Warning - emotional and physical abuse.
Snow had finally started to fall at Hogwarts, and a few of us Gryffindors were out having a snowball fight in the clocktower courtyard. The snow was glistening in the sunlight, the fountain had frozen over mid-stream and icicles were hanging from everywhere they possibly could. Flich had cleared a path from the entrance to the castle across the courtyard to the bridge that takes you down to Hagrid's, the lake and the forbidden forest.
"NONONONONONONO! Owwww, Freddie!" I screamed as Fred tackled me into one of the snow piles Filch had left behind.
"You made it too easy." I threw a handful of snow in his face. "Oww, Lissa."
"You made it too easy." I mocked.
"That's it." He said as he started to bury me in the snow.
"Fred! Stop!" I shouted through my laughter.
"Get off her! What do you think you're doing? My father will hear about this."
Fred stopped burying me and we both looked up to see a very red faced, angry Draco pulling on Fred's coat. His little Slytherin gang standing as body guards behind him.
"Draco, we're just having fun. I know you know what that is." Fred and I stood up, Fred crossing his arms and Draco putting his hands on his hips, the both of them staring at each other in utter disgust. Draco looked so puny staring up at Fred, who looked to be nearly 6ft tall at only thirteen years old. I threw a snow ball at Draco to try and break the tension that had started to melt the snow in close proximity.
"Melissa! Uggh." He groaned and stormed off with the rest of his little Slytherin gang.
"No offense Lissa. But he's an ass."
"Hey, he's not that bad. When he's on his own at least." I said looking over to the archway where they were now sitting after bullying some Hufflepuff girls out of it.
"Fred!" Shouted George running over to join us. "Look who it is." He was pointing to Quirrel who had just stepped into the courtyard from the bridge.
"Ohh Lissa, watch this. You're going to love it."
I walked over to Holly and Maddi, who were sitting on the wall of the fountain. "Any idea what they're up to now?" Asked Holly.
"No idea, but according to Fred I'm going to love it."
The three of us watched as the twins quickly made a pile of snow balls and then took out their wands. I have absolutely no idea what spell they used, but the snow balls rose up into the air and one by one started to hit Professor Quirrel on the back of his turban. This sent the entire courtyard into fits of laughter. Well, except from Draco and his band of followers, Heather being one them. She looked the most disgusted, even more so than Draco.
"I'm really starting to worry about her." Said Holly, who I hadn't realised was looking in the same direction as me. "She's changed. She's always angry now and every time I ask her to hang out she comes up with an excuse. I don't know if it's finding out that we're both adopted or that she's found out she's a pure blood or who knows what it could be because she won't talk to me."
"Wow am I glad I don't have a sister." Stated a badly timed Maddi.
"Maddi! Not the right time." I told her sternly.
"Sorry." She said sarcastically.
I rolled my eyes and tried to cheer up Holly. "I'm not sure Draco is being very helpful, maybe it's a Slytherin thing. He seems to be very angry all the time lately Maybe it will be easier when it's just you two at home for christmas."
"She'll probably go off with her old friends."
"I'm sure your parents won..." I was cut off by Professor Quirrel's temper snapping at the twins. "Well that's them in detention every day until Christmas."
The twins came running over to us with massive grins on their faces. "Well ladies?" Asked Fred.
"What did you think?" Asked George.
"I'd like your pranks a lot better if you two didn't get in trouble for them." Said Holly. That made me laugh.
"Ohh come on, we only got one detention."
"How on Godric's earth did you manage that?" I asked in amazed shock. "Surely for an attack on a teacher you should be in a lot more trouble than just one detention?"
"It's professor Quirrell, he could only st st stammer so much." Said Fred getting a laugh out of the boys and Maddi.
"Fred!" I shouted at him while trying to hold in my own laughter.
Just then the lunch bell rang and everyone started to head inside. As we walked into the great hall I felt a hand weave it's way into mine, I turned to see Eddie with a beaming smile on his face.
"Hi" I greeted him as I smiled back.
"Hi. Coming to my table for lunch?" He asked as my friends claimed our usual spot at the Gryffindor table.
"I thought we were having dinner together."
"Let's eat lunch together too."
I looked over to my friends, who were chatting and laughing and had already started to eat lunch without me. "Sure, okay." I said rather reluctantly with a smile on my face.
We went and sat down at the Ravenclaw table. As usual the long tables were covered in gold platters of delicious, mouth-watering food. Today's choices were sandwiches with every filling you could think of, from plain ham or chicken to toasted breakfast sandwiches dripping with baked beans. There were even stoat sandwiches that only seemed to be consumed by Hagrid. Along with sandwiches there were bowels of every flavour of crisp and trays upon trays of fresh fruit.
During lunch we chatted about what we had been doing so far today and about our plans together after dinner. We also talked about what we going to be doing in-between lunch and dinner, which started a whispering argument.
"Eddie I don't understand, we will see each other again in a couple of hours."
"But I didn't make any plans because I wanted to hang out with you, but clearly you don't want to hang out with me."
"I never said that!"
"You may as well have."
"You should have asked me if you wanted to hang out. I have not done anything wrong."
"You never have any time for me."
"That's not true and you know it. We made plans for tonight and my friends asked me to hang out during the day, and I said yes because I was free."
"Those friends being boys."
"I'm not getting into this again."
"And you spend alone time with Cedric."
"And I've told you before that we are just friends and we meet up every Tuesday in the library to STUDY!" That got a few looks from people, including my friends one table over. "Stop this now."
"Fine, but I'm coming with you from now on."
"Fine."
"Fine."
We sat in silence for the rest of lunch, and once I was finished eating I got up to leave. "I'll see you back here for dinner." He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back towards him. "Oww, Eddie you're hurting me!" I said quickly before he kissed me.
"See you at dinner." He said with a smile, as if nothing had happened.
As I walked out of the great hall I thought about how we have had this argument quite a few times now, and every time he acts as if nothing ever happened and everything is okay. Why doesn't he trust me? Or does he not trust my friends? How do I show him my loyalty? Maybe he will trust me once he starts coming to the library on a Tuesday.
"Liss, are you okay? What was all that about with Eddie." Asked Holly. My friends had been waiting for me at the entrance to the hall.
"All what?" I asked, as if nothing had happened. Maybe I get why Eddie does that.
"Umm, never mind I guess." She said rather confused. I can't blame her, I know the feeling.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Honeydukes awaits."
Holly's POV
"I don't like him." I said we sat down for lunch.
"You're just jealous." Said Lee.
"I am definitely not jealous!"
"I don't like him either, he tries to control her and she doesn't even see it." Agreed Maddi.
"Look she's going to eat lunch at the Ravenclaw table again. She hasn't eaten lunch with us in weeks." I stated.
"She hasn't eaten dinner with us either." Said Fred.
"Why doesn't she bring him over here?" Asked George. "I mean, it would be nice to get to know the guy who has taken our friend away." He got a weird look from Fred for that.
"I don't see it lasting." Said Maddi.
"Why do you say that?" Asked Fred.
"She's not as happy as she used to be."
"She said he doesn't like that she's friends with boys."
Just then we heard Liss whisper shouting at Eddie. "STUDY!" Everyone around them stopped talking and looked in their direction, including us.
"See what I mean. She's not happy." Said Maddi.
"We probably won't see her for the of the day now."
"I thought their plans were after dinner." Said Fred.
"We'll just have to wait and see." Said Maddi.
Once lunch was over we left the hall and waited for Liss in the corridor, hoping she wouldn't ditch us for Eddie AGAIN.
Thankfully she left the great hall alone and came right over to us.
"Liss, are you okay? What was all that about with Eddie." I asked her.
"All what?" she asked, as if nothing had happened.
"Umm, never mind I guess." I said rather confused.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Honeydukes awaits."
*
After our trip through the one-eyed witch passageway to Honeydukes and raiding their cellar, we headed back up to the common room to hang out in the warmth. Liss and I had headed up to our dorm to change into warmer jumpers. I had just come out of our bathroom where I found Liss holding onto the back of her wooden desk chair.
"Liss, are you okay?" I asked rushing over to her.
"Yea just a little light headed." I helped her over to her bed for her to lie down. "Thank you Holly."
"You're welcome. What were you doing that made you feel light headed?"
"I knocked over the glass jar of powdered dragon claw and caught it, but I must have stood up too quickly."
"What's wrong with you?" Asked Maddi as she entered the dorm.
"Too much physical activity" I joked.
She laughed at that, then asked. "You trying to outdo Potter eh?"
"Ha ha, you're both so funny." Said a very weak Liss.
"Maybe we should take you madame Pomfrey." I suggested.
"No I'm fine, honestly."
"You can't even sit up without being out of breath." Said Maddi coming over to sit on the other side of her.
"No, I'm supposed to meet up with Eddie later."
"I'll go tell him why you can't meet up tonight." Said Maddi.
"No, he'll be mad if I don't go see him."
"What do you mean he'll be mad?"
"He just likes spending time with me."
Maddi and I gave each other a look. This is what we were talking about at lunch with the boys. We want to bring it up to her, but we don't really know how to. Her saying this is just proving our point though.
"Okay then, we'll leave to rest."
"Have a nap and we'll wake you for dinner." Said Maddi.
We walked out the door and down to the common room.
"What the fuck!?" Said Maddi.
"I told you I didn't like him."
"He'll get mad, what does that even mean?"
"You don't think he would hurt her, do you?"
"I swear if he even lifts a finger to her I'll kill him."
"Who you killing?" Asked George as we sat down and joined the boys at the table they picked.
"Eddie."
"Why? What's he done to Lissa?" Asked Fred standing up.
"Wow calm down. He hasn't done anything." I said.
"Yet." Said Maddi.
We explained what had just happened in our dorm to the boys and what Liss had said.
"Maybe we should tell Draco." I suggested. "He might tell his parents and maybe they'll do something about it?"
"Do you think Lucius would do anything though?" Asked Lee
"Doubt it with what Liss has told us, but Narcissa might do something" Said George.
Maddi was starting to get angry at the whole situation. "I hate him. How does she put up with him. I wish Fred would jus....."
She stopped mid-sentence and her face had went bright red and looked as if she had nearly spilled a top-secret government information.
"You wish Fred would just what?"
"Nothing." She said staring wide eyed at Fred. He was staring back at her, and if looks could kill she would be long gone.
"Fred likes Liss." Said George.
"From the moment they met." Said Lee.
"Seriously!" Said Fred. "She's not going to be able to keep this from her."
"I pinky promise." I held out my pinky finger to make the promise with him.
"What the hell is a pinky promise?" He asked.
"It's when you link piny fingers to bind the promise, means more than just saying promise."
"So it's like an unbreakable curse you just don't die." Said Maddi.
"Okay we'll get back to talking about what on earth an unbreakable curse is later."
"Fine." He held out his pinky and the promise was sealed.
"I agree, I wish you had got there first." I said.
Lissa's POV
After dinner I still wasn't feeling the best but Eddie wouldn't give up about wanting to spend time with me. I guess I shouldn't be complaining, my boyfriend likes to spend time with me, that's a good thing. We went to his common room and spent the evening sitting on one of the large velvet navy blue arm chairs. We chatted for a while until I fell asleep apparently.
I woke up on Eddie's lap with my head on his shoulder. He had thrown a sliver blanket over the top of us and he was reading a book. "What time is it?" I asked him.
"Twenty-five past two, how did you sleep?"
"In the morning?" I asked jumping up. "Eddie you should have woke me, I need to get back to my dorm."
"It's fine, just stay here tonight and then go back to get ready for classes early."
"The girls will be worrying about where I am though. I have to go back."
"Melissa, it's fine. Just lay back down. I like having you here."
I thought for a moment, I really should go back to my own dorm but I could get caught by one of the professors and what would my excuse be? Oh sorry professor I just fell asleep in the wrong common room on my boyfriend's lap. I don't think that would go down well. Plus Eddie was holding onto my arm for dear life so I couldn't really go if I tried.
"Okay, fine." I said laying my head back down on his shoulder. "What are you reading?"
"Le Bon Bon De Jour"
"Is it any good?"
"Yea."
"What's it about?"
"Stop asking questions and go to sleep."
I did as I was told and stopped talking, I didn't want to make him mad. I don't like it when he's mad.
I must have fallen asleep again pretty quickly. I was woken up by the bright sunlight coming in through the ceiling. As I tried to get up I was pulled back down by Eddie grabbing my arm. It hurt a little, why did it hurt?
"Don't go, let's just stay here for the whole day."
"No Eddie I really have to go this time." I said trying to squirm my way out of the bear hug he had me in.
He let me go and said. "Fine leave me all alone. I'll see you in class." He got up and headed to his own dorm leaving me standing in his common room. Not even a kiss.
I walked back to my dorm and as I walked through the door I was greeted by a very angry Holly in her pyjamas and fluffy dressing gown. "Where on earth have you been? I've been up all night worried. Where have you been?"
"Well, I, I was with Eddie." I said trying to get past her.
"Where?" She shouted.
"The Ravenclaw common room, why? You're not my mum."
"No but I'm your best friend and you can't just disappear and not come back until the next morning and not tell me especially after how you felt yesterday."
Okay she has a point, she was really worried about me yesterday I should have at least told her where Eddie and I were going after dinner. "Okay, I'm sorry I worried you. Can I get past you now?"
She let me past so I could go get a shower. As I was getting undressed I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror above the sink. So that's why my arm hurt when Eddie had pulled me back down. There were four bruise marks that wrapped across the top of my forearm and one round one on the underneath. I knew he had grabbed my arm kind of hard to keep me from leaving in the early hours of the morning, but I must have been too tired to notice how hard.
BANG BANG BANG! "Hurry up, we all need to get ready." Shouted Maddi as she banged on the door bringing me out of my daze.
"Sorry," I said jumping into the shower.
*
I was able to avoid Eddie as much as possible yesterday and today without making him mad, but now it was Tuesday after classes and he was sitting in the library with Cedric and I. I didn't want to be near him. I still wasn't sure what to do. Do I tell the girls? Do I tell him? Does he know what he did? Did he mean to hurt me? Does that matter? What do I do?
Before Cedric had joined us Eddie was getting like a jealous toddler, swearing he'll hurt Cedric if he flirts with me. Thankfully we weren't waiting for him too long and I didn't have to hear anymore of his threats towards Cedric. I'm not explaining that I'm just friends with Cedric, Fred, George and lee again.
Cedric was looking forward to meeting Eddie, like any normal person, and was trying to get to know him a little. Of course Eddie was being blunt and rude towards him the entire time.
"So, is Eddie short for anything?"
"No."
"Where are you from?"
"Barnton."
"Any siblings?"
"No."
Cedric was clearly getting frustrated at him. He gave me a questioning look and I smiled at him as if nothing was wrong. I continued with my Herbology essay while Cedric continued to try and get a decent conversation with Eddie until madam Pince finally shhh'd them.
"Maybe we should just get our homework done now." Said Eddie with a sour tone.
Again Cedric looked at me as if to say what the fuck is wrong with him? And again I just smiled and ignored it.
Sometime went by, the three of us working in silence, until I got stuck with my essay and asked Cedric for some help, like I always do seeing as he has already done this essay. However because Eddie was also with us there wasn't as much room at the table as there usually was, so I went round to sit at the same side as Cedric. I could see Eddie watching my every move.
A few minutes by and then all of a sudden Eddie bolted up out of his and started packing up his stuff. "Eddie?" I whispered.
"I can't watch this." He said as he stormed off.
"Watch what?" Asked Cedric, but Eddie ignored him.
"Shhhhh." Madam Pince was glaring at us.
I was so embarrassed, but I knew I needed to follow him. "I'm so sorry Cedric." I apologised as I packed up my things.
"Don't be, but what's wrong with him?"
"Shhhhh."
"I don't know." I lied, kind of. I'm not really sure what his problem is, I have never done anything for him not to trust me. "I need to go after him."
"I'll come with you if you want."
"No that will just make things worse. Thank you though."
"Shhhhh."
"Mel?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
Of course, why wouldn't I be?"
"I mean.....never mind, go find Eddie." He said with a smile.
I left the library and searched all of Eddie's usual spots. I found his friends in the great hall playing wizard chess, but they hadn't seen him. After no luck I decided to just enter the Ravenclaw common room myself.
I used the large knocker on the door without a handle and the door asked me a riddle. "What am I?"
"A door."
Nothing.
"A door knocker."
Nothing.
Why can't it just be a password like Gryffindor. What if you never get the answer? What happens then? Not every Ravenclaw is that smart. I'm sure some of them have had to sleep out here on the floor. I need to stop distracting myself, he has to be in here. I need to answer this question, wait a second.
There's no way.
"A Question?"
It opened.
I'm so happy I'm in Gryffindor.
I quickly scanned the common room for him before heading to his dorm room.
"There you are." I said as I walked into his room. "Go away Melissa."
"No, not until you explain to me why you had to embarrass me like that."
"Embarrass you? How dare you!" He stood up from his bed and slowly started to walk towards me. "Do you know how you made me look to everyone in that library?" I didn't answer him. He was scaring me. "You made me look like a fool. Sitting there, with you two all cosy beside each other." He was getting too close. I started to step back. I thought I had left the door open. My back hit the door and he was too close for me to open it. "How dare you embarrass me like that." He was right in my face now. "It will never happen again." He demanded. "Will it?" He asked.
"No." I whispered. It was all I could muster, I was so scared of him.
"Good girl. Now, why don't we finish our essays here?"
I nodded in agreement. A single tear running down my cheek.
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DISCLAIMER
I do not own any of these characters except Melissa, Holly, Maddi and Heather. The rest belong to J.K Rowling.