The walk down to Hogsmeade seemed to take forever and although we walked at quite a pace, Angelina and I slowed the boys down considerably as we meandered the winding path to the village. The walk was pretty and tiny little iron lampposts lit our way as we passed underneath the boughs of large trees and dark moors. As we'd walked down through the school gates, I'd found myself blushing deeply as the boys called up to the gargoyles standing on their plinths, I just couldn't forget my conversation with the headmaster but a few days earlier.
When we reached the small hamlet, Angelina took my left arm so that the four of us stood in a little sandwich line and we skipped precariously around the small streets, laughing and joking as the boys gave me a quick tour. Although it was very pretty, I couldn't help but allow chills to run down my spine and I only hoped it would not appear so sinister in the daylight. When the boys had eventually gotten bored from showing me the nooks and crannies of the village, they led me down into a rather large, Tudor building, an old, worn sign depicting three large knotted broomsticks creaking in the breeze. The pub was warm and smelt strongly of stale ale, but the warmth from the fire and the large smile strewn across the pretty middle aged barmaid made me feel instantly at ease. The boys led us to the bar and the bar maid trotted up to us, her chest heaving from a tight busted maroon dress.
"Boys! Finally! What's taken you so long?" Fred took the woman's hand and kissed it tentatively, "Madame Rosmerta, Oh how we've missed you!" She blushed and tapped Fred lightly on the head, embracing George over the bar before standing back to take Angelina and I in. "Well, Well, Miss Johnson! What have we here? You look incredible my love!" She grasped Angelina over the bar and squeezed her tightly before look rather confusedly down at me. She murmured to herself and drew a sharp finger over her lip line. "When McGonagall said I should be careful of students tonight, I think she may have left out one small detail."
I felt my cheeks warm and lowered my gaze from her kind one. "You have your father's beauty my dear. That boy always was too pretty for a man." My eyes snapped to hers and she smiled kindly, "Rosmerta, our very good friend and the birthday girl, Lena Black." George's voice had a sly edge and I watched her cautiously. "Well Lena, what can I get you all, Minerva's sent me a request that the first round be billed her." She winked at the boys and they started rising on their feet, surveying the many bottles behind the bar, "Butterbeer for you boys and you to Angelina I think, but only a few more weeks for you my dear,' she winked at Angelina who smiled and tottered on her heels, "Firewhisky for me please," she glanced down at me and smiled, laughing, "Much too much like your father I see," She passed us a tray of drinks and George, passing an arm through mine, led me to a table in the corner.
We sat and drank for what seemed like hours, eventually Rosmerta gave in and allowed the boys to order alcohol a few times, and by eleven George and I sat nursing our drinks as we watched Fred and Angelina dancing with a goblin band that were playing fast folk music in the corner. Angelina had kicked off her heels, and elf wine in hand, she snaked her hands up Fred chest and stole a kiss from his eager mouth. I watched as George's face changed a little and I took his hand protectively. "You want her so much." He sighed and I squeezed his hand tightly, "He's the one Lena, the loud one, the one who gets what he wants first, the one who gets the girl," He shook his head and continued to watch as Angelina slid her legs between Fred's as they danced, their mouths locked. "Oh George, Angelina doesn't know what she's missing. You never know, one day." He smiled weakly at me and took another large gulp of ale. "Who is he Lena? This cheeky git who's got you all wrapped up?" I smiled knowingly and my fingers played with the peonies hanging from the chain around my wrist. "See that's how I want Angelina to look when she thinks about me." I placed a kiss on his cheek tenderly and squeezed his hands, "One day George Weasley, you will make a girl very happy." I took another sip of my drink and watched as Angelina tripped a little as she and Fred made their way to the bar yet again before bringing several large glasses of elf wine back for Angelina and I and a large firewhisky for George.
Half an hour later, Rosmerta aided us as we left the pub, waving us away and wishing me a happy birthday. George swung me up on his back and I locked my legs around his waist, carrying my heels in hand. Angelina had also removed her shoes and she and Fred walked a little way behind us, their arms, and mouths, wrapped around each other. We were all a bit giddy, not just from the drink, but from leaving the sickly warmth of the pub to the biter coldness of the September night. George and I began to sing an old muggle song at the top of our lungs and as we neared the gates, Angelina and Fred joined us, she was also on Fred's back now and as we reached the gates, George and I declared war, breaking into a run up the long winding slope, I held on tightly to George's neck as we pelted up the gravel bank and as we reached the castle I spun my head to look where the others were, they weren't far behind.
As we reached the entrance hall I slid from Georges back rather unsteadily and he caught me gracefully, even in the dreamy state he was in and we broke in to a victory dance, swinging each other around and hip bumping one another as we watched Fred amble up the last of the incline. "Bloody Hell Ange," She slid down and as we stood there, we began to giggle, not because of the drink but due to the fact that it took Fred so long to recover while his twin had carried me with ease. Fred wasn't any better than George.
I kissed George on the cheek and hugging them all, told them that they really had to be quiet, but I had to go to the owlery to send Dad a letter, and although they pleaded to come with me I set them straight and left them on the third floor as they trailed their way up towards Gryffindor tower. Although I'd had one of the best birthdays ever I was thankful that I was finally alone, and I began my descent down to the dungeons, being careful to wait and listen for any sign of Filch or Mrs Norris before climbing around any corners. As I reached the lower corridor in the dungeon I took some time to steady myself. I smoothed out my hair, pulling the curls down a bit so they bounced heavily on my chest and I pulled the seam a little lower on my dress realising it must have hitched up a little when George had carried me. I could do this. I needed this, I needed Severus.
I reached the door to his chamber and knocked softly as we agreed. I stood and played with the hem on my dress for a while longer as I waited and knocked again. Still nothing. I sighed, great; he'd gone to bed already and I'd left my wand upstairs so I couldn't let myself in. But maybe he'd stayed up later working while he waited. After waiting for a while after I knocked again, I began to trail my way along to his office, and finding no answer there tried his classroom. Still nothing. Maybe Mcgonagall had kept him longer than I'd thought. Deciding I'd wait a while and try again, I made my way to the girl's bathroom, it was the only one down her in the dungeons and it was always rather dark, so most people avoided it. I found a cubicle, and sat there waiting, I couldn't help the tears that streamed down my face, maybe this was it, his way of telling me we were off, now that McGonagall knew. I wiped away the tears angrily, no. Severus wouldn't do that to me.
I unlocked the door, filling a sink with water and letting my fingers rest in the cold water. I looked into the mirror above the sink to check my make-up and noticing the dark shadow behind me, I took my fingers from the water quietly, making a reach for my wand and regretting not bringing it with me. My heart seemed to beating a rapid marathon against my ribs and the thought popped into my head that maybe he could hear it, hear the fear he induced in me. I watched as he walked slowly from the shadows and my grip tightened on the edge of the sink. Seeing the look in his eyes, I felt my heart skip and as he neared me it felt as if all oxygen had left my lungs. He grabbed my wrist turning me in his arms harshly. I looked up into his eyes reproachfully, unable to make a sound as fear gripped my body and knew that Severus wouldn't save me this time.