…..Some time later in the Hospital Wing...
I moaned in pain, laying still in a warm bed. My eyes were still closed, but I felt like I had been here before. I achingly opened my eyes, and was met with the brightness of what appeared to be a hospital. I tried to speak, but my voice sounded hoarse and broken.
My eyes scanned the large room, and I seemed to be the only one in here. The rest of the beds were empty, and no one was in sight. I tried to sit up, but groaned and my sore body fell back into the soft pillows. Where am I? I took another look around. Well, it looks like I'm in a hospital. Another thought hit me. What happened to me? I searched my brain for any memory as to why my body hurt so badly, but I came up blank.
Suddenly I heard the clicking of feet on the hard floor. They sounded as if they were coming closer. I craned my neck at the noise, trying to see someone I recognized. A round, happy face met my own. She was a larger woman, and appeared to be somewhere in her mid thirties, maybe even forties. I felt like I should know who this was, but my mind came up blank once again. She was wearing lime green robes, and had a smile stuck on her face.
"Oh, dearie me, you're awake! How are you doing Miss—" She glanced down at her clipboard quickly before continuing. "—Miss Bell?" Miss Bell? Was she speaking to me?
It took me a moment before finding my voice. It was soft and hoarse, but I was persistent to find out more of why I am in this place. "E-E-Excuse me, but who i-is 'Miss Bell'?" This woman looked at me confusedly for a moment before I continued to speak. "And why am I-I h-here?" I cleared my throat at the end of this, but it was dry and it hurt to do this. I made a mental note to ask for something to drink after I was done questioning this woman.
She smiled warmly at me for a moment, and finally spoke. "Why, sweetie, you're Miss Bell!" I felt the surprise spread onto my face, and I imagined that my eyebrows must be raised in shock. "And you're here due to a—" Another glance down at her clipboard. "—an incident with the Imperius Curse." She clicked her tongue a few times before continuing. She shook her head and smiled apologetically at me. "Poor dear. You were lucky though, or so they tell me." I rose another eyebrow at this woman. What was she talking about? "You weren't seriously harmed, but it looks like you have a tad bit of memory loss..." She scribbled something down in her clipboard. "Anyways, I was just here to see how you're doing, dear. There's some visitors here to see you, but you're in no condition to—"
My head spun and I shot my hand out at her, trying to get her to stay. "N-no! Please, let them c-come!" I looked at her pleadingly for a moment. She seemed to think this over for a minute in her head before looking back at me. "Please." I croaked out. She glanced across the room, then back to me.
The woman sighed. "Well, alright. But just this once, understand Miss Bell?" I nodded my head quickly to show that I understood, even though my body screamed back in pain. The woman walked away, and I sat in my bed patiently for my visitors.
A minute later, two identical faces came into view. Who were these two men? I knew them? This nurse must be mistaken, surely I had no idea who these two were.
A tall red-headed man came to stand on one side of my bed, and his twin on the other side.
"Alright! See that, Gred, she's awake!" One of the men spoke. He wore a huge grin on his face. I scrunched my face together, trying to recall how I knew these two men. The other man looked excitedly down at me before speaking.
"Aye, Forge, I see that! How's our little Sleeping Beauty, eh Kates?" My head snapped up, realizing that he must be addressing me. Kates? Surely that couldn't be my name. I was at a loss for words at what my name must be, but something told me it wasn't 'Kates'. I continued to stare at the tall man covered in freckles for a moment before it clicked together. Ah, a nickname.
The two identical men shared a worried glance between each other, but smiled down at me nevertheless.
"Um, h-hello." Damn this raspy voice. The two redheads broke out in laughter. Just then, the nurse came back in.
"Oh, stop laughing at the poor girl!" She shot me an apologetic look and gave them each a glare. I smiled up at her, a little afraid of this whole situation. I felt horrible for not knowing who these two men were, but I pushed that aside when the nurse spoke. "I tell ya, Miss. These two here are very persistent!" She nodded her head at the men on either side of me. "They're over here two, three times a day, never shutting up about you!" She grinned down at me. "They must love you very much!" I felt my face flush and the identical men broke out in laughter once again. I scowled in my bed.
The nurse turned to leave, muttering something incomprehensible under her breath. I turned my head to look questioningly at my visitors. Surely they could help me out with my name, and why I'm here under the... Imperio Curse?
"Um, excuse me." I spoke softly, my voice still raspy. Two identical faces snapped over to me at hearing my voice. "C-could one of you tell me why I'm in here?" I tried sitting up, but failed and gave up. "Or, could one of you at least tell me who I am? Or who you are?" I finished with a small smile, and I looked up to see two worried faces staring down at me.
"George, why don't you tell her." The one who spoke sat down, and I looked over to the one known as George expectantly. He sighed, crossed his arms, and explained to me what happened. Bits of this memory flashed in and out of my mind, but it happened so fast I could barely remember what happened at all.
I saw snow, and a girl walking beside me. I couldn't remember her name, but her face was familiar.
Suddenly, I was angry, and I was flung up into the cold air. I was crying, and I was hurt.
I heard shouts, and I fell down. My body hurt so very much.
I was lifted off of the cold ground and I saw a large man with a huge, scraggly untidy beard carrying me. I knew this man, but his name escaped me.
"So that's why I'm here? Be-because of a necklace?" I looked up at the standing twin, George, and he nodded. I looked over to his brother, who sat there watching me worriedly. His name was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't remember it. Damn it.
The sitting man spoke. "Yup, and that's why we've been waiting for you to wake up for the past week." I was asleep for a week? Bloody hell!
His brother, George, spoke. "Fred here has been worried sick about you Kates." He gestured to the sitting twin. Fred! I knew I remembered him! The one sitting, Fred, seemed to blush, but hung his head so I couldn't see. I looked over to George. "So have I," He said quickly. "and that's why we're so happy to see you awake." I gave him a warm smile, and looked over to Fred. His head was still turned down, probably from embarrassment.
"F-Fred?" I spoke softly, my voice still a little shaky. His head shot up and he gave me a great big smile.
"Katie?" Ah, so that must be my name. I smiled and nodded. He seemed to visibly relax, and he let out a sigh. "Katie, you don't know how long I've waited to hear you say my name." His face seemed so much happier than when they'd first arrived earlier. I turned my head to George, who was looking at his brother.
"George?" I rasped out. His head shot over to look at me, and a grin broke out on his face.
"Kates! I—We've missed you!" I grinned back up at him, and my heart swelled as I looked at the two brothers. I missed them too, even though I only knew their names.
"I-I've missed you two, too." I smiled and they laughed.
"So you remember?" George spoke this time. I nodded at them.
"You're Fred," I looked to Fred happily, who nodded eagerly in response. "and you're George." I smiled over at Fred's brother.
"And?" They spoke together, eagerness painted on their faces.
"And..." Shit, what was I supposed to say now? "And, would you mind telling me how I know you?"
George groaned, and Fred's head fell into his hands. I blushed, embarrassed that I didn't know these two. I just felt so happy around them. It was a shame I couldn't remember them. They were awfully good-looking...
George shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced at Fred. "I'm going to go fill Mum and Dad in... You gonna be okay with her?" He tilted his head at me, and I flushed again, embarrassed that I seemed to be a liability.
Fred looked at his brother and gave a swift nod. He straightened up in his chair. "Of course." George gave his brother a long hard look, but nodded anyways. He turned to me.
"Kates," I nodded up at him, but not after glancing over to Fred, who still had a worried look whenever his eyes met mine. "I'm going to be gone for a little while," My lip quivered and I became very sad. He was leaving? He spoke even quicker now. "but Fred here is going to stay with you, okay?" I nodded my head at him. "I'll be back." And with that, George was gone.
Fred and I sat in silence for a moment before I spoke up. He had his head in his hands again, and I felt very sad for him. Was I the one making him upset?
"Fred?" I spoke softly, my voice not even shaking.
He looked up slowly to me. "Yes, love?" My stomach did a weird flip when he said that word. 'Love'... How odd. Surely I must know this man!
I was suddenly embarrassed to ask. "How..." He looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue. "how do I know you?" I hung my head in embarrassment, and I felt a tear roll down my cheek. Stupid Katie, now I was crying!
I heard his chair squeak against the floor, and suddenly his face was mere inches from mine. He cupped his hands gently around my face, and he tilted my head to look at him. I sniffled, and his eyes looked very sad. Great, now I really have gone and made him sad.
"Oh, don't cry, Kates." He wiped the tear on my cheek away with his thumb. My heart broke to see him this sad. I felt even worse to know that I was the one to make him this way.
"I-I'm sorry." I whispered. I felt horrible. Guilty, even.
He let go of my face and sat down on the hospital bed. "Don't be sorry, Katie. This isn't your fault." He spoke sternly, and his tone left no room for argument. I simply nodded, and he gave me a small smile.
"So," He spoke after some time. "you really don't remember Georgie and I?" I shook my head sadly.
"How do I know you, Fred?" I looked up at him, and he seemed to think over his answer for a moment. I saw a flash in his eyes for the briefest of moments, but I pushed it aside. I needed an answer.
"Well," Fred drawled out slowly. I waited, looking at him anxiously. I was determined to know how I knew Fred and George. "you see, George is my brother." I nodded my head at this. I may not remember how I knew them, but it didn't take an idiot to figure out that they were brothers. "And, I'm..." He pondered this for a moment in his head. The suspense is killing me. Waiting for him to answer, I sat there stupidly, staring at his face. His hair was kind of a pretty color, and his eyes were a nice brown. Not gross, like some brown eyes could be—like mine, I thought—but a nice, almost golden brown. "I'm your boyfriend." My heart flew up to my throat, and I felt butterflies in my stomach. What?