Fred couldn't breathe, he was drowning. It wasn't the first time, and probably wouldn't be the last time, but Fred hated the sensation. His lungs craved air and no matter how much he looked, he couldn't ever find any.
The fact that Fred knew he was dreaming usually would have woken him up, but tonight the dream wouldn't release its hooks from him. Probably because it was a nightmare, and they never played by the rules.
He was currently dreaming that he was submerged in black, inky water that was as thick as soup and had completely enveloped him. He was trying to swim up, only to discover that he wasn't sure he was actually swimming towards the surface. He had no sense of direction whatsoever.
It was terrifying.
His chest was also beginning to burn a bit. Fred gulped in a mouthful of water and started to actively panic. He flailed to no success and tried to move. His body froze on him and Fred realized he really was going to drown.
Fred sucked in another lungful of water mechanically, his lungs not buying that there was nothing but water around him. The more he tried to breathe, the more water he inhaled. His attempt to preserve his life was killing him.
That hardly seemed fair, but, then, dreams were hardly ever fair. The burning in Fred's lungs got worse and his limbs started to falter. He sunk.
Fred sat up abruptly and looked around before realizing that his head kind of really hurt and while he was at it, his lungs also weren't too happy either. "God," he started to cry but he couldn't get the syllable out. It burned too much. He was awake and no longer drowning but reality wasn't much better than his dream had been.
"Lay down." The word was barked by Fred's side and would have made him jump if he'd had full control of his body. He didn't so he was able to be pushed back down by who ever had yelled at him without offering any real resistance. He looked to his left at the barker and was only mildly surprised to find Charlie.
He opened his mouth, remembered he couldn't talk without pain, and snapped it shut again.
"You're okay. You were hit by an explosion which crushed the entire left side of your body, gave you a concussion, and mangled your chest." A cool hand brushed against Fred's brow and his entire body instantly relaxed. That was George's voice, and his touch. Fred would know it anywhere in any state of mind.
Fred tilted his head to the right with only a little effort and looked at his twin. He didn't have any visible injuries which made Fred relax. "Charlie," George said without lifting his eyes from Fred, "help him sit out. I want him to have some water without choking." Charlie's arm moved under Fred's head and he was being pushed into a semi-seated position. Charlie kept him supported while George brought a cup to his lips. The water was cool and Fred realized he'd been really thirsty. George supported his head and Fred's body sagged in relief at his twin's touch.
"We won, by the way." Charlie stated. Fred swallowed painfully. His chest fluttered strangely and he gaped unattractively at his twin and brother. The three of them had grown up under Voldemort's terror. Fred hadn't really thought they'd ever be free of it. "Harry finished him at dawn."
That would take a while to wrap his head around.
"The family is fine." George said after a moment, almost absently. "Ron's having a sever gash tended, Lee is helping Alicia with healing, Harry's just trying to find time to sleep around all the meetings he's being dragged to, and Hermione is having a few torture scars healed."
"Is that where she's been?" Charlie asked conversationally. George nodded his head slowly and offered Fred another drink.
"Yeah… Bellatrix got her pretty badly before the battle. Bill and Fleur helped her as much as they could, but they couldn't make the scars disappear."
"That bad?" Charlie's voice was nearly a whisper. It made Fred frown. He felt like he was missing something.
George nodded his head again, his eyes growing sad and harder. "Yes. That bitch wrote 'Mudblood' on her arm. After she'd crucioed her nearly senseless."
"Hope she rots." Fred managed. His tongue felt thick but his lungs didn't hurt quite so much.
George beamed. "She won't have to. Mum got her." Fred choked on his water. Charlie pounded his back until he had his breath back.
"What?"
George shared a look with Charlie. "It was incredible. Bellatrix tried to hit Ginny and Mum lost it. She yelled 'Not my daughter you bitch!' and took her down."
Apparently Fred had missed quite a bit. He opened his mouth to ask another question but his eyes grew heavy. He tried to open them but he fell back against Charlie's hand uselessly.
"Go to sleep, Fred. It's okay. We'll be here when you wake up. We're all safe now."
Safe. Now that would take a while to get used to.
-o-o-o-
Fred was tired of hospitals. They were boring. So incredibly, mind shatteringly dull and boring and dear-god-why-did-nothing-ever-happen mundane. George stayed with him most of the time, but his twin was healthy and was needed in the rebuilding efforts.
"What are you doing?" A lilting voice broke the silent air as Fred walked down the corridor. He ducked around a corner and tried to press himself against the wall. He'd already been caught by three healers and he'd been sent back to his room after each occurrence. There wasn't anything to do in there and Fred did not want to just sit around. He was far too bored for that.
"Why are you running?" Fred pressed further against the wall as a figure turned the corner. A short witch in blue robes (the color that patients had to wear) with frizzy hair frowned at Fred. She had a signature hand on her hip and a vial of green potion in the other.
"Hermione?" Fred asked as he relaxed. He'd been running for no reason. Wait. "Are you a patient here?" Hermione nodded her head slowly as though she wasn't certain about Fred's mental state. Fred had seen it a number of times in his life so it was only mildly insulting. "Why?" He accepted a casual stance. Leaning against the wall he crossed his arms and brought a foot up to press against the wall.
Hermione straightened slightly. "It's standard procedure. Anyone who has been subjected to the Cruciatus curse for more than fifteen minutes has to undergo a psych evaluation. Unfortunately they're a little overwhelmed at the moment so my mental health has had to be put on the back burner." She frowned at Fred and he believed she was daring him to question her mental capacities.
"That sucks." He glanced around the empty halls. "I'm guessing you're sneaking out for a midnight walk as well?"
Hermione raised her right eyebrow and allowed the slightest trace of a smile to touch her lips. "Well I didn't get permission, if that's what you're asking."
"Brilliant," Fred cheered before stepping forward and draping an arm over her shoulders. Hermione looked at where his arm was resting on her shoulder before lifting her eyes up to his and raising her right eyebrow again. She had a very flexible eyebrow.
"We're going to break rules together." Fred explained easily. Hermione's left eyebrow raised to join her right one and Fred smiled wider.
"Why?" She crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. "Isn't it enough that I'm breaking a rule? Must you try and make me commit further debauchery?"
Fred would say he tried not to, but he didn't. He snorted. Loudly. "Honey, you haven't begun to debauche."
Hermione dropped her arms and sighed. "That isn't a real word." Fred nodded his head and stepped forward, taking her with him. "Quite right. I simply don't care. You're the one with mental instability anyway. Shouldn't you be making up words? You're falling down on your job. I'm just picking up your slack."
"And they want me to take a psych eval." Hermione muttered, but she followed Fred.
The evening was already looking up.
-o-o-o-
"One more vial and we should be good." The overly cheerful nurse cheered as she stuck yet another needle into Fred's arm. George was sitting on his other side trying not to laugh, the bugger. "Just a moment more." She tapped the tube and watched intently as it filled up with blood. "Alright. That should be enough."
She put a bandaid on his arm, patted the sore spot and shuffled out of the room. Fred watched her go with a pronounced frown. "She needs to be checked for vampirism." George laughed, which had been Fred's intent. He turned in his seat to look at his twin.
George looked better than when Fred had first woken up. His twin had regained his color and was putting on a little weight. He'd looked nearly dead when Fred first saw him. George studied Fred in return and finally smiled.
"Are you feeling better?" Fred shrugged noncommittally. Physically, he was feeling splendid. He could breathe without pain and his head didn't feel like someone was trying to carve their initials into it with an ice pick
Mentally though… He was simply bored. Nothing was exciting, not that there was anything to be exciting. Everything just felt mundane. Even colors seemed duller. Though, that could just have been because hospital colors were mundane. Fred would kill for a few neon colors. Maybe he could set a few fireworks off?
"Anything I can do to help?"
Giving Fred something to do would have been a nice start. "Not that I can think of. I'm really just bored. There isn't exactly a pleather of entertainment opportunities here."
"That bored?" George asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste. Fred nodded his head and sighed pitifully. It made him sound like he was about four and he didn't care.
Fred threw himself back on the bed and sighed again. George snickered from his own bed and Fred chose to ignore him. So what if he was being whiny? He was bored, Merlin curse it! He'd been bored since he'd woken up, if he was honest. Meeting Hermione had been a nice change. It had been thrilling for a moment when he'd thought he was going to get caught. Hermione had also challenged his mind for a few minutes. She'd asked him about his future and pushed him for grander plans. Apparently the twins had grown too stagnate for her.
A pillow to the side of the head drew Fred from his thoughts of boredom and made him fall off the side of the bed in a heap with a squeak of alarm that made his attacker laugh.
"En garde !" George stood atop the bed with a pillow held over his head, ready to strike out. Fred scrambled backwards, a grin lifting his lips as he searched for his own pillow. George kicked one off the bed and jumped down to follow it. Fred rolled forward, claimed the pillow and pushed himself up. George swung out at his right side and missed. Fred ducked and swung at his legs, laughing when he connected. "It won't be so easy, Sir Fred!" George promised valiantly.
Fred beamed and swung again. "I shall accept only a complete surrender, naïve!" Fred declared with a hand placed dramatically over his heart. George swung again while shaking his head.
"Never! Death first!"
"That seems a bit excessive for a pillow fight." Fred nearly dropped his pillow in surprise and didn't avoid George's blow as Hermione strolled into the room with a raised eyebrow.
"Nothing is too excessive for a pillow fight." George said and tossed his pillow on the bed. He grinned toothily at Fred. "I win by the way."
"On what grounds?" Fred demanded.
"On account that I'm older." George retorted and stuck his tongue out. Fred frowned.
"Are not." He stuck his own tongue out. "How are you doing, Hermione?"
"I didn't realize you were still here." George added grinning and trotting towards her. He gave her a quick hug which she awkwardly returned.
"I'm doing well enough, thank you for asking. I'm here until they find time to schedule a psychiatric evaluation for me." She frowned and glanced out the window. "By the time I have one I might go crazy from the wait…" She gave her head a tiny shake and plastered her smile right back on. "How are you two? You seem to be keeping busy enough."
George shook his head. "Nah. Just trying to keep Freddie's boredom at bay." Fred sat down on the bed and George joined him.
"Harry is hoping to stop by this afternoon. I want an update on the Ministry. Kingsley was the favorite for taking charge. He seems the best candidate to me."
"Kingsley?" George asked. Fred let himself listen to their voices and simply zone out. He was getting that weird bored feeling again. It made him fidgety.
He didn't care for it at all.
A/N: Sorry about how late this is. Last week was intense!
So clearly I have a bit of a death wish. I didn't just open a can of worms, I dumped them out in front of everyone and tossed them at my readers. Wow. What a lovely visual I now have. *shakes her head* Anyway I'm going to go very loose and non-descriptive on the whole 'God' thing. I'm a Christian and if you have questions about my personal faith pm me and I'll explain it to you. In HP's universe we know there is some kind of afterlife. We're not given much about it except that you can apparently choose between it and ghost life. Also, Voldy wasn't able to go on from what I understand at the end of DH when Harry goes in the in-between world. I don't know what wizards do or do not believe in but I know there is an after life and ghost, so death is clearly not the end. Also, don't forget the giant arch. There were figures on the other side. (In the ministry of magic/ department of mysteries.)
Also, I put a new poll up. Harry, Hermione Ron (51); Fred George and Lee (49); James, Lupin, and Sirius (36); Neville Luna and Ginny (28); Doctor Rose and Jack (17); Sheldon Joward and Leonard (17); Dean Sam and Castiel (15); John Sherlock and Lestrade (15); Doctor Amy and Rory (14); Luke Leia and Han (13) were the top ten winners of the last poll. There were over 70 voters. O.O
