A/N: I'm so happy to be putting out my first one-shot. I've been writing for ages but I was always nervous to put one of my stories out. Please leave feedback so I know what I can do.
Meg
Summary: Fred Weasley has been pranking Aria James since their first year. Now in their sixth year, Fred has gone one step too far. Aria has finally snapped. Fred x OC one-shot
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my character Aria James
"FRED WEASLEY I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Aria James, a sixth year blonde, stormed into the loud Gryffindor common with black ink splattered across her face and her clothing. She storms over to the couch where Fred Weasley was perched on the arm of the chair talking to George. Fred looked up and, seeing her covered in ink, smirked. "Yes darling?" He cooed at her, "is there something wrong?" Aria felt a blush beginning to rise up her neck and Fred grinned at her reaction.
Aria ignored the blush that was rising in her cheeks and growled, "one, don't call me that. I am NOT your darling and two, IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG? Merlin Fred, you put on of your whiz-bangs in my inkwell. That's what's wrong you arse." As she spoke these words, she approach Fred menacingly, until there was less than a foot left between them, but not once as she yelled at him did he flinch; in fact, his smirk grew to a grin. "WHAT IS SO FUNNY YOU PRICK?" Aria yelled at him.
"Oh darling," Fred replied cheekily, "you're just so cute when you're angry." He reached up and tried to wipe some of the dried ink off her cheek but Aria slapped his hand down. Now the majority of the people in the common room had their eyes in Fred and Aria, but neither noticed.
"God Fred!" Aria said exasperatedly, "first year, you have been doing this since our first year, why can't you just leave me alone?"
It was true. Ever since their first year at Hogwarts, when they were both sorted into Gryffindor, Fred had been pranking her. From exploding inkwells to coloring her hair, he had always made a point to embarrass Aria. Aria rarely said anything though, she always kept her head down, ignored him, and focused on school. But now, in their sixth year, Aria had finally snapped. She was working on a potions essay that was suppose to be three feet of parchment and, close to the end of writing it, her inkwell exploded and destroyed the perfectly written essay. This was the last straw for Aria. Aria's family already gave her a hard enough time about making perfect grades and studying for her NEWT's, if she didn't turn in her essay, her grade would drop and her mother would surely send another howler.
"You don't give a crap about who you are affecting when you do this Fred," Aria aid with a lump in her throat, "it doesn't matter who it is or what they are going through as long as you can get a good laugh." At these last words her voice cracked and tears began to fall. Finally realizing that everyone in the common room was looking at her, Aria turned around and ran out of the common room.
Fred no longer had a grin on his face, instead he had a mask of regret. He ran out of the common room trying to catch up with Aria. "ARIA," Fred yelled out, "please wait. Let me explain." He soon caught up with her and pulled her into the closest room, which happened to be a broom cupboard. Fred and Aria now stood chest to chest breathing heavily. "Please Aria," Fred pleaded, "let me explain"
"Explain what Fred?" Aria sighed, "how can you give any good excuse to why you have embarrassed from day one in this school? What can you say to excuse your actions?" Seeing a pleading look on Fred's face, Aria turned to leave but Fred pulled her back towards him. Fred looked down at her, his eyes now riddled with regret.
"Listen," Fred began, "from the first day at Hogwarts, no before that, on the Hogwarts Express, I liked you. You cursed Marcus Flint because he called you a blood traitor for sitting with Ang and Alicia and I fell for you."
"But-wait what?" Aria was dumbstruck. She expected some sort of half-assed excuse to come out of his mouth but not for him to tell her that he has feelings for her.
"You heard me." Fred said shifting from foot to foot.
"why didn't you say anything instead of pranking me into oblivion?"
"Because you always had your nose in a book and got mad at anyone who would interrupt. I thought it was the only way to actually get your attention. I didn't know what else to do."
Aria sighed and soon responded with "there were other way to talk to me you know?" She ran her fingers through her blonde hair to ground herself and continued "but what you did to me hurt and was embarrassing." Once again a lump formed in her throat and she could barely speak, but she continued on "I thought that once I got to Hogwarts, I could get away from bullies but once I was sorted into Gryffindor, it only got worse. My family was ashamed of me because they were all sorted into Slytherin and they nearly kicked me out, the Slytherins pushed me around, and then there was you," tears began to stream down her face as Aria's voice shook, "I thought, if the red hair boy who doesn't care where a person comes from doesn't like me, how could anyone else?"
Aria choked out the last words and folded to the ground crying. Everything she has held in for the last six years had bubbled to the surface and she couldn't hold it in anymore. Fred kneeled down next to her and, to her surprise, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest into a hug, but even with her surprise, the tears continued to fall.
They sat there, his arms wrapped around her, her legs draped across his lap and cheek pressed to his chest, and his chin on top of her head, for what seemed like hours. Arias tears soon subsided and she pulled back to look at Fred. Fred looked at Aria, her face was swollen from crying, her eyes where red and there were still tear stains on her face, and his heart broke. "I'm sorry," Fred finally said, " I know it doesn't make up for anything, I shouldn't but-" Fred was cut off by Aria's lips pressing against his.
Fred was surprised, and, taking that surprise for disgust, Aria began to pull back. Fred reach up and cupped her tearstained cheek and pulled her back towards him. Both of Aria's hands found their way to the back of Fred's neck and pull him closer while he rested his other hand on her waist. His lips began to move against hers and she eagerly responded.
Too soon for Aria's liking, Fred began to pull back from the kiss. They were both now breathing heavily and Aria's head found its way back to Fred's chest. After a few moments of silence Aria spoke. "Can we start over," she said quietly, "can we forget everything from the past and start over?"
"It is your choice Aria," Fred mumbled, "I have done so much that has hurt you, could you every forgive me for it?"
Aria pulled back from Fred's chest and looked at him with her eyebrows furrowed. "Fred," she began, "you are the first person in years who has actually given a damn about me. My own family only cares about their reputation and how I affect it." Aria reaches up and put her hand on Fred's cheek. She leaned closer to him and spoke quietly, "you see me for me, not as an object to increase social standing. Of course I can forgive you for what you've done." Aria leaned further forward and so did Fred. They lightly kiss one last time before they were interrupted by the curfew bell. Fred stood up and helped Aria to her feet. They left the cupboard hand-in-hand making their way back to the common room.
As they walked Fred spoke and said jokingly, "does this mean I can call you darling?"