homesick ☆ f.weasley

.:04:.

Emmeline had decided this was the worst day of her life. She awoke the next day to discover the harmless lumps across her face had sprouted into very visible pimples.

"They're barely noticeable! Everyone gets spots," Angelina reassured her on the way to breakfast. Easy for you to say Emmeline thought bitterly, studying the girl's skin. It was as clear as a baby's and Emmeline was green with envy.

"Don't call Cedric over," begged Emmeline.

"I like talking to him!" Angelina argued, folding her arms to emphasise her protest.

The constellation of pimples wasn't the only reason why Emmeline was particularly irritable today; it was the anniversary of her parent's death. On this day, the couple were left for dead. They didn't deserve to die. Although it happened a while ago, their death still haunts Emmeline's every move, like a dark cloud following her everywhere. It's always at the back of her mind, ready to resurface at any moment. The pressure of acting as both her sister's parents combined with the grief of losing the two most important people in her life was sometimes too much for Emmeline to cope with. Today, however, she was coping rather well. That was until Fred and George decided to get involved.

During lunch, Emmeline began to notice more and more pimples surfacing until her whole face was covered. She was paralysed with panic but realisation hit her when she saw Fred and George struggling to suppress a laugh.

"You've been pranked!" George declared gleefully.

Emmeline scowled. "When do they go away?"

"Tommorow," snickered Fred.

"But I have charms next!" cried Emmeline, raking a trembling hand through her hair.

"It's okay, babe, you can barely see them!" Angelina spoke softly, prodding one of the spots with a napkin.

"Yes you can," seethed the girl, rage stinging her whole body, edging her on. "They're all over my face."

"Is she actually crying?" quizzed George. "It was just a prank. We prank everyone!"

"Just not today." Emmeline's wails were barely audible as she had her head in her hands. "This is the worst day of my life!" Tears slowly snaked down her warm face. Before they could cascade any further and she humiliated herself even more, Emmeline charged out the hall.

"What's the issue? I don't understand?" admitted Fred, looking confused.

Angelina sighed.

"She seemed like she would have had a good laugh. We didn't expect her to react this way," said George.

"Normally she would laugh," replied Angelina in a solemn tone. "But just not today."

Fred and George were left speechless. No one ever cried at their pranks. They were usually just mad or laughed. Emmeline was the minority.

☆

A knock on the door of Emmeline's dorm room interrupted her sobs. The door swung open revealing her sister.

"Why's your face so spotty?" Daisy quizzed.

"Gee thanks," Emmeline said laughing through the tears. "You shouldn't be skiving lessons." Daisy crawled into Emmeline's bed, comforted by her warmth.

"Neither should you!"

"You missing mum and dad  too?" Emmeline assumed sadly.

Daisy nodded, burying her head under the duvet. The sisters remained in the bed all day. They recalled stories they could remember about their parents and laughed and cried.

They had just about to doze off before there was another knock at the door.

"Come in," Emmeline said sleepily, expecting it to be Angelina.

Her estimation was incorrect when she saw Fred and George stood at the door.

"Boys aren't allowed in girl's dorms," Emmeline reminded the twins impatiently.

"If you took the time to look, you would notice that we are not quite in your dorm but merely stood outside," Fred insisted.

"I didn't think you two cared that much about the rules," commented Emmeline.

"We don't," George agreed as the duo walked in and sat on Angelina's bed opposite.

"I best be going," Daisy said, scrambling out of bed.

"Are you sure?" checked Emmeline.

Daisy nodded. "Neville always gets me a present on this day. It's usually just another plant that he ends up taking care of anyway...I best find him."

"See you, DW," Fred called after the fourteen year old. She giggled in response to her new nickname before disappearing.

"We are here to apologise," George began.

"Wow, I didn't think the Weasley twins apologised to anyone ever."

"Well, rumour has it, we do actually have a heart," Fred answered proudly. "We just thought you'd laugh along."

"I know and I would but not today. Today is a very bad day."

"Okay," Fred and George chorused.

"Aren't you gonna ask why?" Emmeline wasn't going to tell them anyway, the only people who knew were Angelina and Neville, she just found it odd they didn't pry.

"No, everyone has their secrets," George told her.

"Makes you more mysterious," added Fred.

Emmeline laughed. Properly laughed. It felt foreign; like she hadn't done it in ages.

Just at that, Angelina walked in. "What are you lot laughing about?"

George immediately tensed up. Emmeline had forgot he also liked her and now, with Angelina and Lee spending more time together, she could see how this would be difficult for him.

"My jokes, obviously," Fred boasted.

"Glad to see you've made up," smiled Angelina, heading to the bathroom.

"Don't think you're off the prank list though," said George with a wink.

Emmeline sighed. "Bring it on, I guess."

"Oh and one more thing," Fred remembered, reaching  into his trouser pocket. "Spot treatment."

Emmeline accepted it gratefully with a smile and began applying it.

"It didn't look so bad anyway," George commented.

"Yeah, what's a few spots on a pretty face."

The twins left just as Angelina was coming out the bathroom.

"What's up? You look like you've just been invited to a tea party hosted by Moaning Myrtle."

"I think Fred Weasley just called me pretty."