keegan delaney has always been a part of george weasley's life. they were never close, though they both were always there for the important moments. it's only after hogwarts when keegan gets a job in a cafè right across from weasley's wizard wheezes...
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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: BLEED OUT (trigger warning: mentions of death and panic attacks)
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IN THE WEEK AFTER Christmas Day, Keegan barely saw George. She knew he and Fred had their hands full at the joke shop, what with kids just days away from returning to Hogwarts, but something didn't feel right. The rational part of her knew he was working, and that he probably had a lot on his mind after everything that went down with Percy. The irrational part of her, however, couldn't help feeling overly concerned. What if she had done something wrong? Why didn't he feel like he could talk to her, if he really was struggling with something?
Man, it sucked being paranoid.
On the sixth day of silence, Keegan got up like usual, exhausted and dreading the day ahead. She had work until the afternoon, then classes started again for her Healer course, which Keegan was already dangerously behind in. As much as Emery wouldn't have minded her calling in sick, she knew her career beyond the café was hanging by a thread and nothing more. So she forced herself up, dressed and fed, but made it no further than the elevator before things went horribly wrong.
The curse came out of nowhere, ricocheting off the wall just inches away from her head. Avada Kedavra! Keegan had heard. If she hadn't reacted so quickly, dropping to the ground with no hesitation, she would've already been dead.
Two Death Eaters were waiting in front of the elevator, their unmistakable masks hiding their identities, but Keegan knew no one else would be there but them. Another killing curse came as, impatient, they closed the distance between them, forcing Keegan to sprint to where she knew the emergency staircase was located.
Another spell. Heart in her throat, barely thinking straight, Keegan fumbled with her wand and shot the first jinx she could come up with over her shoulder.
"Stupefy!"
Miraculously, it met its mark, and one of the Death Eaters collided with the wall, his head harshly smacking against the surface. He was quick to push himself back up, shouting angrily, but the distraction had provided enough time for realisation to hit her. Keegan had no reason to run anymore. The presence of Muggles wouldn't stop Death Eaters from attacking. It would only cause more deaths, blood on Keegan's hands that she wouldn't be able to live with. Panting, she settled on the first place she could think of and apparated, hoping and praying it would work.
The second her knees collided with the pond in The Burrow's backyard, Keegan let out a desperately relieved yet absolutely terrified sob, barely able to breathe as her heart continued to hammer against her ribcage. Any second now, she was sure the organ would break free. She couldn't calm herself down, not as she struggled to pull herself out of the pond, looking around fearfully for a sign that the Death Eaters had followed her there.
