PART 12-RUIN

Brooke wasn't looking forward to going back to Hogwarts, every day seem to go by twice as fast as the day before and soon enough the day had arrived. She packed her bags, took the drive to Kingscross Station, and her and Bailey got onto the Hogsmeade Express together. Bailey didn't have anyone to talk with this time around so she stayed in the same compartment as Brooke. Brooke spent most of the time staring idly out of the window and biting her nails.

"You're making me feel uncomfortable," Bailey said, shifting in her seat.

"Why?" Brooke asked, turning to look at her.

"Because you're uncomfortable."

"I'm sorry, I just, I don't know what to do!"

"Worrying about it isn't going to help you."

Brooke took a deep breath and tried to make her stomach stop feeling so knotted.

"I'm going to take a walk," Brooke said, and stood up. Bailey nodded and Brooke left the compartment and began to walk along the hallway. She passed people going from one compartment to the other and the woman with the food cart. Brooke's stomach was anything but hungry and she passed the woman by and made it all the way to the end of the hallway before turning around and starting to go the other way. She wasn't really thinking of anything but her feet on the floor and not running into anyone. That was the way she wanted it, she didn't even realize when her stomach began to feel better, she was too busy concentrating on her feet.

When the lanterns sprung to life they frightened her and she jumped, her heart beat rapidly in her chest and she tried to calm herself down. She walked back to her compartment and saw Bailey sleeping on the bench; Brooke took the other seat and crossed her legs, bobbing the one on top nervously. The horn blew startling Bailey out of her sleep; she sat up rubbing her eyes.

"Are we almost there?" Bailey asked.

"Yeah, we're slowing down," said Brooke, and Bailey yawned and stretched. Brooke watched the scenery slow down outside the window and began biting at her nails again. The train then stopped at Hogsmeade station and Brooke stayed sitting.

"Come on, Brooke, it's nighttime, everyone will probably be sleeping," Bailey said, and Brooke nodded. She stood up and followed Bailey outside and towards the carriages. They slipped into one together and Brooke grew more and more nervous as the looming form of Hogwarts grew closer.

"Remember out talk, Brooke," Bailey said, patting her on the knee.

"I could lose possibly all of my friends, all of them!" Brooke said. "All I can think about is Katie and Angelina never speaking to me again. Then Fred and George? I couldn't live without them, it would be like losing you, I couldn't lose you."

Bailey wrapped an arm around Brooke's shoulders and Brooke laid her head on top of Bailey's. They sat like that until the carriage stopped and Brooke grudgingly slid out and Bailey followed her.

"Just go up to your dorm and go to sleep," Bailey said. "It will give you one more night to think."

Brooke nodded and she and Bailey parted at the door and Brooke went straight to Gryffindor common room. She walked inside and went to sneak up to the girl's dormitory.

"Why didn't you tell us you were going home?" Fred's voice said. Brooke froze and turned around seeing Fred sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace reading a book.

"Are you….reading?" Brooke asked, trying not to appear flustered.

"It's for Transfiguration, it's due tomorrow."

"Oh."
Fred set his book aside then stood up and walked over to her.

"I feel like I should apologize," Fred said, and looked up into Brooke's eyes which wasn't a good idea. Looking him in the eye made it all the more difficult to remain in control of her emotions.

"For what?" Brooke asked, though she already knew the answer.

"I shouldn't have kissed you like that."

"Oh, that," Brooke said, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"That's why you left isn't it?" Fred asked.

"Do you have any idea what situation you put me? Do you?" Brooke asked, throwing her hands in the air. "Not only did you put my friendship with Angelina in jeopardy, George also may have ruined my friendship with Katie! And Lee, Lee is both you and George's best friend, I could lose him, I could lose both of you! I've been going crazy trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do but I can't think straight, I can't think."

Fred looked at Brooke like she had grown another head and she stared at him confused.

"What?" she asked.

"Did George, did he kiss you too?" Fred asked, and the color drained from Brooke's face. She hadn't thought about what she was saying and even if she had she would have figured Fred knew about George and George knew about Fred. "He did." Brooke tried to shake her head no but Fred held up his hand. "I didn't know he felt the same."

Fred walked up to the boy's dormitory and Brooke put her head in her hands, she had no idea what she had just started.