The weaker tone of voice, the dulled look of the eyes, the tiredness behind the face; Clover wished that signs of the war weren't the first thing she noticed in people. She wanted so badly to force the blonde haired boy out of the shop before he even had a chance to speak, but she couldn't. Not when he too was a victim, no matter what his past was.
"He misses you, Clover," he spoke softly, eyes locked onto hers.
He meant no harm; the sincerity swimming in the clashing blue and grey of his eyes told her so. But after being closed off to her past for so long, she was willing to do anything to keep that part of her memories shut off for good. Her eyes narrowed and her fist tightened by her side, a physical barrier separating her emotions from the boy in front of her.
"Listen here, ferret boy," Babs pointed his finger towards the blonde accusingly, taking an angry and protective stance in front of Clover.
He was going to continue, but was cut off when the other boy spoke again.
"Nice to see you too, Babs," he rolled his eyes and glanced at him before looking back at Clover, "I'm not here to cause trouble...just trying to help a friend. Hear me out."
She didn't want to hear him out, she wanted to magically shut his mouth and avoid the conversation she knew she was about to let happen. But despite the anxiety and fear and emotions spinning through her head, Clover's curiosity outweighed it all. She wanted to know what he had to say, and why he was the one coming to say it.
Babs opened his mouth to snap at him, but Clover stepped up and put an arm on his shoulder, "It's fine."
Her best friend nodded his head, yet still sent her a cautious stare, as she walked over to the door and put up a 'Out for lunch' sign. Swallowing down her anxiety, she turned around and glared at the boy.
"Speak, Draco, " she said abruptly, her arms angrily crossing over her chest.
He nodded his head in acknowledgment before beginning to say why he had came in the first place, "I told you, he misses you. I wouldn't be here if he wasn't desperate to see you again. That prat practically forced me to find you and talk to you."
Her face went completely cold and stern, stealing the warmth from the entire room just as it was stolen from her childhood. It was a sobering feeling that ran over her as the words fell from his lips, even if she partially expected them. She closed her eyes for a moment, but snapped them open when she saw his eyes robbing her of her own sanity. Anger and rage and everything she never got to let out took over her.
"And why the fuck should I want to hear anything he has to say?" She seethed out to the younger Slytherin.
Draco's face never flinched, never looked shocked at her vulgarity, never moved an inch from how it was a moment ago. Clover knew that if he has learned anything from growing up the way he did, it was how to hide any fear or emotions. She knew because she was raised the same way; they were sculpted in the same perfect design. And no matter what any one had said, she would always have a soft spot for the blonde boy. He was more like her than either of them wanted to admit, just trying to dismantle that perfect design they were supposed to be. The difference was that Clover had Linny, she had light no matter where she went. Draco didn't. And perhaps that's why she continued to hear him out.
His face dropped noticeably and his eyes genuinely stared into hers, "Because he's trying to make it right."
"He can't," she locked her jaw as Babs slipped his hand into hers for support, squeezing it to let her know he's there.
The blonde boy visibly shifted on his feet and fidgeted with his fingers, an unfamiliar trait he must have picked up after the war. He was so unlike himself, so unlike the way she used to see him be. He was no longer arrogant or outspoken or even confident in the way he held himself. It was as if the war stripped him of everything he's ever known, or as if it finally let him show his true colors. Clover wouldn't have known, though. The last time she had spoken to the boy was 7 years ago; so much has changed.
"Look, I know what's happened in the past, but," he started trying to explain to her.
"But?! There is no but," she sharply shouted into the air, her voice firm and strong as she let her emotions boil over, "He was never there before, so why should I let him be here now?"
"B-because he's trying to-," he stumbled on his words before being incredulously cut off.
"He's trying?! He's fucking trying?!" She burst out while giving a sarcastic, unbelieving laugh. Clover took a step towards him and continued, "Tell me, Draco. Was he trying when he watched his own daddy treat his sisters like shit? Was he trying when he ate full meals and we were given scraps of whatever he had left? O-or how about when his father had his wand pressed against my neck, yeah? Was he trying then?!"
Her eyes were glazed over and her teeth were gritted as the air stood silent. Draco shifted uncomfortably in his spot and tore his gaze off of her as he processed the words that came out of her mouth, "Things are different now. H-he's different now."
She shook her head knowingly and in a fit of rage, threw out words before she realized what she was admitting, "If things are so fucking different then why the bloody hell is he still living lavishly and I can't even tell you where I'll be sleeping tonight, hm?!"
And just like that the two boys in the room snapped their gaze onto her in disbelief. Her glare at Draco was so strong, so threatening, so true that the boy nodded and left the shop almost immediately. The hand that held hers was softly taken away as she felt her best friend step closer to her.
"W-what?" Babs stuttered out with a saddened, shocked expression on his face, pointing a finger at her accusingly, "You told me you were still at the Leaky Cauldron..."
She opened her mouth to speak, but found no words coming out. Clover didn't want to admit that she was homeless, that she didn't know where her next meal would come from, that she carried around all of her possessions in one measly bag. But, she couldn't take the look of disappointment on Babs face. So instead, she turned around and faced away from him.
"Clo?" He softly let out, his voice low and gentle as he always was when they were dealing with her issues. His hand reached out to grab hers from behind, "Where are you staying?"
She stubbornly held her head high and looked towards the other way so not to give into him. The pride, the self-worth, the Slytherin inside of her told her to not ask for help. She could do it on her own, she didn't need help from anyone.
"Clover," his voice was louder now, more demanding. And just like that, she found herself giving into him. He never called her by her full name unless he was absolutely serious.
"No where," she whispered quietly under her breath, only being answered when he asked her to repeat what she said.
"No where. I'm staying no where, I'm a slag living on the streets. Happy now?!" She snapped while turning around to face him, the emotions inside her brimming out. But just as she spoke, the bell overhead the door rang out and a gaping Lee stood frozen in his place.
"Y-you're homeless?" Lee questioned sadly after a moment of shocked silence from both him and Babs.
Her fists tightened and she ripped her hand away from Babs' as she locked at both of their faces. Pity.
"I'm fine," she sternly said while challengingly staring at the both of them, "I'm figuring it out."
"What the fuck, Clover?!
"Clover, come on."
The two boys spoke at the same time, but she wouldn't hear any of it. She didn't need help, she convinced herself that at a very young age. She didn't need it, didn't want it, didn't take it. And so, Clover narrowed her eyes and pointed at them sternly.
"I said I'm fine," her eyes glared at Lee first and then shifted towards Babs, the two blue pools lingering on him a little bit longer, "Leave it alone."
Without waiting to hear a response, Clover abruptly turned around and disappeared into the back of the shop. Her heart was beating as fast as her legs were carrying her, and she knew that she needed to separate herself from everyone for a breath. She quietly slipped into the storage room, which was almost always empty, and quickly closed the door behind her. Her forehead rested on the cool surface as she let out a sigh of relief and frustration; the two emotions meant the same thing to her. There was never one without the other.
With her eyes shut to keep the pounding of her heartbeat steady, she turned so her back was now on the door and slid down until she was in a sitting position. Her brain was in a frenzy at the moment, images from her past forced into her brain from the unwelcome visit of Draco Malfoy: Her 5 year-old self comforting herself after losing her mum, her 8 year-old self not eating dinner for the first time ever in order to make sure Linny had enough to eat, her 11 year-old self learning the glamour charm to hide the bruises that littered her body, her 13 year-old self having his wand pressed up against her neck with the words a parent should never say to their children, her 14 year-old self running away and learning how to take care of an 11 year-old all on her own. And somewhere off to the side of her brain stood her brother, if he even deserved to be called that, watching the memories play out as he did in person. A fucking coward...
Her eyes snapped open as if it would send all of the flashing images right back to where they were hidden away, and it did. Not because she opened her eyes, but rather because of the sight in front of her when she did. She looked up to see George Weasley standing over her with a cigarette lit between his lips. Her eyes found his in a swift motion, and as soon as they did he pulled the cigarette from his mouth and let out a string of smoke.
The desire pooled up in her expression and she had to hold herself back from reaching up to grab the item from his hand. But as if reading her mind, he slowly crouched down to her level, their faces centimeters apart as he took his cigarette and placed it between her lips delicately.
Clover closed her eyes and inhaled, indulging in the strength of the substance that was replacing her vivid thoughts.
"Killers, aren't they?" The blonde girl opened her eyes as George rasped out to her, staring directly at the storm within her now visible eyes.
"Cigarettes?" She hummed as she exhaled the smoke into the centimeters of air between the two of them.
He shook his head and looked at her with an intensity, "Thoughts."
For a moment, Clover stilled as she watched him bring his face closer to hers. Her body tensed as he stopped his lips right in front of hers, their breaths mingling with each other's. But instead of connecting them, he grabbed the cigarette back from her hand and breathed in the substance. And when he breathed back out a mixture of smoke and his own scent, Clover swore that it was the most addictive drug she had ever desired. It took everything in her to keep her from colliding their faces and demanding more.
He let out a low chuckle under his breath before moving his body into the spot next to hers. Clover watched as his lips curled around the end of the roll and how his hair messily slipped over his ears as he looked over at her.
"Want to tell me why Draco Malfoy was in my shop talking about someone missing you?" He slowly spoke, breaking her concentration away from his lips.
"Y-you heard?" She nervously asked, her face turning to her left so her eyes locked onto his.
"Just the beginning," he responded, taking another inhale, "Before I came in here to get away for a bit. Who was he talking about?"
Clover held back yet another sign of relief before looking down at her lap and narrowing her eyes, "Just someone from my past."
"Ever so keen to detail," he teased her while nudging with his elbow.
"Like your one to talk," She rolled her eyes and reached over to grab the cigarette back from him, placing it her mouth as she mumbled, "Don't see you jumping to talk about your attachment issues to Angelina."
His face went rigid and his quickly plucked the smoke from her lips as he grumbled under his breath, "She's just a friend. There is nothing to talk about."
Clover rose an eyebrow at him before a smirk fell on her face and her head fell onto his shoulder, using the best mock impression of him as she continued, "Oh, Angie. I need you, please stay. I can't last three weeks without you, whose going to snuggle with me and tuck me in at night?"
"Oi, shut it," he held back a laugh at her teasing while shrugging her off of his shoulder.
The storage room fell into a silent, smoke-filled atmosphere once the chuckles from Clover's mouth ended. Wordlessly, they stared at each other, knowing that they were both trying to escape their own minds. George and Clover stayed there with heavy hearts and corrupted lungs, finding a distraction in the eyes that sat across from them. And for once, it wasn't just their unruly thoughts that kept them silent. There was comfort.
Not knowing how long they simply sat there with each other and their thoughts, George eventually looked over at Clover, "Are you alright, really?"
Clover returned the glance and rose one of her eyebrows challengingly, "Are you?"
There was no answer that needed to be said; they already knew it. Because if they were, they wouldn't be in a small storage closet getting away from the world. Instead, it was a wordless pact. George would keep his secrets and Clover would keep hers.
As if solidifying the thought, George stood up and reached out a hand to Clover. He put the cig out under his shoe just as she took his hand and brought herself back onto her feet.
"Come on," he gestured his head towards the door.
"Where are we going?" She questioned, letting her hand stay in his for a moment longer.
The ginger boy brought his mouth closer to her ears, whispering lowly before pulling away and smirking, "Back to work, of course."
Clover matched his playfulness and looked him directly in the eyes as she quipped, "Yes, sir."
He visibly bit his inner cheek and rolled his eyes before opening the door to the storage room and leading them out into the shop. Just as they rounded the corner into the main area, Clover and George came face-to-face with a stern, arm-crossed Molly Weasley. And behind her, were two smirking boys.
"Hey, mum, what are you-,"
"Clover, dear, follow me," Molly cut off her son while taking the blonde girl's hand.
"W-why? Where are we going?" Clover shyly asked while curiously glancing back at Babs and Lee.
Molly smiled at her warmly, yet authoritatively, giving her no room for arguing, "Home."
Not even a second later, the two smirking boys watched Molly apparate herself and Clover out of the shop, not before receiving a glare from the latter girl.
"What was that about?" George asked as he curiously stared between Lee and Babs.
"Nothing," the two replied with accomplished smirks on their faces.
George may have shrugged off the situation, but Babs had genuinely smiled at it. Because for once in his life, he knew Clover was about to have a home. A real home with a real family, a warm bed, a meal every night, and people who cared about her. And little did he know, the boy next to him was thinking the same exact thing.
Because Lee knew that's what the burrow was: A home for everyone and anyone who needed it.
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AUTHORS NOTE:
HI EVERYONE!!! SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE, I had a bad cold and wasn't really able to do any writing. Buttttt here it is now:)
Hmmm who do we think the brother is??? And what do we think about Molly taking in Clover?
Theres still some VERY needed characters and drama that need to be introduced, so stay tuned (this is a slow-burn btw)!!!