Bruises ~ In editing

~19~

Year 1

My droopy, tired eyes open slowly, slamming back closed at the bright light shining in my eyes.

I hear soft chatter, two voices, both familiar, speaking to one another.

"I still can't believe it Charlie, he got away with elbowing her in the ribs, after he knew she got hit by a Bludger!"

"Oliver, he got punished, there's nothing else we can do," Charlie says, trying to calm him down, "She's going to be fine. Madam Pomfrey took care of her."

"I don't know what Muggles do without magic. Madam Pomfrey said if that match would've lasted 15 more minutes, she could have died!"

"No she didn't, that's just you being dramatic," Charlie says with an eye roll.

"Either way, it's a good thing I'll be around long enough to bug the hell out of you, huh Wood?" I say, a groan escaping my mouth.

My eyes open to see both boys stand, staring down at me.

"You're awake!" Oliver says, moving closer to me, "now it's time for me to kill you, Black!"

I see Charlie move around the bed, about to grab Oliver's arm.

"Cassie, why didn't you listen to me?! You could've died!"

"I'm sorry," I say, pushing myself up, "I really wanted us to win the game."

He looks down at me, eyes roaming over my facial features before he speaks, "You scared the hell out of me back there Cass, I thought you were really hurt. You passed out in my arms. Your eyes rolled back in your head. I was really scared."

Charlie looks between us, his eyes roaming over Oliver's now troubled features.

I reach out and grab Oliver's hand, holding it tightly as I speak, "I'm really sorry Oli, I just really wanted to win is all."

"Your safety is more important than a Quidditch match."

Charlie scoffs behind him, "Who are you and what have you done with Oliver Wood?!"

I hear Charlie grunt as Oliver elbows him in the stomach, the two turning away, shoving each other seemingly playfully away from my bed, laughing as they walk out of the infirmary.

I eat my breakfast quietly, staring down at my plate of fried eggs, fruit, and toast.

Lupin sits across from me, looking at the Daily Prophet.

I look up from my plate as Tonks walks in, sitting down beside Lupin.

I look back down at my food as she stares across the table at me, making me glance up at her every so often to see if she's still staring at me. Every time, her eyes are resting on me, motioning me with her head towards Lupin, making me look back down at my food.

Lupin lays down his paper, looking between us, "Is something going on here that I don't know about?"

"Cassie, we really need to talk about this-," she starts, but I cut her off.

"No, this really isn't a conversation I want to have."

Flashback to last night

"What?! How could you possibly have gotten put with the man who killed your parents?!" Tonks yells in anger.

"He didn't just kill my parents Nym," I say, my head falling into my hands as I run my hands through my ebony black hair, "he tortured me, for hours."