Accidents Happen ∙ Garreth Weasley

9 - Why not?

"Lina, what are you doing here?"

Garreth stood outside his bedroom door, a confused look on his face. His hair was ruffled, and he squinted into the light.

"I- I just dropped my glass," she stammered, not meeting his eye.

"Oh. Ok then," he replied, pulling out his wand. "Reparo." The fragments of glass flew back together as though time was reversed, converging together in the shape of a cup as water plopped back into it. Silence was oppressive as the glass rocked back and forwards, clinking slightly against the wooden floorboards. 

"Thanks," Lina muttered, nibbling at the flaking skin on her lip. She paused before leaning down to pick up her water. "G'night, Garreth."

"Night, Lina."

She turned and walked away back to her room, yet she didn't know that Garreth stood there, watching her leave. Raking his hands through his curls, he sighed. 

"How much did she hear?" Leander asked, peering around the doorframe.

"Dunno. Too much, probably," Garreth answered, following Leander back into the bedroom, latching the door shut. "Should I go and talk to her?"

"Yeah. She could've heard everything, or nothing. If she heard everything, you're fucked mate," Leander joked bitterly, smirking slightly.

"Not funny, Prewett," Garreth glowered at him, biting his nails. He pulled the door open and snuck down the corridor. Moments before he knocked on Lina's door, the door cracked open, and Lina appeared in the gap. His mouth opened slightly in shock. "I need to talk to you," he said awkwardly.

"I- I dont know, Garreth. I'm tired," she complained, gnawing on the skin of her cheek. 

"Evangeline. Please."

He never called her Evangeline. 

She gave in. "Ok then. Let's go downstairs though - I don't want to wake Natty."

The pair crept down the creaky stairs into the living room. Threadbare sofas filled the space, and ruby-like coals glowed warmly in the hearth. Sitting down on the largest sofa, Garreth turned to face her.

"Lina. What did you hear earlier?" He asked, leaning forward, resting his elbows on the arm of the couch.

"I- Something about amortentia. And how it wasn't your fault, but you still felt guilty? Um, and something to do with a year and a half. That's pretty much it," she shrugged, pursing her lips to one side. Her knee jittered as she bit at her lips again, causing them to sting.

"Your lip's bleeding," Garreth noticed. He was right: a sharp, metallic tang filled her mouth when Lina ran her tongue over her lower lip, and a tiny pool of red formed on her finger upon touching the cut.

"Oh, shit. Sorry."

"No need to apologise," He responded. "Um, so... This is going to be a long story."

"I have enough time," Evangeline replied, tucking her legs up beneath her and fiddling with the hem of her jumper.

"Alright. So on last Tuesday, y'know when Sebastian sold you that Liquid Luck, he thought it was babbling beverage. He gave it to you before the test to embarrass you, but when it didn't work he just thought he made a shit potion, and didn't think anything of it. And then at the party after my quidditch match last week, he gave the babbling beverage to Duncan 'cause he thought it was amortentia."

"Wait, why did he try and give Duncan amortentia?" Lina asked.

"Oh, because he was trying to get him and Zenobia in 5th year, y'know the one with the-"

"Gobstones," they said in unison again, laughing halfheartedly.

"Yeah, so her." Garreth concluded. "Sebastian and Ominis were trying to get Duncan to fall in love with her, because she's positively repulsive. But when Duncan started talking Ominis' ear off, he realised they'd switched the potions by accident. And then they told me afterwards."

A moment of silence passed.

"Lina, please say something. Anything. The silence is killing me."

"You didn't tell me. You didn't tell me when you found out, and now for a whole week I've been completely oblivious to this!" She quavered. 

"I- I know. That's why I felt so guilty," he confessed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She whispered hoarsely, her voice faltering.

"I don't know." 

"Bloody hell, Gare, why not! You're my best friend!" Lina exclaimed quietly, cracks forming in her words as they heightened.

"I dont know," he repeated, muttering ashamedly.

She sniffled, a lonely tear dropping down her cheek. Her lashes were heavy and so was the lump in her throat as she held back sobs, each one splintering her heart ever so slightly. 

"I- I'm gonna go," she said, her words wobbling. Garreth leaned towards her as she did, loosely grabbing her hand.

"Evangeline," he pleaded, his eyes soft and hurt. Unexpectedly, she wrapped her arms around his middle, letting herself cry into his t-shirt. He froze awkwardly, unsure as to what to do, before gently wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulled her in closer. Damp patches had formed on his shirt as Lina trembled slightly, sobbing in Garreth's arms as he patted her lightly on the back and rested his chin on her head, playing with her hair slightly. 

"I'm still not happy with you, y'know," she murmured into his chest quietly, in between sobs.

"That's ok. I understand," he told her, gently brushing her back with his knuckles. The wool beneath his fingers was soft, and glancing down, he realised it was his sweater. He smiled, a little bittersweet, closing his eyes. 

Lina's eyes were watercolours as she pulled away, rubbing her cheek with her cuff. "Oops," she said seeing the patches of tears on his white top. "You smell like honeydukes sweets," she told him, the corners of her mouth pulling up slightly. "But if you left them out on the quidditch pitch for a while."

"Is that such a bad thing?" he asked jokingly.

"Not all that bad."

Garreth and Lina spent the rest of the night on the couch. Neither moved or said a word more, just drinking in each other's presence until they both fell into a deep sleep. In the morning, when Mrs Weasley walked into the room to begin her usual cleaning, she smiled to herself upon seeing the pair passed out on the sofa. She shook her head, but left the curtains closed, allowing them to have a few moments longer.