The Little Pureblood [1]

Chapter 17: Licking My Wounds

When I woke up, I found that the wing had gotten darker and candles were lit, an obvious sign that the day was almost over. I looked down at my left arm and found it bound in wraps and turned in the correct direction. I felt only small surges of pain meant to heal my arm, not hurt it.

My eyes suddenly darted in remembrance to my fist that I now realized was unclenched and nothing was held there anymore.

I turned to the right to look at my bedside when I saw Theo sitting in a chair by me, his face pale and eyes downcast at the film he held in his hands delicately.

My film.

"Give it back." I growled, causing my brother to jump in his seat. He obviously did not notice that I had woken up.

"Alright, Alright. Here." He gave me the film and I quickly snatched it up in one hand and kept it in my right fist. I found my brother staring at me quietly so I stared back.

"Come to apologize? Or are you threatening me now too?" I asked harshly. I knew he came to apologize. He looked like he was agonizing over it but I still wanted him to suffer for it. He did this to me. It is his fault.

"Apologize." He muttered quietly.

"Ava- I didn't think they would go so far and-" I stayed silent and watched him quietly, knowing that there is nothing I can truly say that would make him hurt more. Let him suffer in his mistakes. I watched my brother sigh and wipe his nose with his sleeve making me shift back. He did not seem to care.

"Ava you should have never threatened our team the way you did." I rolled my eyes.

"I thought you were here to apologize to me. Not critique my actions," I stated clearly causing my brother to sit up in his chair and look me full on. His eyes showed that he was upset but also something else. His pride was in his eyes.

I wanted to curse myself at my lack of subtleness. My brother knew I was fine. He knew I just wanted attention. Someone to worry about me.

"I am sorry for what happened. But I won't be the one to say that this all happened because I joined the Quidditch team. This happened because of you-"

"It did not happen because of me!" I half shouted, causing Madam Pomfrey to turn to face the two of us.

"I am warning you, Mr. Fontaine. Upset my patient again and you're out of here." I turned back to face my brother fuming only to see that he had calmed down, his expression stoic.

"You did not let me finish." I stayed quiet so he continued.

"This happened because of your stubbornness and how much that Quidditch team is such a pack! How could you not see that the group of them would protect each other the moment one of them was in trouble?" He paused giving me a moment to think through his words.

"You were acting friendly with Malfoy because of this?" I asked, cautiously. My brother sat back in his chair and nodded.

"I can't stand that guy. He's one of those bad spoiled types. The ones that get everything handed to them." For a moment, we stayed silent, but it was a comfortable silence before I broke it.

"Do you think we are much better?" My brother frowned and then nodded as if this was painfully clear.

"We were always raised to acknowledge how lucky we are with the money our family has. Our parents have never blown up our egos to the size of Malfoy's. We've grown up learning that nothing is really handed down to any one of us without hard work. That tool of a kid has only been raised to take and not appreciate what he's been given. He values his name more than his true self as Uncle always says. He's just," my brother paused, his eyes looking elsewhere before returning to mine. "His parents have screwed him over. And they don't even see it."