Fireplace smoke
“You’re shaking- you’re bloody freezing! Here, let’s just-“ Percy mumbled to himself pulling Lirum up and towards the fire.
After the adrenaline and excitement of outrunning the giant serpent the chill of the raging blizzard outside became unbearable. Lirum said nothing as Percy ushered the twins to join them in front of the fire. A blanket thrown across them at they settled and watched as the fire crackled and popped.
“How long were you out there! Not a single one of you is dressed for the cold!” Percy ranted, run and collected more blankets.
“Sae, yer just gaun'ae let them stay? Ye have gone soft Percy!” Wood said looking at Percy who’d just joined his brothers and Lirum on the floor. Tucking another blanket around Lirum’s shoulders still unsure if the shaking was fright or the frigid cold.
“You’d have me send them back?” Percy asked dripping with venom. If looks could kill Oliver Wood would be the new Ghost of Gryffindor. Then end up as charred as Nearly Headless Nick.
“A canny say A blame ye. Wee thin looks shaken.” Wood shrugged, as if unfazed by Percy’s wrath. He stood carefree behind the row of Weasleys that surrounded Lirum.
“I’m handling it Oliver. Go to bed.” Percy snapped over his shoulder at the Quidditch captain.
“Alricht, alricht, just don’t gae blowin yer top, an wakin me up once A fall asleep.” Wood said, making his way up the stairs.
Lirum ignored them. Eyes focused on the fire. They had been so convinced they were right only to be proven so spectacularly wrong. They could have made things so much worse. They should have just stayed in the tower like they were told.
“Well on the bright side, we know Harry was in bed. No dark wizards in this tower, ey.” Fred joked, nudging Lirum a clear attempt to distract them.
“I almost got all of us killed.” Lirum said plainly, eyes still on the fire.
“No you almost got yourself killed. Me and Fred went out on our own. We just so happened to run into you and tried to scare you only to find out their was a massive Serpent at the end of the hall we hadn’t noticed.” George said pulling his hand out of the blanket burying his hand in their hair. “Come on Thumper, you saved us really. stop thinking about it. If I thought the brown didn’t suit you, this black certainly doesn’t match your eyes.”
“Black? What black?” Lirum asked ignoring the large hand and still nestled in their curls.
“Your hair’s been dark at least since we made it to the common room. Percy’s reaction gave us a pretty good idea of what it meant.” Fred grumbled resting with his arms crossed over his knees. They didn’t miss that Percy went ridge on their other side.
“Wait Percy, when has my hair ever been black?” Lirum looked at him confused and expectantly only for him to clear his throat and look at the fire for a moment.
“Hogsmeade.” Was all He said.
Lirum remembered. In the haze of the day he’d mentioned their hair had been the darkest he’d ever seen it. They had been in such a hurry to forget it ever happened. They hadn’t thought about what that actually meant.
“Oh,” Lirum replied awkwardly, looking back at the fire.
“What happened at Hogsmeade?” Fred asked, glowering at Percy.
“W-Well-“ Lirum stumbled unsure where to start.
“It’s private. If Lirum decides they want to tell you later, they can. Don’t start right now, that much should be obvious.” Percy snapped quickly at Fred.
“I was-ugh.” Fred was cut off by a swift jab from George.
“Blimey, both of you, shut it.” He said slowly dropping his hand form Lirum’s hair. His hand gently rubbed its way down their back under the blanket. Then dropped in the floor next to them. The ghost of a hug.
Percy inches closer until his shoulder rested against theirs. The closer he got the further back George tucked his arm. As if he was scared to be noticed, his hand sat just at the other side almost underneath them. Fred huffed, looking over at Lirum.
“Let’s get you to bed. You look tired.” He said standing on the other side of George.
“You’re right, bed would be best.” Percy said standing as well.
“Do I have to go?” Lirum asked, looking up at the boys.
“You’ll just be coming upstairs with me dear.” Percy said, reaching out a hand.
“With you? You think I’d let you take them?” Fred asked, looking dead at Percy.
“I am a prefect! I am watching out for them and about that I am their friend!” Percy snapped, starring his brother down.
“George, do you think they’ll stop arguing if I just go.” Lirum yawned, leaning against him.
“You’re not going anywhere, Love. Even if you tried, they’d still argue over who’s fault it was that you left.” George whispered, bringing his hand back up to rest in their hair.
“We’re the same age! We would share that same room if they’d been sorted into Gryffindor! George will be there too, at least I’m not trying to get them in my bed alone!” Fred argued, the pair getting far too heated over something silly.
“I can’t believe you would insinuate that out of the two of us, I would be the one to try something! I’m supposed to be comforted by the idea George will be there, am I? I’m to believe George would stop you if you were to try something indecent? As if he stops you from doing whatever you please in any other regard!” Percy bellowed at Fred.
“Percy Ignatius Weasley, I may bend the rules but, I would never allow either of you to cross that line! Do you understand?” George said, head snapped toward them other arm wrapped around Lirum protectively. “Now, both of you shut up and find a spot to lay down or go do your dorms. At this rate you’ll wake them up.”
“I…“ Percy started but trailed off.
Lirum was confused, and too tired to truly follow the conversation. George knew they were awake, but acted like they weren’t, as he adjusted their position.
“Thank you, I didn’t think they’d ever stop. They're so stupid sometimes.” Lirum mumbled into George’s shoulder. His grip on them tightened as he held them closer for a second.
“Oh Thumper, You don’t know the half of it.” Lirum could hear the shuffling around them as the brothers found their places to sleep on the floor.
“Goodnight George.” Lirum whispered one last time. George’s fingers gently tangled their hair. His warm grip holding the blankets tight, lulling then to sleep.
“Sweet dreams, Love”
The morning came quickly. Light shone through the common room window, and into Lirum’s eyes. Greeted by the homey smell of fireplace smoke, and woolen blankets. Blinking away sleep and moving toward the large source of warmth beside them. As they reached for the warmth they felt their legs were tangled in a mix of other legs and blankets.
“Mmh, I knew you’d pick me Darling.” Fred spoke softly nuzzling into the crook of their neck.
“Shhhh, Freeed I’m trying to sleep.” Lirum grumbled.
“Keeping our love a secret, now are we?” He teased.
“Ugh, One more word and-“
“Noo,” he whined, pulling them tighter.
“George,” Lirum called. Patting around behind them quickly being pulled back to where they’d been when they fell asleep; in George’s arms.
“No, come back.” Fred mumbled hugging Lirum from behind, effectively squishing them between the two boys. Not that they minded much, the fire had gone out at some point in the night and their friends were warm. They found it was a pleasant feeling to be held, safe and secure.
“That’s it, up! All of you, up!” Percy said. The shuffle of blankets loud as he threw his off and attempted to pull Fred’s away.
“You’re just jealous.” Fred refused to let go of his blanket.
“Just a few more minutes, please. It’s so cold! Join us, just a bit more rest.” Lirum begged when Percy grabbed their blanket.
“Lirum! If you’re cold I can bring you a jumper! Clinging to each other like this in the common room is inappropriate!” Percy said, pulling them up and away from the twins, face scarlet. “Just sit down on the sofa and I'll come back with a jumper for you.”
“But I’m cold now Percy.” They huffed, leaning back against the sofa.
Percy disappeared up the stairs. Lirum curled up on the sofa. Head on the arm rest attempting to get a few more minutes of rest while Percy brought them clothes. Fred And George finally stirred, stoking the fire and adding more wood. Percy came back with something red and woolen in his hands.
“Here Lirum, you can keep this one as well.” Percy said, handing them a jumper. When they unfolded it they realized it was red with a large yellow P in the center.
“Is this your Weasley jumper? Are you sure this is ok? Won’t your mum be mad?” Lirum asked starring at the warm wool they were holding.
“It’s from fourth year, barely fits anymore. You can keep it.” He said a bit rushed, taking off his glasses to clean them.
Putting it on it smelled like old books, a faint woody smell and fireplace smoke. All smells, easily identified with him. Reading by the fireplace using his wand as a bookmark. It’s exactly what he’d been doing when they arrived. The way they found him in the library when he wasn’t waiting for them, and they assumed how he spent his days at home.
“Hmm, I don’t think it suits you.” George shrugged looking at Lirum.
“What?” They asked softly, caught off guard by his comment.
“Don’t listen to him, you look good on anything. Especially a real weasley jumper. But that’s the wrong letter bunny, if you want a real one I’ll bring down one of mine.” Fred teased heading toward the stairs.
“A real Weasley jumper? Didn’t I get one last year?” Lirum asked, causing Fred and Percy to freeze.
“Well last year you got a blue one. A red means you’re a member of the family, Bunny. Now as happy as I would be to introduce you as Lirum Weasley, I need to fix that letter.” Fred said, resuming his trip up the stairs.
“You’re close but you're still not right Fred. If Thumper here is gonna wear any of ours it should be mine.” George said, teasingly sitting on the sofa beside them.
“And why’s that?” Fred stopped on the stairs to look back and Percy stopped cleaning his glasses, threw them on and glared at their younger brother.
“Our names both start with a G. My jumper has a big yellow G right in the middle of it.” Lirum and George laughed together for a while, sour looks taken over both Fred and Percy.
“Oh yes, because tradition dictates all Ollivanders must have G names.” Lirum said, putting on a posh accent. “So, I guess that means you the most eligible suitor, huh?” Lirum joked. The pair giggled together, while Fred stormed back down stairs.
“That’s absolute rubbish!” Fred quickly made it to the sofa, grabbing a throw pillow and hit his brother with it. “Don’t you start now!”
Percy fumed silently watching his brothers. He and Fred huffed while Lirum and George laughed.
“You two can stop now. I’m plenty happy with this one, but I’ll keep that in mind if it stops fitting, ok?” Lirum laughed watching the twins casually throw pillows at each other until they ran out of pillows to throw. Percy cleared his throat before speaking
“Most of the other students will be leaving today. We should take a trip back to your dorm. Where you can get your things.” Percy offered.
“Get my thing’s? I’m not going home?” Lirum questioned.
“No, but you shouldn’t stay there over the break alone.” Percy said softly. “You should just stay here, with us.”