Whispers

Eight

Over the next few days, Calliope clawed her way back from the brink of death with Fred at her side.

Madam Pomfrey couldn't explain her dramatic recovery except for the undiscovered powers of the bond. Fred began to believe that the burning he had felt when he held Calliope's hand was some kind of healing that they had yet to experiment with. 

Despite Fred spending almost every moment at Calliope's side the pair hardly spoke. It seemed that they were both treading on eggshells around one-another, afraid to broach the topic that was haunting them both.

It wasn't until four days after Fred had arrived at Calliope's side until she finally cracked. She stared him straight in the eye, whilst he continued to look at their interlocked hands.

"Fred I'm so sorry," said Calliope, "I'm sorry for running away, I'm sorry for putting you through everything that I put you through and I'm sorry for not being there after your dad..." she trailed off.

"Why did you run off?" Fred asked, looking up from their hands.

"I felt like I would be hurting you more if I stayed," Calliope said, "I didn't want anyone else to die and I felt like me being around would only mean more people would die. Then I went through the veil in the department of mysteries and got a talking-to from James and Lily Potter, they made me realise how stupid I was being. I never meant to hurt you Fred, but I can't help blaming myself for death when I have the ability to prevent it. If I had only listened harder to the whispers then I could have prevented your dad..." she trailed off again.

Fred sighed, "I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I forgive you for all of it, but I think I understand a bit more. You internalise everything Callie, and I need you to promise me that if you ever feel the need to run off again that you'll speak to me first. I'm always here for you Callie, but I needed you and you weren't there."

"I'm sorry," Calliope felt very small under Fred's gaze, "I love you Fred and I promise that I'll never do anything like this again."

Fred blinked at her and she realised that this was the first time she had told Fred that she loved him.

"I love you too," he replied, lifting her hand to his lips and pressing it to them. "And I believe your promise, but you're going to have to prove it to me."

"I will," Calliope agreed, "I will prove it to you every day for the rest of our life."

Fred heard the hidden meaning in her choice of the word 'life', they were entwined together, bound by more than just magic, but by ancient cosmic forces that many knew as love. They would live and die together.

Fred leaned towards her and their lips met. Fireworks spread through both of their bodies and for the first time in six months they both felt alive again.