Autumn Carrow hadn't gone to her classes for the past three days. She had missed two potions lessons, two days that worried George Weasley as to her whereabouts.
He'd heard rumours of someone roaming the Slytherin halls who hadn't been a student.
He had this urge to ensure her safety.
This urge that had started to become all too familiar to him, with Pucey who had returned in her absence with many cuts and bruises scattered over his face. Now he didn't know much of her mother, only that she was a murderer and she had escaped Azkaban.
He would assume no parent could murder their own blood but who was he to know what her mother was capable of.
This had been day three, he sat alone in potions with no focus, only tapping his quill and his foot.
It was his last lesson of the day and he would go to her afterwards, whether she wanted him to or not. He would go to her and ensure she was okay and then he would tell her how he felt.
The thoughts that had swirled around in his head for over a week now.
He wanted her, and not just in a sexual nature.
He wanted her in every way possible.
Sure they couldn't be an open and out there couple because Autumn would refuse it but secretly, he could have her if she'd let him. That was assuming she was adamant on no one knowing which he had been certain she would be.
The sound of rustling caught his attention once again, it appeared the class had ended and he hadn't even noticed until everyone began rushing out the room.
"Georgie, where are you off to?" His twin called after him bounding out the room and in the opposite direction of their own common room. In fact, he was headed the Slytherin way, "ah, I see, good luck"
George didn't need to answer, he just gave Fred a toothy grin and nod and continued on his way.
His long legs allowed him to arrive at the common room faster than most of the Slytherin's who had been in the very same classroom he had been in. Besides Draco Malfoy who arrived shortly after the redhead.
"George Weasley" the blondes words had George turn around stopping in his attempt to find a way in the common room.
"Malfoy"
"It's not very Gryffindor-like to break into another common room" Draco smirked, stepping forward to stand beside George, "if you tell anyone I've helped you.."
Draco couldn't really believe he was helping George Weasley get to Autumn. Again. Though, he did know George had made his best friend happy, he hadn't seen her happy or giddy the way she was when he'd spoken to her before for a long time, a good 10 years or so.
George's brows furrowed until he witnessed Draco nodding his head to indicate George were to enter.
"Now go find her" George gave a curt nod, "this doesn't mean I like you, you're still a Gryffindor and a Weasley at that" George had smiled and shakes his head at Malfoy's words.
He had a sneaking suspicion that Draco Malfoy did indeed like him, in a strange round about way. He didn't mind, Draco wasn't as bad as he'd initially thought.
Making his way up the stairs to the top floor he found the large door, knowing she was inside because she hadn't attended any classes. He balled up his hands after feeling the heat on his palms, his palms that seemed to be sweating slightly. Raising one fist to knock on the door three times.
He heard shuffling and she hadn't shouted this time.
The door opened to reveal the girl wrapped up in a green sweater and what looked like black leggings.
When his eyes found her face he felt his smile drop. She didn't look how she had that night. She hadn't been smiling or glowing. Her eyebrows had been knitted together, her eyes were looking anywhere but his own, she had been biting her nails when she'd first opened the door but now she simply held her hand in a loose hold covering her mouth.
In fact, he could've sworn she looked like she was about to cry at the sight of him alone. Hoping it hadn't been something he had done he took a step forward, "hey, are you alright?"
She hadn't exactly answered but what she had done was pull the door open further to invite him inside, an invite he accepted.
She still hadn't looked him in the eye even after ominously closing the door behind her and taking what was about ten seconds, though felt like ten minutes to turn back around and face him. He felt a knot grow in his stomach.
"Autumn?" She could now hear the nerves in his voice, "you weren't in class"
She wanted to tell him.
She trusted him enough to tell him everything, god, she didn't know why, she hadn't even told Draco everything but she felt this automatic feeling that she had been able to depend on him. After everything, she felt safe around him, even with his initial hatred for her, he'd never hurt her, in fact, he had guarded her, defended her, threatened others for her and he may well of saved her life that night she'd fell and now, she was about to destroy all that and she couldn't even tell him why.
She was going to break her own heart, to protect his.
"You came here because I didn't go to potions?" Letting a forced scoff leave her lips after her words which had been intentionally harsh.
His brows creased, "what?" He swallowed loud enough for the girl to here, "I was just making sure you were okay" he tried to step toward her, to comfort her but she only stepped backwards and away from him.
He'd assumed she'd had a problem with her father again, based on what Draco had said before.
"I don't need you to check up on me George" she made her way towards her bed, making it, telling George she had been in her bed before he'd came to the door, "what? You think because your a Gryffindor you need to play the hero?" Another scorn just to try and belittle him further, "you're not, nor do you need to be"
She wanted to scream, tell him she didn't mean it, tell him how she really felt. How much it meant that he had came to check on her.
He was so perfect, so unlike her.
She never wanted to grow up as her mother had, in a loveless marriage and yet she'd made peace with the fact she had no choice. Her father would decide who she'd marry, and that wouldn't be George Weasley.
Autumn knew her mother was right, she knew her main priority was keeping him alive and well but..
She also knew that she didn't deserve this, didn't deserve someone as incredible as George Weasley. She was destined to be in a marriage like her parents. She used to wonder if she could run away, get away from it all but she was sensible enough to know it would never work. She also knew, should she end up like her mother she could never leave her child or children alone with a father like her own. Salazar she wished her children would have someone as caring as George, but they wouldn't.
The only thing she could do for her future children was to protect them and to ensure they didn't have the same fate she had. She'd allow them to love whoever they wanted.
"No!" George denied her words stepping towards where she stood still making the bed, "that wasn't my intention, I just-"
"You just what?" She snapped back, genuinely angry this time, only not at him, she was angry at herself for falling for him, for putting him in this position. This was the boy who hated her for years and now finally wanted her, and here she was, stopping it before it had even started.
"Okay" he looked at his feet for a moment, "you want to know why I'm really here?"
That had caught her off guard.
She didn't know what to expect now, she thought he had just came to check up on her, but perhaps not. Maybe he didn't feel the same.
"Well?"
"I'm here to tell you" George hadn't finished his sentence, he'd just left it open, looking up at the ceiling, wondering how he would even say what he wanted to say, "I care about you, whether I want to or not, I do" Autumn felt her lips part, "I used to think you were just like your father, the stories I'd heard, I believed them, stupidly, I believed them" she raised her head fully for the first time meeting his eyes, "and I can't apologise enough for that, but now, I know you, I know Autumn and not just Miss Carrow" he could've sworn her eyes glazed, "I know about your father, I know he doesn't protect you, but I will" he stepped forward watching a single tear roll down her cheek, "I promise you, I will keep you safe, if you'll let me"
She turned her head away closing her eyes. She wanted to jump up and hug him, kiss him even. She wanted to accept.
She wanted to promise to protect him too, she was protecting him and she had to continue reminding herself that was what she had to do. Even if she didn't want to tell him what she was about to.
No one had ever spoken to her like that, never cared about her in that way.
Before she could speak George knelt down to pick something shiny off the floor, Autumn looked back as he stood back up, tall and opened his closed palm which held her brooch, "you must've dropped this" he squeezed it in his palm briefly again before letting out a muttered curse word, "pricked myself" he smiled, opening his palm.
Green, it was glowing green.
As if he had to make this anymore difficult for her than it already was.
She was right, she could trust him.
She grabbed it from him so quick to ensure he wasn't able to touch, grab or caress her hand. Placing it on the nightstand behind her.
"You really think I'd want that?" She again couldn't look at him, "you think I'd ever lower myself to being with a Gryffindor. A Weasley?" Letting out a cold and hollow forced laugh, "it's pathetic, you are pathetic" crossing her arms tight across her chest she forced herself to look up at him, though not in his eyes, she couldn't look into someone's eyes while lying, she couldn't but he didn't know that, "I was horny and you were there, that's it"
Now it was George's mouth that lay agape.
"Autumn" he had hoped this was a joke, a lie, anything besides the truth.
He stepped forward, trying to take her hand but she stepped back so that her thighs pressed against the nightstand.
"Get out" she pointed to the door, "get the hell out" turning her head to the side letting her hair fall to cover her face, to cover the next tear that fell. Listening to her feet stomp across her floor followed by her door slamming.
While he all but ran down the stairs she made her way over to lock her door.
Luckily for George the only people in the common room had been Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, not that he cared, he stormed past and out the door without looking back.
Draco muttered the word "strange".
Pansy was simply confused as to why he was here.
And Autumn?
Autumn Carrow had fell to her knees in her dormitory alone, crying and crying until all the tears ran out.
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Poor baby cannot catch a break!
Just thought I'd leave a wee note as I haven't really told any of you lot of wonderful readers much about myself. If you haven't guessed based on my characters having Scottish heritage, I am Scottish myself! You can call me Lou! That nickname always leads people to believe my name is Louise but it's not (even if Louise is a lovely name). I love writing these stories and making them my own in some way and my favourite part is seeing the reactions and comments of all you amazing people : )
Thank you for reading!