The Princess of Light

Chapter 5.4 (Hello, Princess)

Grimmauld Place
London, England
30 July 1995

Aurora dreamed of nothing but good things that night. Of winning, and love and fun.

A cold wetness on her forehead woke her the next morning. It was Ginny sitting by her bedside, rubbing some strange potion on her face.

"Gin..." Aurora said, trying to sit up but finding she was rather weak. Like her muscles had turned to jelly.

"They're regenerating." Ginny said, her voice cracking. "Your body is still rebuilding itself." She whispered.

"Gin...." She repeated.

Ginny finally looked up and Aurora could now see the redness around her eyes and the sickly paleness of her skin. "Ara..." She whispered back. Her face was suddenly very close to Aurora's as she fell in her arms. Aurora couldn't prevent a small gasp of pain from escaping and Ginny was gone again in an instant. "I'm so sorry!"

"It's OK. Just a little sore." Said Aurora quietly, trying to breath through the pain. "Where am I?"

"Grimmauld Place," said Ginny, continuing spreading the potion as though nothing had happened. As though Aurora hadn't been dead for a month. "Cas brought you here,"

"Who?"

"You've met him. He was there when you woke up before. Tall, dark
...ridiculously handsome."

Aurora gave her a confused look.

"But I mean like really hot!" Said Ginny impressively.

"Caspian?"

"Oh, is that his full name?"

"Actually," said a male voice from the doorway, carrying a breakfast tray. "My full name's Caspian Orion Ares."

"Caspian?"

"Right here, sunshine, it's nice to finally meet you," he chuckled. He moved closer to Aurora and setting the tray away, he and Ginny helped Aurora to sit up straight.

"Ouch!" Groaned Aurora.

"So sorry!" Said Ginny quickly and immediately let go, making Aurora fall backwards. She was about to hit her head against the headboard but Caspian caught her gently.

"I've got you," he whispered and there was something very deep in the smile that followed. "Ginevra, why don't you go tell the others they can come and see her once she's eaten."

Ginny seemed a little relunctant to go and looked to Aurora for agreement. She nodded and Ginny left.

"Who else is here?" Aurora looked at Caspian.

"Eat, and I'll tell you," he said, motioning for the tray. Aurora took a tiny bite from a strawberry and then looked at Caspian expectantly. He sighed. "So not enough but fine, the entire Weasley clan is here. Let me tell you, it's quite hard to keep all those redheads apart. There's one who starts drooling everytime I enter the room-"

"Which one?"

"Charlie," he chuckled. They both laughed but Aurora quickly stopped and grabbed one of her ribs.

"Who else?" She said between gritted teeth.

Caspian's eyes fell down to her ribs. A painful grimace appeared on his face. He looked back up at her and his eyes sought permission for something. When his hand reached out she understood and dropped her own arm. The closer his hand got, the hotter she began to feel. It felt like a little oven. She had felt them on her body before but that was over a shirt. Now he had bared the skin, to look for any bruises. And it was as though her skin was pulsating with anticipation.