The Adopted Weasley

9~ Studying

Grace woke up near midnight with a screech and sat up quickly. Every bone in her body hurt, and she wasn't sure where she was. 

Lee jerked awake and jumped up from the bed he had crashed on, dashing over to her and putting a hand on her cheek. Moonlight was the only light in the room and her face was covered in shadows. 

"Grace? It's okay, I'm here, everything's alright." 

Grace started to cry, remembering what happened. 

"Lee… it.. it was awful."

Lee got on the bed and sat crossed legged, pulling Grace into his lap and resting his chin on her head and stroking her hair which was now past her shoulders and talking quietly. 

"I know, I know. It won't happen again, I promise."

"He… I… I couldn't do what he said."

"It's okay, he won't try again. I won't let anyone do that to you ever again."

"No! Then you'll get hurt!" Grace cried, getting more upset.

Lee hugged her tighter. Madame Pomfrey had woken up and looked at them then sent a portrait to go alert Dumbledore and the twins, who had been sent to bed after being there for several hours.

Grace couldn’t seem to stop crying and Lee rocked her gently, waiting on Goerge and Fred to get there. They did nearly 20 minutes later, Grace was half asleep again and Madame Pomfrey nodded at them slightly.

“Take her to get some sleep, I want someone with her at all times till we’re sure that there's no lasting side effects, I mean it! I know you boys have social lives, but-”

George interrupted.

“Don’t worry, she won't be."

. . .

Since the DADA class, Grace had been more anxious and slept less and less. Everyone stared at her all the time, some scared, some respectful or impressed, others just plain confused or concerned. Rumors flew and her and Neville hid in their study nook more and more often. 

Kayda really liked it there, and was also becoming very attached to Neville. He often curled up in his lap when they were working and fell asleep. As for Pixie and Lola, they had both been mistreated by various people, then rescued by Grace so they only trusted her and wouldn't let Neville touch them. 

The twins tried to join them on occasion, but Lola still hated them because of the whole flying across the room thing, and would set their homework on fire when they were nearly done. Grace and Neville had laughed so hard they cried the first time it happened, but after the third, the twins were fed up and moved back to the common room. 

"It honestly serves you right." Grace said at one point. "You shouldn't have done that to her."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Fred muttered. 

"It was an accident." George said. "She wasn't supposed to fly across the room!"

Grace just rolled her eyes, watching Fred and George each took a few drops of the aging potion. 

"I don't think it will work." She said.

"Yes, it will! We both did research." George insisted, "If they didn't have a stupid rule then this wouldn't be a problem, we'll be seventeen in April!"

Grace let out a frustrated sigh and followed them to the room the goblet was set up in.

Several dozen students from each school were there, watching to see who put their names in.