care what it was about; she just needed a distraction from the whirlwind of emotions that had marked her day. Laying back, she began to read, hoping to lose herself in another world and forget, if only for a moment, the uncertainty that lingered in her heart.

☆

Knock knock.

Elizabeth stirred in her bed, shuffling around the covers. 

Knock knock.

The voice from outside broke through her confusion. "Elizabeth? It's Fred..."