A/N ~ Trigger Warning: Mentions of self harm
~ January 2nd, 1994 continued ~
It had been hours since George had told Professor Snape to go check on Garnet, and he hadn't heard anything yet. He and Fred, Ron, Harry, Ginny and Adrian were all sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table after lunch, playing Exploding Snap. Hermione had joined them after she heard what was going on with Garnet.
Ron's card had just exploded on him for the third time. "I really don't like this game." he rolled his eyes.
Ginny and Hermione smirked.
Poor George was only half heartedly in the game. He watched the entrance continuously.
"Come on now George," Adrian said, "I'm sure someone will come talk to you soon."
George just nodded his head sullenly.
Just then Professor McGonagall came in. George jumped up from the table, Fred right beside him.
"Mr. Weasley, please come with me." she nodded, and turned around, walking out just as quickly as she walked in.
George and Fred followed her to the Hospital Wing. George felt sick to his stomach. Professor McGonagall directed them down the rows of bed before heading to her office.
Fred and George were relieved to hear Garnet and Snape arguing.
"I wish you had come talk to me, Garnet." Snape said, "Cutting yourself is not the way to get over things, my dear."
"I told you Severus, I haven't cut in over a month. Look, no new wounds, nothing." she insisted, holding up her arms at him.
"How do I know you are done cutting for good?" Snape shook his head.
"I made a promise, Severus, I promised George I wouldn't do it anymore." she said, matter of factly. "I keep my promises, as hard as it may be."
"Severus, I do believe she's telling you the truth on the matter," Professor Dumbledore said gently. "Miss Prince is not one to go back on a promise."
George saw Garnet holding a towel against her head and gasped, making everyone turn the Twins direction.
"George, Fred," Garnet said quietly.
George ran past Snape and hugged her.
"Oof, too tight, Georgie, too tight." she gasped.
He pulled back and looked her over. She had a large bruise stretching from her right temple across her forehead.
"What happened?" he stared into her eyes.
"I..." she looked at Professor Snape quickly before looking back to George and Fred. "I tripped and bashed my head on the corner of my trunk, knocked me out cold."
George took a shaky breath, "I was so worried when Adrian came to me at breakfast and said you weren't responding."
"I'm okay, George." Garnet didn't look at him, but looked at his hands, holding hers.
Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Professor Snape, I do need to speak to you for a moment...in the corridor." he pulled Snape's arm, leading him hesitantly away from the teens.
"I thought...you don't want to know what I thought." George whispered.
Garnet shook her head, "I know exactly what you thought, because I've been getting grilled on it from Severus since I came too."
Fred felt the tension in her voice. "Come on Love, give him a break." he mumbled, then walked away towards the bed farthest from them.
Garnet sighed. "I'm alright, George, promise."
George nodded, a lump in his throat.
"You know when I promised you, a month ago, that I wasn't going to hurt myself anymore, I kept my promise." she insisted.
George nodded again, "I know, I know."
Garnet shook her head, but smiled. She missed him, and was so happy to see he still felt the same way she did.
"George..." she said, then waited until he looked her in the eyes to continue, "...can we..." she took a breath, "Can we be together again?"
George smiled, "Really? You're not mad at me anymore?"
"I'm still mad at you," she smirked, "but that doesn't mean I don't want to be with you. We're going to argue once in a while, George. But mostly, you need to trust me and not accuse me. And believe me when I say I will never hurt myself again."
George nodded, "I do, I really do." He leaned in, smiling, and kissed her lips gently.
When he pulled back they were both smiling.
"Happy Birthday, Garnet." He grinned.
"Oh, yeah, I forgot." Garnet giggled, which made her wince in pain slightly.
George cringed. "You have to be careful today."
Garnet nodded slowly.
Fred, having watched everything from afar, approached them, "So when can we spring you from this joint? Madame Pomfrey?" He called.
Madame Pomfrey came over and checked Garnet over. "Well, your swelling has gone down, you're going to be bruised a few days, nothing I can really do for that, but just take it easy and if you get a headache, slow down." she said, "But you're alright to go."
Garnet smiled, "Thank you."
Fred and George flanked Garnet, as she stood up.
The trio walked out of the Hospital Wing and down to the Great Hall.
"Why are we going to the Great Hall?" Garnet raised a brow, then regretted it when her bruise hurt.
"Well your friends are all waiting to know you're alright, and we can't very well go into the Slytherin Common Room." Fred chuckled.
"Oh, okay," Garnet held onto George's arm.
Fred moved ahead of them and gave George a nod. George slowed down a little.
"You sure you're alright?" he asked, stopping to look at her.
Garnet smiled at him, "I'm fine George, don't start."
He reached up and gently brushed her now shaggy hair out of her eyes.
"I'm due for a hair cut," she chuckled. "It looks like a mop on the top of my head."
George shook his head, "Nah, you should let it go for now." He grinned.
"Oh yeah?" she smiled. George nodded. Garnet shrugged. "We'll see."
She watched as George's eyes roamed from her forehead down to her temple, and sadness washed over him.
"Hey," she got him to make eye contact again, "I'm fine. It'll be sore for a few days, but I will be fine."
George nodded again and smiled. He leaned in and kissed her. Garnet closed her eyes. His lips were so soft and gentle.
Fred cleared his throat and they broke apart. "Hate to break up the snogging party, but... are you coming?" he rolled his eyes.
George and Garnet were both red in the face.
He ushered her in to the Great Hall and she smiled when she saw that all her friends were sitting at the table with a cake, grinning at her.
"Happy Birthday!" they shouted in unison.
Garnet ran around and gave everyone hugs.
Everyone had a wonderful afternoon.
~ March 5th, 1994 ~
Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw Quidditch Match was set for this morning.
Garnet had donned her Weasley Jumper from last Christmas and raced down to meet with the Twins for breakfast.
This game was a big deal. If the Gryffindors lose, they lose their chance at the Quidditch Cup, so Oliver was stressing everyone out.
Garnet walked into the Great Hall but didn't see any of her friends, so she sat at the Slytherin table. She was about to bite into a bagel when she saw all the Gryffindor Quidditch players walking in like they were guarding something. Then she saw Harry in the middle.
Garnet laughed and approached as they all sat down, the broom having been placed in the middle of the table.
"Whoa, Harry, is that the Firebolt?" Garnet ruffled his hair.
Harry nodded, grinning from ear to ear.
George grabbed Garnet by the waist and she giggled as he pulled her onto his lap.
"We're so gonna win this game." he said.
"Overconfident, are we?" she wrapped her arms around his neck.
George pulled her closer so their noses touched, "Nah, I'm about to get a good luck kiss to assure it." he smiled and leaned in slowly.
Garnet, however, looked around playfully, "By whom?" George tickled her side, and she laughed, "Oh alright." she leaned in and gave him a sweet kiss.
"Oi! What about me?" Fred teased from beside them.
George raised a brow, but Garnet got off his lap and leaned over, giving Fred a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you Love." He grinned arrogantly at George, who scowled.
"Oh stop it, George." Garnet laughed.
"Eh-hem." Oliver cleared his throat from behind George.
"Good morning Wood, lovely day for a Quidditch Game, don't you think?" Garnet smiled.
He pretty much ignored her, and addressed the Twins. "Quick meeting in the locker room in 5 minutes." Then walked off.
"What's got his knickers in a twist?" Fred laughed.
Garnet slid off George's lap onto the bench. "Um, well he doesn't really like me much." she shrugged.
"Why?" George raised a brow.
Garnet picked at a loose thread on her jeans, "Remember when I told you I pick up accents without meaning to?"
Both Twins were grinning at her. "You didn't." Fred tried to keep from laughing.
"I didn't mean to!" Garnet whined, "He was talking to a couple other Sixth Years, one of which I needed to talk to, so I stood there waiting patiently, and the accent just kind of seeped into my head, and when I opened my mouth to speak, he thought I was poking fun at him."
"Bloody brilliant," George hugged her, then kissed her on the head. "You sitting with Ron today or Slytherin?"
Garnet shrugged, "I'll sit with Ron, if that's alright with you Ron?" she looked across the table.
"Sure," Ron shoveled egg into his mouth.
"Ew..." Garnet looked away and shook her head. "Okay, that's settled then."
George and Fred stood up with the rest of the team, and he leaned down for another kiss.
"Go get 'em." Garnet said.
Hooting and hollaring and carrying on, muddled sounds echoed around the pitch.
"Pay attention to the Snitch, Harry!" Hermione hollared from beside Garnet.
"I think he's going for it!" Ron jumped up and down.
Just then, Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker, screamed and pointed.
Garnet's eyes followed to Dementors in the stands. Her heart seized.
Harry performed the Patronus Charm, and everyone was in awe. Then he caught the snitch and the stands errupted into such chaos, Garnet had to cover her ears.
After the stands had cleared, Garnet stood outside the Gryffindor Locker room waiting on George and Fred. She was happy for them, but was quite disappointed due to Slytherin losing a lot of House Points over Malfoy, Flint and their cronies dressing like Dementors to scare Harry during the match.
Garnet sat on the grass against the building. She took a deep breath of the still cool air. Spring couldn't come soon enough for her. She looked up at the clouds and smiled. Then everything went black.
George, Fred, Harry and the rest of the Quidditch team came out of the locker room laughing and cheering.
"Garnet!" Harry shouted when he saw her sitting there, then his smiled faded when she didn't respond, a blank expression on her face, her eyes unfocused, blinking randomly.
George noticed as well and ran over to her. "Garnet? Love?" he put his hands on either side of her face and tipped her head back to look into her eyes, but it was like she wasn't there. "Garnet?!"
Now the entire Gryffindor team was watching. Harry heard Professor Lupin talking to Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. He ran towards their voices.
"Professor Lupin!" he called when he saw them.
"Ah, Harry! I was coming to speak with you." Lupin smiled.
"We need you over here, sir," Harry didn't smile back. Lupin followed after Harry, Snape and McGonagall not far behind.
He saw Garnet sitting on the grass and George trying to get her to talk to him. Lupin approached, and clasped George on the shoulder.
"She's fine, George, just back off a minute." he assured him.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape ushered the rest of the team along, leaving Harry, Fred and George.
Professor Snape didn't want to draw attention. He saw she was okay, so left Lupin to it.
Lupin watched Garnet's eyes start darting around.
George sat back on his haunches, watching his girlfriend. Finally she took a deep shaky breath and grabbed onto George's arm like she was jolted.
The look of confusion on her face made George worry.
"Everything's fine, Miss Prince," Lupin gently rubbed up and down her back to calm her.
Garnet looked at Professor Lupin, then at George. She tried to speak, but words evaded her yet.
"Garnet?" George said.
She shook her head. "Ron," she said, "and his rat."
Fred and Harry looked at each other.
"Scabbers? He's gone, Garnet, remember, I told you. Ron thinks Hermione's cat got him." George said.
Garnet shook her head and furrowed her brow. Then George watched as exhaustion washed over her.
Professor Lupin thought for a moment, "Haven't you lot said she has visions?" They all nodded, "Miss Prince, did you have a vision?"
Garnet finally seemed to come out of whatever trance she was in and nodded.
"I saw Ron, with the rat, and a dog, and a tree." she rubbed her head. "I'm very tired."
Lupin nodded, making mental note of everything she said. "Come, Miss Prince, I think a walk is in order. You'll be back to normal momentarily." he held out a hand to help her up.
George took her other hand and wrapped his arm around her waist.
Garnet blinked a few more times and blushed, all this fuss over her. "I'm fine."
Professor watched the Gryffindors walk the Slytherin into the school, thinking more about what she claimed to see. He began having thoughts and suspicions about things.
