Al's POV
I don't know how long I was standing there at the middle of the quidditch pitch, still looking off at the exit where Lizzie ran out from. I didn't know how long I stayed at the pitch.
Probably for an hour.
I was still shocked. Stricken. I was just so...Speechless. I hadn't expected that to have come out of Iz's mouth. I knew the secret she kept was bad, but I didn't know it was that bad. I had to admit though, when I heard her say that she was dying, I wanted to punch something, yell, and even cry.
I mean, the girl I'm practically falling for is dying. I mean who wouldn't.
You would say that I seem to be taking this very well, and very lightly. You would think my tone of voice right now would be blunt, and hollow. But I guess that's how I am after I've screamed out at no one, kicked the ground, and cried like a girl.
Yes, I did all that. I guess I was expressing teenage angst and pain. I guess this is how girls feel all the time when their on their...er, time of the month.
I pity the female population. No wonder Mum's a tyrant. Or maybe that's just how she is.
Yeah, I'll never understand what Dad saw in Mum sometimes, but I guess it's love, right? I mean, Dad fell in love with his bestfriend's little sister, Uncle Ron fell in love with his bestfriend, and I was just doing the same as how Uncle Ron did.
Sometimes I wonder if Liz and I would end up getting married. I knew that I was too young to even be thinking about this sort of stuff. I was only 15...But hey, I wouldn't mind ending up with Liz forever. But that thoughts been pushed out due to the fact that Liz is dying.
Damn, I still can't get use to the fact that Liz is dying. It was just so hard seeing her...gone.
I told Liz that I'd be with her, even if we had a couple months, or a few years left. But my heart dropped, and I felt queasy when she said she only had a month left. A month.
*Flashback*
"Y-You'd be willing to stay with me for a month? 31 days?" She had said. The thought of her being gone in a month froze me. Shocked me. The thought couldn't even be processed in my mind. I was surprised. It was too soon. We'd only started talking. I didn't know what to say. I just didn't know. I just kept on looking at her. At how upset she was. She looked at the ground. She didn't even look at me. "I thought so." She muttered.
No. No. I couldn't lose her. I wanted to be with her. I wanted her last month on this planet to be the best. But for some reason, the words couldn't fumble out of my mouth.
But she ran. She ran away from me, trying to get away from me. For the hundredth time, she ran. I knew that this time, it would be hard to get her back. When she was already a few meters away, only then I striked up the nerve to speak, "LIZ! IZZIE! IZ!" I shouted after her, but she kept on running. She just ignored my call, and just kept on running.
*End of Flashback*
I didn't want her to go. I didn't even know if I could even last with her gone. I wanted her to live...But I didn't know how to cure her. We've learned about Hexheartonia...but most of the cures were basic myths.
It was only 10:37 PM, and the Spring Ball was still going. Balls like these usually lasted until 12. I manage to clear off my face, and made it seem like I hadn't been crying. I returned to the ball, even if I didn't want to go, but I had to tell Maci that I didn't feel well at all. I just couldn't even be dancing when I had to deal with the fact that my best mate was dying.
"Mace." I said, as I approached her. She was taking a break from the dancing by standing over by one of the tables, and talking to a bunch of Ravenclaw girls.
"Where were you!" She exclaimed. "I was looking everywhere for you! You were gone half an hour at least!"-Then her eyes suddenly grew wide-"You weren't with Elizabeth, were you?"
"No, I wasn't." I lied flatly. "I didn't feel well. I was out for a walk, then went to the loo after 10 minutes or so. I need to rest. Alright if I turn in early? I know you don't want to go early."
She bit her lip. "Yeah. I don't really want to leave, actually."
"You can stay. I just really feel uneasy. Headache really. So it's alright with you, yeah?"
She thought for a moment, then sighed. "Fine. I'll have my cousin escort me back to the common room." She looked annoyed as she said this, and a bit irritated, but I shrugged it off, for I didn't care.
I was still trying to process the thought of Liz dying, so I didn't really give a bloody hell of what she thought. I didn't feel right. I felt like every in my world just flipped over. I was devestated. I felt overwhelmed by the emotion that was running course through me. 'Sides, I wasn't in the mood to party. Nothing as devastating could top the news of what I just found out.
"What the hell happened!" James he growled as he, Rose, and Fred approached me. I was sitting on the ground in front of the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room, my back leaning against the seat of the sofa. I had been sitting there for at least an hour, and I didn't even notice anyone coming in and out of the common room's door. I hadn't been paying attention.
I kept a straight face as I stared into the fire, still engulfed into my thoughts. I was still in basic shock. "Are you deaf!"I heard Rose hiss.
No, I am not. Are you trying to question my ability to hear, and are saying that I am incapable of processing your yelling through my ears?
Well sorry to disappoint you, Rose. My hearing is very much working.
"It's been 2 hours and my date's been missing. I searched for Liz at the ball, asked the ghosts, took a look outside, and even checked the girls bathroom and the quidditch pitch. And there's no way Liz would go into the Forbidden Forest at this time of night." Fred said. "But then Rose comes to me, saying she's found Liz crying her eyes out in her dorm."
And once again...I make the girl I love cry. Just bloody great.
"I go back up to the dorms to get something, and I find her in her bed, crying and upset." Rose had now taken over and started scolding me. "And we all know she barely does any of that unless it's something that has to do with you. You're the only person who could ever made her cry. 'Sides, I saw you leave the Ball after Liz left to go for a walk. When I asked your dear lover, she said you went to go for a walk. And you two never came back. Now. Spill."
"Nothing." I tell her, not even looking up from the fire. I didn't want to explain anything, especially in front of Fred, who didn't know anything.
After I spoke, I was sudden hoisted up in the air, Fred's hands grabbing onto my shirt, pulling me up. "Listen! Liz is one of my closest friends that I've got. I know we're related, but I'm gonna push that aside and act like a mate who cares about Liz. I don't want you around her if you keep on hurting her. It's bad enough you started hurting her when you started dating McLoughlin. Then it became even worst that you still picked McLoughlin over Liz. Now, you're just pushing it by making her cry even more. When is it going to end!" Fred yelled as he shoke me. He had that angry look in his eye. This was probably the most I've seen from Fred's emotional side. He was never usually like this. "You stay away from her, if you're going to keep acting like this."
But I couldn't answer him back though. I just started at him. After a few moments of glaring at me, he let me go, dropping me to the couch, then stormed off to his room.
"There." Rose raised her hands. "You've gotten 3 people upset now, counting Maci, whom you left by the way at the ball, still downstairs."
I didn't look up at her though.
I should be mad, shouldn't I? I had already gotten enough people mad at me, and they're not even going to help me. They didn't even tell me about Liz's condition!
"We talked." I said flatly.
"About what? How you said your terribly sorry that you're dating Maci? Have you even told her that you loved her?" James demanded.
Rose scoffed. "I highly bet that he didn't even have the dragon balls to do so." She was giving me attitude, they both were and I was almost fuming. I was agitated, frustrated.
"You're not even gonna at least let her know you fancy her. You didn't even say anything meaningful!" James spoke as he scoffed, "Pathetic." And that was it. I was mad.
"So," I began, "You're wondering when I'm gonna tell Liz I love her, well I'm wondering when you two were even gonna tell me that she's dying and that you both knew all along." I spat.
Their eyes widened, and looked taken aback. They were pretty much shocked that I knew. But I glared at them. "W-what?" Rose spluttered.
"I said, when were you two going to care to tell me when the girl I love is going to die." I snapped.
"You know?" She asked softly, and after I curtly nodded, all of a sudden she just bursted into tears. "I-I'm s-s-sorr-ry! I wanted t-to t-t-ell you, but she sw-wore that we w-w-wouldn't tell!" After a few minutes of silence, and Rose collecting herself from the crying, Rose spoke again. "So you know now, huh?" By this time, the three of us were sitting on the couch in front of the fire, slouching.
I nod, then go in the whole explanation on what happened at the pitch (just giving them the general idea, and not everything). Rose and James sighed heavily. "...and here I am. And Liz is up there, as you lot say, crying. I don't even know what to do now."
"You need to break it with Maci." Rose said firmly.
"You mad! She'd tell everyone in a split moment after I've broken up with her! If you hadn't already noticed, word travels fast around here. This place isn't even a school anymore! It's more like being in the office of that old gossip bat, Rita Skeeter!" I exclaimed. "That's the only reason why I'm still with Maci anyway. If I break up with Maci, she'll automatically assume it's because of Liz, then she'll go off and announce to everyone about Lizzie's Hexheartonia. I don't want that for her. She's suffered enough."
"But Al," James said, "you have to realize that it's worth the risk. The only reason why she kept it a secret was because she didn't want us to know, especially you. But now that the three of us know, it wouldn't matter as much I suppose. We can't have everyone find out about her Hexheartonia at her deathbed."
"I suppose you're right," I said after a couple moments, thinking about what he said. "She only cares about us and what we'll think. She doesn't care about everyone else. She''s strong like that."
They both nodded, "She really is strong, eh?" James spoke with a small smile. "We've only seen her cried about 5 times in the past years we've known her. And for the fact that she's been bottling up her condition for the past 15 years of her life, I'm surprised she hasn't exploded yet. That's just too much to feel for one person."
He was right. It was too much for her to handle, yet she somehow managed to get by without saying anything to anyone about her condition.
After a few minutes of silence, I spoke up, "So what are we going to do about Maci?"
"Oh!" Rose suddenly says loudly. "That reminds me! I forgot to tell you! I know how you can break it off with Maci."
"How" James and I both asked in unison.
"I can't believe this even slipped my mind! I was getting so off topic about it, and I lost concentration on the gos-"
I hold up my hand to her. "Rose, get to the point."
"Right," She began. "Well, er...How should I put this?" She says, fiddling with her fingers.
"Spit it out, Roe." James says impatiently.
"Maci's cheating on you." She says quickly.
My reaction? I blink. I was not expecting that...Well, I guess I was. Somehow, knowing Maci had cheated on me with another bloke didn't bother me at all, actually. The only thing that it did was bruise my ego. "Oh." I manage to say.
Rose looks at me weirdly. "Al, say something."
"No, no. It's actually...alright. I don't seem to care, actually." I say, shrugging. "I guess, Maci and I weren't exactly compatible. She wasn't always the best girlfriend anyway."
"So who was the bloke?" James asked.
"Leo Finnegan. Tosser that one, really. Ditched his date. The girl he ditched, names Trisha Finley. Poor girl is in tears. Saw her crying her eyes out in the girls bathroom. I'm surprised Maci didn't go for Chuck Zabini. He seems more her type."
"Well, at least Al has a reason to break up with Maci anyway." James said.
Once again we fell into a silence, not knowing what to talk about, but I decided to bring up something. "You know, I may haven't told her that I loved her, but we did come across saying that I fancied her."
Rose sat up, and said, "Really? What did she say?"
"Calm down, Rosie. She wasn't too excited about it, she was a bit...I dunno: shocked?"
"...You know, she fancies you too, Al." James said.
Rose slapped him on the arm. "James! You weren't suppose to tell him that! She was suppose to tell him!" She glares at him.
"No, it's alright. I know." The two of them snapped their heads in my direction. But I smiled.
"What, how?" Rose exclaimed.
I went into the whole story on what went down in the hospital wing, the night Liz woke up. I told her about how I told Liz I was her conscience, how I found out she and I both fancied each other, and all that.
"So that's why you kept on getting up at night." James thought out loud.
"Yeah...Too bad I only have a month left with Liz. Doubt she'll talk to me after what happened tonight." I said sullenly.
"Oh, Merlin, I'm so sorry, Al." Rose whispered.
Yeah, I was sorry too.
Lizzie's POV
I felt something hit my head.
"WAKE UP! ELIZABETH SAMANTHA HART!" Rose shouted, after kindly hitting my head with a pillow.
Ugh, she did just not pull the full namer on me.
Bitch, I'm a lion, and you're disrupting my sleep. Hear me roar.
"Roar." I croaked out softly. I wasn't even in the mood to go all ninja and kick her arse. Especially when all I've been doing last night was cry. My curtains were drawn, and I had a spell that silenced my cries. When the girls came back from the ball, they tried to approach my bed, but I casted some of shield spell all over my bed. I was depressed, to be honest. Curse you, Al Potter. Because of you and my newfound sensitivity to crying, I am now currently not in the mood to go all Gryffindor on this red head.
Yes, I blame Al. Full responsibility goes to him. Send him to McGonnagall's office. It's for the greater good.
Yes, let us all lock up Al Potter and his ways. Forget the headmistress' office, send him to Azkaban!
Okay, I'm being dramatic now.
I guess I'm just moody.
Eh, at least I've got reason.
"What?" I see her through my blurry vision. I rub my eyes, then my sight finally settles to it's normal view. I can see her giving me a weird look on my little side roar, but I brush it off. "...and how'd you get past my shield charm?" I said groggily.
"Your shield charm ended last night after you fell asleep. Shield charms usually die when the person's not putting any energy towards it." She said in a matter-of-fact tone."
"Well, I'm half awake. Tell me what you want or I slap you."
"Calm your arse! I just couldn't wait to tell you! I've got to tell you. It's about Scorpius!" She said giddily. I swear, the last time I saw this girl this giddy was the first time when she had her first kiss. Oh, god. Is that what happened?
"What! Details!" I demand, pushing my thoughts away about what happened between me and Al last night. My mood seemed to have slightly lifted. I guess I'm gonna be bi-polar now.
"So as you know, he and I went to the ball together, we danced-"
But I cut her off, "Errrr!" I announce, trying to mimic a buzzer. "I don't care about that! Tell me the juicy stuff! Get to it!"
"Alright! Calm your arse down. So Scorpius and I decided to go to the astronomy tower, and the stars were beautiful, by the way. Then he starts to hold my hand, then I look at him and he starts flattering me. Kept on saying that I looked beautiful, then he started going on how he's liked me for a while now, and I smiled. Then..."
"Then what!" I said excitedly.
"We...Kissed." Rose squeals, and soon enough, I'm doing the same. This is like first year all over again.
"Oh my god! I can't believe it! How was it! How long did it last? Was he any good?" I bombarded her with questions.
"It was amazing. I swear there could've been fireworks exploding in the backround. And i think it lasted about...20 seconds, I think. And Merlin, he's great at it!"
"What happened after that?"
"Well," She began, a secretive smile appearing on her face.
"Woman! Tell me, or so I will go to Scorpius and hang him by his toes until he spills!"
Her jaw dropped, but she was still smiling. "Don't do that to my boyfriend!" She protested.
Now it was my turn for my jaw to drop open. Boyfriend?
"Boyfriend?" I said, giggling. Rose frantically nodded her head as we both bounced up and down on my bed. "Oh my god, Rose! I'm so happy for you!" I really was beyond glad for Rose. She got the man she wanted, and she gets to l've happily ever after with him. Then they'll have babies, and I get to be a godmother...That is if I live. And those chances are to ZERO.
I stopped bouncing after that, and memories of what happened last night returned. Just when I finally had forgotten on what happened last night, they just had to come back.
Damn it.
Rose must've noticed my smile falter, for she stopped bouncing and looked at me with concern. "Liz? You alright?" I shook my head truthfully. I didn't bother denying it, only Rose could see right through it. I buried my face in my pillow as I felt tears coming on. It just hurt, and I just felt like crying. "Liz, tell me."
I sat up, and wiped the tears streaming down my cheeks. I sighed heavily, and spoke, "H-H found out."
Somehow Rose didn't look affected as I spoke. She sighed and said, "I know."
"How?"
"Fred, James, and I went to go yell at him when we found you crying up here. After Fred left, James and I kept on yelling, then he told us what happened. Everything, actually. Especially on what happened at the Hospital Wing. He's pretty gutted you know."
I sighed, "I don't even know what to say now that he knows. He said he wanted to be with me, turns out he didn't after all."
Rose shook her head, "No. No, you got it all wrong. He does, he was just so..surprised on how much little time there is. He wants to stay with you, but since you ran away...he doesn't know how to approach you."
I waved it off. "I shouldn't even be crying right now...I need to...figure things out, and leave life with some happiness in me. I just need to get up from bed, and go think or do something...on my own for once."
Rose and I shared a long hug before I got up from my bed, and getting dressed. I had to get my mind off of everything. I decided that since I slept in a bit, and skipped breakfast, I was getting a bit hungry, and decided to go to the kitchens for some brunch.
I hoped down the stairs and descended in the common room. Surprisingly, there wasn't a lot of people down here. A few of them were 7th years, and then there was just Fred. He sitting on a love seat near the corner, reading the daily prophet. I felt sort of guilty, ditching him like that last night.
I crept up behind him, and placed my hands over his eyes. "Guess who?" I said in a deep voice.
"Liz." He said in a sure voice.
I frowned when he laughed as I took my hands off his eyes. "But my voice was different!" I whined as I sat next to him. "You weren't suppose to know it was me."
"Love, it's always so obvious that it's you. We've been doing this since you were eleven, I know all your tones of voice."
I groaned, "We need to find a new game."
Fred chuckled, "It got a bit obviously. So what did you need?"
I bit my lip, "Well, I came to apologize, for ditching you last night. I forgot to tell you, but I wasn't feeling very well last night."
His facial expression then changed to a serious expression. "I know it was about Al. I don't him near you, if he keeps on hurting you."
"I know." I say. At that moment the door swung open, revealing an arguing couple: Al and Maci. The last two people I wanted to see today.
"What do you mean!" Maci screeched.
"We're done, Maci. We're over." Al said firmly. My eyes sort of widened.
No, no, Al couldn't do this. If he broke up with Maci, she'd tell everyone about my condition. I couldn't have it happen. I just couldn't. My whole life would turn upside down.
"WHY! Is it because of her!"
"Don't you dare bring her into this, Maci. It's your fault, I'm breaking up with you. You brought it on yourself."
"Me! What did I do?" She protested.
A billion things that girlfriends aren't suppose to do, duh.
"You're irritating, clingy, you hate quidditch, you're mean- especially to my family, everyone hates you, and I caught you snogging Leo Finnegan last night! You didn't think I saw? I'm surprised you didn't go for Chuck Zabini! You're a cheater as well. Just because I didn't fulfill your needs it doesn't mean you could go off like that." He argued back.
Maci looked completely frozen. No one bloke has even been straight with her. Most guys are usually afraid of a girls wrath. "I-I can explain, Al-" He held up his hand. I seriously wanted to cheer, and have a celebration. But Al breaking up with Maci was probably a big mistake. Yay for Al, hell for me.
"No, don't even try to explain. Just because your insecure and in need for attention, it doesn't mean you go around looking desperate for it. I mean, seriously? You could try to be nice every once in a while. You weren't even a bit nice to my family, especially Lizzie, my best mate. I've had enough of you! So we're done, Maci McLoughlin." And with that, he heads for the dormitory.
Well then...That was entertaining. Dude, where was the popcorn and the candy when I needed it?
All of a sudden, she screams. Whoa, she was so not in a good mood. I give a quick bye to Fred, and try to sneak off out of the common room, but just to make my day even better: Maci caught me sneaking off.
"You!" She half scream and growled.
Me. Greaaaat. Just peachy.
"You." She repeated, pointing her finger at me.
"Yes, I'm me." I replied bluntly.
"Don't smart talk with me, you bitch!"
"What the heck did I do now!" I exclaim.
"You took Al away from me!"
"Uhhhh, no. Correction, you pushed Al away from you. You cheated on him, you looney! I, on the other hand, haven't even talked to him."
"It's all our fault he's been having doubts about me! I told you to stay away, but no. You couldn't die early!" She screamed.
"I stayed away from Al." I said in a warning tone.
"Well it wasn't enough! You really want everyone to know, don't you!"
"About what?" Fred asked, who seemed to have gotten off his seat and neared me when Maci approached me.
"Start ordering in some wreaths, Weasley. Someone's gonna lose a friend quite soon." Maci snarled.
At that exact moment, the portrait to the common room sung open, and Lilly, Molly, James, Dom, Hugo, and Alice piled in. As if on cue, even Rose came down form the dormitory...And they all heard what Maci said.
"I'd be careful at what you're getting at, McLoughlin." Rose warned.
"Oh, protecting your best mate? How sweet." Maci said venomously. "But it's time your family should know." Shut up, Maci...
"What rubbish are you on about, McLoughlin?" Dom snapped.
No, don't sat it Maci...
"May 15th. I'd mark your calendars if I were you. A few early funeral arrangements wouldn't hurt." No!
Alice spoke up, angrily. "Are you threatening her?" Please, don't sa-
But it was too late for even me to speak out loud for her to stop. Not even my thoughts could prevent this.
Maci scoffed. "As if I need to. It's all set in stone, dearies. Hexheartonia! Your dear friends headed straight for the grave!" Maci said hysterically. For a moment, I stood there frozen. I wanted to punch the living daylights out of her. I wouldn't have cared if I got expelled. I'd feed Maci to the dementors, and I'd enjoyed the sight of it.
She had no right of spilling my secret to the people I cared about. She had no absolute right. It's bad enough that James, Rose, and Al know about. But the thought of Fred, or even Lily finding out broke my heart.
I looked at my friends reactions, and they all looked speechless, like as if they saw a ghost.
Which is what they'll probably see in less than a month.
I took a look at Fred, who looked upset, shocked, and even angry. He felt lied to. He knew me so well, but just not enough. Now he did.
But I let him get mad at me. He had the right to. I've been his friend ever since I started at Hogwarts. I could tell him my secrets, and confide in him. To be honest, he had those genuine moments where he can get serious. He was an option to confide into. I just usually didn't because he wasn't always so serious. He always had to input in a joke or two.
But I lied to him. Kept something from him. Only now he knows my deepest and darkest secret, and he had to hear that from Maci.
For Rose and James reactions however, they were both just as shocked and upset, even though they already knew about my situation. Just hearing someone who isn't a friend of mine say it out loud surprised them. But I could tell that they were also pretty mad at Maci. They both had the same expressions on their face. Rose and They wanted to drown Maci in the black lake, feeding her to the giant squid.
And that was just light punishment. The Giant Squid is actually nice. But Maci doesn't know that.
Anger started boiling in myself, and I was fuming.
Yup, definitely PMS-ing today.
Just after Maci passed me, and before she could walk up the stairs, I called her out. "Hey, Maci?" I say, turning around. Behind her, I saw Al, who was standing at the end of the last step of the staircase, watching the whole thing. No wonder she decided to spill.
As she turns around, she gave me a dismissive look. "What?" She snapped.
I smiled sweetly at her, as I took a couple steps, then stood right in front of her.
Then I raised my hand, and swung.
SLAP!
My hand collided with her face...Hard.
I had slapped Maci McLoughlin right across the face.
And it felt good.
Maci clutched her brightly red cheek with her hand, giving me a speechless expression. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly agape. She was obviously not expecting that to happen.
Though, what surprised me even more was the fact that she didn't retaliate and hit me back. She just stayed frozen, looking helpless. She almost looked like the victim here, rather than the bad guy
I gave her a cold stare, then turned on my heel and walked out the common room, not looking back. But as I walked out, I heard a familiar voice speak, "What's even more pathetic, is that you told everyone her secret, hoping to affect us, when in reality, with you blindly didn't even know that we already knew..." The voice trailed off.
Al.