Not A Coincidence (Fred Weasley)

Ch 29: Fleximentis

"Chelsea! Where have you been?!" Aradia and George run up to me. My eyes wander up to their faces, not taking in their worried looks.

"I was in the Infirmary."

"What? Why?" Aradia asks.

"George, Fred's there. Go see him." I look up at my bestfriend. He sees the sadness, hidden amongst the shock, and runs out the portrait hole. That's what's so good about George and Fred, we're so close of friends that we can read what each other are thinking with one look, well George right now... 

"Chelsea, wha-"

"Where's Gideon?" I ask as I make my way over to the stairs, Aradia on my heels.

"He's in the boys dorm I think. Chels-"

"I'll be back." I cut her off, making my way up the stairs until I come to the boys dorm room. Gently, I knock on the door.

"Come in." A voice calls out.

Pushing the door open, I find Gideon playing a game of wizard's  chess with Aerrow. Parker watching intently from the sideline, spitting out commentary like he was a rap artist.

"Chelsea. Where have you been?" They all ask as the game grinds to a halt.

I ignore the questions as I have the past few hours I've spent beside Fred and Erin's beds. "Gideon, you need to come with me."

"What's going on?" Gideon asks as we get out the door.

"Erin needs you." Is all I say, but Gideon needs to know more.

"Why? Did something happen to her? Is she okay? What happened?"

"Gideon, you'll find out when we get there. But in the meantime I need you to shut up because I haven't gotten a wink of sleep and have a huge headache!"

He goes silent as we continue along to the Infirmary Wing.

...

"...So how long till the mandrakes grow?" He asks silently as we stand at the foots of our beloved's beds.

"Professor Sprout says from a couple of months to... a few years." I choke, trying not to think about not hearing his cheeky voice for more than a few weeks.

"...And they're certain that this Mandrake Restorative Draught will ... help them?"

"I so hope so." I whisper back, looking over at the recovering victims. Walking over, I take a seat beside Hermione, who has now gotten dressed even though she's only just recovered a few hours ago, insisting she needs to head straight to the library to catch up on homework she's definitely missed.

"Hey." I say softly.

"Chelsea, I'm so sorry to see Fred and Erin in here as well, awful shame. I do hope Professor Sprout tends to her mandrakes quickly." 

"Me too." I say quietly, eyes on the bed. Hermione smiles warmingly at me as I play with the edge of the bed that she's just straightened out. She walks around the edge of the bed and grabs my hands. 

"He'll be fine, probably dreaming about you and him having the time of your lives. Pulling outrageous pranks and telling stupid stories." Hermione chuckles at me as she restraightens the bed. 

I giggle along with her, and in no time I'm bawling my eyes out. My chest rising and falling rapidly, it's starting to get hard to breath.

"Chelsea?" Gideon walks over and pulls me up. "Chelsea."

"He's not coming back." I cry out.

"He will! He will come back, even more impish and audacious than ever." He rubs my shoulders as my breath starts getting short. "Chelsea, you need to calm down or you'll black out."