Third Year: The Pranks Begin (A Fred Weasley Love Story and Harry Potter Story)

Chapter 5: Pain and Forgiveness

~ Ah, Christmas. One's favorite holiday of the year. The day of gifts and joy to everyone. A day not meant to be spent alone. A certain surprise happens. Some may call it luck, but others say its a Christmas miracle.~

As the year gets closer to the wizards and witches favorite holiday, everyone finishes their first semesters studies and relax. However, some are more stressed than others. Outside in Hogwarts' courtyard, Eleanor is sitting on the cement of the fountain enjoying the snow, falling slowly from the white sky. She holds out her pale hands and manages to catch some in her palms. She throws them back into the air and watches them fall down once again. Her brown hair, which is covered with the pure white pieces of ice, flips as she turns around to see a tall figure walking to her. Because she can hardly see through the frost on her glasses and being one to get bullied often, she immediately gets up and makes her way to the entrance of the castle. As she rushes to the door she is stopped by a cold hand grabbing her wrist. She turns around and sees Fred and his ginger hair.

It's been months since the two of them, and everyone else as a matter of fact, talked or been in contact, so she was completely taken back. The two of them stood there for awhile, seeing the cold breaths escaping from their mouths. He was about to say something, but was interrupted by Eleanor pulling her arm out of his grasp and leaving him in the snow. He stood on the steps watching her walk through the doors and into the halls. He hesitated to follow her, but did it anyways. Stepping into the corridors, he saw a glimpse of her hair going down a hallway so he followed. She heard footsteps behind her and began walking faster to the Gryffindor Common Room. The footsteps got closer and closer so she began running through the currently empty halls and finally arrived at the Fat Lady portrait.

"Caput Draconis." She whispered and the portrait swung open. She looked back and saw no one behind her so she sighed and began walking through the hole. She bumped into something hard yet soft and looked up to see George's face. She backed away and saw Hermione, Hunter, Harry, and Ron all standing at the entrance with the arms folded across their chests. She turned to run away again but was stopped by Fred blocking her. She knew she was trapped and gave up and walked in the Common Room and sat down and one of the Velvet chairs near a window and gazed out of it. "Can we talk to you Eleanor, please?" Hermione asked with everyone behind her. "Sure." Eleanor sighed turning to look at the lot. "Listen, none of the stuff you think is going to happen, won't actually happen." Hunter explained. "We all wanna be your friend and it pains us to be ignored by you." Hermione added.

Eleanor looked at all of their hopeful faces before replying. "I'm sorry guys I just don't want anymore drama in my life. It could possibly happen and I really don't want it to so, I'm still going to just be by myself. But I won't ignore you like I did before, I mean I still will, but I won't 'avoid' you." She said making everyone's hopeful faces drop. "If that's what you want, then fine. We've apologized so many times, but you still don't accept. We won't bother you again." Fred and George said switching off sentences. "Fred... George... you know I don't mean it like that." She said pushing her glass farther up the bridge of her nose. The Weasley twins ignored her and walked up the stairs to the boys' rooms. "Guys." Eleanor said as everyone walked off shaking their heads. Inside of her, her heart crumbled into a million pieces as if it had turn to stone and smashed wit a hammer.

She decided to go into the Astronomy Tower and sleep there, seeing that it would be very awkward for her to go into the room she shared with Hermione and Hunter. She walked up the steep flights of steps passing by windows every so often making her shiver from the Winter breeze. She finally arrived and sat on a window sill staring up at the stars for a few minutes. After all she was in the Astronomy Tower. A shooting star passed by and she made a wish. A wish that mattered the most to her. 'I wish to be friends with everyone again. I wish my stupid brain wasn't so paranoid. Please, I don't like being alone anymore.' She thought as she made her wish to the shooting star. After that her eyes began to get heavy and she fell asleep on the cold concrete floor, crossing her fingers, and still wishing.