Flowers and Oranges - Ron Weasley

TWENTY THREE

Leilani releases a tired sigh as she stares down at her brother's unconscious form. They were supposed to do something this afternoon and she had been really looking forward to it during the day. Since coming back to Hogwarts she doesn't really spend as much time with her brother anymore and she misses it.

Misses their comfortable silence when they would just sit in each other's presence, feeling safe and protected.

But apparently her brother had something else in mind for tonight.

She crouches down in front of him, tilting her head as she inspects his appearance. With a steady hand she reaches towards his puls to check it, releasing another breath when it's intact. He is completely soaked, his white shirt sticking to his pale skin as his chest moves up and down with each breath.

Leilani contemplates heaving him up towards his dorm and tucking him safely into his bed and out of the common rooms cold tiles. Although, there is that part of her that is tired of having to handle him being in this state. Surely him waking up hungover on the floor in the middle of the slytherin common room would teach him a lesson.

Although, she knew that was not true. Her brother would never change. Especially when he had no reason to change.

She could do nothing if he himself didn't want to do anything.

Leilani could hear two sets of footsteps nearing behind her until they stopped at her back. She heard a light sigh, before a cold and gentle hand landed on her shoulder "You go, Theo and I can take care of him tonight" Pansy's soft voice reached her ears.

"We should just leave him here" Leilani admitted her thoughts, hating them the second they were out of her mouth. She stood up, turning around to face Theo and Pansy "I didn't mean that"

"We know, flower" Theo assured her with a warm smile "Now you go, we'll take care of this"

She sighed, then nodded. Leilani knew her brother was her mess to clean up, but she was getting really sick and tired of it. But they were Malfoys and they had each other's backs. No matter what.

With another look at her brother, she then turned around and left the common room. It was dark outside and the halls were empty. Leilani assumed that most students were either at the hufflepuff party or they were at that disgusting place in hogsmeade they call the three broomsticks.

It was Friday after all.

Her steps echoed around the walls and it was a wonder filch hadn't found her yet. But she couldn't care less about that. All she wanted to do was get to the astronomy tower and sit in silence to clean her head.

As she walked up the steps to the astronomy tower her mind wandered off to Weasley and she wondered what he was doing tonight. Leilani wouldn't mind clearing her thoughts with him. In fact she yearned for it, as much as it felt odd to admit it.

Once she was at the top, Leilani sat down and let her feet dangle in the air below her. She surveyed the drop from the tower to the ground and wondered what it would feel like to just let herself go. Then she shook her head with a frustrated sigh.

Whenever she was alone, these dark thoughts engulfed her. As if suffocating her was their only goal and Leilani realized that they only disappear to let her breath whenever she's near him.

And as much as she hates to admit it, she needs him.

Facing her palm up, she felt a sense of calmness when the orange appeared. But that still wasn't enough. Summoning a piece of parchment and a quill she wrote it and waved her hand, making it disappear.

She only hoped he would be here soon, because at this rate she doesn't know if she'll make it.

—

Ron stopped short when he felt a piece of paper in his hand that was tucked into his pocket. He glanced up towards his two friends who were chatting happily as they made their way towards hogsmeade. With a furrow to his brow, he unfolded the parchment and read, immediately recognizing the handwriting.