Just Kiss Me (Fred Weasley Fanfiction)

Chapter Eight

(Emily's POV)

Confusion and worry taking me over I followed McGonagall to the Headmasters office, climbing the spiral staircase and slowly entering the large room.

"Ah, Miss Cooper, please take a seat." Dumbledore offered, gesturing to the seat opposite his desk.

I sat down slowly and looked between McGonagall and Dumbledore, my anxiety getting worse.

"What's going on, Professor?" I asked Dumbledore.

Neither of them would look at me for a moment, and when they did their eyes were filled with something... was it pity?

"Emily, I'm very sorry to say that I have some bad news." Dumbledore started. "I have just received word that your parents were in an accident."

I sat frozen in shock as Dumbledore explained that my parents had been in a car accident last night. They must have been coming home from their date night. They always went out for date night on Fridays.

"So, what you're saying is...?" I asked, still slightly unsure.

"I'm very sorry, Emily. They didn't make it." Dumbledore told me sadly.

Tears formed in my eyes, and I turned into a crying mess.

"Oh my god." I cried.

"We understand if you would like to take the week off to prepare for the funeral." McGonagall explained, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"No. No, I'll stay here... Going home will only make it worse." I told them.

"Very well. The funeral is on Friday, we will arrange for you to use the Flu Network to get to and from King's Cross Station and we will have your grandparents pick you up from there." Dumbledore explained in a soft voice.

I nodded in understanding before thanking them for telling me and leaving the office. I began slowly making my way to Gryffindor Tower, stopping in front of the portrait door before deciding that I wanted to be alone for a while. I wandered through the castle, climbing up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower and sliding down a wall to sit on the floor.

**********

(Fred's POV)

It was getting late and Emily had still not returned. I was starting to get worried; McGonagall didn't look like she had good news and I just hoped Emily was ok. Harry had woken not long after Emily left and Madam Pomfrey had insisted on keeping him overnight. Lee, George, and I were seated on one of the couches in the common room, waiting for Emily to return.

"Screw this." Lee suddenly spoke. "I'm checking the map."

We searched the Marauders Map for Emily's name, looking first in McGonagall's office, then Dumbledore's, then the library. We soon found her in the Astronomy tower, she only goes there when she wants to be alone.

"There she is! Let's go!" Lee announced.

"Maybe I should go alone." I suggested. "Well, you know she only goes there when she wants to be alone, whatever McGonagall wanted to talk to her about can't have been good."

George and Lee agreed that it was probably for the best that only one of us goes, guessing that she probably doesn't want all three of us bursting in on her. I took the map with me, checking it every now and then to make sure she hadn't moved.

"Em?" I called as I climbed the stairs to the Astronomy Tower.

Getting no answer, I checked the map again, she was still here, I rounded the corner and found her sitting against the wall hugging her knees. She looked at me, tears evident in her eyes, then back down at her feet.

"Em? Are you ok?" I asked, sitting next to her.

She shook her head rapidly and threw herself into my arms, crying harder than she was before. I held her tight, not daring to speak in case I upset her more. I waited for her to calm down a little before readjusting her head to look at me. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before speaking.

"My parents... Fred... I can't..." She got out through her sobs.

"Hey, shhh, it's ok, just breathe." I told her as she began to panic slightly.

"They're dead!" She screamed, bursting into tears once again.

I pulled her into my chest and held her while she cried, we stayed like this for maybe an hour or two before I felt her go limp. I looked down at her sleeping on my chest and felt a small smile make its way to my lips, I kissed her forehead before carefully standing, holding her in my arms. I got back to the common room to find George and Lee asleep on one of the couches, I placed Emily on an empty couch and pulled a blanket over her before waking George and Lee up.

"Hmm what?" George mumbled.

The two of them slowly woke up, and after realising that Emily was asleep on the couch they quietly asked what happened.

"Her parents died." I told them sadly.

"That's horrible." Lee whispered.

"She gonna be ok?" George asked.

"I don't know... I'm gonna stay down here with her tonight." I told them. "I'll see you guys in the morning."

George and Lee nodded and headed up to the dormitory, I took a seat on the couch opposite Emily. She would stir every now and then which I thought was cute, I've never had much of a chance to see her like this. She was so peaceful, even though I know her mind is anything but at peace right now, I started thinking of ways to make her feel better but realised that there was nothing I could do that would ever make this better. She needed to deal with the loss in her own way, but I made a promise to myself that I would be there for her.

**********

(Emily's POV)

I woke the next morning and took in my surroundings, after realising I was not in my bed I quickly sat up.

"Morning, Em." I heard a voice say.

Looking across the room I saw Fred looking at me, a small smile on his face. Then it hit me. My parents. The Astronomy Tower. It all came rushing back. But wait. The Astronomy Tower? How did I get here if the last thing I remember is being in the tower?

"How did I get here?" I asked Fred.

"I carried you." Fred stated plainly.

"All the way from the Astronomy Tower?" I asked.

"Of course." Fred replied, moving to sit next to me. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted." I replied.

He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side, I rested my head on his shoulder enjoying this new closeness.

"I'm here if you need." Fred whispered to me.