A/N: Short little oneshot about how Esmeralda makes Ethel feel protected without even realising it. Enjoy.
The Touch Of Protection
Ethel was in the great hall talking quietly to Drusilla. The two girls were waiting in the queue with their arms folded as they waited for their turn to receive their breakfast. The two girls had a potions test that morning and it was an important one which would go towards their final grade for the year and both of them were feeling incredibly nervous about it.
"HB is going to make it as difficult as possible" Drusilla complained knowing that the test was going to be really bad.
"Yes. But knowing Mildred Hubble she will find a way to pass it by saving the school from an escaped tiger or something to get extra points" Ethel replied nervous and feeling slightly queasy.
Drusilla could not help but smile at her friend being so dramatic, though with the things that had happened at Cackle's an escaped tiger really was always a possibility.
The person in front moved and the girls stepped forward moving further down the queue both falling quiet as their nervousness kicked in more. Ethel suddenly felt something on her shoulder and felt her body relax slightly before she heard an extremely familiar voice.
"Hey Ethie, good luck on your test" her elder sister Esme said beaming at her as she touched her shoulder lovingly.
Ethel who was starting to feel more queasy by the second replied in a more quiet voice than normal.
"Thanks Esme" Ethel replied quietly thanking her sister.
"What mark did you get on this test Esmeralda?" Drusilla asked making conversation and she was very interested in knowing what the star of Cackle's Academy had achieved on the test. Ethel looked at her dark haired friend glaring at her, wishing she hadn't asked that.
"Oh erm...I can't remember" Esmeralda lied, she did remember that she had got 98% on that test but she hated when her achievements were rubbed in Ethel's face so much.
"I bet I am going to fail" Ethel replied knowing her sister was probably lying and trying to change the subject.
"Stop putting yourself down, you will do great" Esmeralda replied knowing her sister was really smart.
"I bet I won't beat your score" Ethel said sadly hating how she was never quite able to reach her sisters score.
"It is not a competition" Esme told her sister for about the hundredth time. "I will be proud of you no matter what you score" Esme told her sister honestly.
"You three come on" Miss Drill said as they had been standing there talking when it was their turn.
"I feel too sick to eat" Ethel replied as she walked off. Esmeralda got two bowls of food and she could sense people were staring at her but she did not care. Ethel had to eat even if she felt unwell.
"Come on eat" Esme said putting a bowl in front of her sister
"I can't I am nervous" Ethel replied feeling far too queasy to even try a bite of food right now.
"It will be worse if you don't, come on Ethie just a little bit" Esme nagged seeing her sister start to slowly spoon porridge into her mouth.
"I am done" Ethel said after a few minutes. Esme knew she had eaten a little bit so she let it go. Ethel leaned her head on her sister's shoulder feeling instantly slightly better.
The thing was Ethel had finally learned something and that was how much her sister being there helped her. At the end of last year when her sister was a trophy and she was on her own she did not feel safe, she felt unprotected.
Ethel loved when she felt her sister touch her shoulder out of nowhere. It was like all of a sudden some protection was surrounding her telling her she was not alone. She instantly felt slightly better about the situation knowing her sister was there to stick up for her.
Ethel could not deny it anymore. Esmeralda was her safety net. She was the one who made any situation better by being there. She never felt safer than when she felt her touch her shoulder keeping her calm and safe.
Right now as she leaned her head onto her sister's shoulder, Esme put her arm around her touching her shoulder gently and with that simple gesture Ethel knew somehow everything was going to be okay.
Nothing could stop this feeling of love and protection and safety that she had whenever Esme was there with her, weather it was just her simply touching her shoulder or checking up on her before a test or hugging her to let her know she cared. This was where Ethel felt happiest and safest and nothing would change that. Her sisters protection and kind gestures were the best thing in her world.