Enchanted
Bill
Bill and Alex walked in silence for many minutes before finally he spoke. “So why does everyone think you are ill.”
She sighed as she walked through the falling snow. “Probably had something to do with that fact that I blacked out at work yesterday.”
He faced her and made her stop walking. “You what? And you don’t think you are ill?”
She stood defiantly. “I am not ill. Charlie just seems to think I am.”
“And what is the real reason?”
She paused. “I can’t sleep.” he said nothing, so she figured he meant for her to continue. “I have been having nightmares. I just…can’t sleep.”
“What are the nightmares about?”
She paused for a while and they found a small place to sit. Bill watched her carefully. “I am not really sure, to be honest. Every night is a variation of the same thing. I am fighting someone…a woman. And she wants revenge for someone’s death.”
Bill was worried. “Whose death?”
She sighed and played with her hands. “I don’t know. She just says “his” death. It is so weird. I always wake up and cannot sleep again.”
Bill watched her carefully. “In these times, dreams like that cannot be a random or normal thing. But maybe this trip will do you some good. Getting away from things can sometimes…clear the mind.”
Alex wrapped her hands around herself and looked out into the darkened sky. The snow was falling harder now and she watched as it blew around her. As she sat there, she thought about what Bill had said and what had been going on in her head in recent times. She knew Bill was still watching her, and she tried not to make facial expressions. Sitting there, she felt her head start to get heavy and it spun a little.
“Bill.”
“Let’s get you back to the house. You are extremely pale.” he helped her stand and they walked back to the house only muttering to each other.
Back at the small house, Charlie carried a mug of cocoa to Alex, who had been smothered by a blanket on the couch. After Bill had brought her back, Molly insisted that she not move a muscle the rest of the evening. He sat down next to her and handed the warm mug over.
“You know, Mum is going to fret over you the whole time we are here.”
She nodded slowly. “I know. But at least it gives her someone to baby and care for. I think she needs that right now.”
Charlie kissed her. “Have I ever told you how amazing it is to have you in this family?”
She smiled. “Yes. But it doesn’t hurt to hear it more.”
Smirking, he kissed her again. At that moment, they heard coughing. “Oh stop snogging you two.”
They pulled apart and saw that Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny were standing there. Ginny immediately ran over to Alex and hugged her.
“You don’t even hug your brother first?” Charlie joked.
“I like Alex better. She writes me.” Ginny joked as she hugged him.
George rolled his eyes as he walked into the room, a huge box of decorations floating along behind him. “Oi! You lot are supposed to help me decorate for the holiday.”
They looked happy, but groaned about the energy to work. Alex smirked a little and sipped her cocoa. As Bill, Fleur, and baby Victoire joined them, Harry sat down by his sister, curiously. “What is the smirk for?”
She sighed, trying not to smile really big. “You know…I am not sure I have the energy to get off of the couch. I mean, I am under the watchful eye of your Mum and I am just feeling so terribly ill. I am not sure I can even bare to move and hang these decorations.”
Bill hung his head and laughed as his closest friend played her act and Hermione smiled. George just shook his head and Charlie grinned. “Oh now you are ill?”
She shrugged. “It comes and goes, I suppose.” She winked at him and he chuckled.
“Alright everyone. I think we ought to get started on hanging these decorations. Mum will go bloody insane if we don’t.” Bill suggested.
They all got to work as Alex held Victoire and watched, frequently commenting on how they weren’t doing it right.
“I think that side needs to go higher…but then you have to change the other side to match it.” she laughed as Ron shot her a dirty look.
“Why….” George huffed as he and Harry lifted something. “…do you always have to be so difficult?”
She grinned. “It’s in my blood.”
He smiled. “Do you remember…?”
She laughed. “Yes. But we promised Percy we wouldn’t speak of it ever again.”
“Speak of what?” Arwen asked as she walked into the room.
“The story.”
She grinned. “Oh well I think Percy will just have to deal for a bit.”
Alex groaned. “Fine.”
She sighed as she walked through the falling snow. “Probably had something to do with that fact that I blacked out at work yesterday.”
He faced her and made her stop walking. “You what? And you don’t think you are ill?”
She stood defiantly. “I am not ill. Charlie just seems to think I am.”
“And what is the real reason?”
She paused. “I can’t sleep.” he said nothing, so she figured he meant for her to continue. “I have been having nightmares. I just…can’t sleep.”
“What are the nightmares about?”
She paused for a while and they found a small place to sit. Bill watched her carefully. “I am not really sure, to be honest. Every night is a variation of the same thing. I am fighting someone…a woman. And she wants revenge for someone’s death.”
Bill was worried. “Whose death?”
She sighed and played with her hands. “I don’t know. She just says “his” death. It is so weird. I always wake up and cannot sleep again.”
Bill watched her carefully. “In these times, dreams like that cannot be a random or normal thing. But maybe this trip will do you some good. Getting away from things can sometimes…clear the mind.”
Alex wrapped her hands around herself and looked out into the darkened sky. The snow was falling harder now and she watched as it blew around her. As she sat there, she thought about what Bill had said and what had been going on in her head in recent times. She knew Bill was still watching her, and she tried not to make facial expressions. Sitting there, she felt her head start to get heavy and it spun a little.
“Bill.”
“Let’s get you back to the house. You are extremely pale.” he helped her stand and they walked back to the house only muttering to each other.
Back at the small house, Charlie carried a mug of cocoa to Alex, who had been smothered by a blanket on the couch. After Bill had brought her back, Molly insisted that she not move a muscle the rest of the evening. He sat down next to her and handed the warm mug over.
“You know, Mum is going to fret over you the whole time we are here.”
She nodded slowly. “I know. But at least it gives her someone to baby and care for. I think she needs that right now.”
Charlie kissed her. “Have I ever told you how amazing it is to have you in this family?”
She smiled. “Yes. But it doesn’t hurt to hear it more.”
Smirking, he kissed her again. At that moment, they heard coughing. “Oh stop snogging you two.”
They pulled apart and saw that Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny were standing there. Ginny immediately ran over to Alex and hugged her.
“You don’t even hug your brother first?” Charlie joked.
“I like Alex better. She writes me.” Ginny joked as she hugged him.
George rolled his eyes as he walked into the room, a huge box of decorations floating along behind him. “Oi! You lot are supposed to help me decorate for the holiday.”
They looked happy, but groaned about the energy to work. Alex smirked a little and sipped her cocoa. As Bill, Fleur, and baby Victoire joined them, Harry sat down by his sister, curiously. “What is the smirk for?”
She sighed, trying not to smile really big. “You know…I am not sure I have the energy to get off of the couch. I mean, I am under the watchful eye of your Mum and I am just feeling so terribly ill. I am not sure I can even bare to move and hang these decorations.”
Bill hung his head and laughed as his closest friend played her act and Hermione smiled. George just shook his head and Charlie grinned. “Oh now you are ill?”
She shrugged. “It comes and goes, I suppose.” She winked at him and he chuckled.
“Alright everyone. I think we ought to get started on hanging these decorations. Mum will go bloody insane if we don’t.” Bill suggested.
They all got to work as Alex held Victoire and watched, frequently commenting on how they weren’t doing it right.
“I think that side needs to go higher…but then you have to change the other side to match it.” she laughed as Ron shot her a dirty look.
“Why….” George huffed as he and Harry lifted something. “…do you always have to be so difficult?”
She grinned. “It’s in my blood.”
He smiled. “Do you remember…?”
She laughed. “Yes. But we promised Percy we wouldn’t speak of it ever again.”
“Speak of what?” Arwen asked as she walked into the room.
“The story.”
She grinned. “Oh well I think Percy will just have to deal for a bit.”
Alex groaned. “Fine.”