George POV:
I knew girls were batty, every single one of them. Especially my girl. My sexy, funny, intelligent, girl. Or at least, that's what she used to be to me. Over the last three days, I wasn't quite sure what I thought of her.
I mean, I was still irrevocably in love with her, don't get me wrong. That was the reason why I was so bloody worried for her. She weighed less than one hundred pounds, certainly, her bones noticeable under her thin skin, and horrid black circles under her eyes, making her look like the walking dead. Over the last three days she didn't leave her room, although I was allowed to come in and sit in awkward silence while she read for hours on end or did some form of school work.
She didn't touch her food. She didn't say more than ten words at once. She rejected every advance I made towards her.
Don't give me that look! I'm a only a man! Just because she looks like bloody hell doesn't mean I don't find her sexy. I know it sounds weird, but I can't really explain it. Mum says it means that I really am in love with her.
So today, the fourth day after her return, I'll do the exact same thing. Roll out of bed and Floo over to Acelynne's without even a shower.
"Morning" Fred grumbled as I walked out of my room, a rather large mug of tea cupped in his hands.
"Same to yah" I said, pulling my jumper over my head. "I'm heading over to Ace's."
"As I expected" he grinned. "When am I going to get a chance to see my best mate?" I raised my eyebrows before furrowing them.
"I'm hoping at mum's tonight, if I can get her to leave her room" I sighed, plucking the mug from his hands and downing half of it.
"Go get your own tea, you git!" Fred said, taking back his mug and holding it to his chest protectively.
"No time mate, I'm leaving as soon as I can. Anyways, I'm not sure that you'd want to see her right now... It's downright depressing." I bent down and scooped an excited looking Bart from the floor, tucking him under my arm and stepping towards the fireplace.
"Well maybe today will get her out of her rut" Fred winked and placed his mug on the counter. "Congratulations brother, you've made it two years. Who would have thought, you of all people?"
"Oh, I know it" I chuckled and grabbed a fistful of Floo powder. "Anyways, I'll probably be back here to grab the gifts before we head over to mum's."
"Sounds like a plan. Tell Ace I say hi" he said and I stepped into the fireplace, threw the powder onto the floor, shouting out Acelynne's address as I did so, and was sent whirling until I caught the familiar picture of her living room.
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3rd Person POV:
Although she wasn't completely there, Acelynne was slowing resurfacing and she didn't like it. Her empty expression had turned to one of annoyance and pain, the fuzzy feeling in the back of her head transforming into a dull, throbbing headache.
It probably had something to do with the dozens of empty bottles at the bottom of her bag.
The headache was enough to keep her from doing her schoolwork, but she still refused to leave her room. With her memory refilling at the rate of a leaky faucet, the sight of her boyfriend and father was enough to keep her hidden. She couldn't bear to look at them, knowing that she was the reason they were in danger.
"Ace" George knocked on her door rapidly before opening it without consent. She was laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling with a barely present look in her eyes.
"George" she said, still looking up at the ceiling.
The ginger boy pranced across the room, a lime green fur-ball tucked under his arm and a false smile on his face. "How're you feeling today?" He threw himself down beside her on the bed and let the fur-ball go. Bart bounced slightly before springing upwards and landing heavily on her stomach.
Acelynne shivered slightly and wrapped her arms around herself. The back of her head continued to throb, and now she had begun to shake. A sign of withdrawal that was easily mistaken for a cold on Georges part.
"You cold?" he asked, sitting up and plucking Bart from her stomach. Ace nodded slightly, her glassy eyes shifting from the ceiling to Bart in his arms.
"Can I have him?" she asked, stretching out her arms from him. George gave a weak smile, handing him back to her before getting off of the bed and opening her jumper drawer. He picked out an old Gryffindor sweater and placed it on the bed in front of her.
"There you go" he said, sitting down next to her. Unthinkingly, he reached a hand out and placed it on the back of her head, pulling her forward enough to kiss her forehead. He tried not to jump back in shock as her pale skin burnt his lips. "Not feeling well?"
Acelynne shrugged and continued to pet Bart. "Not really" she said quietly over the sound of her stomach growling. It was a new sound in her ears, not having heard it for months.
"Hungry too?" George asked and Ace nodded. "Well then, let's go get you some food!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet as she placed Bart on her shoulder. "Your dad's been making chocolate pancakes like a mad man. Does he always do that when you're home?"
"Pretty much" she shrugged and George led her out of her room for the first time in four days.
Her father all but had a heart attack when he saw the door open and Acelynne walk out after George. He immediately pulled out a chair for her before running into the kitchen and throwing a stack of pancakes together. "I made your favourite!" he said hurriedly.
"I know" Acelynne gave a soft smile and Bart jumped down from her shoulder and onto the table.
"So, I was wondering if you wanted to head out into the city today, go Christmas shopping? Or we could always stay in, watch some holiday specials? I think A Christmas Carol is on tonight" Jacobson walked back into the room with three plates, three mugs, pot of tea, and a stack of pancakes floating behind him.
"I'm not feeling too well.... Is the latter okay?" Acelynne asked, her eyes focused clearly on the food.
"Of course. George, you're obviously invited to our little movie night as well" Jacobson smiled gratefully at George, especially for getting Acelynne out of her room.
"I'll stay for a while, but my mum's making dinner for all of us at the Burrow. You two are invited obviously, but if Ace isn't feeling very well I'm sure they'd understand" he smirked and rubbed Ace's shoulders quickly as he reached across the table and stopped Bart from leaping into the pancakes.
"I think it'd be best if I stayed in" Ace said, pulling three pancakes onto her plate with a greedy look in her eyes.
They fell into a content silence, the males just glad that she was somewhat functioning. They watched her tentatively as her shaking hands cut up the pancakes and stuffed piece after piece into her mouth, as if she hadn't seen food in a very long time.
Jacobson finished one before pushing away from the table and wiping his hands on his pants. "I still have to go into town for a bit, but I'll be back soon enough" he smiled and headed for the door, grabbing his jacket and wallet on the way out.
Acelynne continued to eat her pancakes but George had stopped, allowing Bart to finish off his plate. "Ace?" he asked and she looked up at him, her lips covered completely with chocolate.
He chuckled before leaning forwards and pecking her on the lips, taking some of the chocolate with him. "You know I miss you, right? Enough to possibly head back to Hogwarts and finish my last year, just to be with you?" Even through the barrier, these words broke her hear a million times over again.
And if she was able to cry, she would.
"You wouldn't really" she joked and he shook his head.
"I probably would if you asked me" he said.
"But you wouldn't be happy" she whispered, laying her hand flat against the table and waiting for his to reach out to her.
"But you would" he said. "Ace, what's going on with you? It's like a part of you is missing...." he shook his head, turning away for the briefest moment.
"There's nothing missing" Acelynne said defensively, pulling her hand away and reaching towards Bart, who had rolled over onto his back with his feet high in the air, obviously stuffed. With a squeak he was pulled towards her and forced into her lap.
"Can we please change the subject? I've stopped doing my work and I don't want to spend the little time we have together talking about it" she said suddenly.
"Of course" George said before pulling his wand out of his sock. With a flick, his rucksack had flown across the room and landed by his feet. "So, since you won't be coming to dinner with us and opening presents, I thought you might want to do it now" he smiled, unzipping the front pocket and pulling out something the size of a wrapped shoebox.
"Okay" Acelynne placed Bart back onto the table and stood up, walking slowly back into her room.
"Where are you going?" he chuckled, although a pang of concern hit him.
"To get your gift too" she smiled weakly, disappearing for a moment before returning with a large box trailing behind her in the air. "Open mine first" it settled on the ground between them and George looked at her with wide eyes.
"That box is huge Ace" he said in awe. "What's inside?"
"Just open it" she shook her head and pulling Bart back into her arms as George settled on his knees in front of the box, checking every square inch of wrapping.
"Where'd you get it if you didn't leave the school all semester?" he asked and Ace merely rolled her hollow eyes.
"There's such thing as mail-order."
"Oh yeah" George chuckled before raising his hands tentatively and gently lifting up a perfectly taped corner. For a moment it seemed as if his mission was to keep the gift-wrap completely intact, until he suddenly ripped it off in three swift movements, his eyes gleaming like a child's.
He took no care when opening the box, tossing the tape to the side along with the wrappings. What he found inside that box was nothing less than a wonder, causing him to gasp in a way he'd never admit to doing.
He stared at the shining black box in wonder, the smooth glass screen capturing his amazing expression.
"You got me a television?" he whispered.
"You love the one in my room so much...." Ace shrugged, bouncing the lime green ball of fluff on her knee.
"Love, I just love being in your room" he winked, sealing the box back up again. "But I do love this too Ace. Thank you" he crawled around the box quickly to peck Acelynne firmly on the mouth before placing her gift in front of her.
"Your turn!" he said excitedly, clapping his hands before sliding away by about a foot.
Acelynne opened the box carefully, her gaze shifting from the gift, to her boyfriend, and then back again. The first thing she saw was a picture frame, a photo of her and George in her forth year, right after the shopkeeper in the dress shop had given it to her. After they had began to date. Of course, she didn't quite remember that, so she was left with a million buzzing questions in her head.
George and Acelynne smiled for the picture briefly, leaning into each other and glowing like all new couples do. And then George winked at the camera and picked Acelynne up by around the waist, spinning her around and kissing her temple. Once he put her down, she swatted at his chest before planting one on his lips.
And the picture restarted.
"There's more" George prompted, taking the sterling silver frame and setting it on the floor.
Acelynne cocked an eyebrow before reaching her hand in further and pulling out a long wooden box. She raised it to eye level, inspecting it carefully before looking down at George.
"Open it!!!" he bounced slightly as he spoke.
And she did, her eyes widening in shock when she saw the golden, oval locket inside. Picking it up, she placed it in her hand and read the inscription on the back. To my forever... it read. Acelynne opened it, only to find another photo of them, one she definitely didn't remember being taken. She was curled against George's chest, his head on top of hers, both of their eyes closed in peace.
"Kelly and Laura took it" he said sheepishly. "Do you like it?"
Acelynne closed the locket and held it in a tight hand. "I love it" she said, holding it out to him. "Put it on me?"
George nodded and stood up, slinging the necklace gently around her neck, letting his fingers linger by her collar bone. He bent down, kissing the crook of her neck and she turned to face him. "Happy two-year anniversary" he whispered softly, cupping her chin. "I love you."
"I love you too" she said, looking down at her locket. "I'll never take it off" she whispered, her lips only centimetres away from his.
George chuckled and pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her waist. "But I can think of some other things you can take off" he said, toying with the hem of her shirt.
"Like what?" Acelynne said, cocking her head to the side, creating a centimetre of taunting space between their lips.
"I have some ideas" George said before stepping away from her, taking her in from head to toe, before swooping up her light body and carrying her to her bedroom.
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Acelynne's thoughts began to clarify as the days went on, causing her to admit that her potion store was running dangerously low and as her window of opportunity to steal more potions was beginning to shrink. Of course, this made her realise that going back to St. Mungo's for a third time to steal potions would probably push her luck, and increase her chance of getting arrested, losing George, and any chances she had to get a good job.
It was a never ending chain.
Then again, how was she going to be able to leave the house when her withdrawal was getting worse every single day? The headache had turned into an all-out migraine, causing her to shrink away from all light like a dementor. She felt like she had been dunked in a bucket of ice-water, when really she looked pale, clammy, and feverish. She couldn't sleep although she was constantly plagued with fatigue, and her recently returned appetite has disappeared again.
The final straw for her occurred on her second last day of holidays.
Getting up from her bed, sheets kicked to the floor and pillows drenched with sweat, Acelynne padded across the room and entered her bathroom. Without turning on the lights, she set the sink taps to spew boiling hot water and stuck her hands underneath, cringing in pain from the sting.
After a few moments, she cupped her hands and filled them with water before splashing the scalding liquid onto her face. It stung, but she felt one hundred times worse on the inside. Reminding herself that it would all be over in the matter of a few hours, she straightened up and tried to get a good look at herself in the dark.
She didn't find herself looking at herself, strawberry blond hair and lightly freckled face. Nor did she find herself looking at the skeleton she had become. Her hair had darkened, becoming crimson. Her non-existent makeup was smudged to the point where she highly resembled a raccoon. The corners of her mouth twisted up into a malevolent smile as she raised a clawed hand.
Acelynne was coherent enough to know this wasn't her.
The woman in the mirror dragged her fingered along the inside of the glass, creating an awful, high-pitched grind. Ever so slowly her scratch marks began to form letters, which then formed two words.
Welcome back.
Acelynne bent back down over the sink, a sudden wave of bile forcing its way up her throat. She heaved uncontrollably, nothing but liquids coming up from her empty stomach. When she was finished, she turned on the cold water and rinsed the sink before splashing some more water on her face.
She closed her eyes tightly, fumbled around to turn off the tap, and raised her head. Internally counting to three, she opened her eyes to be look at a spotless mirror.
Acelynne sighed and stumbled back into her room, changing her clothes quickly before walking out of the front door of her apartment in unlaced trainers, and with her wand in her jacket pocket.
Luckily, on her way down the stairs she wasn't seen by a soul, because they would know something was wrong. A teenage girl, exiting her apartment at nearly one in the morning, looking as though she had been starved and drugged for the last six months, was a sight to cause sore eyes, especially because in this case, it was true.
There was a new boy in charge of the fees on the bus now, but Acelynne didn't really notice. And if she had, she would have been relieved, especially because of Stan's ability to recognize her every time she was on the bus, even though she hardly used it
"St. Mungo's" she muttered and the boy nodded, squinting down at her as she sat on one of the beds.
"Not feeling too well?" the boy asked and Acelynne shrugged noncommittally.
"Something like that" she said, staring out the front window with a glassy look in her eyes.
"I here there's a case of Dragon Pox going around" the boy said, obviously trying to start a conversation with her, despite the fact her looks could rival those of a hag.
"Let's hope that's not it" Acelynne said, the bus suddenly coming to a halt. "Anyways, this is my stop." Without casting a look behind her, she got off the bus and stepped onto the sidewalk, her hand grasping her wand in her pocket.
A tiny bit of anxiousness began to build in her chest as she headed for the door of the abandoned-looking building. It was enough anxiousness to cause her to pick up speed in her clumsy step and trip over her untied lace.
Her hands shot out immediately from her pockets to stop the fall, her wand flying into the air and rolling into the alleyway. With an oomph and a clatter of wood, she toppled to the ground, narrowly missing a dumpster. She laid there for a moment, her hands stinging as they were pressed hard against the cement.
That's when she heard it, a door open, the squeaking of un-oiled wheels, the tinkling of glass knocking together, and someone whistling a merry tune. Suddenly, the noises stopped altogether and the sound of foot prints became closer and closer to her head.
"You alright?" said the raspy voice of a man. Acelynne looked up to see the kindly face of an elderly man, his short hair a dazzling silver, looking down at her with concern. Acelynne nodded and he grabbed her by the elbow, hoisting her gently to her feet.
"Thank you" she whispered, brushing off her knees and hands.
"This yours?" he asked, holding up her wand. She nodded and gave him a once over, from work boots to the collar of his St. Mungo's Custodial Crew jumpsuit.
"Yes" she said, taking back her wand and placing it in her pocket once again.
"What happened?" he said, putting his hand protectively on her shoulder as he steered her into the alleyway towards a cart of empty potions bottles.
"Tripped over my own feet" she laughed quietly, bending down to tie up her trainers.
"Good thing we're in front of a hospital. I'm guessing it happens a lot to you?" he asked, shaking his head and laughing along with her. "I'm Eugene."
"Acelynne" Ace said, standing back up. "Yah, it tends to happen from time to time, but I'm used to it" she shrugged and looked at the cart over his shoulder.
"Well, if everything's okay here with you, I'm going to get back to work" Eugene said, wiping his hands together and turning around. "It's been nice meeting you, little missy. Try watching where you step, you hear me?"
"Yes'sir" Acelynne craned her neck in order to get a good look at his trolley. "Uhm, if you don't mind me asking, why are you pushing around that trolley of empty bottles?" she asked innocently, causing the man to turn back around to face her, a humour look on his face.
"New rule passed by the Potion's Board at the Ministry. This here potion was banned from all of Europe; apparently it does more harm than good. I've been ordered to dispose of every last drop in this hospital before it's released in the Profit. I was just taking these bottles out to the trash" he shrugged and began to walk back towards the trolley. "This is the last of 'em."
"Oh" Acelynne said, scratching her head. She blinked for a moment before taking a step back, itching to get into the hospital and find her own potion. "This potion must be a big deal" she said, only half interested. "What's it called?"
Eugene looked up at the dark sky for a moment before he answered her. "Something French.... Memoire Flou....it means-ˮ
"Fuzzy memory" Acelynne finished, the severity of the situation taking a few seconds longer than it would normally take to sink it.
"That's it" he snapped his fingers and began to push his trolley down the alley. "Anyways, good night!" and with that, Eugene disappeared into the darkness, the only sign he was ever there the echoing of his merry whistle still hanging in the air.