Lumos

Chapter 35

The day of the third task was nerve wrenching between tensions running high and Rita Skeeter's latest hit but Harry was surprisingly calm about the entire ordeal. At the Gryffindor table we found Harry accompanied by Mrs. Weasley and Bill after Ron and I finished our History of Magic exam.

"Mum – Bill! What're you doing here?" Ron asked happily.

When Hermione showed up Mrs. Weasley's normally warm and bubbly demeanor chilled drastically. A misplaced cold expression appearing on her face. I feel bad for her and Harry noticed the change in her attitude also.

"Mrs. Weasley you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly did you?" he asked, "because she isn't my girlfriend."

After that she became much warmer to Mione. That's when she noticed me down the line.

"Alaia darling, you don't look too good. Are you feeling ok?" she asked.

"I'm fine Mrs. Weasley, I just haven't been feeling my best lately but I'll be fine. A lot of stress with final exams and the lot."

I excused myself rather quickly, making sure I left quickly and alone. Everyone was out and about so I managed to have the common room to myself for a while.

"Did you see the look on his face?" I heard suddenly.

"One of our best surprises . . . Ali."

Jumping up from the armchair I turned around slowly to see the twins. George had stopped mid-sentence and was just staring at me.

"Um . . . did you two see your mum?" I asked.

"Yes, we saw all of them downstairs. We came up to change." Fred said.

George gently nudged his brother and Fred took the hint; leaving after shooting me an apologetic smile. George slowly made his way over to me, putting his hand on my cheek.

"I've missed you . . . so much. This has been a long month." He whispered painfully.

"George, I . . ."

"No, let me finish. I've never been that hurt before, the way that I felt when you broke up with me. Red, I didn't know I can bleed like that. I miss you and I want you back." he pleaded.

"George, I've missed you too but this isn't going to work. We don't want the same things, your head is somewhere else. You have different priorities than I do and I want you to be happy so I'm stepping aside and letting that happen. There are things that you want to do that do not involve me and you should be able to do them without the added distraction of a girlfriend." I told him.

"You Ali, you make me happy. We do want the same things, I know what my . . ."

"Oh there you are Ali, I was . . . oh, sorry." Hermione stopped, shocked when she came into my room.

She gave me the perfect interruption to step away and not fall into the same loop again. Stepping away from George I took a deep breath.

"Yes, um right . . . we should go get changed." I muttered.

Quietly Mione and I made our way up to the girls' dormitory. This activity was at night so I put on a pair of jeans with a Gryffindor jumper and scarf.

"Ali, are you ok?"

"I don't know . . . it's been over a month since I last spoke to him. I've steered clear of him also so it's the first time in close proximity with him at all. I miss him Mione, so much that seeing him and having him so close left me breathless for a second."

"You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. What are you going to do? What did he say?"

"That he wants me back. He said that he didn't know he could bleed like he is now and that he knows what he wants now. I'm afraid to give him another chance Mione, I don't think I can do it."