Sisterly Advice

Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments) Fairytales Assignment #4.

Task: Write about an intense curiosity.

Extra Prompt: (Pairing) Cross-Gen. Dominique/Cormac McLaggen

Entry for Word Prompt Express.

Prompt: (896) – Talk

I should know that nothing good ever comes from Eavesdropping, but I couldn't stop the thought from coming into my head. Dominique has been acting strangely ever since she returned from her sixth year at Hogwarts, and I'm determined to find out why. All my attempts to find out if something was wrong were shot down by her in an unusually snappy fashion for my younger sister, and I was worried. Every time she went out she would put on make-up and look immaculate, but refuse to tell me where she was going or who she'd be meeting. Whenever she'd dated boys in the past we had always talked about the dates and what the boys were like. What's different this time? Is he married? older? A former Death Eater? I was going to find out, even if it killed me.

Our cousin Rose Weasley was visiting, and the two girls were currently in Dom's bedroom talking excitedly. I hesitated as I paced around outside the door. Should I listen? Or should I respect my sister's privacy and let her tell me in her own time? I swallow down the guilt and stand outside the door. I've got to know what's going on.

"Are you sure you are doing the right thing, Dom?" I hear Rose ask in a concerned voice.

Dominique responds confidently. "I know what I'm doing, Rose. I'll lose him if I don't sleep with him, and I can't let him dump me. I love him."

I gasp furiously. So someone is trying to bully my baby sister into sleeping with them, are they? I have a fierce desire to go and tell our mum and dad, but I don't want my dad to end up in Azkaban for manslaughter. He's very protective and would go crazy if he knew. I carry on listening as I hear Rose's voice.

"Maybe he's not worth it if he can't wait for you to be ready. You'd be better off waiting until you find someone who won't try to push you."

"Didn't you hear me? I love him! I love Cormac McLaggen, and I cannot lose him!"

Cormac McLaggen! The name sounds so familiar, but I can't seem to place it. As far as I'm aware, he's not a boy in Dom's year at Hogwarts. Who the hell is he?

"Be rational for a minute, Dom, he's a year older than my parents for Merlin's sake! He's in his forties! What would your parents say?" What! He's how old? I stand with my mouth open, catching flies until I pull myself together enough to listen to the rest of the conversation.

"If you're not going to help me then go home now, Rose. I need support right now, and I thought I could rely on you." Dom sounds close to tears and I have a strong urge to go in and throw my arms around her. How dare this man who's old enough to be her father do this to her! What the hell should I do?

Rose seems to be wondering the same thing as me, and she answers Dom hesitantly. "I'm trying to support you, Dom, but I don't know how to."

"Come shopping with me, as I need to look nice for when I meet up with Cormac."

"I don't like this at all, Dominique."

"I'm not asking you to be happy about it, I'm asking you to help me. Please, Rose, I need your help."

Rose sighed impatiently. "Fine! I'll go shopping with you, but I still think you're making a huge mistake. When do you want to go shopping?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'm planning to see Cormac in two days' time so I need to be prepared by then."

Rose sighed and eventually agreed. "Okay, Dom, but you owe me big time for this. I should be telling your parents or Victoire."

Dominique gasps at her words. "No! Don't ever tell Victoire about this!"

"Why not? I thought you two were close."

"We are, and that's why you can't tell her. I can't stand the thought of her knowing because she'd be so disappointed in me for doing this. She'd want me to stand up for myself and not let him bully me, and deep down I know that she'd be right."

Pain fills me from top to bottom as she starts to sob, and I walk away from the door hurriedly. Once I arrive in my own bedroom I collapse on the bed and think about this new development. Did my little sister really think of me as a hag who would just scold her? That thought hurt me the most and I shook it out of my head. I need to find a way to stop her, but I don't know how.

The next day, Rose and Dominique have arrived back at the house with lots of shopping bags, and my heart sinks as I imagine what Dom has bought to impress that pig. I walk over to greet them, forcing a smile as I go.

"Hi, you two, did you have a good time shopping?"

They both struggle to meet my eyes and I notice that their smiles seem just as forced as mine. "Hi, Victoire, we had a great time, thanks for asking." Rose lied unconvincingly.

I notice Dom trying to hide the bags that she's carrying. "Hi, Victoire, I'm going to go and sort these bags out. See you later."

I can't stop the words from falling out of my mouth. "What did you buy?"

"Oh, um, the usual things really, tops, dresses, shoes. All very boring and you probably won't be interested." She starts to walk up the stairs with Rose.

I've started now so I may as well carry on. "But you always show me what you buy, Dom, and I'm interested."

Dominique turns around to face me and speaks in a voice so sharp I'm surprised it didn't cut me into pieces. "Well I don't want to show you, so leave me alone and go bother someone else! We don't have to share every detail of our lives with each other!" With this, she storms to her room and slams the door. Rose stands awkwardly on the steps and gives me an apologetic smile.

"I think I'll say goodbye to Dom and go home. See you later, Victoire."

"Goodbye, Rose, it's been nice seeing you."

I hug my cousin goodbye and walk into my own bedroom, cursing my stupidity.

A tentative knock on my door wakes me up. "Come in!" I call out groggily while I rub my eyes.

To my surprise, Dominique walks in. One look is enough to tell me that she's been crying. "I'm so sorry, Vic, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

I motion for her to sit on the bed with me and I wrap my arms around her when she sits down. "It's okay, Dom, you don't have to apologise. I shouldn't have tried to stick my nose in."

Dominique sobs into my shoulder and I pat her soothingly on the back, my heart breaking for her. "I have a confession to make, Dom, please don't get too mad at me."

Dominique looks up at me with a bemused expression. "Go on."

"I know about you and Cormac McLaggen."

Her mouth drops open in horror and I continue. "I was worried about you, as you've been so different since you got back, and I listened in to the conversation you had with Rose. I'm sorry, but I'm glad I know."

Dom surprises me by looking relieved and releasing a breath. "I'm glad you know. It's been hellish to hide this from you, and I hate how it's built this wall between us. Tell me what you think, please. I need your advice."

She's not angry with me, thank Merlin. Now I have a chance to talk her out of this.

"How old is he? In his forties, right?"

"Forty-two," Dom answers with a nod.

I shake back the rage I feel towards this stranger. "How long have you been seeing him?"

"I met him at Hogsmeade four months ago, I love him, and he loves me." She's trying to convince herself as well as me.

I look her in the eye and I'm glad to see hesitation. "Is that how a man in love should act, Dom? Trying to force you to do something you don't want to do? Because that sure as hell doesn't sound like love to me."

Dom repeats herself. "I love him."

"No, you don't, you're infatuated with him, Dom. That's not love."

Her defensive attitude returns. "What makes you a sodding love expert, Victoire?"

I take a deep breath and tell her the secret I've never told anyone before. "I never told you what happened with my first boyfriend, did I?"

Dom looks confused. "Harrison Parker? What about him?"

"I lost my virginity to him after he pressured me into it. I wasn't ready, but I thought I loved him."

Dom gasps in disbelief. "What happened after that?"

A tear falls down my cheek, as although it happened a while ago it still hurts. "He finished with me the same night I gave myself to him. Apparently he only dated me to get into my knickers, and once he got that wish he didn't want me anymore. Everyone knew about what happened as well, and I've never felt so humiliated in my life."

I turn to look at her. "I want better for you, Dominique. You want to know what I think?"

Dominique nods tentatively and urges me to continue. "I think you are going to be badly hurt if you go through with this, and I want you to change your mind."

Dominique wipes the tears from my eyes. "I'm sorry, Victoire, I can't believe what Harrison did to you. He always seemed so nice when I talked to him. Cormac might be different, though."

I snort and roll my eyes at her. "Is he pushing you?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then that says it all. If he's different, he wouldn't be pressuring you to do this when you don't want to."

"Will you be disappointed in me if I do this? I can live with him turning out to be a jerk, but I can't live with your disappointment. I want you to be proud of me."

I hug her closer to me. "You're my baby sister, and I will love you no matter what you do, Dom, never ever forget that. You need to decide for yourself, I just want you to think it through in case you do something you later regret like I did. I wish I'd waited for Teddy."

Dom blushed slightly as she asked me the next question. "I love you too, Vic. I hope you don't mind me asking, but how was your first time with Teddy compared to your first time with him?" I smile at her referring to Harrison as him.

"I don't mind at all. It's so much better with Teddy, as he waited patiently for me to be ready. I've known him all my life, and he genuinely loves me instead of seeing me as a piece of skirt. If I had a time turner, without a doubt I would go back and tell him where he could stick his break up threats."

Dominique giggles at my last words. "I want my own Teddy."

I raise my eyebrows. "Then wait for your Teddy to arrive, and dump this McLaggen prick while you're at it. He's in his forties for the love of Merlin! What were you thinking?"

The giggles get louder at my words and I can't stop myself from joining in. Our bond appears to be back and stronger than ever. I hope my words will help her make the right choice, but I will be there for her no matter what. That's what sisters are for.