Hello You

George was awakened by Aine thrashing around in bed, confused he watched her face scrunched up as if she was in pain. She was having a nightmare, unsure of what to do he reached his hand out to caress her face but as if she had a sixth sense her eyes snapped open. Noticing his hand coming towards her she gasped loudly and threw herself onto the floor. 

“Aine!” He quietly whispered, quickly throwing his legs over the bed and went to help her up. 

“Oh hi George” she replied holding onto his hand as he pulled her up. He did a quick scan of the room and noticed that it had to be early maybe 5am, and the only person who was in as Towler and he always silenced his bed because of his loud snoring.

“Are you alright?” He gently rubbed her shoulder as she gave him a soft smile.

“Yeah, just a weird dream and then your hand scared me.” She explained in a soft voice moving herself closer. 

“What time is it?” She wondered and he walked over to his watch that was left next to his bedside table.

“About 4:30 am” he responded looking back at her as she widened her eyes.

“Ohh George I’m so sorry it’s so early” she began and started looking for something.

“I can head back to Hufflepuff, you go back to sleep” He realized she was looking for her shoes. He eyed them in the corner that he placed them in and stood up, grabbing her arm pulling her to sit back on the bed.

“its okay, I’m not even tired. Just stay “He responded as she gave him a worried look.

“But-“He gave her a look and she sighed.

“Do you have any extra pajamas pants? My legs are cold…” she explained. George stood up, heading toward one of the closets. As he opened it a pile of laundry fell on to the floor causing Aine to giggle while watching him grab one pair of pants then shove everything back in.

“Thank you” she smiled as he handed her the pants and looked around the room. George noticed and pointed to a door in the far corner indicating it was the bathroom. After a few minutes Aine came back out, George squinted his eyes in the dark examining her. The sweatpants were too big, so she had rolled the top causing it to be a low waisted on her, still wearing the pink top and her hair was now tied up. He took a mental picture of this, to remember how beautiful she looked in this moment. 

He watched her stand awkwardly for a few seconds, then motioned her to come back.

“I’m sorry if I was weird at all last night…” She began sitting on the bed next to him.

“No, you were fine.” George replied hanging his arm around her. 

“Thank you again. I can’t believe you threw a party for me. I feel like a movie character” she leaned into him placing her head on his shoulder.

“A what?” He laughed the word sounded funny to him. Moo-vie, like a cow.

“It’s a muggle thing, but it’s like watching a story with real people but it’s on a big screen. I love them, if you want, we can go one day.” She answered and yawned. George guided her body to lay down with him and he gave her a nod. They continued to talk until both fell asleep again holding each other.

-

Corrine was exhausted and her head killed, she laid her head on the cold wood table as Oliver and Connell talked around her.

“Drink some water” Connell commented as Oliver laughed at her first hangover, she sat up and chugged the whole glass as if she hadn’t had water in years.

“Corrine - what are you wearing?” A voice called from behind her that was Jameson. She looked down at her terrible outfit which was Oliver’s red sweatshirt/pants.

“Shut up! I didn’t have a choice.” She muttered as he sat down.

“Yeah because she puk-“Corrine had gotten up and smacked Oliver head as he started to laugh. Connell rolled his eyes and greeted Jameson as they fought.

“So crazy party?” Jameson asked making himself a small breakfast, since it was Saturday usually it lasted longer than the during week. 

“It was sorta fun” Corrine mumbled sipping on more water. 

“Yeah, Katie seems to like you a lot” Oliver commented causing Corrine to blush, and they continued their breakfast. When they finished, they walked out of the great hall. 

“Where’s Aine?” Jameson asked as they started walking. 

“She might be having a lie in, I know she’s been exhausted all week” Corrine commented as she began to cradle herself and yawn.

“Apparently Weasley walked her back, but I’m gonna check on her later-“Connell stopped talking and started ahead. Corrine and Jameson who were just following him looked around him and their jaws dropped.

Aine Murphy was walking hand in hand with George Weasley wearing just a tank top and his sweatpants! Corrine could tell because of the Gryffindor logo that ran up the leg and how they were too big on her. She noticed that they were coming from the direction of Gryffindor tower and behind them was Angelina Johnson and Fred Weasley.

Jameson and Corrine eyes each other than at Connell who looked like he was about to hit something.

“Corrine! Do you feel better?” Aine jumped into her arms not noticing the tension. Bless her heart. Corrine nodded and gave her a hug back; Jameson looks at George who had bed head and gave them all a wave.

Aine scrunched her face observing Corrine and let out a small laugh.

“Rin, what are you wearing” Corinne cringed at Oliver’s gross clothes and gave a smile back in her head she was thinking ‘me?! Look at you!’

“Aine. What are you wearing?” Connell asked in a calm tone asking what everyone else was thinking. 

“Oh? Sweatpants?” She looked down at herself and shrugged, turning her body back to Corrine. Connell annoyed with this answer turned towards the Weasley twins with irritation building and Oliver god bless him, decided to throw his arm over his shoulder and lead him back to Gryffindor tower.

‘Always thinking of the team. That one.’ Corrine rolled her eyes as the three remaining Gryffindors moved closer to them.

“We were just about to get some breakfast, if you wanted to join” One of the twins spoke. Maybe Fred.

“We already ate... so” Jameson muttered awkwardly. The twin on the left placed a hand on Aines shoulder.

“Are you gonna come with us?” He asked softly while Fred and Angelina walked into the great hall. Aine looked in between George and Corrine, Corrine felt her heart clench a little in jealousy. 

“You sure you feel alright?” Aine asked gently, Corrine sighed and spoke the truth.

“My head kills” 

Aine turned back to George and gave him a small smile.

“We can eat together later” she firmly replied to him and held Corrine hand. Corrine notice George deflated a little bit at her answer and felt herself get annoyed.

‘She was my friend first you git’ it was as if the nasty thought caused the pounding in her head to increase. 

Aine and Jameson led her outside as she tried to clear her mind from anything, she felt like not thinking was helping. Once they reached the courtyard, Aine sat down and signaled for Corrine to lay her head in her lap. As Corrine laid down, Aine began to run her fingers through her hair and Corrine closed her eyes. 

“You spent the night in Gryffindor tower?” Jameson asked as he lifted Corrine’s feet, sitting on the bench and placing them in his lap.

“It was by accident, nothing happened.” Aine responded continuing to comfort Corrine. Eventually, their conversation seemed far, and Corrine thought about how she was happy Aine was with George Weasley. She truly was, but she didn’t want things to change, she wanted to continue through Hogwarts with her and Jameson. Love didn’t seem in the cards for Corrine, and to most people she’s annoying, competitive know it all but to Aine she felt normal. Drifting to sleep Corrine wished that George Weasley wouldn’t steal away her friend.

-

Aine chewed her lip hard as she stared at the letter that just landed on her bed. She noticed there was three magazines tied together under them also. Eventuality she was going to have to read her mother’s response, she was just unsure of what to expect. Aine decided that she would shower instead, she began to pull clothes out laying them on her bed. Her eyes noticed the letter again. 

‘Then again if the letter makes me upset, the shower will cheer me up’  her hand reached out to it but she immediately spun around and ripped out her shirt. 

Wrapping a silk scarf around her head and then tying up the rest of the braids she basically ran into the shower. The hot water hit her body and she at first just stood there, closing her eyes, and thinking of... well everything. 

She thought about her family, friends and about Sirius Black, and tears began to leak from her eyes as she remembered how he hurt her.

‘Why did this happen?’

She began to cry harder thinking about last year,

‘why does this keep happening to me?’

But then she thought about George, and how it seemed like when they were together nothing bad happened. The tears began to stop, and she felt the water get colder slowly, stepping out into a robe she walked back to her bed and opened the letter.

My sweet Aine,

Your Headmaster has written me, telling me you had taken a horrible fall while attending to your garden club. I was awaiting your letter or something from your brother but maybe you guys thought it wasn’t a big deal… I won’t tell daddy you know how he worries. He’s currently in America! He said he will take pictures to show us during your break. Just please be careful my sweet girl, take a break and make sure you tell the professor lupos?? Thank you for finding you. I know you want to be strong and not worry me, but I worry about you two every day because I’m your mother. I mailed your magazine, I did do a little looky and tried a style option, Aunt Michelle made fun but I think she’s jealous that i have such a beautiful daughter and all she has is her boorish son. Anyways please write, I miss you… winter break is coming soon, and daddy will be home so we are gonna plan an outing for Connell birthday! I love you Aine, I love you more than itself. I love you I love you I love you. 

Xoxo 

Mammy

Aines heart clenched reading the multiple I love you’s, she loved her mother and always wondered how she coped while all of them were gone most of the time, even during the summer sometimes Aine wouldn’t see her dad because of his work. So, knowing he would be home for Connell birthday gave her hope to get through the next weeks of school. She wondered why Dumbledore told her parents that she fell instead of what really happened. Maybe, she should talk to Lupin, Aine decided to write her back and still stick to original plan to tell her what really happened later, she ended the letter with 5 I love you’s and sealed it.

-

When Corrine and Aine walked into DADA Monday morning they were surprised to see professor snape instead of Lupin. Snape glared at them as they slowly walked toward their desk, giving each other a final look, they sat down. 

“what’s going on?” Corrine quietly asked looking around to triple check they weren’t in the potion’s classroom by mistake. 

“I don’t know... maybe something happened to Lupin?” Aine responded keeping her head down from Snapes eyes that kept following every student that entered.

“Too early for the curse too take affect” Corrine pushed her hair behind her ear and leaned back in her chair, Aine could noticed she put on her bored face. 

“Maybe~ Black got to him!” A Ravenclaw named Daniel Hodges sneaked in between their heads, to scare them on the way to his seat. Aine gasped and Corrine spun around and smacked him in the chest.

“Ugh get away you Tosser!” She yelled as Daniel giggled at them.

“5 points from Ravenclaw for being disruptive” Snapes droned at them. Corrine glared at Daniel until he sat down, and he gave them a meek smile.

“Professor Lupin is out sick today, I will be covering for this period, and I will not be taking any questions about it, the lesson will be written on the board open your books and quietly review.” Snape said as a piece of chalk floated and began writing behind him, as he took a seat, they noticed the lesson on the board was werewolves.

Aine eyes Corrine who made a confused face, and Corrine raised her hand.

“Knight put your hand down.” Snape snapped but didn’t look up from his work. Corrine rolled her eyes and anal dither in her chair, Aine began to pull out the study guide has made her. She was pretty werewolves was a subject they studied last year and did not have a current book. She tapped Corrine foot with her and put the book in the middle of the desk. Aine looked around and noticed that everyone else was confused too but just kept their heads down not to anger Snape.

“Review something, we learned last year, and have no material for it. What a joke” Corrine whispered to her as they read.

“Maybe, Lupin left him this and he didn’t know.” Aine replied quietly.

“That or Snapes an arsehole.” She muttered. Aine sighed that’s true, snape was a kinda jerk but I guess a bad lesson is better than Lupins piercing gaze every other lesson.

“When did George ask you to be his girlfriend?” Corrine asked suddenly, it made Aine stop writing and give her a look.

“Huh” 

“I overheard him call you his girlfriend at the party. I didn’t know you guys were there yet.” Corrine shrugged.

“Oh, I guess he never asked.” Aine murmured thinking about the last few days.

“Aine” Corrine gasped at her nudging her hard.

“He has to ask, otherwise what if he’s... what if it’s just kissing to him?” Corrine asked pushing her hair back again as snape eyed the room again. 

“He said it’s not... “Aine wanted to say it confidently but if he was saying he was she was his girlfriend apparently doesn’t that mean he thought it was more?

“Still, he has to ask, it’s a nice thing to do. Think of every movie we watched together; he’s supposed to ask.” Corrine replied, Aine stomach twisted.

“I’m sure he forgot...” she murmured and focused on the guide again. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry, I just wanted to ask.” Corrine apologized, Aine gave her a smile. 

Exiting the classroom, they noticed George leaned against the wall, waiting for them.

“Do you ever goto class Weasley?” Corrine asked as he gravitated towards Aine and held her hand.

“Sometimes, got kicked out of this one though.” He laughed out pulling Aine closer, Corrine stuck her tongue and headed to her other class.

“Alright love?” George asked as he walked her to herbology. Aine thought about the whole conversation that happened earlier and wanted to ask him. 

‘Maybe later I’ll ask.’

“I’m alright” she smiled at him, George smiled back and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.