Chapter Seventeen: Heart to Heart
After Clarice's admission of rape from both Draco and Lucius, Lucius was tried and sent to Azkaban. Draco was expelled from Hogwarts and charges were pending. It was unclear whether he would go to the wizard prison with his dear old father or would stay with his mother. Clarice left the hospital wing a week later. When she did, she was sent directly to Professor McGonagall's office. Professor McGonagall wanted to talk to her about what had happened to her.
"Miss Black, why did you not come forward with the information about Draco and Lucius Malfoy? The staff here at Hogwarts would have seen to it that the situation was rectified before you resorted to the method that you did."
"But I did tell someone. I just wouldn't let him do anything. I didn't want to tell anyone. I still don't know how I came out and said it in the hospital wing. I didn't think anyone believe me. How do you explain that you get raped by your foster family and that you are helpless, especially when everyone looks at you and admires your strength?"
"We would have taken your word for it Miss Black. Then there are other ways of proving whether or not you were indeed telling the truth. Magical methods, of course, but methods that would prove your honesty."
"I was scared. I guess I took Lucius' threat of killing anyone who knew seriously and I couldn't bare to think that I would be responsible for anyone else dying at Lucius' hands."
"What do you mean, Clarice?"
"My father died because he loved me so much that he refused to give in to Lucius, so Lucius told You-Know-Who where we were and they were killed. If I would have told someone and then Lucius killed that person, I never would have forgiven myself."
"It's not your fault that your parents died Clarice."
"Professor, I'm a bit tired and still need to go see Professor Snape. May I go?"
"Of course, you have been excused from all your classes until next week."
"I might go to class to try to distract myself if that's okay."
"If you feel up to it. Just don't overwhelm yourself Miss Black."
"I won't Professor. Good-night, Professor McGonagall."
"Good-night Miss Black."
Clarice left Professor McGonagall's office and Fred was waiting for her right outside the office door.
"Are you alright, Clarice?"
"I will be."
"You were scared I'd die if you told me the truth, huh? That's why you didn't tell me what the Malfoys did to you?"
"That's part of it. I was ashamed. I am fully capable of defending myself, and have done it quite a few times to Draco, yet I froze and let the two of them hurt me. I should have fought back. Maybe if I did, I wouldn't have slit my wrists so often. I'm sorry if I'm a disappointment to you Fred. I know you always liked my strength and humor and I don't have much of either left anymore."
"I'm not disappointed in you. Bad things happen. You have to move on with life, no matter how long it takes. I'm not saying that you should get over it in a day or even a year, but dying isn't going to resolve the problem. You would probably just end up a ghost haunting the dungeon corridor where you died if you had died. I don't want that for you. I want you to recover and try to be happy. I think that with time and the right people, you can be the Clarice we have all come to know and love. You need to make the decision as to whether you want to try for that."
Clarice had tears silently coming down her face.
"When did you get so smart, Fred Weasley?" she asked.
"When you started having a hard time."
"Thank you for understanding me, Fred."
"I love you Clarice. I will always be here for you, no matter how much you try to push me away. I may get scared, but my love will keep me here for you. I love you more than anything else. I love you the way my dad loves my mum and it tears me apart to see you in so much pain. I want to kiss away your tears and hold you when you are scared. I want to make the hurt go away."
Clarice was shocked. Truth be told, she had had a crush on Fred since third year when he took the fall for her prank on Professor Snape that landed Fred in detention with Snape for a month. She never thought he would have feelings like that for her too.
"I never knew you shared my feelings Fred."
"Shared?"
"I myself have had feelings for you for two years. I just never thought you would feel the same for me as I did for you."
"I do, Clarice."
Clarice started crying even harder.
"I didn't mean to upset you, Clarice. I'm sorry."
"Fred, just hold me. Please."
Fred walked up to Clarice and held her in his arms. For the first time in a long time, Clarice felt safe in the arms of someone who was not related to her. It put a smile on her face. Maybe life could get better. She knew at this moment that Fred Weasley was the love of her life. Who else would be so kind and tender to someone when they were falling apart completely?
"I love you Fred."
"I love you too, Clarice."
"Kiss me, Fred."
"Are you sure it won't upset you?"
"Yes."
Fred turned Clarice to face him and looked into her eyes. He could see how much she loved him and it made him happier than he had been since she had began changing. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. He felt Clarice melt into his embrace and kissed her longer, relishing the fact that Clarice picked him.
When the two stopped kissing, Clarice looked at him and for the first time in months, she truly smiled.
"I really do love you, Fred Weasley," she began, but then paused.
"What's wrong, Clarice?"
"I am supposed to go to Professor Snape's office. He wants to make sure that I am still okay."
"I'll walk you to Snape's office. Come on."
The two began walking to Professor Snape's dungeon office. Halfway there, Fred took Clarice's hand in his. She flinched at first, but looked into his eyes then let him hold her hand. She felt happier than she had in a long time. Not even Peeves was able to spoil this when he tried to throw ink bottles at them...Clarice just repelled them and sent them back at him. When they got to Professor Snape's office Fred kissed Clarice gently and told her he would wait in the corridor for her to escort her back to Gryffindor Tower. Her stomach was doing somersaults.
After Clarice's admission of rape from both Draco and Lucius, Lucius was tried and sent to Azkaban. Draco was expelled from Hogwarts and charges were pending. It was unclear whether he would go to the wizard prison with his dear old father or would stay with his mother. Clarice left the hospital wing a week later. When she did, she was sent directly to Professor McGonagall's office. Professor McGonagall wanted to talk to her about what had happened to her.
"Miss Black, why did you not come forward with the information about Draco and Lucius Malfoy? The staff here at Hogwarts would have seen to it that the situation was rectified before you resorted to the method that you did."
"But I did tell someone. I just wouldn't let him do anything. I didn't want to tell anyone. I still don't know how I came out and said it in the hospital wing. I didn't think anyone believe me. How do you explain that you get raped by your foster family and that you are helpless, especially when everyone looks at you and admires your strength?"
"We would have taken your word for it Miss Black. Then there are other ways of proving whether or not you were indeed telling the truth. Magical methods, of course, but methods that would prove your honesty."
"I was scared. I guess I took Lucius' threat of killing anyone who knew seriously and I couldn't bare to think that I would be responsible for anyone else dying at Lucius' hands."
"What do you mean, Clarice?"
"My father died because he loved me so much that he refused to give in to Lucius, so Lucius told You-Know-Who where we were and they were killed. If I would have told someone and then Lucius killed that person, I never would have forgiven myself."
"It's not your fault that your parents died Clarice."
"Professor, I'm a bit tired and still need to go see Professor Snape. May I go?"
"Of course, you have been excused from all your classes until next week."
"I might go to class to try to distract myself if that's okay."
"If you feel up to it. Just don't overwhelm yourself Miss Black."
"I won't Professor. Good-night, Professor McGonagall."
"Good-night Miss Black."
Clarice left Professor McGonagall's office and Fred was waiting for her right outside the office door.
"Are you alright, Clarice?"
"I will be."
"You were scared I'd die if you told me the truth, huh? That's why you didn't tell me what the Malfoys did to you?"
"That's part of it. I was ashamed. I am fully capable of defending myself, and have done it quite a few times to Draco, yet I froze and let the two of them hurt me. I should have fought back. Maybe if I did, I wouldn't have slit my wrists so often. I'm sorry if I'm a disappointment to you Fred. I know you always liked my strength and humor and I don't have much of either left anymore."
"I'm not disappointed in you. Bad things happen. You have to move on with life, no matter how long it takes. I'm not saying that you should get over it in a day or even a year, but dying isn't going to resolve the problem. You would probably just end up a ghost haunting the dungeon corridor where you died if you had died. I don't want that for you. I want you to recover and try to be happy. I think that with time and the right people, you can be the Clarice we have all come to know and love. You need to make the decision as to whether you want to try for that."
Clarice had tears silently coming down her face.
"When did you get so smart, Fred Weasley?" she asked.
"When you started having a hard time."
"Thank you for understanding me, Fred."
"I love you Clarice. I will always be here for you, no matter how much you try to push me away. I may get scared, but my love will keep me here for you. I love you more than anything else. I love you the way my dad loves my mum and it tears me apart to see you in so much pain. I want to kiss away your tears and hold you when you are scared. I want to make the hurt go away."
Clarice was shocked. Truth be told, she had had a crush on Fred since third year when he took the fall for her prank on Professor Snape that landed Fred in detention with Snape for a month. She never thought he would have feelings like that for her too.
"I never knew you shared my feelings Fred."
"Shared?"
"I myself have had feelings for you for two years. I just never thought you would feel the same for me as I did for you."
"I do, Clarice."
Clarice started crying even harder.
"I didn't mean to upset you, Clarice. I'm sorry."
"Fred, just hold me. Please."
Fred walked up to Clarice and held her in his arms. For the first time in a long time, Clarice felt safe in the arms of someone who was not related to her. It put a smile on her face. Maybe life could get better. She knew at this moment that Fred Weasley was the love of her life. Who else would be so kind and tender to someone when they were falling apart completely?
"I love you Fred."
"I love you too, Clarice."
"Kiss me, Fred."
"Are you sure it won't upset you?"
"Yes."
Fred turned Clarice to face him and looked into her eyes. He could see how much she loved him and it made him happier than he had been since she had began changing. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. He felt Clarice melt into his embrace and kissed her longer, relishing the fact that Clarice picked him.
When the two stopped kissing, Clarice looked at him and for the first time in months, she truly smiled.
"I really do love you, Fred Weasley," she began, but then paused.
"What's wrong, Clarice?"
"I am supposed to go to Professor Snape's office. He wants to make sure that I am still okay."
"I'll walk you to Snape's office. Come on."
The two began walking to Professor Snape's dungeon office. Halfway there, Fred took Clarice's hand in his. She flinched at first, but looked into his eyes then let him hold her hand. She felt happier than she had in a long time. Not even Peeves was able to spoil this when he tried to throw ink bottles at them...Clarice just repelled them and sent them back at him. When they got to Professor Snape's office Fred kissed Clarice gently and told her he would wait in the corridor for her to escort her back to Gryffindor Tower. Her stomach was doing somersaults.