Chapter 24: The one with the attacking apples

Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

Trigger warning: themes alluding to sexual assault.

Chapter 23

"Godric's sword!" It was a beauty. Shiny and scarlet and hidden behind a magic wall. And it was alive!

"I think you mean Sword of Gryffindor."

"No Mi. I meant the first one. Big difference. BIG." I was too enamoured by the cacophony of sound and plethora of colour to notice the look of disdain on her face.

Charlie grabbed my bag and followed the boys into a compartment. I ran after them. I was having an Aerosmith moment; I didn't want to miss a thing. I barely paid attention to the conversation around me, stopping my perusal of the atmosphere to say goodbye and thank you to Bill, Charlie, and Mrs Weasley.

"I'm taking a walk down the train, see you guys in a bit." And I was off, not waiting for their offer to accompany me; they'd only slow me down. I smiled at random people and high fived a cool looking dude with dreads. I was just about to go and ask the mousy brown-haired boy with the camera to take a picture of me when a hand grabbed me and pulled me into a compartment.

As if on high alert from the other night, and to compensate for its lack of action on said night, my body reacted on its own, aided with all those years of martial arts training. Once in the compartment I broke the hold on my hand, twisted the attacker's hand around and had it placed at the centre of his back and pushed him up against the wall.

"Ky it's me!" I let go recognising the voice as he turned, and I danced in a familiar charcoal grey.

I let go of his hand and took a step back. As he turned around my heart sped up a bit, his face bringing back the shock of the other night.

The feeling of familiarity disappeared though when my head snapped up with the breaking of a twig and grey met grey. He ran toward me; his face so pale it made his brown hair look black. He dropped to his knees,

"I heard voices. Merlin, Ky are you okay…look at your neck. Look at your leg. No don't stand up!" He pushed me back down and I actually snarled at him, but he didn't bat an eyelash.

"I don't know many healing spells, but I think I can get a-"

"I don't need healing spells. I just need to find Mi and the others." It seemed he wasn't listening to a word I said, tilting my face this way and that looking for more injuries.

"Look at your neck. Was that person you were talking to trying to strangle you! Was it a death eater…. fuck…"

He was looking down, a point past my face, around my midriff which was quite cold. The reason it would seem was that the cloth that was covering it seemed to have vanished. Thankfully my magic got its wits about itself before the sick fuck could finish his spell work, so I my tee looked more like a crop top now. There was a very distinct five finger mark above my waist, fuck… why did I bruise so easily. Maybe I can pass it off as something else. Oh no, he was already giving me that look,

"Ky…fuck! I'm sorry, did he, are you, did he…"

"Look Apple, no need to get into a tizzy. I'm fine. I just need help up, and a mending spell or two and we can both be off. I'm sure you have more awkward situations to intrude on so don't let me get in your way."

Instead of helping me up though, he sat down next to me. He reached for my stomach, and I scurried backwards, swearing myself the instant I did it. Fuckity fuck fuck, I was acting like some damsel in distress. Panicking at a boy touching her flesh like some wide-eyed virgin. Well, I was the latter but not the former. It was too late though, he was already sputtering an apology, his face horrified,

"I'm so so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, I just wanted to check if the injury was superficial or if it extended to your muscle because I would have to use episkey or vulnera-"

"Shut up!"

I launched myself off the floor, anger boiling in my veins. Now this idiot thought that he could pity me and feel sorry for me and somehow owed me something. It seemed my leg had other ideas as I fell to the floor on my knees and felt a pain so fierce it was unparalleled to any feeling prior. I must have shouted out because Apple was at my side instantaneously and he bent down to help me up,

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!"

I yelled it before I could stop myself. It seemed the pain was making me irrational. Oh fuck, that's all I need now, for it to rain. I felt the drops on my hands and looked up, seeing clear skies and the mental mark in the sky. Joy. It wasn't raining at all. I was crying.

I was lying in the mud crying in front of a stranger. Apple held his hands up in the air as if I had a gun,

"I just want to heal the wounds that I can. I think the longer we leave it the further along the bruise progresses-"

"Do it."

"Ok. I'm going to touch your stomach, just to-"

"I don't need a fucking commentary, just do it."

I lay back, my hair in the sand, fighting the tears. I was acting like such a bimbo and that angered me more. I felt warm hands on my tummy, and I flinched, but they were gone just as quick.

"It's superficial." He muttered some spell and then slowly loomed over me. "Erm…could you stretch…. your neck?"

I complied and I felt his fingers ghost across it quickly, he then muttered something again.

"Okay. Erm, I don't know about your leg, it looks really bad. I could help you get to the medi-wizard tent; I know they'll be set up somewhere and then-".

I stood, ignoring the intense pain. I could be pretty stubborn when I wanted to be. "Listen here Apple and listen good. I have a feeling you have some cock and bull story about playing knight in shining armour and whisking me off to this medi-wizard tent and then calling the wizard cops and telling them all about this little fuck up. Well, let me tell you something and let it permeate through that thick skull of yours- you are not, now or any time in the future, going to tell anybody what happened here today. Nah uh, hold your tongue handsome, I'm not finished, I don't care how offended you get by this. I'm not a broken little lamb..."I cringed as I realised that that's what the sorry-excuse-for-a-human called me.

"It's ok to be angry. But you have nothing to be ashamed of; it wasn't your fau-"

"Finish that sentence Apple and by Circe I will cut you. Look… you don't have to worry, there will be no wrist slitting and definitely no 'sinking into a bath whilst Placebo plays in the background montage', so you can be on your way, and I'll be on mine."

I turned and bit my lip, willing myself to ignore the assault my leg was going through. There was a warm hand on my elbow, and I instinctively flinched, I did stop though but I did not turn around.

"Look…. I obviously don't get it. But I can't just pretend what happened didn't happen. And neither should you. For one thing, we need to find the sick fuck-"

"Nothing happened Apple, he didn't get far…. didn't even manage to cop a feel." I laughed humourlessly, seconds away from crying. "You actually saved him from getting the beat down of his life. So, you don't have to worry your pretty little head, there's no story to tell."

"Don't do that."

"What?"

"Belittle what happened to you here. Don't, ignorance doesn't look good on you."

"And yet you wear it so well." We were silent for a few seconds after my nasty comment.

"Look, I am OK. Really. Please, I have my reasons…. just don't tell anybody." I hung my head; this was akin to grovelling on the ground to me.

"It's fine Ky. I won't…for now. I think you should at least tell a friend or something…the brunette girl that was with you. Someone to confide in."

"Heaving Helga would you just shut it. I keep telling you nothing happened! I'm fine!"

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that." He hooked my arm around his shoulder and led me to the others. Once we were at the edge of the forest I didn't hesitate, I let go of him and turned and limped to Mi, Harry, and Ron. Not looking back. Not wanting a reminder.

He massaged his hand, and I dropped into the seat behind me.

"You've got some grip."

"Don't make excuses for your femineity. A girl just whipped your ass."

He rolled his eyes at me, "There was no arse whipping. I believe you jumped me!" I cocked my eyebrow at what he said, and his ears went slightly pink, but his face stayed cool, "You know what I meant. You just surprised me that's all."

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that." I quoted him from the other day with a smirk on my face. He didn't seem to find the humour in it; he dropped down on the seat opposite me and stretched out his long legs. I kicked his feet away,

"Do you mind keeping your freakishly long legs away from me?"

"Yes, I do mind."

"Too bad, because I don't care."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Why do you exist?"

He didn't reply and leaned back and propped his feet up right next to my legs, still observing me like a shrink to a psych patient. "I must congratulate you on your act. It almost looks like you got your shit together."

I raised my eyebrow at that; he seemed like the polite, preppy type. Never judge a book I guess, "Oh please Apple, let's not be children… we're all actors, some of us own the stage and some of us choke."

"Life isn't the theatre."

"Bull, the world's a stage. Sooner you realise that the sooner you can shine." I leaned forward and smirked at him. I managed not to flinch when he leaned forward, his face mere inches away,

"Don't be a child. Life is real. People are real. What happened to you was real. Acting like it didn't happen is the worst kind of delusion."

"And what happened to me? Some guy with a small penis decided to try a little overcompensation in the demonic act that is rape. He however, much like you did five minutes ago, got his ass handed to him and ran away like a little bitch." His face went red, and he launched off his seat and banged his hand against the wall.

"Ok fine sorry, I forgot…I caught you unawares. It was just-"

"Just stop it! Fucking Hades just STOP. STOP pretending. Stop making it seem like you're OK. You are not OK."

I didn't blink as he screamed in my face, "But I am OK."I put my hand on his shoulder with a sympathetic face, "I think this is affecting you more than it is me. Tell me Apple Pie, did Uncle Greg have a go at you-"He pushed my hand away, his face red and he turned and walked out the carriage. Just like that.

I sat there in shock for a second, and then left my seat. That was weird.

Just as I was about to exit, my shoulders hit the wall. My heart quickened and I could feel my eyes explode. Apple's face was inches from mine,

"Yes. Of course you're ok. That's why you're immobilised by fear, your hearts racing and you're trembling. The lowest kind of human put his hands on you, against your will. He tried to steal your innocence. He may not have touched you anywhere that you deem as personal but the very fact that he touched you at all makes my blood burn. Yours should too. Burn Ky. Burn and feel. But do not; do not pretend that this is something small. Something inconsequential. You got lucky, but you were five seconds away…"

He stopped and dropped his hands to his side. He looked down at me, and then looked away. He shook his head and walked out, and as I stood against the wall of the compartment; I knew this time he wasn't coming back.

A/N: Well, that's that. I hope you guys remembered that Ky calls Cedric Apple. It just seemed the thing that she would do. Anyway, please give me feedback, have a good weekend.

Kalina.