Written for QLFC Round 3
Team: Falmouth Falcons
Position: Beater 1
Main prompt: The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe: Write about someone hiding a big secret.
Optional Prompts:
Season: Winter
Word: Whisper
Words: 2474
Astoria Greengrass stared down at the small owl tattoo flying around her wrist. It hadn't been there last night; Astoria never fancied herself as a tattoo kind of witch. Not that she found anything wrong with them, they just went against the perfect pureblood standard she and her sister had been raised to and continued to be measured against. And yet, here she was, watching the tattoo on her own body that she never remembered getting.
Astoria wished it had been a drunken mistake, the result of stumbling into a parlor in Diagon Alley after a few too many drinks with her friends. Unfortunately, she hadn't seen friends or drinks in a long time. The witch looked around her St Mungo's suite bitterly, the wooden walls more like a prison cell than a place of healing. Her blood disorder had spiraled a few months ago, trapping her in the hospital in a lethargic state.
Which meant that this new magical mark could only be a soulmate tattoo. They were rare, but Astoria and Daphne grew up hanging on every word the nannies shared about soulmates, their stories the pinnacle of romance for the young girls. They were a result of old magic, the touch between two soulmates marking each other with a tattoo that symbolized the other person's essence.
It was a stroke of irony, really, that she'd find a soulmate when she was dying. Some sort of karmic restitution for the sins of her late father and his backing of Voldemort. In the winter of her short life, her soulmate was a spring flower, taking root and threatening to bloom.
Astoria's mind raced as her fingers delicately traced the ink owl's path, turning over every person she'd interacted with yesterday. It had been a routine day for a dying woman: healers and medinurses pricking her, a teary visit from her shell of a mother, and a lot of time to herself. There had been only one bright spot: Healer Cho Chang.
When she'd walked in yesterday, Astoria's heart flipped several times over, like it did whenever she stopped by.
"Hi," Cho had greeted cheerfully, her smile warming the depressing room. "How's my favorite patient?"
"Can you call me your patient when you're not technically my Healer?" Astoria asked, striving for nonchalance in contrast with her hammering pulse.
"Healer-in-training with a special interest," Cho said lightly, grabbing the chart from the end of the bed. At the words "special interest," Astoria's traitorous heart thumped in her ears, shaking loose the long-buried remains of her schoolgirl crush on Cho Chang.
Astoria had been a few years behind Cho in Ravenclaw, but that didn't stop the older girl from being friendly. Popular, athletic, and smart, Cho was kind too, often stopping to check on Astoria and other first-years to see how they were doing and if they needed homework help. Astoria knew the other girl's enjoyed her attention, looked up to her, so she didn't recognize her feelings as anything different.
That changed the night of the Yule Ball. As a second year, she and her friends waited in the common room to watch the older girls leave for the event, oohing and aahing at the fine robes and intricate hairdos. When Cho came out in her silver dress, her long, dark hair pinned up, Astoria felt the air in her lungs get sucked out and a flush creep across her cheeks. That was the night that Astoria learned what a real crush felt like, like dying and finally living all at once. It also explained why she didn't giggle or blush when a wizard looked at her like she watched friends do countless times that year. The realization had panicked her at the time, overwhelmed by the fear of disappointing her parents. Falling for a witch meant failing at the only thing they expected of her: marry a pureblood man and produce heirs.
Yet, the rest of her time at Hogwarts, Cho was the sun that Astoria revolved around. While she kept her interests in witches secret, she did anything to catch a beam of the girl's light, from asking for homework help in the library to staying up late in the common room to watch her with her friends. When that sunshine was nearly stamped out by Cedric Diggory's death, Astoria still considered her to be the brightest person in the room.
Astoria found that much hadn't changed; Cho Chang was still sunlight in a dark world. Her voice was like drops of sunshine that St Mungo's sad window couldn't give, her laughter the warmth of a summer day at the beach Astoria so missed.
As Cho read her chart, Astoria's eyes traced the sharp cut of her bob, the gentle curve of the other witch's cheek, the dip in her pink lips as she twisted them in concentration. Astoria wasn't sure how anyone could make the offensively loud lime green scrubs of St Mungos look good, but Cho certainly did. She swallowed roughly, her heart beating faster than pixie wings. Realizing she was staring, she dropped her head back to the thick tome resting on her lap.
"What are you reading today?" Cho asked as she moved around the bed to run the diagnostic spell. Astoria had wanted to be a curse breaker when she graduated, but with her disease, it proved too dangerous. Instead, she was pursuing an Arithmancy mastery from her hospital bed, writing papers for academic journals in an effort to contribute something to society before the family curse killed her.
"You work too hard," Cho said, grabbing her wrist to stop her from turning the page. The Healer's touch was electric, shooting through Astoria's whole body. For their years at Hogwarts and their months of discussions in the hospital, this was the first time they'd ever touched without gloves. Cho perched on the side of the hospital bed, so close Astoria could smell the mix of jasmine perfume and hospital cleaning spells.
"All I do is lay around all day," Astoria said, eyes glued to Cho's slender fingers encircling her wrist. "Also, you're one to talk, taking on extra non-patients."
"We're going to figure this out," Cho replied, ignoring the teasing. There was a mark between her two dark brows as she stared at Astoria. "I promise."
"Don't make a promise you can't keep," Astoria said, tears pricking her eyes. She blinked rapidly, looking away from Cho and pulling her wrist free. She didn't want any more pity, especially from her. After a few silent moments, the mattress shifted and she could hear Cho walking away.
"I have every intention of keeping it," Cho said, her voice lingering long after she left.
"What's wrong with you?" a familiar voice pulled her out of her thoughts and back to the present. Astoria looked up to see Daphne standing in the door, blonde brows furrowed in concern as she studied her. "Do you need a Healer?"
"No more than I usually do," Astoria said bitterly, slipping her arm below the sheet. While her sister would understand her sexuality, be supportive, Daphne struggled to keep secrets from their mother. And their grieving mother couldn't take another blow; she didn't need to know her dying daughter was also a lesbian who couldn't fulfill any of her expectations. Astoria had kept her true self hidden this long, another few months or years didn't matter much. "I'm fine, just thinking about Hogwarts."
Daphne groaned as she flopped into the chair next to the hospital bed. "Why would you want to do that? I'd love to forget."
"Well, I didn't have as bad an experience as you did," Astoria said gently, knowing how divergent Ravenclaw's culture was to Slytherin's, how the war impacted them differently. "How are you? How is the shop?"
Daphne lit up as she began to talk about the high-end cosmetic shop she'd opened with her best friend Pansy Parkinson. Astoria nodded along, trying to beat back the memories of Cho Chang's warm smile from flooding the front of her mind.
As Daphne complained about a rude customer, the flutter of wings tickled her wrist. Astoria's stomach lurched, knowing magical tattoos weren't able to create a sensation on the skin. She grabbed her wrist through the hospital sheets to still the movement. Perhaps soulmate tattoos acted differently, Astoria tried to reach. She was sure Daphne could sense it, but when she looked back up, Daphne was still complaining. Astoria slowly released her wrist and took a deep breath.
"That sounds horrid," she could hear her voice say, though it sounded far away.
"It was!" Daphne exclaimed, shaking her head. "And you should've seen th-"
"Hi there," the cheery voice of Olga, the afternoon shift mediwitch interrupted. The tall redheaded witch walked into the room briskly. "So sorry to interrupt, but we've got to do a quick vitals check."
"Is that a tattoo?" Daphne asked and Astoria froze, sure she was caught. "I love it!"
"Thanks!" the mediwitch squealed, adjusting the neckline of her scrubs to cover it again. Astoria released a breath. "I'm supposed to have covered, but this keeps slipping," she added, rolling her eyes. "Now I'll just run a diagnostic spell on you, won't hurt a bit," Olga said as though Astoria hadn't heard the same line several times a day for months. She nodded politely, wearing that smile she was trained on in her pre-Hogwarts etiquette lessons.
"You know, I've always wanted one," Daphne said in a hushed tone. "I know our mother wouldn't like it," she continued, her eyes sliding over Astoria, "but they are just so sexy." Daphne began peppering the mediwitch with questions about her tattoo.
Astoria sighed, looking down at the covered wrist and thinking about her new tattoo. She started a bit when the wings flapped against her skin again, this time making an audible noise. Her head whipped up and she looked between the women on either side of her. Olga and Daphne chatted amiably, seemingly oblivious.
"Why are you acting so weird today?" Daphne asked as the mediwitch left. "Do you not like her?" she added quietly, looking at the empty threshold.
"No, Olga is lovely," Astoria scoffed at her sister's flair for the dramatic. "I'm fine."
"Well, what's new?" she asked, examining her nails. At Astoria's huff, she gave her a sympathetic grimace. "Sorry. I mean, how is your research? Did the fellow from Egypt write back?"
"Yes!" Astoria exclaimed, scrambling to grab the letter from the bag on the floor. "He told me he'd seen the rune before and would be able to send attentional materials. He was also very kind about my disorder, understanding why I couldn't meet him in person. But I-
"What's that?" Daphne asked, grabbing at her wrist. Astoria pulled it to her chest, covering it with her other arm. "Is that what I think it is?" her sister asked in a hushed tone.
"No," Astoria lied, though she knew it was aimless. "It's nothing."
"That isn't nothing!" Daphne argued. "That is a soulmate tattoo and you are going to tell me who gave it to you this instant!"
"People touch me all day, poke and prod me. Who knows who it could be?"
"Didn't Draco visit you yesterday?" Daphne asked with that dangerous tone Astoria was too familiar with. Her tornado of a sibling, loud and chaotic, loved to meddle in romantic entanglements.
"He did," Astoria nodded absently. "Perhaps it is him," she added. She knew the lie wouldn't hold, but it would buy her time with her secret.
Daphne, predictably, squealed and started talking about the wizard, how handsome he was, how rich he was, how happy their mother would be. Astoria retreated to the recesses of her mind, soaking up the sunshine of Cho Chang in the only place she'd likely ever be able to.
Long after her sister left, Astoria sat in her bed, lazily tracing the pattern of the bird.
"You." Astoria looked towards the voice to find Cho standing in the doorway. She wore casual clothes, eyes puffy and usually perfect hair tussled. Astoria started, knowing it was the Healer's day off. "You," she said again in a breathy whisper that crept towards Astoria and encircled her heart. "Astoria." The whisper may as well have been a Sonorous Charm with the way her name sounded from Cho's mouth. Cho closed the distance between them in a few quick steps. "Look," she said, holding up her wrist to show a small tattoo in the same spot. Astoria strained to see and Cho held it closer, revealing a swan swimming in circles on the witch's wrist.
Astoria held up her own, the owl swooping and diving. The witch's lips turned up into a smile.
"I wanted it to be you," Cho rushed out, eyes darting from the tattoo to Astoria.
"Me?" Astoria asked, her voice coming out in an unsure squeak.
"When I saw it this morning, I immediately thought of you. Do you know how many people I touch in a day?" Cho sighed. "But I knew in my heart it had to be you. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you, ever since I first saw you here."
Without thinking, Astoria lunged forward, pushing herself up from her bed and capturing Cho's lips. Cho melted into the kiss, that familiar mix of jasmine and cleaning spells hitting Astoria's nose. The world fell away and she forgot everything; she forgot her cursed blood, her family's expectations, the prison walls of St Mungo's. All she could focus on was the softness of the other witch's lips and how sweet she tasted; Astoria savored the flavor of creme brulee and summer.
After a few moments, Cho pulled back, smiling gently. "I wasn't expecting that," she sighed softly
"Me either," Astoria said, surprised at herself. "Today's been a strange day." Cho's smile dropped into a solemn expression.
"I'm going to do everything I can to save you," Cho promised as she pushed some of Astoria's hair behind her ear. "I can't lose you just after I've found you," she added, her voice thick with sadness.
"So you mean your job?" Astoria said quietly, hoping she could pull a grin from the other witch and banish the tears that threatened to spill out of her chocolate eyes. Cho let out a watery laugh.
"You know I was already trying to save you," she said. "The entire team is. But I need you to know that I don't want to give you up."
Astoria realized that she didn't want to give her up either. As she watched her soulmate fuss over her vitals, she decided this was a secret she could share with someone. Astoria wasn't in winter anymore, she was at the start of a new season, initiated by the sunshine of Cho Chang.