Marooned - Fred Weasley

Chapter 68: Plotting

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

The ground swept off her feet and she was in Crouch's office again, seeing his sneer as he burnt her, she was before the Boggart, seeing Fred dead, she was at the hospital with the attacked member, she was on the ground after Bellatrix blew up the Training facility, she was at the Ministry and struck by the Crucio Curse, her throat raw from screaming and paralyzed, she was behind her mother that night in Godric's Hollow, seeing Voldemort getting closer to her, and closer, and closer while Ollivander was still screaming, "YOU'RE A PROTECTOR! YOU'RE A PROTECTOR! You're supposed to protect! You failed! You let me die! You let them die!"

She saw Dumbledore fall off the Astronomy Tower, Harry dead, Hermione dead, Ron dead, her parents dead, Sirius dead, Remus dead, Selena dead, George dead, Tonks dead, Fred dead, herself still standing, looking at their bodies and hollow eyes lined up, a voice hissing into her hear, "You let them die."

"No, I didn't! You killed them!"

"You. Let. Them. Die. You weren't there, you got away, left them behind, just like Ollivander."

"No, no," her eyes settled upon Fred, shaking her head, tears streaming down her face, "Not him, please. No! Fred!"

Sarah jolted up, broke away from Fred's arms which got him to wake up immediately. She scanned every inch of the living room everyone was sleeping in while hyperventilating, tears threatening to fall. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her against his chest, "Breathe with me, Sarah."

She whimpered quietly and trembled while he squeezed her arms gently to get her blood flowing and warm her up. After a moment she settled down, following his deep breaths in and out, her heartbeat slowing down to get in synch with his she felt against her back.

She let out a shaky breath, rested her head back against his chest, turned to the side to whisper against his ear, "I'm so sorry."

Fred shook his head, spoke softly into her ear, "You have nothing to apologize for, love. I've got you."

She put her hands over his, taking in long and deep breaths, trying to not wake anyone else up with her night terror. "Go back to sleep, Freddie."

She made him lean back again and when he was settled down, she slowly got up, stepped lightly until she got to the stairs, trying to not wake up anybody else. Of course Fred didn't listen, he followed in her steps up to an unoccupied room a couple stories up.

"McCauley-"

"I left him there," she blurted, her head snapping towards him when she realized he had come after her.

"What?" Fred squinted his eyes, the moon shined brightly through the window, he stepped to the left to get it out of his eyes.

"Ollivander," Sarah rubbed her temples, ran her fingers through her hair anxiously, "I left him- I- He could be dead-"

Fred was confused, his mind still foggy, and definitely not following her frantic pacing around the room. And that she could see. "Go back to sleep, Weasley," she said softly, turning away from him. "I'm sorry I woke you-"

He sighed loudly and it made her stop talking, "I'm not going back to sleep. Come here," he took a few steps towards her with his arms open and she met him halfway.

"He was chained," he croaked gently, pulling her into his arms, "You couldn't have done anything. Getting out was the best thing you could've done. You're helping here. They're onto two Horcruxes. And I won't lie to you—even though it is a bit selfish," he kissed her hair and up and down her neck gently, "I'm really glad you're back."