Songbird ; Fred Weasley

Eighty-nine

Hi!

Anyone got any great studying techniques for when studying for an oral exam?

-

When I was younger, sometimes I'd get caught sitting by the pool in the middle of the night.

My dad would go for his midnight snack and would see me through the window, then come outside to make sure I went back to bed.

But now, the person sitting next to me isn't my dad.

My legs are resting in the heated water, and as August took a seat next to me, he slid his legs in as well.

He was wearing shorts, but I had been wearing trousers and had to pull up the legs of them so they wouldn't get wet.

"You heated the pool?" He asked, leaning back on his hands.

"Yup."

"And why are you sitting out here at one at night?" He asked.

I shrugged, kicking the water with my feet.

"I'm twenty-four years old." I said. "And I'm the mother of three. I have an amazing fiancé who's so fucking patient with me, but..."

"...but?" He questioned.

"But I can't stop thinking about the basement." I said. "It didn't only bruise me, it's also the reason my son was born incredibly premature, and the reason why he almost died. Why I almost died."

"But you didn't die. You're right here, and your son is doing good. Fred told me how he's fighting so hard."

I turned my head and looked at August, for the first time in years seeing the same brother I grew up with before I started dating his best friend.

The way he looked at me was in the same way any protective older brother would look at his sister.

He didn't look at me like I was disappointing him.

"You've talked to Fred?" I asked quietly. I knew the two never talked anymore, so it surprised me.

"I've been making my way around the family, apologizing." he said. "I started by leaving Cassidy."

When I didn't answer, August flicked his eyes to the water and let out a heavy sigh.

"She wasn't too happy about that." he said, then turned his head and gestured to his cheekbone which was yellow from an old bruise.

"What? Holy shit..." I gaped at him. "How have I not noticed that?"

I had seen him multiple times since I was put in the hopsital, and I hadn't noticed any bruises on him.

August shook his head and shut his eyes. He ran a hand over his face and into his hair. "I borrowed some of mum's makeup to cover it up. Well, I didn't cover it up. Mum did. I told her what happened and that I didn't want anyone else to know."

"She hit you?" I frowned. "She hit you because you broke up with her?"

"I guess I deserved it." he laughed. "We've been together for six years."

"No one deserves to be hit." I said and turned towards him, pulling one leg out of the pool.

"Listen..." he sighed. "I'm sorry about everything, okay? About Cassidy and the way we both treated you. It's not an excuse, but Cassidy was... controlling."

"You don't say..." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"If I have to be honest, I have wanted to leave her for such a long time." he sighed. "But she's so manipulative and she always played the victim."