Rapunzel had to leave the Great Hall early. She couldn't bring herself to eat and she kept glancing at the professors table expecting to see Quirrell there, staring right back at her.
Seeing an empty seat instead was worse.
She got up abruptly, attracting several confused glances.
"Rapunzel? Are you alright?" Hermione asked softly. She had been one of the first the year before to realize that something was wrong, although she had never pried; but she always kept a closer eye on Rapunzel.
"Oh, yeah, fine. Just tired, gonna turn in early." Rapunzel lied through her teeth, gaze repeatedly flickering to the doors that lead to the halls; desperate to escape.
"Do you want me to bring you some food?" Hermione asked, glancing at Rapunzel's plate, noting that none of the food had even been touched.
"No, that's okay. Thanks."
With that, Rapunzel hurried out of the hall, all too aware of all the eyes on her. The gazes burned, and she felt as though she was going to cry.
Rapunzel just about threw open the heavy doors to get out, leaning against the nearest wall for support as she breathed hard. Her entire body was shaking.
"Miss Lupin?"
McGonagall was standing in the doorway, peering down at Rapunzel with a sympathetic expression; something she had not seen on her face before.
"Hello, Professor." Rapunzel forced a smile, trying to maintain her normal facade; whatever was left of it.
"Walk with me, Lupin."
Rapunzel hesitated for a moment before trailing behind McGonagall, wondering where she was being taken.
The walk was silent, neither of them breaking the silence. It wasn't comfortable but not quite uncomfortable either. It was just static. Rapunzel was too nervous to speak, unsure what to say at all.
McGonagall eventually lead Rapunzel outside to the Black Lake, gesturing for her to take a seat on a nearby log. McGonagall soon joined her, smoothing out her robes as she sat down.
The lake was completely still, the air felt heavy besides the occasional gusts of wind that blasted Rapunzel's hair back. The fresh air made her feel a little better, and she suddenly remembered seeing the lights in the sky a year before.
"With all due respect, Professor, why are we out here?" Rapunzel finally asked, breaking the silence between them.
"You have been struggling lately, Lupin. Since last year, you've changed entirely. I don't need to ask why either, I've known for a while." McGonagall explained, staring out at the lake.
"You know?" Rapunzel asked with wide eyes.
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore told me. I want you to know that you're not alone in feeling this way, it will get easier."
Rapunzel sighed, gaze glued to her feet.
"It just doesn't feel like it will. I've been having nightmares about it all summer, it hasn't gotten any better. I'm pretty sure it's just been getting worse." Rapunzel's eyes began to water and she quickly rubbed at them with the sleeve of her robes.
"I understand. Believe it or not, I was once in a very similar position. The guilt is all-consuming, it eats away at you. But you defended yourself, it doesn't make you a bad person." McGonagall's voice was soft but equally stern, in an almost motherly tone.
"Sometimes we have to make difficult choices to protect those we care about."
"You saved Mister Potter's life as well as your own. It is difficult to deal with now, but eventually you will give yourself the credit you deserve. You are not a bad person, Rapunzel." McGonagall's eyes were piercing as she levelled with her, but carried warmth that Rapunzel was unfamiliar with.
"Thank you, Professor." Rapunzel said shakily, tears falling freely now.
"There's no need to thank me, Miss Lupin. I'll walk you back to the castle, you've had a long night."
Rapunzel shuffled through the portrait door and into the Gryffindor common room, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
Hermione was sitting on one of the couches in front of the fire in her pyjamas, her hair in pigtails. Her nose was unsurprisingly buried in a book, but she didn't seem quite as focused as usual.
Hermione noticed Rapunzel's presence immediately and beamed, patting the seat beside her.
"I know you said you didn't want me to save any food, but I figured you might be hungry later, so I got you a pumpkin pastry." Hermione held up a plate with a singular pastry, just about shoving it into Rapunzel's hands.
"You didn't have to," Rapunzel said, but her smile betrayed her words.
"Nonsense. Besides, gave me an excuse to look at Professor Lockhart a little while longer."
"Ew," Rapunzel groaned. "I don't understand why everyone finds him attractive, least of all you, 'Mione." She laughed at the offended look on Hermione's face.
"You don't? He's smart, he's well travelled, he's charming, he's got nice hair–" Hermione started listing off reasons, counting them off on her fingers.
"He's like, three times your age..."
"Well it's not like I'm going to go ahead and court him!" Hermione exclaimed, face flushing.
"For some reason I don't believe you," Rapunzel snickered as Hermione smacked her in the arm.
"Just eat your pastry already," she grumbled.
"In all seriousness, Hermione; thank you."
YOU ARE READING
LUCKY FLOWER||FRED WEASLEY {REWRITING/MOVED}
Fanfiction"Wait, your name is Rapunzel? Like-" "The fairytale princess, yes." Rapunzel was named after a storybook princess, and for good reason. Born with the ability to heal those with her own hair that grew very long very quickly, it's no surprise her pare...
