A/N: I originally wrote this for something else and I didn't want to just narrow it down to specifically Fred and Katie, so I just used 'he' and 'she' but I actually impressed myself at how well this kind of turned out so I decided to post it here. Just know that the 'he' and 'she' are referring to Fred and Katie.
"Please talk to me," He whispered softly reaching out to take her hand. She whipped around preventing him from getting to her hand. Her movements, usually graceful and carefree were so stiff and clumsy and it frightened him. What had happened to her? What had someone done to her? What had he possibly done? He looked up at the distant sound of thunder and the striking flash of lightning that made even him jump. "Or can we at least get inside before we get rained upon?" He asked.
"We talk here or we don't talk at all," She whispered her voice almost inaudible against the wind that roared around them, unsettling her blonde hair and blowing it in all directions.
"Fine," He agreed. Sometimes he thought she was absolutely crazy, but he cared about her far to much to care about their environment if it meant she would feel more comfortable talking to him. Telling him something. Glancing up at the darkening sky and the approaching clouds he turned back to her and moved around to be face to face with her. "Now talk," He demanded.
"It depends on what you mean. I could talk about a lot of things you know," She said.
"Stop being coy and just talk to me already," He said reaching out to touch her, but she inched away. Mental note, he thought to himself, don't touch her...she's too upset for that right now. He let his arm fall back against his side and took a deep breath. He'd honestly never found it this hard to talk to her before.
"I want to know why you've been acting so weird around me lately," He said hoping she caught the seriousness in his tone. They'd been friends for nearly seven years now and besides his brother he had confidence in saying she was his best friend. They'd always been close enough to share everything, but these past few weeks had been different. Daily she said maybe all of fifteen words to him. This time apart had made him realize how much he truly cared for her and how much he really loved her being near him, laughing with him. He missed having her so close to him and he had slowly realized that he was falling for her.
"You'll need to be more specific," She said stiffly and he sighed angrily.
"How about the fact that you barely look at me let alone talk to me. Have I sprouted antlers on the top of my head? Am I contaminated with some deadly, contagious disease you're afraid to catch by getting near me? You...You have been ignoring me and obviously avoiding me and I want to know why. What have I possibly done to upset you enough for you to not want to be around me anymore," He explained. She tipped her face to look up at him, he was a good five inches taller than her. Her green eyes shimmered with unshed tears and even though she had barely spoken a single word to him in their time together he felt like her silence stung much more than her words ever could.
"You're the one whose been ignoring me," She stated simply.
"Oh really?" He asked skeptically. "Tell me, who is it that's been sitting with her own age friends during meals? Oh yes, you," He pointed out.
"So? They're my friends and their at least my age. You and the others are all one year older than me, its nice sometimes to hang out with kids my own age," She countered quickly.
"You've never had a problem with our age difference before now," He replied. She looked away from him and he mentally gave himself one tally for winning this match. "Next whose been the one spending more and more time in her room, or the library, or hiding somewhere else? Last time I checked it was you."
"I'm not hiding! I'm just stressed with all the homework I've been getting. I didn't anticipate the rigorous courses," She lied.
"You put up an outstanding act, but we all know you're a secret genius. Classes are just as easy as they were before," He said calmly. She gaped at him a bit taken back, but didn't try to defend herself. "Next: You say maybe a total of ten words to me each day when usually I have to tell you to shut up to get a single word in," He quipped.
"Maybe I just have nothing to say to you anymore," She said smoothly.
"You always have something to say. Whether it be important or something completely random and stupid. You've never been speechless around me or anyone else for that matter. It's like you're someone different," He explained.
"Maybe I wasn't happy with the person I used to be," She whispered. It was his turn to gape at her.
"You're kidding me right?" He asked, but she shook her head firmly.
"The old me talked to much, I spent more time with kids older than me than kids my own age, I acted childish when I should've been acting more mature, I complained, and I whined. I've never said a single funny thing, and I think I was boring and useless to anyone and everyone around me," She exclaimed loudly. Despite his brain telling him touching her was a bad thing, he stepped forward and rested his hands on her arms tightening his hold so she wouldn't be able to struggle free.
"Listen to me," He said, but she shook her head. "Listen to me," He demanded shaking her a bit. She stopped trying to get loose of his hold and finally turned her green gaze up to him and he looked at her. "You talk a lot, yes, but I love it when you talk. You say the most random things and they always make me laugh. You've a quirky and unique way of entertaining me whenever I'm bored or we're both bored and having nothing to do, but just talk. You spend time with kids older than you, because we don't care what age you are. We all find you amazing and love hanging out with you, because you share our love of many things and we all get along great. Acting childish is part of being in childhood, you may feel like you have to act more grown up, but even grown ups act childish. My brother and I act childish all the time and look, no one could care about it, minus the few teachers and prefects who wish to give us detention all the time. You complain and you whine, but only about things you hate and everyone does that once in awhile. You say plenty of funny things, even without meaning to because you are a funny person. You've never been boring, you are the least boring person I've ever met! You're my best friend because you're completely amazing and sweet and nice and caring and smart and funny and don't have a single horrible thing to complain about," He said staring straight into her eyes. He was completely serious about every word and he wanted her to know he meant it.
"You," She stated.
"What?" He asked confused by the hurt and happiness in her eyes that he had no clue what to make of.
"I've been avoiding you because of you," She said.
"Have I actually sprouted antlers and no one's told me?" He asked letting go of her to feel the top of his head which was free of antlers. His hope at making her laugh was successful and she giggled.
"No, I mean...you've been my best friend since forever and I love that, but lately I've been getting these weird...feelings and I don't know what to make of them or how to handle them, but I do know that it all leads back to you, because," She paused and looked up at him. "Because I have fallen in love with you." He gaped at her. Had she really just admitted to having falling in love with him? Him? She mistook his silence and shocked expression as rejection and stepped away. "I knew this would happen," She said bitterly. She turned and started away.
"N-No,"He stuttered and then shook his head. "STOP!" He yelled quickly catching up with her and grabbing her and spinning her around to face him. "I-I'm sorry I was just a bit caught off guard by your words," He apologized.
"No need to lie to me, I know you've probably got feelings for some beautiful girl," She said sullenly.
"You're right," He said. "I do have feelings for a beautiful girl." He gently raised his hand and brushed his fingers over her lips. "You." He leaned forward and caught her lips with his, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. Her arms slowly found their way up and around his neck, her hands in his hair pulling lightly at the ginger hairs. Breaking apart he rested his forehead against hers.
"It's stupid how long that maybe twenty minute talk took us to say to each other," She giggled.
"Well hopefully we've learned our lesson," He said as he leaned down and kissed her once more. Suddenly she pulled away from him as there was a loud clap of thunder and a flash of lightening above them, followed quickly by the first few droplets of rain. "Maybe we should get inside...it would be a bit suspicious if we both came in soaking wet," He pointed out.
"What do you mean suspicious? Can't two people kiss in the rain and not have their motives questioned?" She asked a mischievous smile on her face.
"Only one way to find out." It rained while they kissed, soaking them both in seconds, but they could very well care less.