ActuallyOddPlan + Danplan Harry Potter AU Shorts

Tough Love

Tough Love

Characters: Stephen, Gavin

Rating: T

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Family

Summary: Gavin is getting embarrassed by some bullies, and by some turn of events manages to fall off of the Astronomy Tower. Luckily, Stephen is there to catch him. But both brothers are haunted by the fact that he might not always be.

Gavin really, really hated Mondays. More than the normal, "Ugh. The weekend's over and now I have to go back to doing real work," Kind of I hate Mondays.

Actually, school wasn't the problem of all. Gavin was extremely clever and scholarly. Most people wondered why he had been sorted into Gryffindor and not Ravenclaw.

He wondered that himself sometimes. After all, he wasn't very brave or bold. He was more brainy than brawny. Why had he been sorted into Gryffindor?

Because you begged. He reminded himself, Stupid little kid you wanted to be in the same house as Stephen, even if it wasn't the right place for you.

But we're getting off topic. The point was, Gavin hated Mondays because of Astronomy.

It's not the class that was the problem. Memorizing stars and planetary positions had been child's play for him, Stephen also excelled at it.

No. Rather it was the people in the class that made him dread attending it.

Their names were Bradley and David. They were in Slytherin, and seemed bent on making Gavin's life hell.

Every Astronomy class it was the same deal. The mocking, the intentional trips, the hellbent desire to make him miserable.

He was often tempted to tell his brother about it. To tell him where the bruises and the tear stains really came from. But he didn't.

Running to his big brother to protect him would be more humiliating than anything the two assholes could ever do. He wasn't a baby. He was fourteen years old, for god's sakes!

He trudged up to the astronomy tower, hating every step. Even if you disregarded the fact that David and Bradley were making his life hell, the walk to the astronomy tower was so long. At least it wasn't hot in the castle.

When he finally reached the top of the stairs, he went to his table and sat next to Lee Jordan, who actually bothered to show up to class for once. He smiled at his friend and waved to the boys sitting at the table next to him, Fred and George Weasley.

At least they made class somewhat bearable, and they at least suspected that something was up with the two Slytherins.

They all treated him like the little kid of the group, and while he appreciated their thoughtfulness, he was sick and tired of being the one who needed protection.

Class went by in a blur. Most of it was review for exams, and Gavin spent the entire time trying not to laugh at Fred and George's antics as they goofed off. He had seen more than his fair share of detentions because of those two, but he never regretted befriending them on the Hogwarts Express that day.

As soon as class was over, Gavin and his group of friends grabbed their stuff and quickly headed out. He never liked to stick around in case Bradley, David, or both of them were in a bullying mood.

Unfortunately, the universe had other plans for him as he realized he was missing his quill. He swore under his breath and called to his friends, "I forgot my quill. Don't wait up for me," He said, not wanting to inconvenience them.