Hide and Seek [Harper]

[Deleted]

Harper Weasley.

That was who Ondina had spotted as she tried to sneak out of the hospital wing earlier. Quickly she'd jumped back into her bed, pulling the covers over her and feigning sleep. There was a snicker from somewhere in the room, but she couldn't figure out if it was Albus or Cassius.... Either way, when the door opened, she remained deathly still, forcing her breathing to even out. Her act worked, as the door closed a few moments later. Letting out a deep sigh, she sat up. She loved her sister, but Harper had basically decided to become like their mother. Ever since her first year, and it had only gotten much worse this year. She was so.... protective. Like, sufficatingly protective. She threw off the blanket and swung out of the bed, shooting a look to the pair of boys. Albus looked completely out, but he could be faking just like she had. And Cassius? He looked totally engrossed in some paperwork in his office. She had a strong suspicion he'd been the source of that snicker... He glanced up for only a moment and she took the chanced to stick her tongue out at him, before turning and heading for the door again.

She'd been cooped up in the hospital wing for far to long. (It had only been two days...) As she opened the door she just about walked right into a mane of familiar flaming red hair. Shoot. Harper hadn't walked away yet. "Hey, Harp..." She started.

This totally wasn't awkward at all.

@harper

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Ever since the tower explosion, Harper had been by to check on her sister almost hourly. It was painful to look at her little sister, all banged up and unconscious. She knew Ondina was in good hands with Mr. Cassius, but Harper still felt the need to check.

This was her third trip to the hospital wing today. When she peeked inside the door, Ondina was still sleeping. Harper smiled. She'd heard from Cassius that her sister was healing well - she harassed him every hour to make sure - and was available for guests, but every time Harper visited, Ondina was sleeping. She didn't blame her sister, though. She had been through a lot.

Harper closed the door and leaned against it. She thought about her sister. She was always thinking about her sister. Life hadn't been easy for her growing up, and Harper had always tried to make her feel included, but now that they were on their own and Harper was the oldest, she tried her best to protect her younger sister and keep her from over-exerting herself.

The door opened, making Harper turn around to catch herself before she fell. Standing in front of her was Ondina. Harper's face lit up. "You're awake!" she exclaimed, wrapping her sister in a warm embrace. Then something clicked. Harper released Ondina and crossed her arms. "Where do you think you're going?"

Ondina Nell Weasley

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Smothering.

That was a good word to describe Harper at the moment. Ondina had heard just how many times Harper had stopped by to visit. She'd always been protective. Ondina's health problems being the source. But it had never been this bad. Ondina tried not to blame her, to tell herself that this sort of behavior was normal, but she just couldn't. It seemed obsessive and down right annoying. Almost like Harper thought the blonde would break at the slightest touch. She wasn't that fragile.

So, upon spotting her sister, she tried to put on a smile and hide that 'oh crap' expression. Slowly, Ondina returned the hug, though not nearly as firmly or enthusiastically. No, she was waiting for that mother hen to come out. After a few moments, it did, her sister pulling away. She looked exactly like their mother as she demanded to know what Ondina was going. In response, the girl put on a charming and innocent smile. "I was.... Going to go find Scorpius?" She quickly lied. It wasn't to far fetched, seeing as Scorpius Malfoy was her boyfriend... Would Harper believe it though?

@harper

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Harper sighed when her sister said she was going to find Scorpius. She somewhat understood Ondina's desire to see her boyfriend. She had had only a few fleeting relationships herself, but Ondina and Scorpius's relationship was much more serious than that. But she was still convinced that her sister needed more time to rest and recover. If Scorpius was any kind of faithful man, he would be willing to wait until his girlfriend was fully healed.

"Look, Ondina, I get that you're tired of being cooped up in the hospital wing, but you're here for your own good," she lectured. She tried to be compassionate about it. She understood that Ondina's entire life had revolved around being stuck in small rooms by herself with nothing to do. And while Harper had always tried to break her younger sister out of confinement and include her in the wonders of life, she now understood why her parents were so emphatic about keeping Ondina inside. The girl was fragile, and their parents were only concerned for their youngest daughter's safety and well-being. "We should check with Cassius first. Scorpius can wait until you get a once-over to make sure it's okay for you to leave the hospital wing." With that said, she began pushing her sister back into the room.

Ondina Nell Weasley

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Ondina let out a loud and dramatic sigh as Harper started her lecture. With a stubborn look she responded. "I'm fine now. Really! I just have to be careful." Both her legs worked again, after all. That was progress. And her asthma was under somewhat control! Somewhat meaning she hadnt had trouble breathing in the last few hours. She didnt say that though, knowing Harper would never let her leave the infirmary if she knew that little piece of information.

As Harper continued, saying Cassius should give her a once over before she tried to leave her thoughts instantly returned to last nights events.. She almost smiled as the memories flooded back to her. Oh, if Harper knew she probably wouldn't be so eager to have Ondina and Cassius in the same room. Ondina also knew she'd have a very difficult time hiding her feelings if forced to face him right now... She didn't want Harper to see that and put two and wo together. "Cassius knows I left, he saw and he didn't stop me." She ducked under her sister's arm as she tried to push the girl back into the Hospital Wing. Quickly she put a few feet between herself and the door. "I wont be gone long, anyway."

@harper

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Harper was not one that was easily deterred. When they were children, she had dragged her younger sister outside into the sunlight no matter how many times her parents scolded or punished her. This was no different, and she wasn't about to let Ondina weasel around her without making sure she was properly healed. She knew Ondina detested her parenting, but the girl would run off to her death if someone didn't keep an eye on her. And since their parents were at home, that someone had to be Harper.

She groaned in exasperation as Ondina ducked under her and tried to make her escape again. Harper merely rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration. This wasn't going to be easy. Following after her sister, she cornered her again and stared at her sternly, "I just want to make sure," she said, again pushing her sister back toward the hospital wing. "For Merlin's sake, Ondina, a tower almost collapsed on you. You could've died! At least humor me." An unusual emotion, Harper could feel herself getting angry. She tried never to be angry with Ondina, but the girl was frustrating her to no end. Did she not realize how terrified Harper had been when she found out her only sister had been caught up in a tower explosion? The tower collapsing hadn't affected just her, and she could at least have some sympathy for the fear she had caused Harper by being involved. "Just one little check-up," she pleaded, trying not to let her frustration show through.

Ondina Nell Weasley

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Um. No.

Harper was persistent, but Ondina was stubborn. Twisting against her sister’s shove, she got that distance between them back. ”I could have, but I didn’t. So stop worrying!” She scowled, planting her hands on her hips then. ”Stop worrying. If it was still bad they would have stopped me from leaving!” She let out a sight then, trying not to get frustrated with her sister and her mothering. ”You’re my sister, not my mom.” She added, her voice a little quieter then, and it sounded more like a grumble, as if wondering just what had happened to that fun loving sister she’d grown up with. The one that had let her play outside.

Oh right, Hogwarts happened. As soon as Ondina started school Harper had been different. She became obsessed with Ondina’s health. Her health had always been such a touchy subject, especially now. When she wanted so desperately to get past this image of being frail and weak. ”I’m seventeen, remember? I can make my own decisions now.”

@harper

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It took all Harper had in her not to sigh in exasperation. She understood the desire for freedom; she understood Ondina's desire for it even more. And if Ondina could point out that she was technically an adult by wizard standards, then Harper wanted to retort back that she needed to stop acting like a stubborn child. But she kept her mouth shut. They two of them could stand there and argue all day - Harper didn't mind skipping History of Magic again - but it would get them nowhere. They had both inherited their father's steadfast spirit and would be hard-pressed to admit that they were wrong.

Harper let a gentle sigh escape her lips, one of defeat. "Fine," she said. "You're right. Just be careful. I worry about you, Dina."

Ondina Nell Weasley

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Ondina twitched as Harper called her ‘Dina’. She’d never been overly fond of nicknames. Not since Albus had discovered that ‘dinosaur’ wasn’t that farfetched of a nickname for her. A few still tried though. Her parents and siblings periodically called her Dina, and a few friends kept trying to call her ‘Ods’. She didn’t respond to either though, refusing to warm up to either name. Just Ondina.

She still scowled at her sister’s words, bristling that Harper was still mothering her, but also that Ondina had done something to make Harper want to mother her. ”I’m not as fragile as everyone thinks, Harper.” She finally managed to say. ”Haven’t I proven that already..?” her question came out like a whisper.

When would people, no her own family, finally see that she was strong? That she was just as talented and capable as they were? When would she finally get them to see her as that, instead of ‘poor frail Ondina’?

@harper