24 - It's Cold. I Don't Want Your Jacket

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I finally looked back up from the water when Viktor came up from the water holding... Hermione? Wha- I look around, my nose almost colliding with Fred's shoulder. When did he get here? Whatever. That's beside the point. 

"Hey, George." I look up. He was right behind me, his chest almost touching my back. 

"Yeah, munchkin?" He looked down at me, the angle almost making me laugh. 

"Where's Ron?" 

He shrugged. "I dunno. Haven't seen him since last night. He's probably with Dean or something." He looked back out at the water. Cedric had already come out of the water with a sputtering Cho. The two of them have been going with a steady relationship, too. Cuties! (As rude as Cho was for that prank with Roger a few months ago)

I didn't think Ron was with Dean, but whatever. But... Nope. Something still didn't feel right in me. That tiny person in the back of my head said someone was in danger. What if Harry was drowning? What if something had grabbed him by the ankles and was taking him further into the depths of the Black lake?

Again, that's crazy to think about. I really need to stop that.

But then Harry emerged from the surface holding a little blonde girl and a boy with stark red hair. 

"Harry!" I shout and crouch, not caring about my knees getting soaked. I reach out my hand, taking the girl from him. She must have been Fleur's person. The twins helped grab a coughing Ron before hoisting Harry up and onto the dock. I keep the girl close, trying to warm her wet body. 

"You alright?" I whisper. 

She nodded, muttering in French. "Oui." 

We were quickly supplied with warm towels. Yet there were only three. Whatever. I take one and wrap her in it. Harry and Ron were still shivering in the other two. Fleur rushes over, kissing Harry on the cheeks, crying happily. "You save her e'en though she was not yours to save! Thank you!"

He lets out an awkward laugh. "Of course."

I stare down at myself, the cold water of the Black lake seeping into my bones. It is far too early into the year to have a swimming competition of all things. They couldn't have waited until May? April at the earliest? Even then, it would be cold but at least a little more tolerable than this.

A voice cut through the hollers and cheers. "Can someone get her a towel?!" It was Fred, shouting above everyone. Or, at least, trying to. "The girl is freezing! Can you not hear- whatever." He sends me a sidelong glance, then shrugs off his jacket, draping it over my shoulders.

I almost force it off myself, but he's quicker, stopping my hands, then zipping it up.

"Warm up," he says. "Here. Eat this. It may make you feel a bit feverish, but... it'll warm you up."

I stare at the candy in his hand. No way was I eating ine of those fever-inducing chocolates. "No way. I'm not eating that rubbish." I shove it back at him. "And I'm not wearing your jacket." I unzip, get out, and toss it at him. I start walking off, wishing Harry a little congratulations on tying first place with Ced.

Back in the castle, I get into my warmest pajamas. Oh, how crawling under my warm  sheets would feel lovely. Every winter, front about the middle of November to March, the house elves warmed up the sheets. It was my favorite thing in the world because this castle had little to no insolation. Maybe a few charms here and there.

Maybe I do regret not taking the jacket because the next day, my nose is like a fountain. My pockets are stuffed with tissues, my poor nose running raw with rubbing it all day. It was painful. Many have offered to help me, but I always decline. No, tea with honey wouldn't make me feel better. I hate honey. And no, no cough drop would aid my nose. Those were for coughs. Not annoying runny noses.

That night, though, I find a still steaming hot coco on my night table with a small note with messy yet somehow still eligible writing.

Your favorite. Extra chocolate. Get well soon.

I hum, picking up the mug. I didn't recognize this writing... which was odd because I had most people's memorized down to the swoops of the y's. But this looks like it was deliberately wrong. Now I want to figure it out...

But in the meantime... I'm just gonna sit here kn my bed and enjoy the hot chocolate.

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A/N - Hiiiiii! <3

It's been a minute, I know... I'm working on it... writers' block for this one goes hard in a not so good way. Anyways... How we all doing? Good? That's great!

As always, requests for any idea are open. If there's a cute moment you want to see between our boy Freddie and y/n, feel free to leave a comment, and I will try to accommodate that!

See you next time, Darlings! Xxx

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