Amelia Merlin and the Game for Okamila

Part 25: Christmas

Poinsettias littered the small hospital room, the house elf who came into clean was always watering them and grumbling affectionately about the numerous pots. Fred sat in the corner today, he was asleep when she woke up. Amelia had to stop herself from giggling at his open mouth with a slight amount of drool sliding down his chin. He looked ragged, his hair was messed up and his clothes were very wrinkled. Amelia felt sore all over, her whole body throbbed with pain and her head thumped. They gave her painkillers but it wasn't enough most of the time. She didn't want complain because the healers were so nice and they were insanely busy but she felt awful.

She looked awful too, with bruises all along her arms, legs, face and torso it looked like a purple-yellow disease had spread across her. Some of the bruises were weirdly pretty like little galaxies. There were cuts everywhere too, deep gashes across her face and chest. Most of them were covered in a bright blue ointment too. She looked very strange and very ugly.

"Fred." She whispered and sat up a little straighter in her bed, wincing in pain as she did so. Her injuries were extensive as the healers at St Mungo's kept reminding her. The short one, Kerzeski, always told her she shouldn't even be alive, it was a miracle her body was healing at all. They constantly gave her a list of what had happened but she never listened to it, it was depressing and boring.

"Fred." She said again, a little louder and little more painfully. He gave a small snort and twitched awake.

"Hey." He said groggily, his voice was tagged and deep, he rubbed his eyes. "Shit I fell asleep, sorry."

"Don't worry about it." She shook her head, making her headache even worse. "I'm glad you're here."

"Where else would I be?" He grinned and scooted his chair closer to the bed. Outside in the hall they could hear some people singing carols, the festivities were constant through the hospital. Apparently the staff wanted to keep spirits up which Amelia could understand. She couldn't imagine being here is Fred wasn't. Jeremy was still in Kalishterya with Al, and her mother had not stopped by to visit at all. Amelia was both relieved and offended by that.

"I dunno. At home? With your family?" She laughed and immediately regretted it because it made her chest ache.

He shook his head. "Mum's been driving every insane. She has us cleaning non stop, working us like bloody house elves and the second dad got out of the hospital she was so emotional and I swear every other minute of the day she is crying." He smiled and motioned for her to slide over. Forcefully she lifted herself up and moved a few inches. Fred clambered onto the bed beside her and she lay her head on his chest. His arm wrapped around her and Amelia felt security sink in.

"It's really a gift that you're all messed up." He chuckled.

"Fuck you." She laughed lightly.

"What's with all the pointsettas?"

"People sent them as get well gifts. Also they're festive." Her ribs were hurting, making it hard to breathe without shocks of pain going through her bones.

"I didn't get you one."

"Yeah I know that Fred." She rolled her eyes. "They all have cards and I can actually read."

"I did get you a present though." He fiddled around in his pocket awkwardly and pulled a small box out. It was wrapped in silver with a blue ribbon. Ginny had obviously wrapped it for him. She went to move to unwrap but winced so hard that Fred took the box from her and undid the ribbon. He opened the box and pulled out a black book.

"Take a look inside." He said quietly. Amelia lifted her arm up, breathing hard, and flipped the page.

Fred-6, Amelia-4.

It was a young Fred and Amelia running through the golden field.

Fred-7, Amelia-5.

Climbing trees and shaking leaves down at Ron.

Fred-8, Amy-6.

Zooming around on broomsticks and tossing a quaffle back and forth.

Fred-9, Amy-7.

Fred's birthday party. Amelia throwing balloons at him.

Fred-10, Amy-8.

Hiding in the library of the Merlin mansion.

And on and on it went. There were pages upon pages of them. Pictures from their entire life together. She didn't even know who had taken them but they were absolute perfection.

"Fred," she whispered. "I-I don't know what t-to say."

"Most people say thank you." He laughed, his chest rising up and down against her head.

"This is so lovely." She smiled and closed the book, Fred put it back in the box and onto the bedside table. "Thank you Fred."

"Yeah of course."

"I have something for you too."

"I know."

"Well yeah but now I can give it to y-"

"No I opened it already."

"Fred!"

"I couldn't help it! You wrapped it so well-"

"Fine. Did you like it?"

"I loved it."

"Good." She squirmed a bit against his body in pain and felt him look down at her cautiously.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She wasn't. It was getting worse and the healers wouldn't be back for another hour with medication.

"Are you in pain?"

"A bit."

"Should I distract you?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." Fred took a deep breath and began, "Once upon a time, there was a girl named Amelia, and rumour had it she was pretty fucking awesome. She had a giant pet wolf and one day she was going to rule over an entire kingdom whose name nobody can pronounce. Alongside this bad ass lady was a group of friends helping her on her way. The coolest and funniest was named Lord Fred, he was her most trusted advisor and always told her when she was being stupid. Which hardly ever happened but you know, guy's gotta do something right? Anyways, they went on a thousand thousand adventures together, Amelia and Fred, and they were best friends for their entires lives and when they died they went to heaven together and started a book club with Uric the Oddball and that idiot boy from Slytherin, what's his name?"

"Goyle." She whispered.

"Right, that one. And Amelia and Fred spent an eternity together, having adventures as often as possible."

"And they were never unhappy."

"And they were never unhappy." He repeated.

"It's a good story."

"I know. It's my favourite."

"Mine too."