That Damn Weasley Charm II G.W

Part 6, Chapter 7- Visits with Emma

The day that Draco left for Hogwarts Emma came to visit me. After saying a quick hello to the Dark Lord we rush up the stairs and into my room.

"I don't like the fact that I'm not on the Hogwarts Express right now." Emma groans as she throws herself onto my bed, "I miss it all so much."

I laugh and plop myself into the big chair I have by my bookshelves, "The Dark Lord might send us back near the end of the year you know."

Emma sits up and looks at me, "No, I don't know. What are you on about?"

I tell her the entire thing with Draco, how he's got to kill Dumbledore this year or he dies and everything. "So if the Dark Lord is having Death Eaters storm the grounds..."

"Alright but that's not the same! I miss bumming off class to be with my friends, and the common room, and the smells, and happiness. I don't think I've been happy since we've left."

"Well, now I just feel bad," I say looking at her. I'm trying real hard to stop myself from smiling.

Emma throws a pillow at me. "Violet LeStrange! Did you already find a new boy and you haven't told me about him!"

I laugh and hold the pillow close to me, "Definitely haven't found anyone new, and I don't think I ever will. But I did meet up with a boy."

"Bloody hell Violet! Tell me you didn't!"

I smile really big and look at her, "They're shops pretty amazing. And they've got a really big back room."

Emma flops back onto my bed and squeals, "So what? You went there after hours or something?"

I shake my head, "Nah the store was full of people. Including his entire family."

Emma sits up again, "Vile behavior on both of your parts." Pause, "Do you think anyone saw you?"

"Don't think so. I mean the girl that they hired saw me, Fred saw me, Ginny saw me, and Molly saw me but I don't think anyone else did. I had on that massive green velvet cloak that you always try to steal from me." I say to her.

Emma clicks her tongue, "You two are playing a very dangerous game."

"Alright, enough about me. What about you hmm? Find anyone to snog over the summer?"

Emma rolls her eyes, "Yeah because when I'm not here scared for my life I'm roaming the streets looking for a hot, Death Eater boy to snog." Emma and I laugh, "I did hear that Cassius and Miriam are engaged now though."

My jaw drops, "You're joking."

"Nope. Father heard their parents discussing it at the meeting last week, how that they both think that it will strengthen their blood status or whatever. I don't think that Miriam or Cassius are too pleased about it all."

I lean back into my chair, "God. Imagine being married at eighteen. And you know that their parents are going to expect children right away."

"Obviously, especially with the war coming. They've got to be able to keep their bloodline going if one of them ends up dead."

I scrunch my face up in disgust, "Don't joke about things like that."

"It wasn't a joke. There's no way that we are all going to walk out of the war alive. And I'd rather have it be Miriam and Cassius than you and me." Emma says seriously.

"Have you heard from Walter at all?" I ask Emma.

She looks at me with a really sad face, "No. Suppose his fathers got his entire family hidden after what happened to Karkaroff." Karkaroff, the Headmaster from Durmstrang. He managed to hide from the Dark Lord for a year or so. Then he found him, killed him, and left him to rot somewhere up in the mountains. All because he didn't come back when the Dark Lord told him too.

"Don't think it's wise to send him an owl either with the Dark Lord watching everything so closely." I mumble to myself, "Wonder if Lee and him are still together through all this."

The two of us fall silent, the rain tapping on my roof is the only thing we can hear. "Violet?"

I look up at Emma, "Yeah?"

"I think I'm in love with Fred Weasley." She says softly.

I chuckle to myself, "Yeah I know."

She looks at me, "What do you mean, you know? I've just found out."

"I knew when you two were dancing at the yule ball together. But thank you for finally admitting it." I say with a smile.

Emma rolls her eyes, "That's wasn't looove. That was... lust."

I throw the pillow back at her and she catches it in mid-air, "Really? That was lust?" I get up from my seat and go over to her. I put on my best Fred impersonation, "So you're like really hot in that dress. Want to dance with me?" I bow and put my hand out towards her.

Emma howls with laughter, "There's not even music playing you old twat."

I flick my hand towards my radio that's sitting on my vanity, the song 'O Children' by Nick Cave starts to play. I look back at Emma and wiggle my eyebrows. She laughs again and takes my hand. We start to slow dance around my room taking turns spinning each other around. At first the room is full of laughs, happiness, like we've forgotten what is happening around us.

Then it changes, Emma holds on to me tightly and I rest my chin on the top of her head. We sway back and forth to the beat of the song. Neither of us saying anything, just being in each other's presence. I close my eyes and pretend like I'm back at Hogwarts and Emma and I are dancing around our common room. There's no such thing as the war, no such thing as Dark Marks or Death Eaters, or breaking up with my boyfriend to save his life.

When the song ends neither of us let go of each other. "I don't think I can do this Emma. I don't think I'm strong enough for this." I whisper.

Emma squeezes me tighter, "You're the strongest witch I know Violet. You can do it all." She says back to me.

I close my eyes and tears start pouring down my cheeks, "Everyone needs me to be strong. Draco needs me, my aunt needs me, all of the people that we went to school with. They look to me for guidance but I'm just as lost and confused and scared as they are."

Emma lets go of me and sits on the end of my bed, "I'm sorry if I put that pressure on you." She says.

I sit on the bed beside her, "It's alright Em. Just tiring you know?"