Never Is Our Always

The Ice Cold Train 3

(Minnie pov)

Chugging along the tracks, The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment.

The express didn't stop until it got to its final destination, but it looked oddly colder than usual outside.

"Bit cold, huh?" I say quietly to Fred, George and Lee. "Oh, I forgot, I'll be right back." I slowly got out of my seat before wincing.

"Are you okay?" Fred asked as he took my arm, I glance down at him before smiling faintly.

"It's my back, it's just sore," I replied before he lets me go and I wave to them all before leaving to find Oliver.

-

"Hey," I smile at Carlson and the others in Oliver's compartment, "can I steal Oliver?" I ask, he looks at me before grinning. Oliver got up from his seat and followed me to a vacant compartment.

-

"I'm glad you're okay," he mumbled to me, embracing my body tightly. "I was so worried about you when Lee told me about the letter, I was going to come to Diagon Alley, but my mam told me we couldn't go."

"That's okay, don't worry about it," I smiled as he broke away from the hug and then pulled me down to sit beside him.

"Haven't seen you these holidays, I missed you," Oliver nudges me.

"I missed you too, Oliver," I loop my arm with his as I leaned back, he leans forward slightly and we made eye contact.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks me quietly.

"No..." I whispered, pulling my sleeve down, "but I can show you." He nods as I let his arm go and then pulled the blind down.

(Third person)

Alice sat herself back down, fear lighting up in her eyes towards her best friend as she began to undress, her jacket went first and then her shirt, exposing her skin to Oliver.

He watched, determined to see the stories behind her scars and healing wounds. Bruises scattered the teenagers body, it shocked him to the core on how someone related could be so cruel.

Minnie unbuttons her jeans, Oliver watched on in curiosity, but he also felt nervous, he was watching her undress.

"Sorry..." Alice mutters to her friend, she knew he was uncomfortable.

"No... it's okay," Oliver said quietly, even if he was uncomfortable, he was going to help Alice.

There it was, bruises, stitched up gashes on her thighs all the way down to her ankles.

"I felt like he was stealing my life away when he did this to me," Alice gazed upon her battle wounds, nails chipped, but they were cleaned from the wood and blood that used to be trapped under them.

"He can't touch you anymore," Oliver promised to Alice, "you're going to be safe, and nothing is going to harm you anymore, not even him."

"I thought that too," Alice pulls her jeans up, now covering her light brown skin as she buttoned her jeans back up. "Then he attacked me in my home."

Oliver hands Alice her shirt and she thanks him, once her back was turned, his eyes gazed upon the blackened bruise on her lower back, shaped like a rectangle, his guess was a belt.