I'll Catch You (A Harry Potter Fan Fiction)

Bruises and Beans

"Oh, Pumpkin Triffle" I said and the door swung open. Fred sat near the fire, examining a form of some sort but looked up when I walked into the room. He gave me a quick smile and pulled up a chair for me.

"So how did the chat go?" he asked, nudging my bruised forearm with his elbow. I winced at the contact, quickly pushing him away from me. His eternally unserious expression became, in fact, very serious.

"Are you okay?" I nodded with a false bravado. Honestly, it was likely just a bruise. A very painful one at that but there was no need to be such a prat about it. He raised an eyebrow, and without permission grabbed my wrist and began to roll up the sleeve up my jumper.

"Seriously, Fred, it's no big deal. I'm fine." I attempted to push his hands away but he glowered up at me through his brows before continuing to lift my sleeve.

"Bloody hell" he whispered and dropped his hands away from my arm. I looked down to see what he was gaping at, and noticed a developing bruise that wrapped around my bicep. It had the faintest similarity to a handprint as well, causing me to rolled down my sleeve and secure it tightly at my wrist. I pulled my knees into my chest, gently caressing my arm. "Ace, what the hell happened."

It was just a bruise. To be fair, I was pretty easy to bruise. But something more about the implications of the bruise hurt me more than the actual wound itself. Seamus was mad, but was he really THAT mad? I'm sure he hadn't have meant it, that his emotions had just gotten away from him. But it didn't change the fact that he had caused this. "Honestly, Fred, I'm fine. Seamus grabbed my arm on the way up the stairs, but I bruise really easily so it's not as bad as it looks. I promise."

"That bloody bellend!" Fred sat back down and shook his head. "We never should have left you alone with him."

"Really Fred, this not that bad. I'm sure he didn't meant it." Fred shook his head again, his knuckles whitening as his fingers dug deeper into the arms of the chair beside him.

"Whether or not he meant it isn't the problem, Ace. He never should have laid a hand on you in the first place." he returned to his feet but I grabbed his sleeve, preventing him from leaving. "I think I need to go have a chat with him about respecting women."

"Believe me, Fred. Someone definitely taught him a lesson." Fred looked down at me, confused. 

"Someone hexed him in the middle of our conversation, and it just sent him FLYING. I don't know who, but someone did." He sat back down again, calmer but not fully content. I rolled my eyes and gave a small laugh. "Really Fred, you're a bit dramatic. If you weren't dating Angelina I'd say you fancied me a tiny bit." I tried to change the topic of conversation.

"Yeah yeah" he grumbled. "It's just that, you're not much older than Ginny. I guess I was just kind of thinking about if it had happened to her. If any bloke laid a hand on her, I think I'd have to murder them" Fred tucked his wand back into his jeans and grimaced.

"Well thank you for being so concerned, but I can take care of myself, thank you very much." I smiled and leaned forward, patting his knee. "Now where's George? I think it's time to get planning, don't you? I'm sure you're in for a big holiday rush."

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Fred, George and I all sat around the fire, hours passing since George had first joined us. George had an arm draped carelessly over my shoulder, careful not to touch my bruise, which of course Fred told him about the second he walked in. He took the information in stride, reacting more calmly than Fred had, but I couldn't help but notice his clenched jaw and white knuckles.

"That's when we are going to get the book? The night of the Yule ball?" I asked, stifling a yawn. Fred nodded and popped an Every Flavour Bean into his mouth. With a grimace, he swallowed.

"I absolutely hate lima beans" he said and handed me a handful of candy. I took them hesitantly and spread them out in front of me. One by one I popped them into my mouth, seemingly fearless, but secretly horrified.

Chocolate, pumpkin, potato, radish, and what I believed to be bacon. That's all I got. Nothing absolutely disgusting.

"You've had the best luck with these beans tonight" George said, laughing and sniped one from my pile. Honestly, I could probably listen to his laugh all day long. Something about its carefree nature melted away every fear and worry I had. It must be nice, living such lives without the weight of all of this teenage nonsense.

"I know, I don't understand why everyone complains about them. I think they are bloody brilliant" I popped a bright red one into my mouth, guessing that it would be cherry.

I was completely wrong. A burning sensation filled my mouth and scorched my throat, worse than Firewhisky ever did. I wasn't one for spicy food in the first place, but this was the hottest thing I had ever tasted in my whole life. I jumped up, knocking George sideways and began fanning my mouth.

"BLOODY HELL!" I screamed. Fred and George were rolling on the ground, laughing their bloody heads off as my mouth burned to bits. George threw me a white bean, still laughing. I hated him, I hated his laugh, and I hated his flaming red hair and his carefree nature. This definitely wasn't funny, and they certainly wouldn't be laughing if they had just eaten that evil bean.

I popped the bean into my mouth, thanking Merlin as it was milk, as it took a bit of the edge off the burn. Stepping back over to them, I tripped, flinging my arms out to myself and sprawling onto the floor. Today just wasn't my day.

"Thanks guys, I'm perfectly fine" I pushed myself up and headed over to the stairs. "Good night" I shouted, and clambered up to my room, leaving the boys still laughing behind me.