Courage

-58-

Layla was breaking. Anybody could tell. Her first love, her first kiss, her first boyfriend... also became her first true loss. Her whole world was falling apart.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had finally reached Layla just as Harry was led out of the room by Moody, and Ginny tried to lay a hand on Layla's shoulder.

"Lay, maybe you should calm down—"

"What was that?" Layla hit Ginny's hand off of her, turning her watery eyes towards Ginny, glaring at the redhead. "Don't you dare tell me to calm down, Ginny! Don't ever tell me to calm down! My boyfriend is dead! I will not calm down you piece of sh— ow!"

Before Layla could insult Ginny, Ron had gone up behind her and grabbed her, beginning to pull her backwards towards the doors.

"No! Let go of me! Let go!" Layla shrugged, but Ron didn't let go until they had reached the hospital wing and had walked inside.

After Hermione explained everything that happened to Madam Pomfrey, the nurse presented a potion to Layla and told her it would bring her strength back.

Layla rolled her eyes and grabbed the potion, drinking its contents. But moments later, she began to feel lightheaded and her eyes began to droop.

"Liar..." She muttered before falling asleep in Ron's arms, and he carried her to the nearest hospital bed, which was surprisingly easy from how light she was.

When Layla next opened her eyes, her face was cold from the dried tears on her cheeks as she slowly sat up in the hospital bed. Two familiar girls sat beside her, staring at Layla with so much pity that it made Layla feel utterly pathetic.

"Hey," Hermione muttered quietly. Layla stayed silent, staring intensely at both Hermione and Ginny with a dull look in her eyes at the reality that her first love had unwillingly left her.

The silence was unbearable, but Layla couldn't bring herself to talk. It was Hermione who broke the silence, standing up.

"Ron and his family are just outside. They want to check on you, Lay... I'll be right back," and with that, Hermione walked out of the hospital wing, leaving Layla and Ginny alone. Layla turned her gaze away from the redhead to stare at the sheets of the hospital bed, feeling Ginny's gaze burn a hole in the side of her head.

Not being able to take the silence anymore, Layla let out a quiet sigh.

"I'm sorry," she whispered so quietly that Ginny could barely hear her. Ginny's eyes widened slightly, not expecting to even hear Layla speak. "I'm sorry for lashing out at you..."

"I don't blame you," said Ginny. "You had every righ—"

"No, I didn't," Layla interrupted. "Out of everyone, you were the one I never wanted to lose my temper in front of."

Ginny frowned sadly at the vulnerable state that Layla was in. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Hermione returned with Mrs Weasley, Bill, and Ron.

"Oh, dear," Mrs Weasley looked to be on the verge of tears as she rushed over to Layla's hospital bed and practically threw herself into the young girl's arms. "My goodness... he seemed like a charming young man, Layla."

"He was," said Layla quietly, feeling her eyes sting with tears that she didn't want to let loose. She wouldn't let herself look so broken again. Although, it was already too late for that. "He was... everything."

"How are you holding up, Layla?" asked Bill, another pitiful expression being thrown in the Lupin girl's direction.

Apart of Lupin wanted to snap at him. To scream that she didn't need anyone's pity and that his question was stupid, but she simply looked down and sighed.