"I know its hard to escape the past and start it again
Those memories of all the future hearts you've killed
You say it's easier just to hide yourself away
So shut the windows, lock the doors and disappear
We've got scars on our future hearts
But we never look back
I am lost inside this endless haze of life
But this life is mine to live"
-Old Scars/Future Hearts, All Time Low
****
George sat against his pillows with a frown, studying his notes on the puking pastels with a long sigh. Harper looked up from her book she'd been reading while resting against his legs, smiling up at him as his brow creased in concentration.
"Let me see your hands," Harper spoke softly, putting down her book and sitting up.
George glanced at her with a frown, cracking his neck, "sorry, I was looking over the puking pastels. Freddie said they're not consistent in taste..."
"I understand, we'll fix it in a moment, let me see your hands," she smiled, holding out her own.
He sat up, crossing his legs underneath him, holding out his hands for her, Harper traced the lines on his right hand with a thoughtful smile, lacing their fingers as she studied his palm. Running her nails along the calluses in the fleshy part with a smile, looking over the heart line and head line.
A long heart line...tending to fall fast and hard in love
George rested his cheek against his other hand as he watched Harper smiling to herself.
"Well come on, I'm waiting for your lecture on palmistry, gorgeous," George grinned, his hair flopping into his eyes.
"Don't you pay attention in class?" Harper felt her face flush.
"Not when a pretty girl is holding my hand," he snorted, lifting their interlaced hands.
"Funny, except it's typically Freddie who's your partner," she muttered, George chuckled pulling her forward and falling back onto his pillows again. She was increasingly aware of his hand that rested on her back, the heat from his fingertips burned through her jumper to her skin. Her fingers mindlessly reaching for strands of his hair at the nape of his neck.
"You can breathe, love," his voice was soft as he laughed. His other hand lifting her chin up as his brown orbs stared longingly into her own.
"I-I-I am-" George flashed a smirk, his hand moved from her chin, trailing along her jawline and her neck before taking her hand at the nape of his neck and bringing it to his lips.
"Doesn't feel like it," he laughed, holding onto her hand and resting it on his chest between them. "So go on, Miss prefect, what lecture do you have for me?"
"You're only teasing me."
"No, no! I really love listening to you talk about something you enjoy," his nose brushed hers slightly as he leaned forward. Harper slowly shifted herself, letting herself fully rest against him as he held her on his chest, both legs propped on either side of her hips. The longer they were like this the harder it was for Harper to keep her heart from banging against her rib cage, attempting to fracture them while it beat loud and fast. She felt it hard to focus on anything but his lips or the way his eyes studied her with an amused longing, as they continued to sit this way. His eyes darted down briefly, making her even more conscious to her laying fully on top of him, her chest pressed up slightly at this angle.
Merlin let me look nice from this angle?
"The only reason you're still in divination is because I am, you don't really-"
"I care about your interests, Harpsichord, so please, I saw that look. You had a whole lecture ready," George probed again. "And I enjoy Divination for the sole purpose that its another chance to see that look on your face."
"What look?" Harper felt herself whispering for whatever reason, as if speaking any higher would break this contact.
George kissed her fingers again with a smirk, "the one where you're really yourself. The one you get when we're alone like this...you aren't guarded, you aren't worried about others, its purely you. It's rather rare."
Harper's voice caught in her throat, she didn't know how to respond.
"So come on, gorgeous. I really want to see that look," George smirked, his eyes sparking with amusement.
Harper stammered as she sat back up, away from him as she crossed her legs, feeling frighteningly cold, wishing she'd just stayed how they were.
"I only wanted to point out how long your heart line is," Harper muttered, clearing her throat.
"Hmmmm the heart line? I don't remember learning that one," George snickered.
"Weasley-"
"Harpsichord," he gave his best innocent look, his eyelashes catching the light as he gazed at her from his pillows. "What's the heart line for again? Would be good to start revising for exams after all."
Harper pursed her lips into a fine line, trying not to let him egg her on.
I won't fall for this trap
"The length can represent how you observe love. The longer it is, the harder and faster you tend to fall for others," Harper was whispering so lowly George leaned forward, pressing his nose into her neck.
"What's it do, love? I didn't catch that," George's voice was in her ear, his breath tickling her neck.
"You heard me," she stammered, her mind a swirl of thoughts as the scent of matchsticks and honey infiltrated her senses—unable to focus on anything but his hands resting around her torso.
George chuckled, his fingertips were on the edges of her jumper, gently tracing circles on her skin, he leaned his head back as he spoke. "Afraid I didn't."
"Y-Y-You did."
"Didn't."
"Did."
George's lips were alongside hers, hovering slightly above, as she stared into his eyes. If he could hear her heart, he didn't make it known as it thumped harshly in her ears after pausing for several seconds.
"I really think I'm falling in love with you, Harper," he murmured against her lips, his eyes never leaving hers. The brown melted like a chocolate frog sitting in the palm of her hand, Harper stopped breathing as she watched his eyes continue to speak of his adoration.
"I think I am too, George," she said after a moment, letting her breathing even out when his lips pressed against hers.
"You don't believe it's too soon for that do you?" George asked, it was his turn to turn red, his neck and ears flushing scarlet.
"N-n-no, I've been thinking about it myself for the last month since the Ball," Harper confessed, a hand going to her cheek, she held it in place for a moment, smiling into the warmth it provided. "I just didn't want to be the first one to 'fess up."
Always makes me stutter lately
"And after I went to the trouble to get you to talk about palm-"
"Harper Nonemacker if you're behind those curtains stay there! I need to shower and will be going in there in twenty seconds, giving you five minutes to leave the room and I mean it! You better leave! You have patrol tonight! What sort of prefect sneaks away to the opposite gender's dormitory, alone?!"
"Ten sickles says Celeste has done it," George whispered in her ear with a laugh.
Harper looked at George and both tried not to giggle as Lee loudly spoke to the room at large, stomping his feet outside the curtained walls.
"Actually they'd never know if you just stayed here," George shrugged, that mischievous glint in his eyes as he smirked.
"That's pushing our luck," Harper denied the offer, kissing his cheek as the bathroom door slammed shut. Lee's muffled voice still continuing.
"I love you, Harper," George whispered once more, making her heart sing, his voice was soft as velvet and sent an electric spark throughout her.
"That's the only time you're allowed to say Harper," she muttered against his lips.
"Mmmmm are you certain about that?" George's laugh getting louder as Harper pushed him away, her face hot as she blushed the same color as his hair, trying to get away from him while his grip turned into a vice around her.
Stupid ruddy quidditch player
"Shove off, Weasley!"
"Never," he muttered against her neck, holding her tighter to his chest. "You said you loved me after all."
He might be the death of me at this rate
Harper thought as his lips found hers, pulling her as close as physically possible, his hands on her face slowly began moving to her hair—tangling in her locks. Her heart was doing summersaults as fast as their lips were moving, willing herself to stop from letting any gasps out into the room just in case Lee did have to re-emerge from the shower.
****
The group slowly walked through the snowy village, heading to the Broomsticks with their purchases. Harper sporting an entire new set of stationery and writing supplies, begrudgingly allowed to be paid for by George.
When they got to their table, Harper felt eyes on her, a piercing stare that was grating against her occlumency walls she built to keep calm in the pub.
"H...."
Harper glanced up at Joy and Angelina who both sported worried looks.
"That's not you....is it?" Harper frowned, tapping her head as a drilling slowly edged itself into her skull. George's arm wrapped around her, pulling her close against him, the grounding effect he provided was instantaneous.
As the group was drinking their Butterbeer Harper scanned the room until she found the source of the piercing stare. Across the room sat Rita Skeeter, she was studying Harper so intensely that her expression was one of a wolf looking at their prey. Or in the reporter's case: a juicy tabloid piece.
"Ange. Where's my diary?" Harper asked hurriedly, attempting to remain calm.
"Where you left it. In Divination under Trelawney's desk," Angelina leaned forward, whispering slightly.
"Where does it start for you?" Harper's pulse quickened as she did an assessment of things.
"Your first night here, and I haven't touched it since the Yule Ball....afraid I might reading something a bit too-ouch! Bitch!" Harper stopping by her kicking at her shin.
Harper gave a small smile, clearing her throat. "Even though you brute forced your way into there past all the charms a I used....you've never seen the earlier stuff?"
"There's earlier things in there?!" Angelina and Joy whispered, both shook their heads as they realized how excited they sounded, looking slightly put off by themselves as they heard their tones.
"My expulsion is in there," Harper spoke bitterly, George's thumb rubbed a small circle into her side, the edge coming off her voice when she spoke again. "I suppose that's promising at least."
"Surprised to see you out, Nonemacker," the group looked up at the Slytherin who thought he could step up to her, his sneer making Harper glared back.
"And why's that, ferret?" Fred clipped beside Harper.
"Shouldn't you be reading tea leaves or traipsing through someone's mind right about now?" His grey eyes never leaving Harper's.
The entire room was silent, everyone at the table froze in place, Draco scoffed. Knowing he'd struck a nerve. Everything felt like it was spinning on its head, she gripped George's knee to keep herself steady. The room was upside down, her insides threatened to spew everywhere, she held her breath while trying to keep her face expressionless.
"If I see you in the corridors during patrol, I suggest you turn the other way without a word," Draco gloated.
Harper stared at her drink, breathing deeply as he walked away, the twins held onto Harper's shoulders, pushing her down to the bench before she could jump to her feet.
"You'll make a scene right now, Harps," Fred whispered in her ear.
"Just take a sip of your drink and we'll go, love," George spoke on the other side.
"Joy. We've planned for this, you take Diggory and I'll take Turner, Alicia you're on Ryder-"
"Wait, what're you talking about?" Harper asked, looking at Angelina as she gave out orders.
The girls looked at each other and smiled, "we've had a contingency plan regarding this type of thing....we'll get to the bottom of it, H," Angelina explained.
Tears welled up in her eyes, Harper didn't realize until this moment how lucky she was to have friends like this. She always knew how remarkable this group was, but for them to have a plan just in case her secret started getting out? The tears blurred her vision.
I don't deserve this lot
"We would never abandon you like they did," Alicia whispered, patting her hand. "Ange and Joy have had a contingency plan for ages, adjusted it when you became a prefect last year though."
"You're our friend, Harpsichord," Joy grinned, giving George a wink.
"Oi! how come she doesn't get hit for using George's petname?" Fred pouted, Harper felt herself snicker in response, her body reacting before her mind could get a handle on the situation.
"This isn't time for a joke, Freddie," Harper muttered, Fred's glare softened as he winked.
"Besides, I'm prettier," Joy giggled, smirking triumphantly.
"But that's the last time you use it," Harper deadpanned.
"Oi! Focus!" Lee clapped his hands at Harper.
"Right. Fred, you're to get Hermione and Ginny. Lee. Alexandria and Celeste are your task," Angelina listed everything off her fingers. "Lover boy is going to keep an eye on you, H."
"The kitchens for dinner," Joy smiled as everyone got up to leave, leaving George with all their belongings.
"Let's go, Harpsichord," George said while getting all the purchases together.
"Where are we going?" Harper asked, she didn't feel right, didn't feel good. The world was falling apart and she had nothing to grasp as they slowly walked out the pub. She reached out for George's coat, holding the fabric tightly between her fingers as they hurried back to the castle.
"Drop these off and then a bit of tea, how does that sound?"
Harper clenched her cup tightly between her hands, her magic surged for a moment through her body and left a crack along the side of the china. A skull, a cross, and an hourglass stared at her, her heart sinking as she held back her tears.
"Maybe....that's my fortune, here love here's another cup," George whispered, exchanging cups. Harper sipped her tea and looked back down, this time a clearly defined gallows could be made out. A whimper left her throat, her eyes locking with George as the dread from her warnings ate away at her. Sybill clicked her tongue from above her niece's shoulder, moving over to her desk.
"I need to-"
"No, no. The girls and them are doing recon and they'll tell us anything that comes up," George patted her hand as Sybill leaned over her crystal ball seated on her desk. "This is the part for me to keep you put wherever I could while they're out snooping."
"I need to go to McGonagall, or Snape. I need to talk to them...McGonagall promised to keep me safe from Astrid and Marz."
"Do you think they told Malfoy?" George asked, sitting back in his cushion as Harper pulled at her hair.
"I don't know! I don't know!" Harper shook, she met George's gaze, he watched her with a worried expression, his leg out and gently laying beside her own as he waited for her next request.
"What'll help right now, love?"
Harper looked over to Sybill for guidance as she continued to watch her glass ball, "poppy. Trust in your friends, this group has shown how much they love you, it's time to trust they can help quell anything before the storm worsens."
Harper nodded, going to Sybill's desk and reaching underneath the bottom drawer on the right for the false compartment that held her diary.
"Let's go then."
"Where to? McGonagall?"
Harper shook her head slightly, "whenever you're to keep me put."
Any other time, she would've blushed at the way George's mouth quirked into a smirk before falling into a slight smile. But there wasn't time for alternative thinking of activities between the couple.
Things were dire.
The fates were yelling as much.
I was thinking that too, George
****
"What did you find out?" Harper asked when the group sat around a small table in the kitchens, Joy pouring herself tea with a sour expression.
"Nothing," Joy muttered darkly.
"Celeste promised to keep us informed about the Slytherin common room," Lee sighed.
"Marcus did as well...."
"No one's heard anything," Angelina leaned her cheek on Harper's shoulder with a heavy sigh.
"I need to get my hands on that god damn ferret," Harper's knuckles turned white as she clenched her fists, George took them in his hands, unfurling her fingers and interlacing them.
"You will do nothing," Fred reprimanded her.
"Yeah, you need to stay under the radar," George agreed.
Harper looked over at George with a frown, "it'll make it all worse if we provoke the prat right now."
The group jumped when a silver tabby cat leapt onto the table between them. It's eyes locking with hers between the outlines of square spectacles in its fur.
"Miss Nonemacker, please come to my office immediately," Professor McGonagall's voice echoed from the cat as it studied her.
Every inch of her body was coated in an icy chill that rooted her to the spot, everyone looked between each other with concerned looks.
"I'll walk you there," Angelina offered.
"I'm the boyfriend, I'll walk her," George said a bit gruffly.
"Both of you walk her!" Fred suggested with an eye roll. "Honestly."
Very gently, her friends lifted her from her seat and silently walked to the transfiguration classroom. Every step seemed to echo in her ears like a drum tolling her death.
"She didn't sound mad, Harpsichord," George whispered, his hand squeezing hers slightly.
"Can you two please stay?" Harper whispered, Angelina took her free arm with a nod.
"Anything you need, H."
McGonagall looked at the three students with a neutral expression, smiling slightly at the two new guests. Of course the young student would travel to the professor's office with her two most trusted people.
"Mr. Weasley and Miss Johnson, please stay here a moment," she turned and waved Harper after her, walking into the familiar office and gently shutting the door. "Miss Nonemacker, you know I don't favor any of my students. But as you are a special case....I am doing this as a curtesy-"
This just screams doom, professor
"-the latest edition of the evening prophet was delivered tonight and while reading, there was an article I need you to prepare yourself for-"
Dead parents
Bankruptcy
High up Ministry official sacked
Family caught in an affair
Ministry official loses all
Expulsion
"-It would seem, that Rita Skeeter has gotten wind of your time at Beauxbatons. As early as tomorrow morning, the Daily Prophet will have a full excerpt in regards to your time there."
Harper felt her lungs stop working, her heart stopped immediately, she couldn't hear a single thing—not even the clock on McGonagall's desk. Every single piece of her was on fire as she willed herself to make a single sound. She tried to scream, cry, moan, but nothing left her lips as she silently stared at the Professor she trusted above all else.
"Possibly by tomorrow morning, the school will know about the reasons for your transfer and your ability with legilimency."
The worst possible thing that she could imagine was unfolding before her very eyes. She'd never felt such anguish ripple through her body before as she let her tears she'd been holding back all day finally fall—a scream finally left her lungs.
Fuck