IT WAS ALMOST MIDNIGHT according to the clock against the wall and Mcgonagall's office was bone chillingly freezing.
The twins sat alone in chairs opposite her desk. Minerva wasn't there.
"You two wait right here, I'll be back."
They sat in silence for what must have been over an hour.
A bird had been tapping at the window for most of that time, but George had stopped listening.
He just remembers screaming, Scarlette's mostly. A lot of his own.
And blood.
George wrapped his red soaked robes around his index finger,
"George, she's not moving!"
He pressed the fabric hard between his fingers,
"Fred! Fred, George!"
A small tear appeared where his fingers had lifted pressure.
Scarlette's voice bounced around his brain, echoing in terror.
George wrapped his hands around Mallie's waist and lifted her onto his lap, "Mal.. Mal!"
He can't remember ever feeling so afraid.
Mallie was held tightly against George's chest, she was wobbling but there wasn't a single chance that he would drop her, even as he ran.
The door swung open behind them, Mcgonagall stormed in and swung it back closed.
George jumped up, "Is she okay?"
Minerva didn't waste any time sending him a glare accompanied with a
"Sit down, Mr Weasley," before too taking her seat opposite them.
"The cupboard Ms Johanson crashed into has caused severe splints in her chest area. She has suffered several broken bones and has sustained a serious head injury, she may not wake up for a few days."
The lump in George's throat grew to the size and weight of a large stone.
"I bought the nicest dress, George.
Cost me all my Christmas savings from last year."
"What's it look like then?" He replied.
"You'll just have to see it on the night of the Ball, won't you?"
"I hope you two are proud of yourselves." Mcgonagall said.
"Look, Professor--" Fred started, his first words in over an hour.
"Mr Weasley, I don't want to hear it. You two are banned from the Yule Ball and will be spending every Friday for the next three months in detention!"
Mcgonagall's jaw shook with anger, her face a shade the twins were grateful to say they hadn't had the misfortune of seeing before.
"You will also each be writing a note to Mallie's mother explaining what happened and your apologies. Now, I know you two enjoy the odd prank, but someone has been severely hurt, boys. I would have thought higher of you."
There was a pause.
"Yes ma'am."
Mcgonagall looked at Fred, an unreadable expression plastered across her face.
"Get to bed."
The chairs protested loudly as they were pushed out, the twins made their way out silently.
George began pacing down a corridor to their left.
"George!" Fred called after him, "Where are you--"
"I need to see her." He replied without slowing or turning around.
"Mate, we're in enough trouble as it is." Fred argued.
George didn't stop and didn't reply, he turned into a corridor on his right that he knew would get him to the castle hospital wing fastest.
Fred sighed and watched him disappear around another bend before jogging after him.
The luminescent light of the hospital foyer came into view and George's stomach jumped in his abdomen.
He could make out faint sounds emitting from beyond the light.
George stood in front of the tall ebony door, white peeking out from under it, and pushed it open. Fred had caught up and entered behind him panting quietly.
George could see down the length of the wing, beds on either side, several hidden by curtains.
He didn't spot Mallie, so figured she had to be in a bed behind a grey curtain.
George's gaze was pulled to the side when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a shaking figure.
Scarlette was sat with her knees up to her chest in the waiting room chair. She had just now noticed the boys, her eyes glistening with tears and the odd hiccup splintering the otherwise silent air between them.
"Scarlette?"
"Obviously." She croaked.
The twins didn't know what to say to her, what could they possibly say?
She let them stare at her a bit before speaking again.
"She's being treated in another room, okay?"
Scarlette's gaze wore them down, "Said if they weren't careful they could permanently damage something."
There was another heavy silence.
"We're... we're sorry." Was all George could utter out.
Scarlette's tears seem to halt a moment, as if that statement alone pulled her together.
"Don't apologize to me." She replied sourly.
Fred cringed, he knew his brother had said the wrong thing.
Scarlette shut her eyes a moment, took a deep breath and opened them again.
"I'm sorry," She mumbled loud enough for them to hear.
"I know you wouldn't do this on purpose... this situation is just so fucked up." Scarlette trailed off and George couldn't even find it in him to agree.
"She's just going to be a bit less than okay for a while. But promise you'll come by every day to see her? You know how she hates being alone." Scarlette spoke again, as if talking was making her feel better.
The boys nodded.
Scarlette smiled faintly, "Good."
The air was broken by a mild screeching noise coming around the corner behind them.
The twins broke apart to let a long white bed be wheeled in behind them by a mellow house elf, Madam Pomfrey following promptly with an exhausted look on her face.
It was Mallie was on the bed.
She had been changed out of her red soaked robes into crisp white bed dress and lay asleep.
George could notice scarring from the top of her chest leading under the neck of her dress, his stomach bubbled and screamed.
"Mr and Mr Weasley!"
The boys jumped at the voice,
"What are you two doing here! Haven't you caused enough problems for one night?"
"They just came to check if Mallie was okay..." Scarlette jumped in unexpectedly.
"Boys, while the gesture is proper, it is well past midnight--"
"Poppy? What is going on in here?"
Mcgonagall.
"Fred, George! I thought I sent you boys to bed? What else are you to make of Ms Johanson!"
"Ma'am, they just came to--" Scarlette went to repeat herself.
"I don't want to hear any of it, you boys! To bed, immediately!" Her black robes fluttered around as her arms swung around in anger.
"And Ms Hassle, I suggest you head to bed. You've had a very difficult evening, you're welcome to come back in the morning to see if Ms Johanson is up." She looked to Madam Pomfrey for reassurance, the nurse nodded reluctantly.
"I'll walk you." Fred offered, Mcgonagall seemed please with the offer and watched him lead Scarlette out.
George stood, unmoving.
"Professor--" He started.
"George, I don't want to hear it. I understand she's a friend of yours but I can't allow you to stay--"
"Professor, please." George interrupted her, "I'll sit right here in this chair I won't cause any more problems."
"I'm sorry, Mr Weasley. I'm walking you back to the common room,"
It took a moment and George looked back at the white bed near the end of the wing where Mallie lay before reluctantly followed Mcgonagall out.
She walked him until the stairs of the boys dormitories.
"Goodnight Mr Weasley."
"Goodnight Professor," he mumbled as he made his way upstairs.
Minerva watched him drag his feet up the stairs and felt a twinge of guilt.
Mcgonagall had heard rumors of George Weasley and the Hufflepuff girl, seen them around the castle between classes together as well.
Teachers know more than the students think.
She sighed and shook the thought out of her head making her way to bed.
××××
The next morning arrived promptly and cold, and before the sun had even risen, Mcgonagall was taking a walk to the kitchens for her usual morning tea.
She really needed it this morning.
The corridors were still dark and she walked her usual route, past the hospital wing.
The small light peeking from under the doorway of the wing surprised her and she frowned. It wasn't usually on.
Minerva made her way to the door and quietly pushed it open.
There in the waiting room chair, long legs splayed in every direction,
was George Weasley.
His head was positioned in a very uncomfortable looking manner over the back of the chair and he was shaking of cold, but he was dead asleep.
Mcgonagall sighed, she expected nothing less of the Weasley boy.
Minerva went to fetch a thick blanket she knew to sit in the hospital cupboard and covered his shivering body in it.
"Boys," she sighed and continued on her way for some tea.
××××
woaahh
that was fun:) had a hint of writers block in the beginning but I loved writing the end !!
Hope you all enjoyed,
-mel