Ch. 19: One Liners

     My heart thudded in my chest at the sound of someone's voice in the dark Common Room. The fire was burning low, so there was not much to see. "What?!" I blurted out, grasping my chest and taking a few deep breaths, recovering from the jump scare. I couldn't even hear what the person had said the first time, I was so freaked out.

"I said, what have you been up to all night?" Fred smirked, lounging on one of the couches. I could see he bright hair ignighted in the dark by the flame of the fireplace.

     Coyly, I wrapped my arms around my torso and walked over to him. I rested my head on the back of the couch to look up at his face. The low flames flickered in the fireplace, casting the Weasley in an orange glow. He almost was shining. "Were you waiting up for me?" I grinned.

     Fred's face stretched into a heart-warming smile. "No, L, unlike you I actually do my homework before class." He stretched out his arms towards the coffee table in front of him. It was littered with parchment, scattered spare pages and ink-drenched quills. "Why, did you want me to say I did?"

Chuckling, I rolled my eyes and made my way around the couch to sit next to him by the fire. "Nah, it would make my boyfriend jealous."

      Fred laughed at me for a second and shook his head, his eyes wandering towards the fire with the hint of a smile on his lips. "Oh, boyfriend, huh?" Leaning forward, Fred let out a small hmph and wrote something down on the parchment he was working on. "You know, for some reason, I don't believe that."

     Biting my lip I looked away, kind of offended. "Ouch. Why do you say that?"

"Cuz, I am your boyfriend, remember?" He grinned and shook his head at me. I laughed out loud and nodded.

      "Oh, yeah," I played along and pushed myself over the side of the couch, jumping into the cushioned seat beside the tall twin. "That's right."

     I could tell that Fred wasn't really paying too much attention to our conversation. His pale, freckle-speckled brow furrowed. He chewed his right cheek and glared down at the parchment in front of him. My eyes scoured the pages, trying to figure out where he was stuck. "Damn it." He sighed and rolled his head around on his shoulders, trying to loosen up. 

     I watched him as if he was some creature I had never seen before.

     I watched his eyes close and then open, I examined the crook of his nose, the turn of his lips, the curve of his back as he slumped over the homework. My examinations led me to the bags under his eyes. He hadn't been sleeping.

      "What's the matter?" I asked, rubbing under my eyes in an attempt to clear the sleep from the corners. "When is the last time you slept?"

     Fred yawned and rubbed at his eyes as well, mimicking my movements. "Don't worry 'bout it. I got a few hours last night. Potions class is just killin' me."

     I frowned and snatched the paper from the table. "Let me see." 

Fred groaned and reached for the paper, but I lifted it over my head. "Well there's your problem." I tsked as my eyes read down the parchment. He had mixed up chiffon with lacquer. "Your chemical makeups are all over the place."

     I grabbed a quill, scribbling down on the parchment with the correct answers. I reread through his essay and shook my head, scratching out some of his choices and fixing the errors -- and ignoring Fred's yawns about how long I was taking. "See? The chiffon is added before the newt's brain, and the lacquer is added after the grille. It's actually qui--"

A soft snore cut me off and a warm arm wrapped around my torso, pulling me in close. Growling, I glared up at Fred about to curse at him and demand he let me go, but his face caught me off guard. Instead of the smirking, and joking face I was expecting, a soft and child-like one was in it's place.

    Fred was a lot more tired than he had let on. Letting out a few soft snores, he clutched me close to his side, and I was amazed at how well my side and his fit together. Smirking a little, I sighed and tried to make myself comfortable. "I'm not your personal teddy bear!" I whispered to him but didn't dare try and wake him. I could tell he needed his sleep. 

     'Just for an hour or two, Weasley.' I thought in my head, watching his red bangs shift over his closed eyes, snoring away softly. 

✧

"YOU'RE QUITE sure about this?" A raspy voice called and I slowly opened my eyes. I was still tucked tight against Fred who was still out cold. By this time, we had both shifted down to a cuddling position on the couch. I was pinned between his torso and the cushions. Damn, he was really tired.

     For a moment, I thought about kicking him off. But, the secretive voices gave me pause.

A familiar voice whispered back to the raspy one. "Yeah, they are both out cold. I checked, what did you need to tell me, Sirius?"

     I'm awake now. I tried to reposition myself to look over Fred's body, but his constraining arm wouldn't let it happen. Harry was talking to Sirius, like... Sirius Black?! Sirius was here? At Hogwarts?!

     Their conversation was in hushed tones that were hard for my partially deaf-by-blasting-music-too-loud-in-headphones ears to pick up on, but I tried as hard as I could.

     "I had to see you, at least I was able to get my head through with Floo Powder -- you have no idea how tightly locked down Hogwarts is," the raspy voice continued, "look, the fox is in the hen's nest, Harry!"

"What?" Harry's voice sounded confused, and I tried to sneak a peak, but Fred was just too wide.

    Sirius replied with some more hushed whispers that I could not understand, but I did pick up on Igor and Death Eater. "I have to finish up now, Harry! Just remember, it is no coincidence that your name was in the Goblet of Fire."

     "You think someone put me in there on purpose?"

     "Yes," Sirius Black's voice carried on the quiet crackling of the flames' embers. "And whoever did is no friend of yours, Harry." His raspy voice grated against my ears as I strained them harder and harder to hear what they were saying. "This is no fun-and-games tournament! People die in this tournament."

     Harry coughed, a little afraid I assumed, and hurriedly asked Sirius one last question. "What should I do?"

     Sirius's muttered something that I could not hear making me want to yell. Why was it always the best parts of spying on conversations that get unheard?

     "Keep your friends close, Harry!" Sirius called out and I could hear a thumping of loud footsteps descending the staircase. "You'll need them for what's to come."

     Before I knew it, the flame in the Common Room went out and I could hear Harry getting up to leave, walking right past the 'unconscious' Fred and me. Quickly, I clamped my eyes shut and pretended to be asleep, hoping that he would not find out I had heard he was in contact with Sirius Black.

     "What're you doing down here?!" An angry and tired voice called.

      Harry stuttered back: "N-Nothing, why did you come down?"

"Thought I heard voices, but never mind....you were probably just rehearsing for your next interview." I recognized the voice. It was Ron and he was still being an ass. If he did not make up with Harry soon, Jenna, Lana and I all planned to shove the two of them in a closet until they made up again.

     "Screw you," Harry growled, marching up the stairs.

I had enough of eavesdropping for tonight, and my eyes began to get heavy once more. I snuggled closer to Fred's warmth and wrapped my arms around him comfortably-feeling myself drift off into an undisturbed sleep. Well...undisturbed until seven in the morning.

✧

"Is it just me or does this happen waaayyy too often to be normal?" Jenna's voice drifted into my exposed ear.

      "Yeah, this isn't normal--" Lana's sharp voice filtered through next, pulling me from my slumber, "--or does your brother usually sleep with girls on this couch?" She stifled a yawn, talking to somebody.

"Not usually-actually, this is the only instance where I have seen a girl be next to him for more than an hour. We aren't the most popular choice when it comes to girls you know." George chuckled. "I think we joke around too much, but it's their problem-not ours."

"Shuutt up-trying-sleep..." I muttered, my face fanned in a blissful warmth that smelled of oak and honey. I rubbed my face in deeper towards the aroma and began to fall asleep once more when I heard the snap and flash of a camera.

"THE HELL?!" I bounced up, throwing Fred off the couch, and snatched the old film camera from Harry. As I did, it spat out a picture from the end. Grumbling under my breath, I flipped the picture over and watched as it developed.

     "OI!" A suddenly woken Fred exclaimed as he fell to the Common Room floor. The group around us all laughed and joked, watching the Weasley rub the back of his head and pick himself up off the ground. 

     I bit my lip to force back the giggle, feeling a mix of guilt and humour at the accident. "Right, s'rry, Fred." I looked back down at the picture and scoffed. These creeps, taking pictures of me while I slept? 

     "Heh, it's actually not that bad, L." Fred said, examining the polaroid over my shoulder. He arched a browand leaned a little closer. I could smell the familiar scent of honey and oak, and realized where it'd come from.

     Frowning, I glared at the moving picture. "What are you talking about? It looks like I am wiping my nose on your shirt, and I have bed head." But honestly, I thought it was adorable. I think my heart melted a little as I watched myself snuggle closer to Fred, awe.

     Shaking my head, I jolted myself out of the sappy thoughts. "Weak, Harry. I am going to get you back for this sooo hard." Then I suddenly had an epiphany. "Hey! The tournament is today right?!"

    Harry paled a little but nodded. "Yeah, in half an hour."

     "You're going to do great," I assured him, sensing the self-doubt as he reached for his wand. There was a glossed look behind his spectacles, and I knew he was worried about the Accio charm. "You are ready," I told him, a light smile budding on my face. I didn't forget about the couch thing, but I could let it go. For now. 

     "Are you going down right now? Cuz, I can come if you would like."

     Harry smiled and pushed his frames up the bridge of his nose as his gaze wandered over the small group of six. "Er-- don't you want to change first? You did sleep on the couch all night."

     Blushing a little, I scratched the back of my neck and cleared my throat.  "Yeah, you're right." I ran a hand through my tangled hair and winced as my fingers caught multiple knots. "Go on ahead, then. I gotta clean up. I'll cheer you on from the sidelines!"

          Scrambling up the stairs, I heard two people quickly following me. I didn't have to turn to know it was Jenna and Lana.

              "Sooo--"

     I held up an exasperated hand. "Don't. Even. Start." I burst through the Fourth Year Girls door and flung open my dresser drawers, looking for a fresh change of clothes.

      "Awe, come on!" Jenna groaned at the top of her lungs. "You can not expect us to not ask you questions!"

     I stripped down and glared at them. "Yes, and you will. If you do, I will answer any question you ask when I tell you that you can talk about this. But, as for right now, I really just do not want to talk about it."

"Okay, okay. Just put your sweater on, your boobs are staring at me." Lana growled and I shrugged, fixing the straps of my nude bra, then flinging on a burgundy and gold stripped sweatshirt and black jeans.

     I gave an extravagant wave of my hands over my clothed torso. "Happy?"

     Lana vigorously nodded, grinning wide at my antics. "Yes! NOW, we have two very handsome people to cheer for -- who may or may not be burned alive by vicious dragons!"

"I-I don't think I will be able to watch!" Jenna whimpered a little, her bottom lip quivering. "What if something...bad...happens?"

     I smirked and let out an evil cackle, but did not say anything, making a crease pop up in-between Jenna's brows with worry. Lana scoffed and smacked me in the stomach. "Ouch..." I mumbled and rubbed my stomach.

     "Don't scare the child!" She chuckled and left the room, calling out to us. "Hurry UP! Or we won't be in the splash zone!"

     Grinning, I ran down the stairs after her and an unsure Jenna quickly followed. "Splash zone?"

"You know, the bloody area!" I giggled as Jenna gasped and tried to smack me, which I expertly dodged.

✧

     THE QUIDDITCH PITCH was alive with the crowds of Hogwarts students ready for a fight. Cheers and laughter were already booming from the stadium, and we had barely crossed the fields. Jenna and Lana spared excited cheers, joining with the crowds. However, besides me, Hermione wasn't looking too excited. 

     Hermione wrapped a nervous hand around my wrist, tugging me away from the others in our group. "Come with me to see Harry off?"

     "Sure, why not?" I shrugged and waved Jenna and Lana ahead, they told me they were going to look for Blake. "Save me a seat in the splash zone!" I snickered at Jenna's disturbed face but followed my sister as she weaved us through the crowds, parallel to the direction of the Pitch.

     "I'm really really nervous..." Mione admitted as she strut over to the tents where the Champions were being kept until they were called in to the arena.

      I set a hand on her shoulder, causing her to pause. "I've noticed. Look, Mione. Harry's going to be fine. Honestly!" She didn't seem too reassured.

    Chewing the inside of her lip, Hermione pulled back a fold of the tent and we both peered in. "Pst! Harry!"

      Harry flicked his head side to side, but couldn't see where we were. As I looked around, I saw multiple gadgets and ropes. This must be a storage area when it is not being used for Champions...

     "Hermione, Elle. What are you guys doing here?" Harry backed up against the tent wall so we could talk clearly. Apparently, it was against the rules for anyone to be inside the tents except for Champions.

      "Seeing you off, stupid!" I grinned and Hermione rolled her eyes.

     "Wishing you luck!" She whispered, so Harry would not think she agreed with what I had to say.

     Hermione ripped back the curtain and flung her arms around Harry's shoulders in a quick hug. But not quick enough. With a bright flash, I bottle blonde waddled out from the shadows with a Cheshire grin. "Well, well, well! What a beautiful sight of young love!"

      "Rita Skeeter." Harry gulped. I blinked, not recognizing the name at first but as the recognition settled in, my confusion boiled to quiet rage.

     My thoughts trickled back to the article released earlier in the semester when the Tournament first started up. An article was released in the Daily Prophet that portrayed all the Champions as heroic, young witches and wizards filled with talent. And there was Harry. Who, much to my disbelief, was portrayed as a crybaby 'haunted by the ghosts of his past'. Harry had been seething for weeks. 

"Oh! So you are the snake that lied about Harry's int-" Hermione's eyes nearly bulged out of her head and she quickly slapped a hand over my mouth.

"She-she did not mean that!" Hermione quickly tried to explain, but I licked her hand, forcing her to release my mouth.

     I pulled away from my twin's grasp and stalked up to Ms Skeeter, poking her shoulder. Rita arched a plucked-thin brow and readied her pen. "You know what? There is a special place in Hell for peo--" This time, I was wrapped up in the arms of a tall guy wearing black and yellow. Cedric. He pulled me back into his chest, cutting off my mouth from flapping into total despair.

      "Hey, Elle," Cedric lowered himself so that he could mutter into my ear. "Take it from me, don't get her started."

Rita Skeeter's eyes were flashing around the whole scene with utter joy and as if this was the juiciest steak she has ever sunk her fangs into. Skank.

✧

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