Fred walked into the Burrow with his arm around Ella.
"Ah, good to be home. Sort of," Fred joked, "Hang on, you've got to meet my family. I think it may just be Ickle Ronniekins here today though, which would mean…" Fred got a wicked gleam in his eye, and Ella waited patiently for his methods to become clear.
"OY, RON! COME 'ERE!" Fred bellowed at the top of his lunges. Five years and he hadn't changed a bit.
Ron and Hermione came tottering down the stairs, both looking flustered with pink cheeks.
"Hermione! What a surprise to see you here!" Fred said in exaggerated shock. "Now now Ronnie, you haven't been fooling around, have you?" he said with an evil grin and a conspiratorial wink towards Ella. Ron opened his mouth, closed it, and reddened even more.
"Never mind that," Fred said, "this is Ella."
"So he didn't make you up," Ron said, recovering from Fred's teasing with only half a humorous tone, his eyes taking in Fred's fiancé. She was tall and thin, with pale white skin and huge blue eyes that roamed around the house in wonder, causing her to blink her long dark eyelashes rapidly. They lit up when she met Ron's gaze and he couldn't help but notice the intelligence in those sky hued eyes. She had honey blonde hair that looked soft to the touch and a few freckles on her nose.
"Ron, I'm hurt. You didn't believe me?" Fred said mockingly.
"Not a bit," Ron deadpanned. "Oh!" He said, "well, as you know, I'm Ron, and well," Ron turned noticeably pinker as he turned to his girlfriend, "this is Hermione."
"Nice to meet you both," Ella grinned and shook both their hands, revealing perfect white teeth. "This is the neatest house I've ever been in," she said in awe, and Ron realized she had a distinctly American accent.
"You American?" he said, puzzled. He didn't know Fred had been to America.
"Yeah," she said sheepishly, "Please don't judge me on the stereotypes; don't know what we did to deserve those."
"You invented McDonalds," Fred said with a grin on his face, "and for that you will have to pay." With this, he grabbed her around the waist and she shrieked and laughed, jumping away at the slightest pinch.
"She's bloody ticklish," Fred said knowingly, "barely even have to touch her."
"So is Hermione," said Ron with a smile at Ella, and he suddenly turned to find Hermione. There she was, standing right where they had left her, looking at her shoes. Why was she being so quiet? He put his arm on her shoulders and gently pulled her closer. She left her eyes on the ground.
"So you went to America and didn't even tell me?" Ron asked Fred after a minute.
"Ah, sorry little brother, had a last minute business trip. Went to New York for a day to get some business advice, and look what I got instead," Fred said with a smirk. Ella blushed—if you could call it that, her cheeks only gaining a slightly rosy tint—apparently not liking the idea that she was won over in a day.
"You didn't 'GET' me," Ella said, wrinkling her nose, "if I remember correctly, mister, you nearly had to drag me out to that dinner you invited me to." Fred rolled his eyes.
"She was playing hard to get," he said with a straight face, "but nothing a little love potion couldn't fix." Fred grinned now, losing his poker face. Ella slapped him on the arm, hard enough for Fred to jump back a little and Ron to grin at her in an impressed manor.
"You know Fred, I reckon you got a keeper," he said with a smile and a shake of his head, "This one looks like she can keep you in line."
"Really?" Fred asked sarcastically, "I never thought of that!" He turned to Ella, "Will you marry me! Oh, wait," Fred stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning his head on her shoulder and smiling affectionately, "I believe I have already thought of that."