Chapter Twenty-One: The Consequences.
The morning came I was happy to see that the weather reflected my mood, the sky was grey and cloudy. It looked as though it might rain at any minute and given that I felt close to tears all morning I was glad to see the horrible weather. I sat at breakfast the next morning making sure to surround myself with the girls, Rose and Tabitha beside me and Danielle in front. I didn't want the off chance that Taylor might sit next to me, luckily it seemed he was as unkeen to see me as I was with him. He and all of his friends sat at almost the opposite end of the table to us. His eyes were bruised though, I imagined, that he'd had his nose fixed by Madame Pomfrey by now. I imagined Ginny had quite the laugh at the state of his face as even I stifled a laugh as I looked at him. I apologised to the girls for our behaviour I knew that a few of them liked the company of the boys and I felt bad for them having to avoid them for my sake.
"Don't be silly..." Tabitha said softly though Danielle threw a wishful glance towards Frankie.
"Those boys are idiots. I'm glad to be rid of them." Rebecca commented a brief thought ran across my mind of Rebecca, she'd never shown interest in any of the boys in our year. She'd only ever had eyes for men much older than us and beefier, I always imagined her with some like Victor Krum. She'd fancied him quite a bit when he came to visit, though he only had eyes from Hermione Granger, I'd always thought she'd end up with a Quidditch player. My thoughts were broken by the morning post being delivered I hadn't even noticed the other owls landing at our table until a very familiar one landed in front of me. My eyes shot to him, my stomach lurched, my hands were suddenly trembling and sweaty. I glanced up, before relieving the owl of his post, to where Taylor sat, there was no owl in front of him which I was thankful for he was, however, watching me and my owl. I looked back at the owl as I reached for the letter I swore George's owl was glaring at me as though he himself was mad at me. I slowly, with shaking hands, took the letter from the owl who did not hoot at me as he left. Fluttering up and out of the windows, my eyes dropped from watching the owl down to the letter in my hands. 'Verity Stockhart' was written across the front in very familiar writing, I was dreading opening it. I suddenly felt ill and wanted nothing more than to run back up to my room and go to sleep. My eyes lifted to see all the girls were staring at me waiting to hear what it said. My eyes unwillingly sped down the table, Taylor was still watching me, waiting with a certain amount of smugness set on his bruised face, until I opened it to see my reaction. Suddenly I didn't feel like opening it so publicly any more I just looked back to each of the girls.
"I'll open it later..." I mumbled stuffing the letter back into my bag for future reference. Danielle threw my bag a longing look I knew she wanted to hear exactly what was written in that letter but I didn't give in to her. All day I kept the letter stashed away I half hoped that if I just forgot about it I wouldn't have to read it. I could just go to George the next time I saw him and act like nothing had happened. Something told me I couldn't do that, that day I did my worst I'd ever done in all of my lessons even Transfiguration which McGonagall was quick to point out. I sighed when dinner was finished following the girls back to the common room without talking, I made an excuse and went straight to bed. Danielle, who hadn't left me alone all day, and Tabitha both joined me. I didn't speak to either of them once we got into the room though I just climbed into bed and hid under the covers. A few hours passed and before I knew it all the girls were in the room and asleep. I glanced through my curtains over to Danielle's bed listening for her quiet snoring, I heard it and quickly moved. I rumbled through my bag looking for the paper I quickly found it throwing myself back into my bed. I pulled the covers back over my head pulling my wand off of my table side.
"Lumos." I whispered and there in front of me shone my name across the front of the envelope again. I quickly turned it over tearing it open, I was surprised to find a small torn off bit of parchment inside. I dropped the envelope once I got the parchment free of it. My light hit the parchment and it shone back at me like a beacon of evil my eyes settled on to just two simple lines written in George's hand writing.
'You're still with Flume?
You lied to me?'
There was nothing else written on the paper, no signature, no nicety's what-so-ever but I didn't need any more. Even just those two lines made my stomach lurch a painful lump rose in my throat. My eyes stung as I read and re-read the words over and over again willing them to change to not say the horrible things they said. They didn't change I crumbled up the note I didn't want to read it any more punching my pillow as I laid back into bed. Once again silently crying myself to sleep.
The next morning was a Saturday but, unlike the other girls in my room who took the weekend as a blessing, I did not spend my day out of the room enjoying chatting to my friends or even out in the fresh, though cold, weather. Instead I spent my entire day in the room working out exactly what I wanted to say to George. 'I'm so sorry' had started it off and also been dotted around another few times. I also explained 'I couldn't do it George, it was easy to talk about but not as easy to put into action.' Which I believe was ended with yet another 'I'm so sorry.' I also felt it was necessary to tell him that 'I broke up with him as soon as I found out how you felt about me though, I couldn't go on doing that to you.' Which lead to. 'That's the only reason I left at Christmas, I didn't want you to be the 'other guy' I wanted you to be my only guy' I then tried to turn a little of the blame on to him, getting slightly angry at him. 'You gotta understand I thought you saw me as nothing more than your little sister, that a little white lie wouldn't hurt between people who were just friends.' I also felt the need to clarify that 'We never did anything, hell we never even kissed, you were my first ever kiss George Weasley and I am so proud to say that.' Though I wondered how he might react to that, even the thought of me and Taylor kissing may have made him angry. So I decided to add on to the end 'I can't express how sorry I am, please talk to me, argue with me, shout at me, I don't care. I just need to know that you still do.' Overall my letter ended up being a whole two pages, compared to his two sentences I felt a little silly. I'd got out all I wanted to however so I now stood in the owlery tying the letter to my owl, Mr. Feathers', leg and sending him on his way. I got no reply, the rest of January and February flew past with nothing from George. I'd become completely withdrawn, I barely spoke to anyone who wasn't one of the girls any more. I stopped wearing make up all together and always wore my hair in a bun, I didn't care about my appearance any more. The only person I wanted to impress was no where near this school and wanted nothing to do with me. There was one highlight to my distancing myself however, it gave me time for school. I'd completely cancelled out all other parts of my life except my school work, socialising meant nothing to me any more. Nor did I attend any Quidditch matches. I didn't want to speak to anyone unless I absolutely had to. The only thing I did do however was keep hope, every morning when the post came I looked up hoping to see that familiar owl. He never came. Tabitha hated that I kept such hope for George though as we sat in the breakfast hall on the first day of March I stared up at the incoming owls.
"I really wish you'd just give up on him V!" She hissed from my side I said nothing as I returned to my meal once all the owls had entered the hall. "I mean ignoring you for almost two months now! It's petty! There's just no excuse for it, even if he'd just replied and told you he hated you-" I cringed at her words she didn't seem to notice. "At least that'd be something." As she didn't seem to want to drop the subject I spoke.
"Would you give up on Fred?" I asked in a dull voice not even lifting my eyes from my plate as I brought a slice of sausage to my lips. Tabitha fell silent her mouth open but no words left it she just sat there frowning into space.
"It's different. Me and Fred aren't weird like you and George, we'd have had it out, screamed at each other about it..." She pointed out I finally dragged my bored eyes over to her.
"And that's better is it?" Again she fell silent, my eyes moved back to my plate as she threw me silent glares. The Great halls doors flew open I didn't look around to see who it was however, I did hear feet running across to the Gryffindor table. They stopped and then two more pairs of feet broke out as well as a sudden upsurge in whispering. Danielle, from her position opposite me, lifted her head out of my daily copy of the Prophet. She glared around the room wondering why people were whispering, suddenly a young girl broke off of the Gryffindor table and over to Danielle. They shared some discreet whispers which I took no interest in before Danielle gasped.
"No!" She gasped out, she'd now got the attention of Rebecca who, once the Gryffindor girl disappeared, rounded on her.
"What?!" She whispered from the blonde's side I took no interest keeping my eyes firmly planted on my plate.
"Ron Weasley's been taken to the Hospital wing, someone reckons he's been poisoned." This caught my attention my eyes lifted from my plate just in time to see a baffled and pale looking Hermione rushing out of the hall. I glanced from her back down to my plate I could feel Tabitha's eyes on me she seemed a little lost, when I finally looked at her, glancing between me and the door.
"What?" I grumbled out, she swallowed before she spoke.
"Should we, well you don't think... I mean we are close to the twins..." She was wondering whether or not we should go, join Hermione, Ginny and I suspected Harry to see if Ron was alright. I just looked back at my half empty plate.
"I'm not close to the twins." I pointed out before standing up and trudging away to my first lesson.
It was later that same day when Tabitha and I had just finished dinner and were heading back to the common room early. I got up from our seat at the table slower than Tabitha did wanting to avoid Taylor who was only just sitting down. Tabitha walked straight to the exit marching past Taylor with no worries and into the entrance hall. I followed about five paces behind her. As I came to the doorway to the entrance hall however I found Tabitha had stopped just outside of it. At first I thought she was waiting for me to catch up but then I realised her eyes were fixed on something I could not yet see she looked shocked by whatever it was. I frowned as I pushed my way into the entrance hall coming out slightly ahead of Tabitha. When my eyes landed on them however my legs seemed to stop working I came to an abrupt halt just as they had and the four of us just stared at each other. The pair looked pale and worried they had a large wrapped up package in their hand and I realised they were here to see Ron. It was common knowledge about Ron now, that he'd been poisoned on his birthday was the talking point at dinner. My eyes fell on to George now as I looked at him I thought of all the times Tabitha and I had seen the twins walking these very halls before. How just last year if this situation had arose all that Tabitha and I would have done would be to walk over to the twins and admiringly chat to them. How different it all was now, Tabitha hadn't moved from my side I thought she was worried that I would burst into tears if I witnessed her hug Fred. Though she was now watching me I could see from the corner of my eye. George was the first to move passing the large package he was holding over to his twin before whispering something to him. Fred nodded at him and walked towards us.
"Hello V... Cheers for the Christmas present." He smiled as sweetly as he could before slipping his free hand around Tabitha's waist and the pair walked off around the corner chatting away. I watched them until they came to a stop a little way up a free hallway finally my eyes moved from them to George who had been watching me the entire time. I felt a blush raise up my cheeks as I looked back at his meaningful stare. Finally we both took steps towards each other walking until we met in the middle. I suddenly realised what a state I was in, hair in a crappy bun and no make up on my blush flushed deeper but I decided to talk first.
"I've just heard about Ron, I'm sorry..." My voice was less than a whisper but George had heard me a small smile rose on his face.
"He'll be alright I'm sure..." He said with an approving nod I nodded back silently. The silence was quick to raise between us once more as my thoughts dared to think of the last time we were together. The time we kissed, how we'd been just as close as we are now on that night. The longing look on George's face when he looked at me that I was sure I could see in his eyes now. I flushed again at my thoughts as George broke our eye contact looking down to the floor with a small sigh. I reprimanded myself silently telling myself that it was just my imagination that I saw that look on his face now when he was mad at me.
"Look-" He finally spoke but I cut him off without really wanting to. My mouth moved without my brains consent as soon as it had realised we were going to discuss what had happened.
"George, I am so sorry..." I whispered my eyes now too falling to the floor as I willed them not to cry.
"I know..." I heard his voice but didn't believe he had said it, my eyes looked back up at him again, a soft smile was on his lips.
"This isn't really a great time to talk..." He sighed. "I was going to owl you but, well I suppose I'm here now so..." He lingered staring into my eyes I thought for sure he went to lift his hand to meet my face but his hand met his neck instead scratching it awkwardly "Look, come to the shop on the second day of summer, we'll talk then." He nodded briskly almost business like I returned the nod. He examined me for a few seconds I wondered if I saw that longing look in his eyes once more before he broke off walking past me. He walked straight over to his brother once more, Tabitha had left Fred as soon as she'd seen George walking over. They exchanged a small greeting as they passed each other before Tabitha sort of half ran towards me. I didn't even let her catch up to me before I twisted away heading in the opposite direction, despite it being the wrong way, and down a hall way. The tears that were threatening to come sooner now burst out of my eyes painfully. My shoulders shuddered as I continued down the hall with Tabitha now catching up and slipping an arm round my shoulder. I felt like all I had done for the past two months was cry, my eyeballs felt sore, that didn't stop me though as George's straight, stern face came into my mind.