Petals & Thorns | Fred Weasley

thirteen

SONG OF THE CHAPTER -
bruises • lewis capaldi
warnings - heavy mentions of abuse

Another hit, another bruise to cover. In the months following, this was regular routine for Adalinda Malfoy. Though, Adrian had learned his lesson. He stopped hitting her in such obvious spaces. Her arms, her legs, her stomach. It made it easier for her to keep his dirty little secret. Though he was smarter about it, he was doing it more often. He was angry with her almost every other day. She was in the hospital wing making up a new excuse every week. People began to notice something was wrong, because Addy had become gradually more evil as the time went on. She hated when people looked at her in the hallway, didn't let anyone but her friends speak to her, and snapped at everyone. Nobody was safe from her wrath. People younger and older than her cowered when she walked by them. The fear was much worse than it was in the previous years.

She was up to her limit. When the snow began melting from the ground again, she knew the dramatic climax the year would succumb to. Her stress was through the rough, she was touchy at every word spoken to her. In short, she was a mess. She had been spending less time with Fred in fear she might take her feelings out on him. Her friends had noticed the drastic change especially. They were afraid if they spoke the wrong words or misbehaved they would be hexed. They had no idea why she was turning so vile. They finally found out within the weeks leading up to the final Triwizard task.

Spring time was usually Adalinda's favourite time of year. It meant that school would finish soon and she would be able to go months without being a fear monger for her peers. She had a few months to be alone, without anxiety of someone finding out she wasn't as angry as she made herself appear. This summer, though, she was dreading. She knew that when school was let out, she had a fate waiting for her. She would follow the Malfoy way, and please The Dark Lord. In every way possible, Adalinda was at a breaking point. So there she sat, the floor of the astronomy tower, much like she did the first night she met Adrian's hands. It was much similar to the first situation; Adrian was angry because she had gotten too close to Marcus. This time, his hands met her ribs. His foot met the same spot. He took it too far. This time, she was done being a punching bag. Every bit of anger she held for her life came out at once. Addy was tired of being pushed around; she was the person who should be doing the pushing.

She stood, quivering in pain. Her head was screaming at her to stop, to sit back down. Her mind was telling her she could deal with this, that she could get over it like she always did. Her heart told her differently. She was fed up and tired, her body held an ache that could only be blamed on her boyfriend. It would never leave unless she took action. "What are you doing?" Adrian asked, not used to her response.

"I'm done, Adrian." She said, staggering to her feet. She spoke as she reached into her robes.

"Done with what, exactly?" His tone was mocking. Not only did he degrade her with physical violence, he was trying to emotionally as well.

"Do you know who my father is?" She asked, grasping her wand in her hand. "Do you know what'll happen to you when the rest of the boys find out what you've been doing?"

"You won't tell them, you need me. You need me to please your father." He was smug.

"I can do that with anybody else. I wasted way too much time on you." Her wand was pointed at him now. Her free hand was grasping her side. She was done being hit by him. She was a Malfoy, and nobody had more power than she did. He drew his own, pointing it back at her. She shook her head, giving a smile. "What are you gonna do, Pucey? Please, give it a go. I'd like to see you try." She saw him hesitate, but begin to try and cast a hex on her. "Stupefy!" She cried, catching him before he could make any move. It hit him straight in the chest, knocking him backwards. "I guess this is me breaking up with you, Adrian."