Wanna Be Saved

- TWENTY FIVE -

Chapter Twenty Five

Bronwyn paced the floors of the corridor wringing her hands together. Her brain working much faster than she could keep up with. Today was the start of the mock OWL tests, and despite how hard she had worked Bronwyn knew that there was no way she was even remotely ready for what she was about to sit through. She wasn't sure, if she was being honest, if there was ever going to be a time where she did feel ready. Even though this was only the start of the mock exams the ones of which had no weighting towards her actual results it didn't matter. She knew these results would make their way back to her parents, after all she had seen Fred and Georges Mock results and could remember the extreme chaos they caused. She really didn't want to disappoint her family. 

As part of the accommodations the school had made following her Dyslexia diagnosis, Bronwyn was to be in a quiet room, alone, with a member of staff who could read the questions to her if she required their assistance. It was something that she was unsure whether it was making her anxiety around the mocks better or worse. Part of Bronwyn wondered whether being unable to see most of the other students, some of which she hoped were as anxious if not more than she was, was making her worse. That in seeing someone else feeling as nervous as she did in that moment would make her feel a little better or not. If she was being honest, she was unsure about most of her feelings. But she knew that the sooner she got this week worth of practice exams over that she would feel a lot better. Or at least she would until they made her do it all over again in a couple of months for the real exams. 

"Miss Weasley?" The voice of Professor Flitwick called from the door to the small classroom she would be completing her exams in. She tried to shake off some of the unease whilst she looked at the charms professor it was nice to know she at least had a friendly face whilst she was going to be doing the exams. 

Before Bronwyn was even aware, the morning had passed and it was soon lunch, the tests for Charms and Transfiguration were complete. And she had never felt more relief to be in the dining hall for food. Even if she was unsure whether her nerves would even really allow her to eat considering she had the written exam for Potions afterwards and would join the rest of the year for the practical part before the day was over. Her eyes scanned the room for her friends, at this moment not even having a preference for anyone she chose to spend the lunch block with. But she didn't have to look too hard, for at the Gryffindor table she found her most studious friend. Hermione sat with some others, but Bronwyn quickly dismissed the other people the girl was sat around. Rather rushing to take the seat opposite her best friend.

"Winnie, how did it go?" Hermione questioned the girl the second she sat down. Bronwyn shrugged unsure of how she was even supposed to summarise the exams. Other than merely horrible but she was sure her friend didn't want to hear that, especially considering she was one hundred percent sure that Hermione did not share the same sentiment. 

"Well, only have two more to do today and then it's over." Hermione faked optimism, there was no way the girl was actually excited to not have to do exams, after all this was the girl who threw a hissy fit when they cancelled exams a few years ago.

"Then we have the rest of the week." Bronwyn's voice was not as optimistic as Hermione's had been. She was also sure her friend was only pretending to be happy with the thought that the exams would be over for the day soon, just to make the others around them feel better. 

"I wonder who will score highest in the year." Hermione muttered clearly not expecting everyone to turn to her in disbelief. 

"It'll be you or Malfoy." Bronwyn shrugged, she was happy as long as she passed every subject if she was being honest. Grades didn't really seem to matter to her, especially considering she had no idea still what she wanted to do with her life. But before Bronwyn could continue the conversation any further two hands clamped onto her shoulders. 

The touch was not gentle, and therefore it was pretty obvious it could be only a handful of people. They also had to be close to her to believe they could touch her without direct permission. Bronwyn turned her head half expecting to see someone with matching ginger locks like her own. Not putting it past one of her older brothers to do this. But when she saw the messy dark brown almost black hair and those stupid ringed glasses she felt herself holding in a sigh. The person touching her had to be the amazing boy who lived. Or taking in his disheveled appearance the boy who had just returned from a broom cupboard. Clearly he wasn't feeling the effects of the exams ongoing. 

"No way it'll be Malfoy Ron, Hermione's the smartest in our year by far." Harry immediately shunned the idea that Draco Malfoy was possibly able to beat the muggleborn which sat opposite them. Bronwyn moved to try and get his hands off her shoulders but the boys grip only got tighter. And she knew that she would have to put up with it for a little while. 

"How did you feel the exams went Harry?" Hermione tried to subtly move the conversation away just a little bit.

"I don't need good grades 'Mione, I'm gonna save the wizarding world remember?" Harry spoke with sarcasm and Bronwyn did want to feel bad for the boy, but he was also an egotistical prick so it wasn't much. "Anyways caught up with Cho just after so had a nice end anyways." Luckily for Bronwyn with these words Harry moved to take the seat beside her as the third years who had been previous sat there had moved enough for him to be able to sit down. Though he soon moved to grip her arm, which was even more gross knowing that he was acting all possessive firstly when she had never shown any interest, and secondly after having admitted to just being with someone else. She moved this time to remove his arm, not caring for what the boy thought nor those around them in the current moment. 

"Isn't she still grieving?"

"I don't think the tears were caused by grief when she was sucking my -" Harry would be unable to finish his answer to Hermione's question by the appearance of the older Weasley siblings. Fred had taken the seat beside Hermione after convincing someone else to move, or rather pushing them out of the way so he could fit. George had managed to grab a seat beside Bronwyn that she hadn't realised had been vacated. 

"Hello favourite fifth years." George greeted and Bronwyn was happy for the distraction and the topic change, she didn't want to know what Harry was going to say, having a clear idea of where his sentence was going. She let her brothers take over the conversation knowing that her social battery was draining fast following the exams of the morning, and the anxiety for those in the afternoon were taking over. Rather she chose to focus on the way her older brother was treating her best friend. Part of her wanted to be disappointed to see them starting to develop a bond, a relationship but she couldn't find it within herself. She could see so clearly just how well suited they would be to one another, even though they were clear polar opposites at first. But they would compliment each other well. And as long as she didn't lose Hermione completely to Fred she was sure that she could make some space for the pair of them. 

Author's note:

Hi all, thank you so much for the ongoing love and support. No B&B in this chapter, yes that is their ship name as dictated by myself. Rather I just want to put some feelers out there about potential ships I want to include on the sidelines in this book and would like some feedback. 

○ Hermione and Fred (this is a given lmao)

○ George and Lee

○ Harry and Ginny (maybe I kinda want Ginny to end up with someone else but not sure who please give me other options)