Safe With Me ~ Fred Weasley

Fireworks

"Get up!" There was a strange hissing near my head, though I wasn't sure if it was the man standing over me, or more of a ringing in my ears. My head felt heavy, leaning against something solid and cold. "I'm not asking again. You're not even hurt. Get up."

He dragged me to my feet in the spinning room, the hallway with the familiar light sconces between each doorway.

"You're worthless, just like your brother." He grumbled, dragging me along in his wake before I realized where we were headed. "Thomas!"

"No," My voice was like a whimper, and judging from the way it did not slow him down, I had to guess it hadn't been heard at all. "Stop! Don't, it's fine. Just leave it-"

The door opened quickly, Tommy's hand resting on the frame as his eyes went wide, scanning over the two of us now.

"Dad, let her go." He was into the hallway now, his arms extended towards me before my father dragged me back, tossing me easily against the wall again.

"I'm sick of the two of you, of your little secret meetings, and whispers in the night. I won't have any more of it. You hear me?"

He had met Tommy in the doorway now, and I watched as my brother shrunk beneath his glare, his eyes shutting in preparation for the incoming blow.

A blast of red filled the room, my arm held out before me, yet I didn't know where I had gotten my wand. I never had it with me here... but then my father was gone, and Tommy was no longer behind him, and the room was fading away, lighter and lighter until...

"-be our turn soon. You hang in there." A soft voice was whispering above me, a lukewarm cloth pressed against my forehead.

I blinked twice, my eyes feeling nearly heavier than my head as I tried to sit up. The room was bright, but you could still see the night sky above us... though, from the small traces of orange at the edges, it would be morning soon.

"Hannah?" I mumbled, my mouth feeling dry as her eyes went wide.

"Oh, my God. You're aw- She's awake!" Her voice had raised three octaves on the last words, causing me to wince, running a hand over my forehead where it was still sticky with dried blood. "Careful! I've been cleaning it, but Madam Pomfrey's got her hands full... obviously... she hasn't-"

The explosion. There was split second of memory, stone and bricks falling over us, darkness and dust and-

"Where's Fred?" I jolted up, pushing Hannah's hands away as she reached for my shoulders.

"Cass, he-"

I shook my head, goosebumps erupting along my skin though I paid them no mind. I turned left then right, scanning the entire hall, spotting the red-heads at once. Ignoring the buzzing in my head, I pressed up from the floor, clambering over bodies towards the Weasley's, all gathered around in a great circle.

"Where-"

"Cassidy!" Molly's eyes were lined with red, tears streaking down her cheeks as she pulled me in tightly, the rest of the Weasley's spinning towards me in shock. "You're alright."

"Where's Fred." It took everything I had to pull out of her grip, spotting him at last, through the small clearing in their group, broken by Molly's movement. The room was spinning again, though I wasn't sure it had ever stopped. Fred was lying still before us, Ginny kneeling beside his head where a large gash had been hastily sealed up, dried blood matted into his hair.

I hadn't even noticed that I had fallen, my knees paying no mind to the impact of the ground as I leaned over him, pressing into his chest twice, shaking him from Ginny's grip.