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'the sensitive suffer more; but they love more, and dream more.'
[augusto cury]
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"Boys, you're supposed to be packing!" Hermione stressed from the entrance of the tent, shoving things into her small bag as she walked over to them, leaning elbow-deep into it to shuffle things around. Harry and Ron looked up from where they kneeled on the floor.
"But Harry promised he'd fix my radio weeks ago—if he doesn't do it now, he never will." Ron complained as the boy in question poked and prodded the insides of the beaten-up radio. "We'll only be a couple more minutes, I swear."
"Bill and Fleur were expecting us an hour ago, they might think something's happened—" Hermione said, but then paused. Small screws and wires littered the floor—one of which Addie had picked up, inspecting the tiny parts closely from where she sat cross-legged. "Why don't you just use a mending charm?"
Dumbfounded, the two boys looked at each other, and then up at her.
"Oh."
Hermione, on a thin line between amusement and frustration, groaned and aimed her wand at the dissected radio. "Reparo."
Immediately, the dented back panel pushed back out, the bendy antenna straightened, and the parts the boys had pulled out flew through the air—the tiny screw wiggling out of Addie's fingers—and rearranged themselves quickly back into the radio. It whirred to life with a hum of loud static, and Ron sent Hermione a wide grin before busying himself with changing the channel.
Harry and Addie traded looks before tentatively eyeing Hermione's crossed-arms and unimpressed gaze lingering on the back of Ron's head. But before she could speak, a song clicked on, and a man's voice filled the tent.
Poor old Jim's white as a ghost
The four grew quiet.
He's found the answer that we lost
It was a soft beat, a steady cadence.
We're all weeping now
Weeping because
Ron stood up and held his hand out to Hermione.
There ain't nothing we can do to protect you
He tilted his head and smiled, and she stared at him for a moment before biting back her own smile and begrudgingly taking his hand.
O Children
Their quiet laughs were drowned out by the song. They swayed and danced playfully, twirling each other around.
Lift up your voice
Addie felt Harry entwine his fingers in hers.
Lift up your voice
And then he was standing, pulling her up from the floor.
Children...
He pulled her close, and they swayed clumsily, bumping into the others.
Rejoice, rejoice
Hey little train, we're jumping on...
They pretended to waltz, circling the floor, spinning in circles. Stepping out of time. Nearly toppling over each other. Manoeuvring around Ron and Hermione as they did the exact same thing, each in their own little worlds.
Hey little train, wait for me
I once was blind, but now I see...
Harry grabbed Addie's hand and spun her around, her hair whipping around, and she bumped into his chest in a fit of laughter as she lost her footing. They spun each other again and again to the song, holding each other, keeping themselves up.
Hey little train, wait for me
She grinned from ear-to-ear.
Was held in chains, but now I'm free...
Her grin faltered. Chains that dug into her wrists, binding her to the cold stone wall...
Harry squeezed her hand, eyeing her with those concerned eyes. The memories were written all over her face.
Hey little train, we're jumping on
The train that goes to the kingdom...
She couldn't swallow the lump in her throat. But then he stepped forward. Pulled her into his chest. Swayed gently as she pressed her face into his shoulder, holding onto him tightly.
"You're free," he whispered in her ear. "Now you're free."
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a/n
bit of a shorter chapter, but i felt this scene fits better on its own <3
when i tell u i've been waiting MONTHS to write this o children song scene omfg. especially being able to connect the held in chains lyric with what addie actually went through, mwah.
