The Weeping Willow [Dean Thomas]

chapter ten

Leta's eyes fluttered open, her body felt like lead. She went to shift in the bed when she realised that she had a pair of arms wrapped around her. She wasn't in her room, she was in Dean's room. Her eyes shot open, and she quickly slid herself out of his grasp.

"Oh my god, oh my god we fell asleep." She whispered to herself.

Leta glanced at the door convinced that at some moment Anne was gonna burst in, she stood fretting trying to figure out what to do when Dean started moving. Leta didn't know what to do so she dropped to the floor and lay on the ground next to the bed. Forgetting what had happened the day before Leta yelped in pain. Dean peered over the side of his bed and saw her lying on the floor.

"Uhhh, Leta you alright down there?" Leta's face swivelled to turn to him her cheeks were a deep crimson red, "Yeah I'm just uh.. stretching" she flashed a sweet smile before getting up again. Dean eyed her with suspicion before sliding out of bed and pacing over to the window. Leta felt exposed, her face was probably a mess, her hair likely a mess too she stood awkwardly playing with the hem of her T-shirt. Dean opened the window wide letting a fresh breeze into the room, when he turned to face Leta he scratched the back of his neck.

"How are you feeling?" Leta started making the bed, wanting to busy herself instead of just standing there. "I'm feeling okay" her voice was hoarse and weak. "My throat hurts but other than that I'm alright, what about you. Your face looks... Well, it looks shit Dean", Dean laughed.

"Yeah, I bet, I won't lie it hurts less than my ribs", Dean lifted his shirt slightly exposing his stomach that was now decorated with deep purple bruises all over. Leta visibly frowned her eyes darting away from Dean, she still felt that she was responsible. Dean prodded her in th arm "Stop blaming yourself, really it's fine, besides it'll be a kickass story to tell everyone when we go back to school."

Leta kept forgetting that school was starting in 6 days, she still needed to go to Diagon Alley and get her school supplies, as well as, trying to figure out how the hell she was going to face Harry, Ron, and Hermione after not hearing from them all summer. She wasn't as angry as she had been when they hadn't answered her letters; so much had happened over the summer and they had no idea about any of it.

"Dean, how do you think everyone is going to react when they realise, we are friends now. I mean for as long as they have known us, we haven't exactly got on, but now we've spent the summer together we are suddenly best of friends. I guess what I'm trying to say is that... I jus- just don't want for us to go back to the way it was before. Things are different now and you seem to be the only person who will understand." Dean sat at the end of the bed not realising what going back to Hogwarts meant. Leta sat next to him staring at her fingers.

"Then we won't let it... Leta I don't want things to change as much as you do, so we stay friends. Sure everyone is going to be surprised but we have known each other since we were born, it's not completely farfetched that we might become friends eventually, especially when they have been ignoring us all summer." Leta squeezed Dean's hand then stood up "Come on I'm hungry let's get breakfast".

As they went downstairs, they were greeted by amused faces, Henry, Dean's stepdad, had already gone to work so Anne and Dionne sat patiently at the dinner table gossiping. "Good Morning sleepyheads how are you two feeling?" Anne beamed while Dionne hid a smile behind her cup of coffee. Dean and Leta shared a look before serving themselves breakfasts "Yeah Mum we are feeling alright, my ribs hurt a bit do you think I should take some pain killers for it"

Anne came over to Dean and lifted his shirt, she gently placed her fingers around the bruised areas, causing Dean to jerk and wince away from her, "Sorry darling, I think we should take you both to the hospital." Anne moved to inspect Leta's cheek and throat before patting her cheek softly "Just to be safe"