Mischief not so Managed

19: Blame

Lia:

My eyes fluttered open, I was lying in the hospital wing staring up at the vast arched ceilings. My head hurt. I was alone. I sat up slowly, realising my head felt worse the higher up I got. I stood, wobbling slightly on my feet. Someone rounded the curtain. "Lia!" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed, "My, my, you gave us quite a turn"

"did I faint?", she nodded, watching to see if I was going to do so again.

"Fred brought you here"

"what about George?" I exclaimed, she gritted her teeth.

"He got himself into a bit of a stich up with Professor Umbridge, or should I say Head mistress". I was definitely going to faint again.

"how long have I been out?"

"about a day". I felt my eyes go wide. "I gave you a potion to make you slept, those nightmares are nasty and extremely bad for you"

"all that happened in a day?" my breathing hitched slightly "what happened to professor Dumbledore?"

"he's gone" she whispered "would you like to lie down dear, you've gone rather pale"

"no, no thank you, I'm quite alright" I rushed past her, not caring if I was about to drop dead. I rushed towards Gryffindor Tower and straight past the Fat Lady. Everyone was sitting in silence. "guys".

"Detention with Umbridge tomorrow night" Lee said quietly from across the room. Nigel was sitting by the fire, he looked so sad and lost. The door opened and shut behind me. I turned to see George, he had a bruise all up his cheek bone.

"what did you do?" I rushed to him.

"sorry I wasn't there when you woke up, I was sending an owl to Mum"

"oh shut up, I don't care, I'm fine" I muttered.

"he punched Blaize" said Ron.

"the idiot punched back" said George. "are you okay?". I nodded. Hermione stood and looked around at everyone.

"look, tomorrow will not be pretty, she'll give us quills and force us to write until blood comes pouring out of our hands" she said with such bitterness. "I have a draught of something that can help with some of the pain, but it could be brutal, I'm sorry, that's all I can do". People muttered thank yous around the room before moving off.

"what time is it?" I asked.

"nearly eight" George said, "are you sure you're okay?"

"I don't really remember what happened to be honest" I said quietly.

"it's okay" he said. I felt this sudden anxiety, like a knot in my stomach.

"tomorrow" I wheezed. He held me, he held me until all the fear and pain had ebbed away and for a little longer after that. I felt a hand shake me awake. I realised we had fallen asleep in the common room, wrapped up in each others arms. Light was peaking through the bottoms of the windows.

"morning" he whispered. His croaky voice bringing a smile to my lips. His hair all mused with sleep, I sat up. "it's only just gone six"

"I'll change" I muttered, looking down at my skirt which had lines and creases all over it.

"not just yet" he said, looking at me in a funny ort of way I didn't quite understand.

"what is it?"

"nothing, it's just, you're beautiful", I burst out into a fit of giggles. "what? What is it?" he asked all nervously.

"no ones ever looked at me the way you are right now". His cheeks went the same shade as his hair.

The day flew by and by six o'clock we were all walking to the great hall together. Every single one of us. No one would be alone. We all sat. waiting for her to arrive. Cho wasn't there. Umbridge had used vertiserum on her. She had had no choice. But the others didn't see it that way. They saw her as a traitor. The heels clicked down the hall. We sat. the youngest members in the middle. We hadn't planned that. But it just sort of happened. Like a protective barrier. I knew the twins were either side of me. I wouldn't be afraid, I had promised myself I wouldn't be. "you will write until the message sinks in and there will be no talking". We all sat straight. As quills and parchment floated out towards the desks and we began what proved to be a painful evening. Nigel was in front of me, he was the first to cry out. I could feel George's anger radiating off him. Umbridge walked slowly towards the poor boy. I could see there was blood pouring out of him hand. "something the matter, dear?". Nigel kept his head down. Even Harry who had been the first to experience this punishment was finding it difficult. It was tsrong and painful, like someone pushing a heated knife through your skin. My hand burned. Tears started to slip down my cheeks. I clenched my fists. It had become a habit now, warm blood was seeping down my right hand. The pain form my nails didn't even distract me from the pain I was in. I looked to my left. George was covered in blood, his face contorted in pain. Tears lining his beautiful green eyes. By midnight. She let us go. I walked towards Nigel.

"it hurts" he said, his face long stained with tears.

"I know" I took him under my arm and walked him out. Turning first to see Umbridge with a smug smile on her face. "it's okay Nigel, let's get you cleaned up". George stood waiting for me at the door.

"you okay?" I asked. He nodded, although I could see the pain in him.

"It's alright Nigel, we'll get you fixed up in no time" Fred said to Nigel, who was still crying.

"he's in a lot of pain" I said to Fred, who took Nigel from me.

"So are you" Fred said, leaving me in the corridor with George. He kept shaking his hand out. He was pacing back and forth. He was angry. So angry, more angry than I had ever seen him.

"George, George" I grabbed him by the shoulders "George, Stop" he tried to pull out of my grip. "hey" I held his face in my hands "stop, this isn't your fault and you getting angry over it is not going to help"

"I shouldn't have let this happen. Ron and Ginny are my responsibility, hell throw Hermione and Harry in there too" he stepped away. "I'm meant to protect the, I'm meant to protect you and I have failed miserably at that"

"you need to stop blaming yourself for things that weren't your fault" I said as he stepped away.

"if I had been there, if I had said no to Angelina, if I had stayed away from Quidditch like I was meant to"

"and if we did all the things we were meant to do the world would be an awful place"

"that doesn't change the fact that I could've done something"

"George, I don't blame you, what Umbridge does is not your fault" I saw the pain in him "now, come on, bed"

"I'm not tired"

"I don't care" I took his hand and dragged him up the stairs. He was quiet, until we were half way there"

"you're bossy, you know that right?"

"you're stupid, you know that right?" I retorted. He stopped. I turned around and he was looking at me funny again. "promise me something?" he nodded.

"anything"

"don't ever look at anyone else the way you're looking at me right now". He walked towards me and kissed me on the forehead and then murmured into my hair.

"that look, my darling, will only ever be for you"