Our Girl
The golden rays from the morning light light up the Hufflepuff dorm and cascade where you lay wrapped up in your comforter. Nobody noticed that you had left on the night of the Yule Ball, though that didn’t stop the questions about you snogging George Weasley in the middle of the dance floor. So far, you’ve been able to dodge the biggest question of all: “Is he your boyfriend?”
Truth be told, you aren’t entirely sure if you are or not. The brothers said they would ‘share’ you, which put an end to their rivalry with each other, though they had never specifically stated that they wanted it to be an official relationship. The time and place hasn’t worked itself out yet for you to clarify it either. Between classes and excitement of the next part of the tournament, it was hard for you to even meet with them. The nice thing is that The Weasley brothers do take the time to greet you in the Great Hall every morning. That was a step up from being unsure if they’d even want to acknowledge you around others or not.
You sit up and run your fingers through your knotted hair as you gaze out the window. Soft fluffy clouds float through a bright blue sky. Fresh snow had fallen overnight, leaving a smooth untouched blanket of white over the grounds. You go over what your plans are for the day in your head as you start getting dressed.
Breakfast, study, write an essay, practice charms and visit the greenhouse, more studying, dinner and then bed.
With a full day ahead and your goals in your mind, you head to the Great Hall to grab some breakfast. The room is already bustling with students laughing and chatting with full plates in front of them. The Gryffindor area was so packed together, you couldn’t get a clear view of either brother. You sit alone and begin sifting through the food, an open book to your right so you can get some light reading in. Even if it only cuts out five minutes of what you have to do later, it is still free time that you can appreciate then.
You’re so caught up in multitasking that the person next to you has to clear their throat several times until you look up from the worn pages. A shaggy blonde hair boy with bright blue eyes was watching you, a familiar smirk worn across his face. Matthew Starling - your ex boyfriend, and the last human on earth you want to talk to. You shoot him a polite smile and refocus back to your book and hope he gets the hint.
He leans closer to you with his black, green and silver robes draping over his broad shoulders. His thin fingers tap at the corner of the page with persistence until you give him your attention again through narrow eyes. This was the first time he has acknowledged you since your break up last year right before term ended. It was a volatile relationship, and your very first. He was selfish, rude and all around a terrible person to have your first romantic and sexual experiences with. Him cheating with a Ravenclaw girl was the final straw that let you break free from him and his games.
Matthew didn’t take it well. He made a scene in the out on the grounds, then stormed away in a rage. You were sure that he would try and beg for you back, but he didn’t. Thankfully for you he already had his talons in someone else.
You suppress the urge to get up and leave. You were sitting here first, afterall. It was only a matter of time until he would try and make you feel uncomfortable.
“Studying this early in the morning, are you?” Matthew asks while still tapping the page you were previously reading.
“Just trying to get a head start,” you reply, trying to hold back the malice in your voice. What did he really want?
Matthew beams at you. Your stomach turns with uneasiness. “Always were the hard worker between the two of us. Glad to see that hasn’t changed.”
You furrow your brows and glance back down at the book, which is immediately snatched from your vision. The blonde boy was holding it up to his face. His pupils scanned a few lines before placing it down in front of him, his forearm blocking so you can’t easily grab it back.
“But,” he jeers, “I know you have more interests than studying. I saw the way you were snogging one of the Weasleys during the Yule Ball.”
That’s it, that’s what he has found you for.
“So what if I was?” You snap and cross your arms. “It’s really none of your business.”
His pupils shrink as you make eye contact with him. His wild smile became increasingly forced with his jaw cocking to the side. “I just find it rather funny that you don’t mind flaunting yourself around with one of Hogwarts biggest prats, but refused to even kiss me in the Great Hall when we were dating - was it, six months?”
“I don’t remember,” you lie. Seven and a half. That’s how long you had to endure a relationship with Matthew Starling. “I really should get going anyway.” You quickly go to grab your book again, but he blocks it and slides it even further away
“Oh come on now,” he laughs and runs a hand through his blonde hair. “We are just having a quick chat, no need to rush off.” There was something different in his voice that you had never heard before. Your gut was screaming for you to get out of there. “I just never pegged you as the type to let a guy like that touch you. A Gryffindor. A Weasley, at that.”
You hold your arms tight against your chest as you stare at him coldly. Your cheeks are starting to get hot as your temper rises. “Who does or doesn’t touch me is really none of your business, Matthew. Now, give me my book back so I can leave.”
Matt forces a smirk and he hoists a leg over the bench so that his entire stocky body faces you. Before the next sentence of, what you guess, would be a string of insults of either you or the Weasley’s - Fred pops up in between you and Matt.
“Good morning!” He says cheerily.
Another voice comes from your left. “Good morning, Y/N! We thought we would stop on by.” You see George sitting next to you closely, a broad grin across his face.
“We didn’t mean to interrupt all the fun,” Fred jests and shoots a blank look at Matt. “Oh, but I’m sure you don’t mind!”
“Oh, he definitely does but that's okay!” George agrees, then moves in closer to place a hand on your lower back. You stare into his calm demeanor, a beacon of safety amidst this chaotic morning.
Matt was scowling at the two brothers as they huddled around you. “Well actually, we were having a bit of a private chat.”
“We really weren’t,” you interject with a frown.
“In that case,” Fred starts and reaches behind Matt and grabs your book, then slides it to the front of you. “Don’t let us stop the conversation.” At this point both of the Weasley brothers were sitting on either side of you. Fred had practically pushed Matt out the way so that he could wedge himself in between. “I’d like to hear more about, what did you call us again?”
“Hogwarts biggest prats,” George answers.
“Yes! That’s it!” His brother exclaims. He props himself up with both elbows, his back against the wooden table.
There is a moment where the boys stare each other down. Matt’s visual anger and disdain did nothing to sway the twins, who sat by your side like statues. Finally, the blonde boy chugs his drink, slams the cup on the table and storms off.
Relief floods over you as the sound of his footsteps fade away. George, who has had his hand firmly on your lower back the entire time, slides a few inches to give you some space.
“I owe you one,” you say shakily as you take the book in your hands. As you bend down to return it to your bag, the words you just said sank in. “Not like that,” you add hurriedly.
The brothers laugh. Fred tilts his head and smiles as you sit back up and face him. “We won’t hold you to it, don’t worry.”
“Unless you want us to,” George adds with a shrug and nudge of your shoulder.
You smile at them as you get to your feet. In the times you've spent with them, the subject of Matthew had never come up. Part of you was glad for that, since it's a bit of a sore subject.
"That wasn't how I wanted to start my day," you say with a sigh. For just a flash of a second, they both frown, then cover it with a forced grin. "But, thank you. Matt is a bit of a-"
George interrupts with, "giant headed moron?"
"I was going to say a boil infested blast-ended skrewt," Fred adds and shoots you a wink. "I could think of a few other names, but that one seems the most appropriate."
George nods and stares off in the distance wistfully. "It sure will be, especially in a few minutes."
Your brows raise and you glance between the two of them. "What did you do?" You ask, a genuine smile finally breaking across your face.
They both stand up and shrug in unison.
Fred slides his hand into the pocket of his robe and pulls out an empty vial. George answers with, "let's just say, we helped him find his true form."
You gasp and cover your mouth. "You didn't!"
Their eyes are gleaming with glee, there is no need for an answer. Whatever was in that vial is now running through Matthew's system, and considering the crazy concoctions the brothers normally come up with - you can only imagine what will happen to him next.
"That should teach him a lesson or two," Fred says with a nod.
George gestures to where a crowd is forming right outside of the Great Hall, Professor Sprout is sprinting and asking students to move aside. "Looks like class has started, then. Let's go watch the show."
Your attention flicks between them and the ever growing crowd out in the hall. "I can't, I'm sorry. I have to study, but I'll see you both later."
The three of you head in the same direction, then break off right as the scene of Matthew Starling covered in massive red boils unfolds in front of you. Your heart swells as you turn your back to the chaos, knowing that they did that all for you. You're not sure who else would have intervened at a moment like that, but you were so thankful for the twins.
—---------------------------
The library is unsurprisingly barren, being that it was so early in the morning. The only other person, aside from Madam Pince, is a girl with a curly mane of hair sitting behind a massive stack of books. Even with her face concealed, you know at once that this is Hermione Granger.
You find a spot close to the middle of the room and begin unpacking your belongings onto the chipped dark wood table - parchment, a quill, a few books. Your hand lingers over the olive cover of the book that Fred had rescued from Matt. Studying was necessary, but you long to be with the Weasley brothers more than ever.
Maybe if you just buckle down and try to get this done early, there will be time for you to find them and show them just how much you appreciate them standing up for you. Your stomach fills with butterflies as the thought of being tangled in their arms floats to the forefront of your mind. Then, with a quick shake of your head the fantasies disappear. If any of that is to happen, then you need to focus. You have to get all of this out of the way.
There was nothing but silence in the room for the next few hours, aside from the occasional turn of a page or scribbling on parchment. Some other students came in and out of the room, but nobody stayed longer than fifteen minutes or so. Hermione’s stack of books was slowly being organized into two sections. You periodically glance up and watch as her full undivided attention was on whichever page she was reading at the time. If only you had even part of the drive that she does, then maybe you wouldn’t even be in this mess to begin with.
Your eyelids are starting to get heavy as you reach the bottom of the parchment with your quill. One more page to go and then that part of Flitwick’s homework assignment is complete. You’re determined, but your stomach is growling loudly. Then it dawned on you that you completely forgot to eat anything this morning after the event with Matthew. It was still early, around 11:30AM, so taking a quick lunch break wouldn’t hurt your progress.
With that thought convincing you, you start packing up your things and stand to leave. You glance one more time at Hermione, who is smiling at you from behind the wall of text books. She lifts her hand and beckons you with a discreet wave. You step to her with your leather brown bag hanging in the front of your legs.
She leans over the pages of an open book as you reach her table. “You’re Y/N, right?” You nod and her smile widens. “You were George’s date to the Yule Ball?”
“Right,” you reply simply, the sound of his name makes your cheeks flush a bit.
“I thought I recognized you,” she says. “He really seems to like you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so..” she trails off as Madam Pince shushes her from across the room. With a softer whisper she continues, “so happy and, I don’t know, open about this kind of thing.”
You shuffle your feet a bit hearing this from Hermione. You know she’s been a long term friend of the Weasleys’, so her input of the twins’ behavior is about as accurate as it can get. Especially from someone this perceptive.
“I like them too,” you blurt out, then try to cover it up with, “George is just great.” They agreed to share you, but not both be public with you.
Hermione’s brows lower for a moment. “That’s great, really.” She shoots a quick glance at Madam Pince before continuing with, “and if you ever need to talk to someone about them..”
You tilt your head and take a step back. She knows. She really caught that little slip up. Maybe talking to someone perceptive was a bad idea after all. Would Fred and George be upset with you about this? “I have to go,” you mutter with your eyes glued to the floor.
“Listen,” she persists as you turn to leave. She stands and has both hands splayed on the desk as she leans forward. “I’m not going to say a word to anyone, I promise.”
You loosen your grip on your bag and turn your head. It was a lot to keep to yourself, which is something you never really realized before. Being unable to talk to anyone about your feelings about not just one, but two separate boys, did leave you feeling a bit isolated from the rest of Hogwarts.
You meet her eyes and smile. “Thank you.”
With that, you head to the door and push your way into the hall. The foundation of a new friendship was forming, and it made a new fire in your soul ignite at once. Getting another girl’s input on the situation would be enlightening. Though, some details would be much better left locked up in that secret room for only the Weasley brothers and you.
Your wistful excitement is torn away immediately as you turn the corner and see Matthew Starling leaning against the wall. His shaggy blonde hair is covering half of his red boil infested skin which makes you wince on sight. As you retrieve the wand from your pocket, he lurches forward and grabs you by the wrist.
“What in the bloody hell did you do to me?” He yells. His thumb digs into your sensitive soft flesh, making your fingers let go of your wand. It falls with a soft clank to the floor.
“I didn’t do anything to you!” You shriek and attempt to pull away from him.
His grip tightens around your sore wrist and he jerks his arm forward so that you’re against his chest. Some of the boils over his scowling face were repeatedly popping, puss rolling down his flushed cheeks. “Don’t you dare lie to me,” he hisses between gritted teeth, spit spraying your face.
“I’m not.” You try to fight back the tears as he stares down at you. You aren’t about to sell Fred and George out. The last thing you need is for them to get in trouble for protecting you.
Matthew forcefully pulls at your already extended aching arm again and you let out an audible gasp of pain. He smirks, admiring your terrified expression, then spins and slams you against the wall. The impact forces all of the air from your lungs. He keeps you pinned between himself and the stone, stopping you from fully catching your breath.
“What’s wrong?” He growls. “Don’t like when I touch you anymore?”
You struggle against his weight while staring up into his snake-like eyes. Your stomach twists with fear and disgust as he lowers his distorted and slimy face, his lips inches away from yours.
Then you hear a voice echoing out at once, “petrificus totalus!”
There is a flash of light, then Matthew immediately goes stiff as a board and falls back to the floor with a thud. Your head is spinning and your sight is still going into focus, when two arms wrap around you. At first you go to fight the figure, until you recognize that familiar earthy cologne.
“You’re okay, you’re okay,” George coos and strokes your hair. “We’ve got you.” You collapse against him and take a sharp breath of relief. Tears pool in your eyes and flood down your cheeks.
“You’re absolutely mental,” Fred yells and you hear his foot meet Matthew’s stomach. “You’re bloody lucky I didn’t bother using,” a pause and he gave another kick. “The crucio curse.” A third grunt came from Matthew. “On your pathetic excuse of a-”
“That’s enough!” A girl yells from the end of the corridor. Even with your face still pressing against George’s sweater, you recognize it as Hermione.
“I’m not done with him,” Fred chokes out in anger. His face is bright red with rage and he gives the blonde boy on the floor another swift kick. “You just wait until I am, you’ll be begging for -”
“Stop,” Hermione demands and wedges herself in between them. “I understand you’re upset but-”
“Upset?” George laughs out in disbelief. “He fucking assaulted Y/N.”
“I know,” she explains quickly. “But the last thing you both need is to be expelled.”
“I’m willing to go to Azkaban at this point,” Fred snaps.
You pull out of George’s arms and yell, “no!”
“That’s not what she needs,” Hermione explains. “She needs you both, here, at school with her.”
Fred looks at you and his face drops. His white knuckled grip on his wand loosens and he steps over the now bloody mouthed Matthew Starling. He takes your hands gently, his eyes scanning where the skin on your wrist is raw and tender. His expression hardens, and he swiftly turns on his heel and charges Matt.
Instead of throwing another punch, he kneels down next to him and grabs a fist full of his hair. “Look at me,” he hisses. The boy’s blue irises dart up from the floor and into Fred’s. “If you ever come near our girl again, I promise you that boils will be the last of your worries.” Matt’s eyes widened.
George places a hand on your lower back and steps forward. “We will make sure that even your parents won’t even recognize you once we are done.”
Fred smiles coldly, “and that’s a promise.” He drops Matt’s head to the floor and gets to his feet.
Hermione winces as she steps over the boy. She walks to you, worry written all over her face. “Are you okay?”
You wrap your arms around Fred and nod, your eyes still burn from the salty tears staining your cheeks. There were so many words you wish you could say to all of them. If they hadn’t stepped in, who knows what Matt would have done. Your skin crawls with the thought of his blistered lips on yours.
“Can we go?” You ask while looking up at Fred.
He smiles and strokes your hair. “Of course.”
Hermione offers to clean up the Matthew situation so that you and the Weasley brothers can leave.
They both have their hands on you the entire time when walking through the halls and the passageways. There is still silence between all of you, even when curled up between them in that small bed with the fireplace burning nearby. The tears eventually stop falling when the shock of the events finally completely dissipates. You are thankful for Fred. For George. For Hermione, your new found friend.
You take their warmth and allow it to warm even the coldest part of your heart, which is still partially fearful of what Matthew might do next.
But you know, if he has any sense in him, that he will take the Weasley brothers’ threat seriously.
You are, after all, their girl.