Across The Street || George Weasley

14 - nightmares

Y/N's POV

JETS of light are flying in every direction and I'm doing my best to overpower the Death Eater duelling me. I'm tired and the muscles in my arms hurt from holding my wand up for so long. 

There's a loud noise. An explosion. I get distracted from my duel for a second but the sight of flaming red hair crush beneath a wall is enough to have my heart lodging in my throat. George. He's dead, laying lifeless beneath the weight of the cement wall, rubble surrounding him. 

My brief moment of distraction causes me to lose the battle as a spell hits me. I crumple to the ground, keeling over in agony as it feels like knives are scraping and digging into my skin. Everywhere. It hurts but it's nothing compared to the pain I feel at the sight of George's ghost standing over me. He blames me. I'm the reason he's dead. I'm the reason Cedric is dead.

The pain stops. George's ghost is gone. 

"She's all yours." The Death Eater sneers. 

I lift my head off the floor to see Fenrir Greyback smirking down at me, showing his rotten teeth. He kneels down in front of me, gripping my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. His fingernails dig into my cheeks, drawing blood and I hiss at the pain. But I'm too weak to pull away. 

The Cruciatus curse took the fight out of me. I give up. Everyone I've ever loved is dead. 

"I'd prefer a girl with a bit more meat on her bones, but you'll have to do for now." Greyback says, trailing his fingers down my cheek, along my neck, before gripping my throat tightly. The air is being sucked out of my lungs. 

No one's going to save me. I know it's over as soon as he tilts my chin upwards, exposing my neck more. He leans in, his warm breath tickling my throat and then his fangs pierce my neck. I scream.

"Y/N! Y/N!" Someone's voice calls out. It's familiar but through the pain I can't place it. 

My eyes fly open. I'm gasping for breath, sweat covering the entirety of my body. George is leaning over me. "Are you okay?" George asks, his voice filled with worry, and his brow furrowed.

I gulp, nodding my head slowly as I try to regain my composure. "Just a nightmare." I tell him, mouth dry. 

He sits down beside me, pulling me into his lap. "Do they happen often?" He asks. 

"No." I shake my head. "I haven't had one in months. They started after Cedric died and then got worse after the War. I usually take a sleeping draught to keep them at bay, but I forgot tonight."

"Is it the same everytime?"

"Yeah. It's just that night, May 2, playing over again." I tell him. It's only a partial lie. They've always been the same, except for tonight. Tonight was different. Tonight, it was him who died in my dream. But I don't tell him that. "I'm just going to go get some water." I say, making a move to stand up, but George stops me.

"Don't worry. I'll get it." He says.

When he gets back and I finish the water, he settles back into bed with me, pulling me close. He holds me against him, planting a soft kiss on the top of my head as he runs his hands along my arms. Then I fall asleep in his arms.

*****

A/N: Short chapter. I know it's cliche but I love the whole nightmare thing and then being comforted. Just a sweet thing before the bumps start in the next chapter...