Isn't He Lovely • A Fred Weasley Story

a n i g h t i n t h e w i n g

"Neville... stop crowding her..."

"Sorry... sorry..."

"Is she awake yet? I brought her a healing crystal."

"Luna, I don't think that's going to do her any good..."

I hear soft voices and my eyes flutter open to see Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Lee, and the twins all around me.

It's blurry for a moment, then things begin to clear, as I see all of their faces melt into relieved smiles. I'm lying in a bed in the hospital wing.

"Oh, Merlin, you're alive," Lee exhales.

"You thought she was dead?" George asks flatly.

"Well, you never know with that godforsaken sport-"

"It's gonna take more than one hit to knock Eloise down," Fred says, and I turn my head on my pillow to look at him.

He's smiling gently, seated on my left hand side on a stool. His eyes appear to have had this flicker of worry that's now fading away. Hermione's on my right by my head, looking sympathetic.

"What... happened, exactly?" I croak out.

"Took a bludger to the head, love," George explains, "Bloody Slytherin beater really didn't hold back, did he?"

I groan. "And on my first match..."

"It's really no big deal. You'll be back out there soon enough," Ron encourages me. He's at the foot of my bed. I look at him.

"You were amazing, Ron," I say softly, but then think back to the breakfast before the match. "Oh, well, I guess that was guaranteed..."

"I didn't use a drop of that vile," Harry interrupts.

Ron grins. "He told me after the match."

I softly laugh. "Good one, Harry."

"Ron wasn't the only one who impressed," Fred says.

I look back to him with a smile, him reflecting my expression while he's looking at me as if no one else is in the room.

I can feel a wrap around my head, possibly to stop some bleeding. I try to sit up quickly, but feel a sharp stab in my temple and let out a groan, my hand flying to my head.

Hermione quickly but gently pushes my shoulders back down, lying my head on the pillow. "You're not going anywhere, missy. You have to heal."

"So what am I dealing with here?" I say, exhausted.

"Concussion," Madame Pomfrey's pushed past my friends around me and come to my bedside table, placing a water pitcher upon it. "You'll be staying in here for the week, dear."

My eyes widen. "A week? What about classes?"

She pats my shoulder. "Oh, it's going to be fine. I've already alerted your professors, not that they even needed it... everyone witnessed your tumble."

I groan and place a hand on my forehead while shutting my eyes. Great.

"I can bring you your homework," Harry pipes up, and Ron nods.

"Luna and I'll bring you plenty of things, too!" Neville says happily. "Like... like plants, for your table, or..."

"Or crystals," Luna adds, smiling.

"Or crystals!" Neville grins.

"And we'll come visit you. Every day," Ron says quickly. I grin at them.