intoxicating. / / fred weasley / / under revision

75

"What happened?!" Fred and George were sprinting into the hospital. Their parents were sitting in the waiting room with her mom, Sirius and Remus. Molly was holding Emmeline in a hug, as they sat on some chairs in the room, Emmeline was crying. Sirius was pacing and Remus was just sitting there with his head in his hands. Arthur got up when he saw the twins and rushed to Fred, grabbing a hold of him.

"She collapsed. They think the curse is affecting her some way." He looked in his son's eyes.

"But she didn't die, Pax took the hit."

"I know, Fred. But he was too small to take it all."

"Why are you acting like she's dying?" Fred said, tears were forming. Arthur was silent, "is she dying?" He sobbed.

"We don't know. The healers are working on her now."

It had almost been a week since she collapsed in Hagrid's arms but she was still unconscious. Emmeline was a going mad she believed. She was scared she wasn't going to be a mother anymore and she was a mess. She hadn't eaten or slept at all and never left Maeve's side. She promised herself after Galton, she would do everything to protect Maeve. Now it's up to the healers. She couldn't protect her child anymore. She was helpless.

'She was hit with a curse,' a healer says, 'we just don't know what's happening...'

Julia was lost. She imagined her final days at Hogwarts with Cedric and Maeve. She imagined Cedric and Fleet rocking the boat that would bring them over the Black Lake, like their first ride when they were eleven. Maeve and Melvin would be laughing, but she knew deep down they were secretly freaking out because Melvin can't swim. But that didn't happen, because Cedric was dead and Mae was in a hospital bed with scars that Julia cant stop dreaming about. Fleet didn't rock the boat, he just stared off at the castle biting his quivering lip and Melvin wasn't laughing. Julia lost all her dreams and hopes. She was losing her best friend again.

"I need you, Mae." said through tear, "You're all I have left."

Fred was even far worse off, he stayed by her bedside ever since the doctors allowed visitors. He slept in a chair that never once moved from her side, holding her hand the entire time. Molly and Arthur both tried to get him to leave or eat something but he always refused. George was also not doing well, his best friend was hurt and he couldn't do anything but watch her deteriorate. Once the rest of the kids were out of school, they spent most of their days at the hospital with her. Only leaving the room when visiting hours were over, and only family was allowed to stay. Fred was allowed to stay since he was her fiancé, but he would probably fight someone if they made him leave anyways.

'She might never wake up' was something that couldn't be said in front of Fred or Emmeline, because the two would either burst into tears, or Fred would try and fight a healer.

But no one took those words seriously because no one had the will to lose hope. No one could let her go yet. She was Maeve, she was always okay.

'Her body could be repairing itself," they would say, 'but you should prepare yourself.'

Fred would always scoff at those words. 'You should prepare yourself.' What the hell does that even mean?

It was late in the night, and Emmeline finally fell asleep on the cot that a nurse brought in for them, she insisted that Fred slept but he didn't want to. Once he knew Emmeline fell asleep, he finally let himself break. With her hand in his, tightly held, like she was going to simply disappear, his eyes stung with tears.

He didn't want to cry but he couldn't help it anymore. Finally, his emotions took over. His anger, heartbreak, hopelessness... He was detached from the world around him, because how can life go on when she is like this. How does someone simply live without their soulmate? She had for so long been the only source of positivity, of warmth and emotional comfort for him and she was slipping away.

"Please come back to me." he pleaded

He put his head down on her bed, resting on their hands and sobbed. He was losing his girl all over again, and he couldn't stop it. In his pocket, a small box burned a hole. Right after she got back on the train, he and George went to buy a ring, a ring that he could properly propose with. And not just with his words.

"Please wake up, Maeve." He cried into their hands, his voice was hoarse like he had been screaming but in reality he hasn't really spoken in weeks, on his pleas to her, "I can't live without you." He looked up at her face, with his free shaking hand he caressed her cheek, "I need you." He looked at her still face, until he finally put his head back down and drifted off.

Another week had passed and she was still the same, some days there was bad news and some days there was promising news. But she still, laid in the bed, pale and fragile, her hand still clasped in Fred's. He felt his heart breaking every day that passes, that he doesn't hear her laugh or see her smile. Fred, who is usually the happiest person in the room, with bright eyes and joking about was gone and replaced with a man who's eyes looked lifeless as he stared off when he wasn't looking her. Molly broke a bit, everyday she visited them. She would walk in the room and see her son barely there, holding the love of his life's, lifeless hand.

"Freddie, just once can you please just go home. Take a shower and eat something. Sleep please." She kneeled down in front of him, grabbing his face. "George will take you."

"I can't leave her." He whispered, a tear falling

"I will stay with her, I promise. Until you get back, I won't leave her side."

"Hold her hand, just in case she gets lonely." He pleaded. Molly held back the tears, caused by her sons pleas. George looked away, at the sight of his brother, wiping away his tears. It didn't look like Fred.

"Of course I will." She smiled, as she helped him up. "George" she motioned him to help his twin, "One night, that's all I'm asking. Okay Fred?"

"Okay." He said, wiping away his tears. Leaving the room, but still looking at her till he reached the door. Molly sat down in his chair, looking at Maeve. She pushed Maeve's hair out of her face, leaving her hand on her cheek.

"Your mum is at a meeting right now, and Freddie went home for the night." She whispered, "But I am here, you are not alone." Tears fell from her eyes. Maeve was like a daughter to her, she loved Maeve like she was her own. She loved how much Maeve loved Fred, and how much she loved her family in general. "Please wake up, Dear. Please." She whimpered, "if we lose you, we'll lose Fred." She closed her eyes, "I'll lose Fred."

'we all need you.'