WARNING: UNDER REWRITING AND HEAVY EDITING
Read at your own risk!
Life started off complicated for young Eleanor Ross after being born to a muggle mother while showing her magical capabilities at an early age. Growing up in a household where her mot...
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The euphoria surrounding the Quidditch Cup had yet to warn off, even as June approached the castle. For Fred, it wasn't the Quidditch Cup that had garnered such a stir in his chest, it was the fact that Eleanor had kissed him. Sure, perhaps she tried to play it off by kissing the rest of the team, but she had only kissed them all on the cheek, while kissing him on the lips, that had to count for something, right? And yet, after the Quidditch Cup, neither of them spoke about it, as if it didn't happen. But Fred wasn't willing to simply forget it because as brief as it was, the kiss itself had left him practically breathless.
However, with the upcoming O.W.L.s, there wasn't much of a chance of Fred getting an opportunity to speak with Eleanor alone, especially as she started stressing over Potions again.
"Alright, the ingredient is Moonstone," George prompted as he, Fred, and Eleanor were sitting in the library, keeping up their side of the bargain to help her pass the class with flying marks.
For a moment, Eleanor looked around but as soon as she made eye contact with Fred, she immediately looked elsewhere and tried to come up with the answer.
"Moonstone," she repeated, "it's used in the Draught of Peace potion and the powdered form is used in many other potions."
"Come on, Ellie," Fred said, "you know more than that. List the properties."
After a minute or so, Eleanor shook her head before pulling the front of her jumper over her face. "I don't know! I don't know! I can't remember anything anymore. My brain is fried! I have too much going on in my head right now. I can't tell the difference between inanimatus conjures and venom antidotes!"
Without another word, Eleanor pushed herself away from the table and left the library, leaving the twins to exchange glances with one another. Obviously, there was something besides the upcoming exams that was bothering Eleanor and George nudged his brother to go investigate. Fred didn't need any other encouragement as he left the table as well to go after her.
She hadn't made it far as Fred came out of the library and found her sitting in a window seat at the end of the corridor. Making his way over, he quietly sat next to her as Eleanor had her eyes closed, trying to calm herself down.
"Ellie, I know you think these exams are pretty much life and death, but they really aren't," he said. "You're driving yourself mad over it. Even if you got a T for Troll in the class, all your other marks will show that it was a fluke. What are you worried about? This can't be all over potions."
Eleanor stole a look in his direction before letting out a small sigh. "You're right, it's not all about the exams, it's a bunch of other things added onto it. Between my mother and you...."
Fred felt his heart skipped a beat as she mentioned him, but Eleanor stopped herself as she tried to shake her head and change the topic.
