Title: Total Eclipse of the Heart
Pairing: Harry Potter / Fred Weasley
Rated: M/T
Genres: Romance
Summary: Depression and sadness has taken a hold of Harry's soul, yet Fred refuses to let the boy be broken. He'll devour the nightmares and show Harry just how good life can be. For he has said it, it shall be!
Fred watched in silence as Harry stormed out of the room and slammed the portrait.
It hadn't always been this way.
Harry had once been a kind, sweet, and courageous boy that craved to protect his friends, but recently that had changed. The once brave and sweet boy had slowly become more reclusive, hot tempered (which was actually pretty incredible given the fact that he was already very hot tempered), and had grown very depressed.
Fred was worried, terrified in fact because the very thought of Harry feeling anything but happiness set little butterflies loose in his stomach. It wasn't the 'oh my god, I'm so happy and content feeling' but more like the 'oh my gosh, I'm so freaking worried that my hair is going to turn gray' feeling.
He hated it, and he winced every time he saw those stunning emerald orbs steadily become darker with sadness.
He shouldn't feel this way, but he couldn't stop it. No matter how wrong it was, he loved Harry Potter more than he should as Harry's self proclaimed 'brother'. He wanted Harry. Desired him so much that it physically hurt to think about the boy falling in love with another, and it was because of said love that Fred was able to see the storm of guilt, self loathing, and utter sadness that lurked behind those beautiful eyes.
It wrenched his heart to see, but he promised himself that he would make Harry see that it wasn't his fault, and that the boy could have done nothing to stop the events that happened.
His twin would help him. Of this, Fred was sure. George knew of his sick fascination with The Boy Who Lived, but thankfully his twin didn't judge him.
Instead George was supportive, and actually just stayed with Fred on those nights that the desire to be near Harry was just too much. It was on those wretched nights that Fred would finally allow himself to feel the pain of falling in love with someone he knew he couldn't have.
Tears would escape his eyes and sobs would wrack his tall frame, yet George wouldn't simply walk away. He would always sit there with Fred, and smile gently at the boy as he trembled.
They never talked during those times, for it was never needed. They had a silent connection, and George felt absolutely no need to break the emotionally heavy silence with needless words and questions that he already knew the answer to.
Instead, they'd just bask in the company of the other, and allow their masks of mischief to slowly fall to the ground as they let their human side out. Most forgot that even the most devious of pranksters could feel emotions.
Turning his attention back on the boy that was always within his mind, Fred came to a decision and stood.
He walked silently to the portrait and caught his twin's nod as he opened it and walked to the direction that Harry had gone when he had stormed out.
Taking numerous turns through the corridors, Fred finally stopped at a barely noticeable portrait of a knight, and whispered quietly into the still air, "Arthurian." With a loud rumbling noise that came from the very depths of the castle, a small door opened up next to his feet, and Fred slowly made his way down the stone steps that led downwards.
Most didn't know about this secret corridor, but Harry, George, and himself had found it when they had coerced Harry into performing a prank with them. They had discovered it by mistake when they had been roaming around aimlessly in the corridors as they searched for a good hiding place to hide the materials of their prank.
Looking back on it with a fond smile, Fred continued his trek and breathed a small sigh of relief when he finally came across a familiar oak door.
Slowly opening it, he listened to the loud creak and looked into the dimly lit room. Torches sat in little holders on the wall, and the room was set up like a medieval bedroom. Since it was located deep within the castle, there were no windows and the walls were made of stone.
It was your typical dungeon, yet Fred didn't really mind. It was homey, and he loved that no one else beside his twin and Harry knew where it was. He knew the boy came here for silence and comfort whenever he was upset, and he loved the fact that it was a secret kept especially between them. It made it all the more precious to him.
Smiling slightly, he walked straight to the bed, and pulled back the blue curtains to look upon the raven haired boy sprawled across the bed.
Harry lay on his back, and his shirt rode up slightly due to his position. Fred drank the milky white skin greedily in with his eyes, and just took a moment to admire the pale flesh.
There weren't many blemishes besides a few scars, and Fred firmly believed that instead of being ugly, the scars provided a certain depth that many simply didn't have.
Tearing his eyes away from the magnificent flesh, Fred looked up just in time to see emerald orbs flutter open. A bright pink settled on the boy's face, and Fred smiled slightly as Harry smiled shyly at him.
Harry was adorable whether he knew it or not.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, frowning slightly when he noticed just how husky his voice sounded due to his earlier state of sleep.
"Coming to check on you," Fred replied, shrugging as if the reason wasn't really important. Harry tilted his head to the side in confusion, and simply stared at Fred.
"You seemed angry in the Common Room, and you've been depressed lately. I want to know what's wrong," Fred answered, staring Harry in the eyes. He was momentarily delighted as Harry's blush turned a shade darker. It was a good sign that Harry's infamous temper hadn't kicked in with that comment, and Fred sincerely hoped that the boy didn't flip out on him.
Green eyes pierced his for a moment, and all was silent. Finally, Harry sighed in resignation. He couldn't lie to Fred even if he wanted to, and Fred knew it just as well as Harry did.
"I haven't been sleeping good well lately, and lately…" Here Harry trailed off and looked at the stone wall. Misery and utter despair shone in his eyes, and Fred pulled the boy into a hug as tears slowly formed in the other's eyes.
There was nothing sexual about it. His intentions were pure, and they were transferred as he just held Harry as the boy finally came undone in his arms.
Sobs wracked Harry's small frame, and the boy sniffled into his shirt as he tried to stop the endless flow of tears.
However, despite the utter anguish that Harry was obviously in, the boy absolutely refused to say any more.
Slowly moving his hands in circles along the boy's back, Fred whispered soothingly into his ears, "What else Harry? What's going on? You know you can tell me…". Harry looked up, and Fred winced as slightly deadened emerald orbs looked up at him. In the dim torch light, the black bags under the boy's eyes were more visible, and Fred grimaced slightly as he realized what was going on with the savior.
"You've been having nightmares haven't you? Why didn't you come see me and George?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. Harry used to always go to them when he had a bad dream. Ron didn't know how to deal with them and Hermione would always pester him about it, so Harry didn't like to tell them when he had one. However, it had once gotten so bad that he broke down sobbing in the living room of the Burrow when he stayed over for the summer one night. Fred and George had found him, and had let Harry spend the night curled up in their arms as the dreams replayed in his mind's eye. Eventually, the boy had calmed down, and the trio had slept peacefully.
Ever since that night, Harry would always come to them, and it hurt to realize that Harry possibly just didn't want to do that with them anymore.
Swallowing, he watched as emerald orbs gleamed with confusion before finally understanding dawned on in them.
"I didn't want to bother you guys. I'm fifteen. I'm a big boy, and should have been dealing with it on my own. I hate that I pushed my problems onto you," Harry whispered. Fred sighed before nodding. Trust Harry to try and put other people's needs before his own. It was something he both hated and loved.
"How many times have I told you that silence is the most powerful scream? You can't just keep things bottled up like that. It's unhealthy and unneeded since George and I would have happily let you sleep with us." Here Fred looked away and blushed slightly at the implications. He really meant 'I wouldn't mind' although he knew George wouldn't really mind either. Harry had the decency to look ashamed, and Fred mentally chuckled at the cuteness of the action.
"I'm sorry… I'm so terrified of the nightmares that I just stopped falling asleep. I'm damaged and I don't want that to rub off on you." Harry mumbled and looked down. Fred brought his hand up and slightly forced Harry's chin up, and looking the boy straight in the eye.
"If you're scared of the nightmares then let me devour them. You're not damaged, you're just scarred and that's different. Scarred things have depth while damaged things are broken. You aren't and never will be broken. I won't allow you to be." Fred said it with so much conviction that Harry just stared at the red head for a moment.
He had always been so sure that he was just damaged and broken goods, yet Fred had just told him that he would never be broken. It brought a strange fluttering to his stomach, yet Harry honestly didn't know what it was. All he knew was that it was pleasant, and he almost didn't want it to stop.
Smiling softly, he tightened his arms around Fred's middle section, and balled his hands up in the shirt, hoping that he could somehow pull the redhead closer.
Smiling softly to himself, Harry closed his eyes and let the steady beating of Fred's heart guide him to the realm of sleep, content and nestled in the place he felt the safest.
Prompts:
Quidditch League- Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Sounds easy right? Well it's not. This was hard as hell to write!
Gringotts Prompt Bank: (Quotes About Sadness/Depression) "I'm so terrified of the nightmares that I just stopped falling asleep" ~ Unknown, (Random Dialogue) "Silence is the most powerful scream", (Title) Total Eclipse of the Heart, (Genres) Romance, and (Assorted Adjective) Damaged.
Ultimate Battle Competition: (Character) Harry Potter (Changed from James Sirius Potter with my Angel Wings)
Quidditch Pitch: (Word) Devoured.
Ultimate Chocolate Frog Club Trading and Dueling- (silver) Fred Weasley. Challenge: Write about Fred Weasley.