Miss Quinn

189 ~ Another Wedding

The rest of the summer swept by in a flurry of hospital shifts, family game nights, and Iris-Messages to Will, who had returned from Tartarus unscathed, and the rest of her siblings. Emma hardly had a spare moment to miss Cadmus Trespier, but she found she did, anyway. They wrote to each other constantly, and Cadmus seemed to be having the time of his life finishing out his summer travels. But Emma couldn't help the ache she felt in her chest at night, when she curled up under her bed sheets alone.

It was an odd feeling, she could admit. She'd never slept with anyone before Cadmus, so feeling a lack of a body next to her was something she'd never experienced. But the feeling persisted, regardless of how much she tried to convince herself she was being nonsensical. She wondered if this was how Venus and George felt, sleeping apart every night. At least they got to see each other during the day.

As August dawned, the Quinn-Tylers found themselves getting ready for the third wedding of the year. This time it was the Weasley family's celebration -- the union between their eldest, Bill, and Fleur Delacour, of the Triwizard Tournament. Emma wondered if the wedding would be more like her parents' or her cousins', with the French-British union. Though, knowing Mrs. Weasley, it'd be undoubtedly perfect.

"Ironic, isn't it," Venus said to Emma as she tucked sparkly pins into her elegant hair-do, "that Ron used to have a huge crush on Fleur, and now she's marrying his brother."

Emma snorted into her tea. "Yeah, I hadn't thought of that. Hilarious."

Venus smirked into the mirror in front of her. They were sitting in Venus's room, the blonde set up at her vanity, and Emma curled into an armchair by the window, cup of tea in hand. Venus was nearly ready, her hair perfectly assembled into some sort of knot with framing strands curled around her face. She'd done her makeup simply, with a light dusting of some sparkly powder to top it off. Emma had done nothing to get ready besides brush her hair, which was becoming long enough now to get incessantly tangled whenever she so much as breathed. It was a bit annoying, and she definitely needed a haircut, but she really couldn't be bothered at the moment. Her hospital shifts were becoming longer and more gruesome with every passing day. Some days, it was all she could do to trudge through the ward, using her healing powers and spells alike to heal what she was able to. Using her powers drained her, especially at the frequency she was doing it. Her skin didn't even glow with the effort anymore, that's how much it was taking out of her.

But she was needed. It was necessary. And if her own mental health was declining, so what? At least she was saving lives, curing illnesses, healing injuries. At least she was making a difference.

"Do you want me to do your hair, Em?" Venus asked her cautiously, something like concern in her gaze. Emma didn't know what reason she had to be concerned. Emma was fine. Just a bit tired. Nothing she couldn't handle.

Emma shrugged, sipping at her tea again. Black, with a splash of milk and one sugar. The way her mum always made it when she was growing up.

"If you want," Venus continued, "I could just curl it so it looks nice?"

Emma raised her eyebrows. "You saying it doesn't look nice normally, V?"

Venus rolled her eyes. "I'm trying to be helpful. You look like death, Emma."

"Thank you so much for that."

"Oh, you know what I mean. You've been tiring yourself out, and not sleeping well. It's bound to have some physical effects on your appearance."

Emma just shrugged again. "Do what you like. I am but a canvas for you to paint on."

"Oh, shut up. Come sit."