River Dawson felt nothing more than ecstasy as a new adventure awaited for her. With the world in her hands she was itching to discover more of it and that is what she planned to do.
However, along the way a certain red headed man seemed to crop up...
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"Love isn't just a sensation Some of the time it gets rough Love isn't easy but it sure is hard enough"
* * *
"My head hurts," River whine, flopping onto the bed.
Eros sat beside her and rubbed her back. Bill was stood in the doorway to the twins' room, his eyebrows were furrowed and arms crossed.
"I'm not magic."
"It would explain all of the incidents, the glowing fingers, the sparks, the cracking of the pavement," said Bill. He had spared Regulus and taken River up to the bedroom right away as he wanted to get her alone. Eros seemed to come as part of a package deal.
Eros brushed his sister's hair back where he could see tears rolling down her cheek. It had been a long time since he saw her cry. She was never one to express her feelings, he did that for the both of them but now, she was fragile and easily torn to pieces.
"It's all going to be okay, Riv," he told her, "we'll sort it."
She pushed herself up and looked between the two men. Bill wanted to rush forward and scoop her up, cradle her and keep her away from everyone and everything. That wasn't possible.
Mad- Eye clambered into the room, his eye flicking all over the place. "You're under watch now, River, the Order are going to keep you safe, behind Harry you are our top priority."
"So she is a target?"
"I'm afraid so, Bill."
River pulled her knees to her chest, shaking her head and letting her hair hide her. Eros pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. He couldn't imagine how she was feeling. "What happens to her?"
"How do you mean?"
"Well, is she going to be cooped up in here like Sirius. She can't be. She doesn't function well being trapped in one place."
Mad-eye glanced at the girl then back at her brother, "she'll have to get used to it. If we can tame a dog, a lady can't be hard."
He turned to leave but tripped up. Bill's foot had got in the way of his walking stick. On purpose, perhaps so. An accident, so he made them believe. Mad-eye was flustered but left without another word, only some grumbling and a snipe at Kreacher who rounded the corridor.
"I need to speak to me parents," Eros said, he whispered something in River's ear and left the two alone.
River opened her arms up, beckoning Bill to hug her. He did so. He held her tightly, burrowing his head beneath her hair to get close to her face where he gave her a small kiss. It was tender but held as much comfort in it that soothed her.
"I won't let anything happen to you."
"What will happen if we just le them have me? They'll soon realise I am not magic."
"That's not an option," Bill snapped, "if you're not magic they'll kill you."
She winced.
"I'm sorry but it's true, love."
"They can't kill me if I am already dead."
Bill flipped and pinned her down onto the bed. He was angry.
"Don't you fucking dare even suggest that. You are going to be safe here. They will never get to lay their hands on you. Do you hear me?" She nodded. "Good. Don't be fucking stupid again."
River stared up at Bill. His eyes were red and teeth bared. She hadn't seen him in this way before and didn't quite know how to feel. Emotions were running high and neither of them knew how to process it all.
He bowed his head and kissed her once more.
It was not tender. It was rough and passionate as if it was the last time they'd ever get to feel each other. If the door wasn't open it was likely that their clothes would have been off in seconds but Bill collapsed beside her instead.
"I have to go to work," he muttered, scared to say that he was leaving her.
"I know."
"How?"
"Eros told me before he went to our parents. They're still at work so he has left too."
"I'm sorry."
She shook her head and pulled him close. It looked as though they were both comforting each other rather than one of them being fine. It was strange just how much their world had been flipped upside down.
River wondered whether it would have been the same if she had never met Bill. Whether magic would have been in her life or if she would have been a target. What would have happened if she found out everything from those who wanted her?
It wasn't worth thinking about.
The two laid together for an hour before Bill had to leave, as he got up to go, River followed him out. Pattering down the stairs, swamped by one of his jumpers as she found Remus, Sirius and Regulus in the drawing room.
"Am I interrupting?" She asked from the doorway.
"Not at all," smiled Remus who patted the seat beside him. She took it and curled up beside him.
"I feel like a small kid again," she told the three. "Like I've been trapped in my own dollhouse."
Sirius nodded, "I know how that feels."
She stayed silent as the three returned to their conversation.
"I didn't think I would be coming back here again," Regulus told the room, "it's a lot worse than I remember."
"It reeks of trauma and terrorism."
"And damp dog."
"I never understood where that smell came from. It randomly appeared and never left."
