If This Isn't Love (Fred Weasley Sequel)

Chapter 31 | Pain Relief

Monday, December 11

Fred is seething when he finds out I got in a fight with Slytherins- and that Umbridge gave me a detention for it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm mad, too. I am indignant about the entire situation. It's not fair for me to get in trouble, and it's especially not fair for Ginny to get in trouble when she was only protecting me.

I meet her in the common room and I apologize.

"Nothing to be sorry for," she answers, turning away.

"Wait!" She turns back around and waits for me to speak. "Thank you."

"You're welcome..." She grins. "I couldn't really just sit there and let those oafs murder you."

I chuckle back. She doesn't leave yet. "I can't be mad at you after all."

"Thanks?"

"I heard that little argument you had with Malfoy and Greengrass," she admits. "I figured you had to be mad to be infatuated with Slytherins and their cruelty."

"I'm glad you came to your senses."

When she leaves the common, Fred finds me and takes his usual spot next to me. I cuddle up to his side, uncharacteristically upset.

He stays with me the the entire time, massaging my back. I close my eyes and wait for the clock to turn to 4.

When it does, Fred nudges me and tells me I have to go. I groan but get up anyway and he tells me I can sit it out. "You can just stay in here with me. Screw Umbridge."

"Gladly, but you know I can't," I remind him with a longing sigh. "I'll come back afterwards."

In Umbridge's office, I am bombarded with little kitten meows and squeals. Maybe in some other timeline I could have thought they were cute. Today, however, they are anything but.

She doesn't even try to hide her disdainful frown.

"Oh, how I hate to see you in here."

I scowl, but I don't remind her of how she could've been fair and let me go. I mean, it wasn't my fault. She's just incredibly biased.

"Let's get it over with, shall we?"

~~~~
How can it possibly hurt worse than last time?

I storm out of her classroom and go straight to the common room. When I'm halfway there I debate on whether I should go find Snape. He helped a whole lot last time.

I decide I'll do it tomorrow.

Fred holds my shaking body on the sofa, and I press my face into his chest. I know I said I wouldn't be so vulnerable near him, but I can't help it. The words "I mustn't get into fights" are etched into my skin and it's painful.

That night I barely get any sleep. I coddle my hand and cry.

The next day is possibly worse. My hand is throbbing with every passing moment, the irritation around the cuts is worse, and it's just overall swelling up. I wonder how she obtained another bottle of green acid so quickly.

I still hold my chin up high and my robes are pulled over my hands. I won't allow anyone to see I'm in pain.

I'm glad I don't have any classes with Slytherins on Tuesdays.

I don't have to visit Snape's lab for him to know I've gotten detention.

He finds me after dinner and pulls me to his office without a word. I'm very ashamed, but I keep it in.

"I cannot believe you got yourself into another detention. How incompetent are you?" He scolds me. "Who did you hex this time?"

"Me?" I yelp. "Two of your students found me heading to my dormitory and they attacked me! I was lucky Ginny was there."

He scowls. "Weasley-"

"It was 2 seventh years against me," I snap. "They broke my nose and because Ginny was there to help, she and I both got detentions."

He doesn't say anything else, just forces me to drink the usual potion and then sends me straight to my dormitory. The effects are immediate in my hand, the irritation is gone and it doesn't throb as bad.

I feel bad Ginny doesn't get any pain relievers, but Snape is pretty cold towards the Weasleys.

So I'm glad she is sent to the hospital wing for relief.

Fred kisses my uninjured hand, which also makes me feel tons better. "I love you," he whispers.

I smile. "I love you, too."

Someday I might even fully trust him again.

But for now, I'm going to focus on myself. No more getting in trouble with Umbridge.

~~~~
Published 5-14-20