Proud to be

Chapter 5

Athena

I stepped into the common room and trudged  up to the girls dormitories, hot tears burning my eyes. I threw down my bag next to my bed and collapsed on the pile of blankets. A tear fell down but I wiped it away almost immediately, already over the emotion. I wouldn't let that greasy fool upset me. He didn't even know my dad. Nobody that is alive did but Remus, and I trusted his judgement more than anything. Remus was angry with my father for many things, but he could well recognize the good he did when he was around.

Soon enough, Angelina walked in and saw me blankly staring at the ceiling. "You okay?" She asked me and I stifled a small nod. I didn't want to speak, scared I would say something I didn't mean. "Snape had no right to say that.. About.. About your dad," she said softly. I knew her fear of my father. Many people possessed it. I was grateful that she was trying with me. I gripped the sheet tightly in my hand, as if it would stop me from bursting out into a fit of rage, or even worse, tears.

"Yeah, thanks. Is Fred back yet?" I ask as she nodded. I sat up in bed, throwing my legs over the side of it.

"He's downstairs by the fire. He wanted to see you." I mumbled a 'thanks' and walked down the stairs that led back to the common room. When I got to the main room, I saw a familiar red-head sitting in my usual seat by the fire. I stalked over to him, quietly and before he noticed me, I sat down on his lap. He jumped in surprise; he wrapped his arms around me once he realized who it was.

"Athena, do you wanna talk..?" I think the look on my face let him know that it would be better if he just shut up, which he did. My roommate came back down the stairs, and without looking over at us, went back out into the hallway. She had a lot of friends in other houses. She was probably going to visit them.

After Angelina left, it was only the two of us here. The others were probably down in the great hall eating dinner or socializing, but I wasn't hungry. After the day I had, a meal was the last thing on my mind. I told Fred multiple times to just go and eat, that I would be fine. Once he finally stood up, I thought he had given in and gotten sick of my nagging. That was, until he picked me up and carried me up to the boys dormitories.

"This isn't dinner, Fred." I told him. He didn't reply. He only placed me down in his bed and got in next to me. When we were settled, he leaned down to press his lips to mine. He kissed me so much differently than he did before. Now, it was slow and passionate more so than sloppy and fast. It was so much nicer to finally be able to have him to myself. I craved the contact between us. I loved being with him, but usually we felt rushed so nobody would see us. The change in atmosphere was comforting.

"Why did you do that earlier?" He asked me, speaking for the first time since we left the common room.

"Do what?" I asked. I was hoping to avoid this, but I knew it would come up eventually. He probably felt guilty, or thought he was the reason Snape and I got into our quarrel.

"You know," he said quietly.

I shrugged. "You needed it more than I did," I told him honestly. It was true. Snape hated Fred, and the more he ragged on him, the lower Fred's confidence got. He was very bright, but Snape had a way of making him doubt himself.

"But that didn't mean you had to-"

"It's done, okay? It doesn't matter," I told him, pressing my lips to his once more. He kissed back, but hesitated. He let it happen, enjoying the moment.

"Thank you." He whispered after I pulled away. He rested his forehead on mine, and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"It was nothing, don't worry." I told him, smiling slightly.