The Night Before
Disclaimer: Just borrowing.
We tell each other everything. Nothing is hidden, nothing is too much and if you tell Alicia a secret, it's for damn sure that you'd better not tell it to her if you don't want Katie or Angelina to know.
I remember, the night before they left, late, Angelina and I came back and sat with Katie, who we hardly ever called Katie but rather Kit. Angelina told us of the first time. She said it wasn't exactly what one would call romantic which was exactly what she'd said when he'd asked her to the Yule Ball the year before. Then she'd grinned and informed us that she'd heard it got better.
When Kit and Angelina looked towards me, questioning, I shook my head.
"No," I said, and added in an irritated tone, "Just because they're identical in looks doesn't necessarily mean they think the same way"
And then I looked at Angelina again and understood what she meant and changed my answer.
"Yes," I amended.
Kit looked at us, not quite understanding.
"You two look as though you've just been to funerals. It couldn't have been that bad," her face grew anxious, "Could it? Angie?"
"Not that, that was all right," Angie giggled but her face soon resumed the unhappy look.
"It's . . .well . . .they're leaving tomorrow" I said. And the tears that had been threatening, finally fell. I didn't know why it affected me so much. It wasn't as though either of us would never see them again. Perhaps it was the uncharacteristic solemnity when they told us as if they were going off to fight You-Know- no, I can do this, Voldemort. And I think, in a way, they were.
Angelina and I were sitting in the common room doing our Transfiguration homework when they'd come up to us.
"We need to talk to you two"
Angelina and I had winked at each other. "Talking" was a bit of a euphemism. Usually, there wasn't much talking involved.
This time, though, they did mean talking. They took each of us to separate classrooms.
"We're skiving off tomorrow"
"Skiving off what?" I asked.
"This," he waved his hand at the classroom indicating the school in general, "We were only staying for you and Quidditch and now that we're off the Quidditch team, and we have the money to start up Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and the location, we're off to do that instead. We wanted you to know so you wouldn't be surprised. . .or rather shocked," for a moment, the mischievous grin was firmly in place, "You know us too well to be surprised"
"But what about us?" I asked knowing it was selfish, knowing he had to go, that it was right.
"Alicia, nothing like that is changing. That's why I'm telling you."
"But you can't run out on us, what about the DA? We need you. . .," I hesitated, "I need you."
He kissed me then.
"Lady Green Eyes, I'm not running out on you or the DA. We'll only be in Diagon Alley and I know you passed your Apparition test. You can Apparate from Hogsmeade. We're- I'm not dying. And we would have all left soon anyway. As for the DA, Harry's got that under control and, though we may not be there, we're still part of it"
"I know," I said, "and I understand, but I wish you wouldn't all the same"
He looked nervously at me and I realized that there were tears pricking at my eyes.
"Alicia, don't . . ." He'd never been good with tears, neither of them were. It made them nervous.
"I'm sorry" I gulped back the sob that was rising.
"Look at us" he grinned at me, "We're acting as though we were in that old Muggle movie you showed us," he took both my hands and said in a dramatic voice, "We'll always have Hogwarts"
I couldn't help it. I laughed.
And I thought again how different they were. In looks, perhaps, they were identical to the last freckle but their personalities were not. He was quieter, not as loud, while his brother was shouting out the uses of their newest inventions he was usually scheming up new ones. Which was why, I suppose, I had fallen for him and not his twin. As they say, it's always the quiet ones.
"Lis?" he waved a hand in front of my face, "Where did you go?"
"Sorry, I was just thinking . . .what are you going to do tomorrow? I know you Weasleys, you're not going out without a bang"
His eyes twinkled, "How very apt. It will be a bang as a matter of fact, several is closer, but I'm not telling you any more than that"
"And your brooms?"
"Ever hear the word Accio?"
"Clever," I smiled, "Do you need any help creating distractions or anything?"
"No, we've got it covered," he glanced at his wristwatch, "We have to start preparing now if we want everything to work. I don't know if I'll see you at all tomorrow so we'd better say goodbye right now."
I had a sudden inspiration. In their own way, they were knights and Angelina and I were their lady fairs. I took the ribbon I had used to tie my ponytail with and handed it to him. He looked confused.
"What's this?"
"It's me being an annoying romantic thing who pays way too much attention in HoM. It was a tradition for ladies to give their favorite knights their colors. Good luck tomorrow."
He kissed me again, "Goodbye, Alicia"
I watched him walk away confidently and jauntily as though he hadn't a care in the world.
"Goodbye, George"
THE END