MALLIES QUICK FOOTSTEPS echoed lightly down the corridor she slunk down, hoping not to be caught.
Her feet carried her up the stairs that lead towards the Astronomy tower and she quietly tried opening the doors, they were locked.
"Alohamora."
Mallie then carefully swung the door open and smiled as she stepped out into the chilly night air.
She found a comfortable spot by one of the pillars and took a seat, she pulled her coat tighter against her torso as she gazed up at the stars.
It was rare that Mallie couldn't sleep, but when she couldn't, she found herself up at the Astronomy Tower staring at the stars for a while before eventually heading back to bed.
It always did the trick.
The brunette sat and watched the night sky, and before she realized what was happening, her green eyes had slipped shut and she'd fallen asleep.
××××
Mallie could only have been out for an hour when clambering footsteps started making their way up the stairs, footsteps that startled her awake.
At first she was confused as to where she was. But she quickly located her surroundings.
How the bloody hell have I fallen asleep out in this cold?
She was soon reminded of the footsteps: they were coming closer.
Mallie quickly got up and leaned up against the pillar in the hopes that they would not notice her and she could slip past them.
"--Funny, the door's usually locked.." Mallie heard a voice say, it gave her a fright when she realised how near it was.
She thought she recognised the voice, but didn't trust herself as she could barely hear anything over the beating of her heart drumming in her ears.
Mallie tried to take a step towards the exit when she slipped on a piece of frost and clambered loudly to the ground.
"Mallie?"
She cringed and took a moment before looking up, expecting to see Flitwick or perhaps Dumbledore.
When she did, instead, she was met with a large pair of brown eyes:
"George?" Mallie grabbed her heart, breathing deeply before smiling.
The two twins looked at her before George helped her off the floor,
"What are you doing up here, Mal?"
Mallie examined the two brothers, both in thick coats, Fred was carrying a large box.
"I-I.. came because I couldn't sleep.. But I fell asleep out here."
Fred gave her a look of disbelief,
"You could catch pneumonia out here!" he exclaimed.
Mallie chuckled, "I'll be fine."
George brought his face near her, examining her features,
"Your lips are purple! I'm taking you back to the common room." he said in a tone of finality.
Mallie's face tingled slightly when he let go.
"I probably should.." she trailed off, the adrenaline the fear had provided her was slowly wearing and Mallie realised how tired she was.
"Let's go," George tugged on the end of her jersey.
"George walk her back, I'll start setting up." Fred winked at his twin, unnoticed by Mallie as she tried to cover up a yawn.
Mallie gaze fell on the box in Fred's hands, "What's in there?"
He grinned devilishly,
"You'll find out tomorrow."
Mallie, in fact, never found out what it was. She overslept the next morning and missed a soaking Filch's announcement at breakfast for the culprits of the "astronomy tower disaster" to report themselves immediately.
And that they "knew what they did".
It was laughable.
Mallie chuckled in her sleepy state,
"Alright then."
They began walking down the stairs,
"Goodnight Fred."
Fred called out a reply that Mallie barely noticed as she began descending the stairs, George beside her.
Near the last step, exhaustion overtook her and she slipped right down two or three steps onto her bum.
George jumped the last steps to reach her, "Easy there tiger.."
Mallie was admittedly beyond embarrassed, her cheeks were no doubt aflame and her bum hurt.
"Don't you want to carry me?" she joked lightly in attempt to divert the attention.
She shut her eyes momentarily, in attempt to prepare herself for getting up and having to live with the embarrassment of falling on her ass in front of George Weasley, when two arms reached beneath her and pulled her up.
Mallie yelped and her eyes flew open.
George had lifted her up, one arm beneath her knees and other cradling her back.
"I was joking!" she exclaimed, but he acted like he hadn't heard her.
"Don't want you tripping or falling on my watch, next thing you break a leg or something."
George began to walk, Mallie was partially stunned at the way he carried her with ease.
"George, I'm heavy.. I can walk on my own--"
"Fortunately, your boy Georgie here does hit the weights on occasion." George winked at her in the limited light of the hallways.
"What if we get caught? You won't be able to run with me in your arms, now would you--?"
Mallie felt bad that he was carrying her, she wasn't the lightest girl to be honest.
George chuckled,"Just shut it, would you? I'm fine."
Mallie blushed but said nothing more and lay her head on his shoulder shutting her eyes momentarily, she could hear his heart beating.
And, for the second time that night, Mallie slipped into a comfortable sleep; George's footsteps lulling her to rest.
George noticed the sleeping girl and adjusted her in his arms so that she could lay her head at a better angle on his shoulder.
A couple more minutes of walking and George was at the entrance of the Hufflepuff common room.
He knew he could: but didn't enter.
He softly shook Mallie to wake and her eyes started flutter slightly into consciousness.
"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty," he whispered to her.
He didn't understand the reference but had heard Muggleborns often use it, so decided no harm could come of it.
Mallie lifted her head slightly from the gingers shoulder, "Huh?"
"Am I that comfortable?" George chuckled at the sleepy girl.
Mallie blushed at the comment and George put her down.
"Thanks George, and.. sorry.. for making you carry me.." she mumbled embarassed.
George winked, "Don't be."
Mallie smiled and bid him a good night before wobbling her way through the entrance to the common room.
George stood a moment to make sure Mallie got in without any more accidents and walked off back towards the Astronomy Tower.
Mallie found the common room completely empty except for a Seventh Year asleep on the couch with a textbook on her lap, she stopped momentarily to look at the girl.
The fire was dying and it was getting pretty cold in there.
Mallie huffed and walked towards the sleeping figure, taking a detour from staggering to her dorm to pull a blanket up from one of the chairs and cover the sleeping brunette, placing her textbook beside her.
Screw my Hufflepuff-ness.
She eventually managed to totter her way into her dorm and onto her bed, miraculously not waking Scarlette as she flopped down next to her.
Nothing else filled her mind before she slunk once more into sleep.
××××
alrightaayyy,
That was fluffyyy, and it was so fun writing;)
as always, mucho adoration,
-mel