𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, fred weasley

˗ˋ 43

CHAPTER FORTY THREE
✧
-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH SHE RECOVERS

. . .

Almost at the exact moment that the scores were finished being shared, and Bagman's amplified voice could no longer be heard, Madame Maxime was hearding Elodie onto a boat and taking her back to the land.

Despite Elodie's initial moment of protest, Fred had been pulled away by Percy, who wanted him to write to his mother and reassure her that he was fine - not that Dumbledore would've let him get hurt.

However he reunited with George, and hoped to see Elodie at dinner perhaps. But as it happened, he wouldn't.

See this was because Madame Maxime, despite her flaws and slight hunger to win the Triwizard Tournament, had one priority, and that was her students. Making sure they had good sleeping quarters, always something to eat, good lessons and the ability to continue to learn despite being in a foreign school all year round. 

She had her own way of showing it, often in the rather tough-love style, but it was certainly very present in her way of caring for students that year.

However, tough-love seemed to be the exact opposite of what Madame Maxime was displaying as she hurried her champion away from the centre platform, herding her onto the boat and letting on Fleur along with them.

Elodie was hurried straight back up to the Beauxbaton's quarters, a bath drawn in preparation by one of their staff members, and she was provided with multiple fluffy towels and a change of clothing to change into. 

It took a while for Elodie to fully relax into the hot water, unsurprisingly felt rather tense after being trapped in the freezing cold Lake. However, she had the time to lounge around, and this only added up once she got out and saw just how dirty she had been from the lake water - emptying the bath and showering straight afterwards.

Hot water had made it's lasting imprint on her skin, and feeling of cold disappeared. However, there was a slight ache in her stomach - and the lack of food had gotten to her. 

She pulled on her change of clothes and walked through into her bedroom. Elodie had expected Fleur to be in there, waiting to talk to her. However it was empty, and with nothing better to do and feeling exhausted. 

Wrapped in a blanket, Elodie lay down on her bed, expecting to fall asleep within minutes. And well, she was rather close to that. But there seemed to be blocking her from that.

Her thoughts. Her body was exhausted, her eyelids dropping to a close no matter how many times to tried to pry them open, her limbs feeling as heavy as any item of clothing full of water, like a anchor, pulling her towards the bottom, an endless rest of sleep that she so badly needed.

The thoughts could wait until another day. There was no reason for her to think so hard about why Fred had been her person to rescue and not Fleur. Fleur made the most sense, and in all honesty, Elodie would have felt better if it was her.

Fleur was a safe choice, an easy choice. You see, Elodie worried a lot when it came to things like this. And no exactly to her surprise, she found herself worrying about whether or not Fred would hold any grudge for beign dragged fifty feet underwater, all whilst attached to a statue of a merman and completely unconcious. 

With Fleur, Elodie could confirm that she wouldn't feel that way - only worry if the water had ruined her hair or the clothes that she had been wearing at the time.

But with her body practically crying out for sleep, she eventually drifted into a dreamless slumber, her eyes remaining closed until later that day, well after dinner.

She was woken by a knock, and her eyes flickered open, then closed again. "It's open.. I think." She mumbled, and somehow, who ever was there managed to hear her and pushed open the door. 

Footsteps approached her, and Elodie assumed it was Fleur, and just didn't bother to move. The person sat down beside her, and a hand resting on her head, gently stroking her hair. Definitely not Fleur.

The surprise of it not being the part-veela shocked Elodie just enough to open her eyes again, and was greeted by a boy with a grin on his face and ginger hair falling over his eyes. "Evening." He said, the grin turning into something more like a smirk.

"Freddie.." Elodie mumbled, rubbing her eyes and attempting to sit up, a soft smile appearing on her face. She was still tired, but she couldn't just let Fred sit there, talking to him was the least she could do.

"Nuh - uh, little lady." Fred said, gently pushing Elodie back down onto the bed. "Good girl." he continued when the Beauxbatons students relaxed. "You need sleep. We can talk later."

"How did you know?" She replied, looking up at him once again.

"I had my suspicions. Now go to sleep, El." Fred leant down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll stay here, don't you worry. I brought something to do, so you just sleep."

"Thank you, Fred." Elodie said, eyes still shut and she slipped into that state inbetween sleep and being awake.

"Thank you for dragging me out of that lake, no harm done. Except maybe rope burns. But you sleep, love, you deserve it." Fred told her.

And with the reassurances from Fred, Elodie's mind could properly rest, and she slipped into another deep sleep.

✧