Triplets (George Weasley)

Pt. 14

   I barely trudge through the first part of the school day, waiting anxiously for the afternoon to come. When it finally does arrive, the twins and I meet up in the Common Room and redress in all black. The boys wear matching black sweaters and black sweat pants, while I wear black skinny jeans and a black tank top.
    Then, sneaking to the third floor, we exchange nervous looks. I can't stand this anxiety anymore, so, I take the first leap, opening the door to the corridor on the right-hand side with a simple unlocking charm. Walking inside, I turn around and whisper to the boys, "Hurry, you wankers."
    I have a huge grin on my face, proud of my adventurous streak. However, my smile vanishes when I see the boys' wide eyes. "R-Rey, come here now. Slow," Fred whispers, a terrified stutter. I feel my own eyes go wide as I turn and find myself facing a giant beast of a creature. I can't help it. I run, the boys behind me. However, I don't see the changing staircase as I run, and I slip. I fall for what seems like an eternity, and then I feel the world go dark.

George's POV

    I see her falling before she hits the ground. I know I won't get there fast enough, and, in that moment, I feel my stomach drop. I run to her where she lays and fall to my knees.
    "R-Rey?" I hear Fred shout from a distance. At least, it feels like he's a distance away.
    I place my hands on her neck, feeling for a pulse. I don't find one. Press my ear to her chest, and I feel a heartbeat, giving me hope. When I flip her onto her other side, though, I feel myself break, watching as blood gushes out her ear. "Rey, sweetheart, it's gonna be okay. I'm gonna make it okay. I promise you," I feel myself speak, but I can't hear it.
    Picking her up, bridal style, in my arms and cradling her, I run as fast as I can down the stairs to find Madam Pomfrey. I've lost track of Fred. I think he's behind me.
    Reaching the hospital wing, I call for her. Finally, she appears from behind a white curtain. "What happened?" she gasps.
    I know we can't tell her what happened. Not really. They'll know what we've done. "Playing by Great Lake. Slipped. Fell. Hit head," I mumble some excuse.
    "Get out," she orders me.
    "No! Please let me stay! Please!" I feel myself cry out.
    "Fine. Just keep quiet and go sit in that chair over there," she scowls at me. I go. "She's in a bad way. If we only had Muggle medicines, this concussion would kill her. Luckily, though, I can fix this," she mutters in my direction.
    "Please," I moan. It's just then that Fred comes skittering into the room. Excusing myself, I step outside with him. "Where have you been?" I hiss.
    "Cleaning up the, literally, bloody mess. I know you lied about where she got hurt. Imagine if they found the scene of the crime. You're welcome," he growls. Clearly, her injury isn't only affecting me.
    "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about her," I apologize sincerely to my brother.
    "I know. Don't worry about it. Let's go in. I want to see her," Fred sighs, opening the door. Pomfrey finishes up her exam as we walk in.
    "I'm sorry to say that, while I feel like I've fixed her up as best as I can, this next bit will be critical. She'll probably be in a comatose state for the next few weeks. Then, she'll wake up... hopefully," she explains. It hurts me to hear the emphasis she puts on the word "hopefully".
    "Thanks," Fred and I mumble, moving to take a seat beside her bed.
    "I'll leave you boys alone with her, than," Pomfrey sighs.
    Fred and I sit in silence for the next several hours. Eventually, though, Fred whispers, "I'm gonna go grab a bite. Can I get you anything, Georgie?"
    I shake my head, but, then, I recall, "Can you grab me my Chudley Cannons sweater? The one that's way too small, that I've had since we were like 10?"
    "Sure," he nods, getting up and putting his chair back before leaving.
    When he's gone, I scoot my chair closer to her, grabbing her hand.
    "You're gonna be alright, okay? You have to be. You're my best friend in the world besides Fred. I mean, Fred, at least, has Angelina he can go to when he needs to talk. Me? All I have is Fred, and sometimes you just can't talk to your twin about stuff. I need you, Rey. I need you back with me. I need you back in my bed when you're scared, or asking me to give you a hug when you're upset. I need to be able to protect you, to be able to fix all your problems, but this one I just can't fix. So, you better bloody well fight for me and for Fred and for your dad. You understand me, Love?" I ask, feeling my chest heave. However, her chest is still as ever. I push back a lock of hair from her forehead, trying to distract myself from the flow of tears down my cheek.
    "I love you."
    I'm sure that's all I can stand to say without sobbing. So, I go silent once again, giving her hand a squeeze every few minutes. I wait for what seems like forever until Fred gets back with my sweatshirt, handing it to me. Then, sweatshirt in hand, I go and find Madam Pomfrey. She helps me move Rey so that I can pull the sweatshirt down over her head. I know she'd love it if she was conscious.
    A bit after I've put the sweatshirt on her, Pomfrey kicks Fred and I out of the hospital wing, and it feels as though I'm leaving a piece of my heart behind.