Weasley Twins - A Fate You Can't Escape

Chapter 44 - Fred

I jog down the steps in my quidditch robes. I need to head to the field soon, but I really want to swing by the tea shop for some coffee first. I've been surviving so far without any, and I feel like that wasn't my best choice. I leave the shop, firmly locking the door behind me. Broom in hand, I turn to head across the street when I am confronted by a very angry red head.

"You told him." Fred yells at me, forcing me to step back. My brain starts to panic as my shoulders hit the door.

"I had to." I mumble, trying to calm my panicking brain. I do not do well with angry men.

"Well you've ruined everything now. Are you happy? Do you think he'll love you now?" His words cut deep.

"I don't know." Tears well in my eyes. "But he can choose that for himself. Maybe he'll hate me forever, but I couldn't not try."

"Try? You think this is giving your relationship a try? There is no relationship. Not with either of us!" He puts his arm against the brick by my head, pinning me there.

"I'm sorry." The tears start leaking down my face as the panic and fear consumes me. Every cell in my body is screaming that he's going to hurt me. But I'm frozen in place. I can't move.

"What's wrong with you?" His voice sounds a bit echoey and his face is blurred from my tears.

"I'm sorry." I whisper again, knees going weak.

"Hazel?" He shouts, but it feels really far away. I close my eyes to blink, but don't open them again.

***

I wake up to hear whispering all around me. I peel my eyes open and find I'm in a small room, surrounded by witches and wizards in white robes. Am I dreaming?

"Miss Taylor! You're awake. How are you feeling?"  An older wizard smiles down at me.  It takes a moment, but I realize I must be at St. Mungos.  The intensity from Fred sent my anxiety into overdrive and I guess I passed out.

"I'm fine."  I slowly sit up, feeling rather embarrassed about the situation.  I can stay on a broom with a broken arm, but I can't stay awake for a heated conversation. 

"Do you remember what happened?"  The doctor is looking at a clipboard in his hands, checking things over.

"I had a panic response, and I passed out."  I rub my face, mortified about the whole thing.  I didn't even know this was possible.

"The panic response was the catalyst, but your body was already weakened.  Have you been over exerting yourself recently?"  His eyes are kind and I feel a bit less embarrassed.

"I just started on a pro quidditch team.  It's been a bit of an adjustment.  Haven't exactly set healthy limitations yet."  I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I can't keep up this current pace if it's going to put me in the hospital.

"That would do it.  We often see new recruits in here for similar issues.  Make sure you're hydrating and getting enough healthy calories in.  The amount of physical activity you're doing requires you to eat more."  He hands me a piece of paper with nutrition information for athletes.  "Take care of yourself, alright?"

"Thank you, sir."  I fold the paper and tuck it into the pocket of my robes.

"You can head out now.  The young man who brought you in is waiting in the hallway for you."  He shakes my hand and departs, taking the small army of white robes with him.

I swing my feet down over the edge and put my cleats on.  I'm so late for practice.  Hopefully they won't be too upset.  I open the curtain and step into the hall.  Fred looks up when he sees me and pushes away from the wall.