[MIRA'S POV]

It was the summer after the fifth year and the O.W.L.s had arrived a few days before, not bringing much to her surprise.

That morning Mira had gotten up impatiently. She had always been an early bird (it was more of a habit than a choice), but this time it was different. Every lost minute seemed to be a cause of pain, such was her emotion. She had been itching for the 422nd Quidditch World Cup since the beginning of the holidays. Finding the tickets was quite easy, given all her family's right contacts. Waiting was really the hard part!

Angelina Johnson had hosted her during the week before the match. Being one of Griffyndor's chasers, she was naturally a big fan of the sport. Mira peered at her friend while thinking: this wasn't just any pleasant event. To her, it was the chance to run away from the silent horror back at home. 'It's gonna be nice', she thought, 'not spending the summer alone for a change'.

A few hours later, they had finished pitching their tent. Mira and Angelina had decided to have a look around the campsite. After all, the match wouldn't have started until late and they knew a lot of their school friends were there. In fact, it didn't take much time to find Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet, the other two chasers of the Gryffindor team. Mira has never been one of those girls who have a lot of friends who are… well, girls. That was possibly because boys spend much more time laughing than talking, and there was a lot of things that Mira preferred to leave unsaid. But those girls were smart and frank, and she genuinely enjoyed their company. Actually, Angelina was the only one of the same age as Mira. But she spent so much time at the Quidditch Court that eventually she had grown quite fond of the others.

While they were chatting, they heard a familiar voice calling for them: "Well, look who it is! Charming as always, ladies". As they turned around, they saw George Weasley, the girls' teammate, and Mira's absolute best friend. She winked at him, a wide smile spread across her face. George was fast approaching, but she was looking for someone behind him. A few feet away from George were standing Percy and those who Mira assumed to be Bill, Charlie and Arthur Weasley. And then there was, of course, Fred -the one she was looking for. All of them were smiling, but Fred's broad grin, she noticed, was addressed only to her.

Her smile became an amused smirk as she started to rush to him, passing George (who gave her a conspiratorial look). At the same time, Fred started running, so that they met halfway. She closed him in a tight embrace and he lifted her up, making her twirl around in the air. "Yeah, I know, I would have missed me too if I were you. I'm awesome", she broke the silence, her smirk becoming wider. Fred laughed. "Somebody is full of herself", he mocked.

"Well, it's nice to feel all this love and appreciation. I have to say, as my official best friend, you sure suck at your job". Mira burst out laughing while turning to face George. He had joined them along with the girls. She let go of Fred and put an arm around his twin's shoulders. "Oh I'm sorry, I must have missed a few classes on the subject. But oddly enough, I still don't think you can aim for something better, given your winning personality". That made him laugh. Only then Mira realized that both George and the girls had the same playful expression... Of course, they knew.

Mira couldn't tell the precise moment when she and the twins had become friends. They were the same age, so they had ended up getting to know each other. They have been inseparable ever since the first year. It didn't take long before Mira realised two things: firstly, that they were the only people in the world she trusted as much as she trusted herself. Secondly, that she was in love with Fred. She loved him with all of herself and she knew no other way.

George knew that. In fact, he probably had seen that before Mira herself. There hadn't been any strange love triangle situation. After all, the boys had different tastes when it came to girls, and George has always had a thing for Angelina. So he has been doing his best to support Mira. He wanted to see her and Fred happy, for they were the most important people to him. Also, his twin brother clearly felt the same as her. Everybody knew those two loved each other, including Mira. But Fred was too much of an idiot to tell her and it was starting to bother her.

[FRED'S POV]

Fred was excited to be at the Quidditch Cup, it was a rare luxury for his family. However, the day hadn't started in the best way possible: first the fight with his mother, which had caused him and George to lose a six months' work. Then, they had to suffer Amos Diggory blabbering about the last time Hufflepuff Quidditch team had beaten Gryffindor. Fred couldn't help himself being annoyed.

While he was trying to banish the emotion, he heard George calling someone. Then he saw her. Mira Rigel Steward. All of a sudden, Fred couldn't see anything but her. He hadn't even realised he was running. He held her in his arms and buried his face in her raven hair. She smelled like fresh flowers and summer rain, it was intoxicating.

Of course he loved her, how couldn't he? He hasn't told her, though, and he wasn't planning to. Not that he was shy, he was pretty self-confident, even with girls. But Mira was simply in a different league. There was no way she would have chosen him. She was breath-taking, she couldn't enter a room without turning heads. And she had the bearing of a royal, with a sort of casual elegance that made her irresistible.

Her mother was actually a noble. She had passed away the year before, leaving her daughter with her governess. Nobody knew anything about Mira's father. The news of her mother's death had Fred and George worried sick, but the girl didn't show any emotion. It only took her a few days to hide the suffering that had clouded her eyes. She was strong and proud and Fred loved her for it.

As if that wasn't enough, she was an exceptionally gifted witch. She exceeded all the seventh year students and there wasn't a teacher whom she couldn't impress with her talent.

She was perfect in every way.

While she was talking with George, Fred met his father's gaze. The man was approaching them with a smile, along with Fred's older brothers. They looked curious. Fred was about to make the introduction when Mira addressed Arthur with a bright smile. "Mr Weasley, it's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm Mira Steward, I go to school with your sons!". She offered her hand and Mr Weasley shook it with enthusiasm. "So you are the renowned Mira! I've heard a lot about you". "I hope it wasn't all bad, sir", she replied with a smile making him laugh. He had met her a few seconds ago and he was already looking at her fondly. Fred smiled to himself. Another of Mira's qualities: she bewitched anyone who met her, and her genuineness made impossible for her to be disliked.

While she was greeting the others, Mr Weasley said to her and the girls: "That's our tent. We were planning on cooking an authentic camping meal - you know, like muggles do! Why don't you join us, later?". They accepted with pleasure and left with a "See you in a bit".

Fred was so intent on following them with his gaze that he didn't notice the little exchange taking place behind his back. "So, it's her…", Charlie asked in amusement. George nodded with a smirk and peered at his twin: "Man, he's hopeless". "I like her, she seems cool", said Bill. This time George's grin was filled with affection, as he replied: "She is". Mr Weasley was listening in silence, smiling.