AN: Prompts will be displayed at the bottom to avoid them potentially giving away things.
what's a curfew (when you're in love)
AlwaysPadfoot
Daphne walked quickly in the direction of the Hospital Wing. It certainly wouldn't do her well to be caught out after curfew with Astoria being particularly vocal about her opinions on the way the school was being run. If the Carrows found Daphne out after curfew, they'd suspect she was up to something — aiding her sister in some way. In reality, if Astoria asked for help, Daphne would drop everything to do so, but tonight was not that night.
Hannah Abbott had given her the news that Susan was in the Hospital Wing. Everything else from that moment didn't really matter. Unable to ditch classes and unable to be seen visiting a known-rebel, so to speak, would do neither of them any good.
Daphne suspected Susan would revel in being allocated the title of a known-rebel.
Remaining close to the cold stone walls, and with the reverberating feel of a notice-me-not charm washing over her skin, Daphne quickened her pace.
With every corner, she rounded she was sure she was going to be caught, but by some miracle, she made it to the Hospital Wing. Thankfully the door opened soundlessly and Daphne slipped inside. The room was illuminated by nothing but the lantern outside Madam Pomfrey's office and the moonlight casting shadows on the ground from the high-arched windows. Considering how much traffic the Hospital Wing seemed to be getting this year, most of the beds were unoccupied with the exception of three or four.
Daphne spotted Susan immediately. The red hair was never hard to miss, which was probably why Susan had ended up here in the first place.
The Slytherin crossed the room, her movements silent — well practised. She didn't want to disturb anyone particularly and she didn't want to get kicked out before she could even check on Susan. Slipping into the chair alongside the bed Susan was sleeping in, it only took a moment before a peculiar sensation came across Daphne, as though she were being watched. She lifted her gaze to the to find Susan's wide-blue eyes staring right at her.
"Daph?" Susan shifted under the sheets to sit up. "What are you doing here? You could get in trouble."
"That doesn't matter," Daphne replied, taking Susan's hand in hers. "I needed to know you were okay. Hannah told me that Professor Carrow—"
Susan laughed hollowly. "Please, that woman doesn't deserve the title of Professor. She's thick as dragon shit."
"You're not wrong." Daphne pressed her lips together into a wry smile and moved closed to Susan, softly putting a hand under her girlfriend's chin. "Let me see…"
Everyone knew what had happened. It was the same thing that happened to anyone who stood up to the Carrows and pushed too hard — they got hurt.
"No, Daph, it's fine."
Susan tried to pull away to keep her face out of the light from the lantern behind them, but Daphne was persistent. Finally, Susan moved out of the shadow, her eyes shut, and the blonde sat at the side of the bed stiffened. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the damage Alecto Carrow had done. An angry pink scar went from her eyebrow to her lip, and Daphne's teeth gritted together.
"I know, it's awful, I—" Susan stopped herself and took a shaky breath. "Madam Pomfrey said it will fade somewhat, b—but, my sight."
Susan's eyes flickered open. The one the scar crossed was misty, unfocused, and suddenly the Hufflepuff looked away. "You can't stay; you have to go Daph."
"No." Daphne was shaking her head before Susan even finished her sentence. "No. I'm not leaving you; I refuse. Both of us have to survive."
"Please," Susan scoffed. "You won't even come out of the closet."
Daphne straightened up, letting go of Susan's hand to stand up. There were so many reasons that Daphne hadn't told anyone she was gay; she hadn't told anyone about Susan. There was only a handful of people who knew and none of those people had been told by Daphne herself. She turned away, thoughts spinning inside her head so fast she could barely grasp a coherent train of them before another barreled in demanding attention. Daphne managed to grasp some words.
"Then I will—"
"You can't, Daphne. Your family, they'll force you into marriage, they'll—I can't lose you." Susan reached out and tugged on Daphne's sleeve, pulling her back towards the bed. "Daphne, you—"
Daphne span on her heel, looked unblinkingly at the girl now knelt up on the bed, her hand still outstretched. "I'm going to come out; I'm going to fight, because — for fuck's sake — I love you Susan Bones, and Alecto Carrow will not get away with what she's done to you."
Susan pulled Daphne forward into a tight hug. "You don't have—"
"Don't you get it? Of course, I have to. I love you silly."
Susan released a noise that was half-sob half-laugh and clung on tighter. She muttered something that sounded a lot like 'I love you too'. Daphne buried her face in Susan's hair and inhaled deeply. She did love this girl — more than anything else.
It was time she admitted that to herself.
Comp/Challenge & Prompts:
Insane House Challenge: 488. Item - Lamp
365 House Challenge: 113. Emotion - Love
Going Going Gone: Lantern (object)
Gobstones: Green Stone Secrecy A 6. (dialogue) "Both of us have to survive." P 10. (trait) Paranoid T 13. (character) Susan Bones
Couple Appreciation: Hogwarts Scenario: Character A is in the Hospital Wing. Character B sneaks in in the middle of the night to keep them company.
Disney Challenge - Eeyore - Write a hurt/comfort fic.
Word Count: 866