Hi! I've been lurking around this site for as long as I can remember but have never actually posted anything before. I've always been fascinated by Bill Weasley and although I love him and Fleur together I couldn't resist. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy it. On with the story!
One
The air was buzzing with excitement on the school grounds. The students and professors moved around with haste, their eyes filled with anticipation. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; her home for seven years. It had been a long time since she had walked it halls, and as she did so now she felt as though she had never left. It felt like home to her still.
She remembered the first time she had stepped foot inside the castle, overwhelmed by its size. She was nervous, her small hands shaking slightly beside her sides. The professor led them into the Great Hall, the other students eyeing them with interest.
She watched as their names were called, each of them going up to be sorted in their houses. She waited anxiously for her turn.
"Leamaire, Aurealia." Professor Mcgonagall called. She made her way up the stool, all eyes on her. She sat down and the hat was placed on top of her blonde head.
"Hmm… interesting. Intelligent, yes. But also courageous. Very well then, GRYFFINDOR!" the hat announced. She blinked in surprise as it was lifted from her head. She was certain she would be certain she would've been sorted in Ravenclaw, the house her father was sorted in to.
She smiled widely as the other Gryffindor's cheered, welcoming her as she sat down at their table.
"GRYFFINDOR!" she heard the hat call again. She looked up to see a tall boy with red hair making his way towards the table. He sat down next to her, his green eyes focusing on her. He extended his hand politely.
"Hi. I'm Bill Weasley."
She smiled sadly to herself, remembering the first time she had met him. From that first night they were best friends, never leaving each other's side. He was there for her when her mother passed away when she was 14, the hardest time of her life.
Her father insisted that they move back to France and that she go to Beauxbatons instead, the school her mother went to, but she refused. And she knew it was because of Bill. As a teenager she couldn't imagine her life without him and now she hadn't seen him in years.
It wasn't long after graduating that he had told her he was going away to Egypt to pursue his career in curse breaking. She was heartbroken, but she was happy for him. They kept in touch by letters, but eventually they drifted apart, too busy with their own lives. It took her awhile to overcome losing him, but eventually she was able to move on.
"It's good to be back, isn't?" her colleague and friend Ophelia spoke beside her, breaking her from her thoughts. The two mediwitches moved down the hall towards the back of castle at an easy pace, their green robes drawing the attention of the students headed in the same direction.
The Triwizard Tournament's second task would be starting in the next hour and never had she imagined that she would be attending. It was only a week before that she was in France with her father when she had gotten an urgent owl from St. Mungo's, practically begging her to come back and go to work and go to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament. Of course she couldn't resist.
Since finishing her schooling at Hogwarts she had spent the last 4 years working at St. Mungo's Hospital. She loved to help people and tend to their injuries. It was fulfilling to her, even if her days were long and stressful and she returned to her small flat at night barely able to walk.
"I didn't realize how much I've missed it" Aurelia smiled in response. "It's like coming home again."
"I'm so glad Mildred pulled out. I mean, she's a nice girl and all but you're a much better Mediwitch," Ophelia gushed. Aurelia could only chuckle in response. They exited the castle and began their trek down to the lake.
"I never liked that lake," her friend spoke as it came into view. She was surprised to see a large crowd already waiting, excitement hung in the air. The clouds overhead were a dull grey, the water much darker. Aurelia bit her lip uneasily, a thousand memories flooding into her mind; two teenagers sitting on the soft grass laughing, the butterflies in her stomach, his fiery hair shining in the sunlight.
Ophelia stopped, stepping in front of her. "Hey, are you ok?" she asked with concerned.
"Oh yes I'm-" she began to respond but stopped when a figure collided into her shoulder. "Sorry-" she began to apologize but was cut off again.
"Aurelia?" She turned to see two redheaded boys. "Fred? George?" she practically squealed. It had been years now since she had seen the Weasley twins but she would recognize them anywhere. They had the same mischievous expressions yet they were taller now, older. She hugged the both of them quickly.
"See George? I told you it was her!"
"Damn," Fred cursed.
"Pay up," George announced proudly as his twin dove into his pocket with an annoyed look.
"You two haven't changed a bit," she laughed.
"Come on, if we don't take you to see the rest of the family we'll never hear the end of it," George smiled, linking his arm into hers. Fred moved to her other side and did the same.
"Oh, um, Ophelia do you mind?" she called over her shoulder.
"Not at all!" she heard her laugh. "I'll cover for you!"
"Thanks!" she yelled back. The twins pushed through the crowd, walking quickly. She shot apologetic looks to the students they shoved.
"We've got a surprise for you, don't we Fred?"
"Indeed we do, George." The two of them grinned.
"Oh, great," she muttered sarcastically. She was so involved in her surroundings that she didn't notice the twins unhooking their arms from hers. A pair of arms wrapped around her, long red hair clouding her vision.
"I've missed you so much!" Ginny yelled into her ear.
"Ginny you've grown up so much!" she hardly hard time to say, before Mrs. Weasley pulled her into a bone crushing hug.
"Oh dear it's so good to see you!" she exclaimed, cupping her face in her warm hands.
"You too Mrs Weasley!" she beamed. Her gaze shifted to the person standing behind her. Her heart stopped in her chest.
There he was, Bill Weasley, in all his glory. He was just as he remembered her, if not, even more beautiful. A grin spread on his lips as she spotted him, his green eyes twinkling. Mrs Weasley noticed their connection, smiling to herself she moved out of the way. He moved to close the space between them, his height towering over her.
"Bill?" she breathed, in a daze. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug. She hugged him for a fraction longer than anyone else. Her skin tingled from the contact as he stepped back.
"I don't remember you being so tall!" she joked.
"And I don't remember you being so pretty," he smiled charmingly and she couldn't help but blush.
"Pretty great surprise, I'll say" she heard the twins laughing and she felt her face redden again.
"Come on." Bill pressed his hand to the small of her back, guiding her away from his family members.
"It was nice seeing you all again!" she waved to the Weasleys as Bill and her walked away from them. They found an empty bench and sat down, turning slightly so they were facing each other.
"It's so good to see you again Lia," he grinned. No-one had called her by that nickname in years. It belonged to him.
"You too," she smiled, pushing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "I haven't seen your family in over 2 years. When did you get back from Egypt?"
"I only just got back. I'm taking some time off. But what about you, what have you been up to?"
"I've been working at St. Mungo's. I went to France for a few months to visit my father. But one of the mediwitches couldn't handle the stress of the tournament and they asked me to fill in so I came back," she finished her story. She wanted to hug him again, tell him how much she missed him.
"Well I'm glad, otherwise we wouldn't have seen each other," he told her, looking into her eyes.
"Me too," she breathed, getting lost in his eyes again.
"Aurelia! There you are!" Ophelia huffed as she made her way to where she was sitting. "Oh, hello," she acknowledged Bill. "Hi." He nodded in reply, greeting her.
"Madame Pomfrey's looking for you. She needs you down at the tents," she told her.
"Oh, right," she stood and Bill did also. "I'd better go then," she turned him, sad that their moment together had been cut short. He wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her into another hug. Her pulse quickened.
"Come find me after it's over," his breath fluttered over her ear. She nodded, struggling to string together a coherent sentence.
"Is that him? The Bill Weasley?" Ophelia asked her quietly, once they were a safe distance away. Aurelia bit her lip, smiling. "He's cute".
After all these years, she thought to herself, she still felt the same way.
