Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 51

I was running down the halls, covering my bleeding nose with my hands as I tried to find my way towards the hospital wing.

     I caught people who were passing by give me questioning glances as I nearly ran into them, but I couldn't really care less.

     It pained me that I couldn't have even drawn out my wind to block Malfoy's spell, or at least defend myself and curse him as well. I was weak when it came to magic and I felt pathetic.

     "Hey, is that Lexi?" said a familiar voice I knew all too well, from the corridor to my right.

      "What's up with her?" said the other one.

      "Is her face bleeding!?"

     To avoid facing them, I immediately ran to their opposite direction and to the left, having no idea where I was going as the blood was covering my face and I tried to hold it from dripping.

     But the next moment, I felt two hands holding me on either of my arms, dragging me to a different direction and into a deserted chamber.

     One of them pushed me on the shoulder, forcing me down to sit on the ground and I leaned against the wall behind me.

      I was still covering my face that I felt the same person bend down before me, taking my hands firmly in his and lowering them.

      When I opened my eyes fully, there I saw Fred, kneeling in front of me on the floor, and still clinging onto my hands as he stared at my face with such worry in his eyes that I'd never seen before.

     "Oh, my..." he gasped softly, his eyes roaming my face.

     George, who was standing a few steps behind us, dug into his pocket and took out something candy-like, coming closer and handing it to me.

"Here, eat this," he said, sitting down on the floor next to Fred and I. "It stops your nose from bleeding."

Without questioning him or giving him a witty and joking comment about not trusting them, I ate it and quiet immediately, I felt the bleeding stop, yet my face and robes were still dripping with blood.

Fred opened his bag and took out a handkerchief, running it gently across my face, trying to wipe off the blood, still looking concerned.

"What happened?" George asked when Fred had failed to utter a single word.

"I — I fell down," I said, avoiding both of their eyes.

"Fell down, did you?" George raised a brow, not looking convinced at all. "Where?"

"Er — down the stairs."

"Which stairs?"

"Um... third floor."

"You were coming from the dungeons."

"I was going to the hospital wing!"

"The hospital wing wasn't that way —!"

"—FINE! I was hexed! Happy!?" I shouted, taking the handkerchief from Fred to clean the rest myself. He didn't protest.

"Who did this to you!?" George asked angrily. "What curse was that!?"

"Does it even matter —?"

"Yes!" George retorted.

Fred still hadn't said anything as he kept watching me with a little frown.

"Ugh — I don't know..." I huffed, trying to recall his spell. I was too angry at the moment to know what hit me.

"Who did this?" said Fred suddenly. I don't think I had ever seen him so stern.

"It's not important," I mumbled, turning my head away.

"Lexi," he said firmly, cupping my face with his hands, forcing me to look at him again. "Tell me."

I stared back into his eyes. Where there was once a glint of foolishness and cheerfulness in his eyes, there was now only concern.

"Malfoy," I finally muttered, throwing my gaze down.

The moment the word left my mouth, the concern in his eyes turned into rage, and so Fred dropped his hands and stood up to his feet, George following his action.

Horror striking me, I immediately stood up as well, blocking their way as they were going to walk out of the chamber.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked knowingly, frowning.

"Nowhere," George shrugged innocently, but Fred still looked furious and said nothing.

"I know what you're thinking, but don't," I said firmly. "Leave Malfoy alone."

"Oh, you're defending him now, are you?" said Fred sharply.

"I'm not defending him," I snarled. "I just don't think that he's worth getting into trouble for."

"Well, that's not really for you to decide," Fred retorted.

"Yes, it is!" I snapped. "I don't want you to get into trouble because of me! Just leave it!"

"But, Lexi—"

"No buts!" George was saying, but I broke him off. "I can handle this myself."

"Clearly," said Fred sarcastically, pointing at my face.

"Well, it's not my fault that I can't use magic! Besides," I started, lowering my voice a bit. "He'll be paying for all of this... soon enough. Maybe even worse than he deserves..."

It didn't matter how much Malfoy used to bully people, but I knew what he was going to go through in the future. So as much as I despised him, a part of me felt sorry for him.

He was just... misunderstood.

"Promise me that you won't do anything stupid," I said, looking between them warningly.

They gave each other a look and then turned to face me again, a hint of a grin on their faces.

"Don't worry, Lexi," said George.

"We promise," said Fred.