"Fred? What are you staring at?" The redhead girl came up behind him after she got all of her school books from the shop. The boy was staring out of the window of Flourish and Blotts, holding a book and pretending to read.
"What are you talking about, Gin? I'm reading." He rolled his eyes and gestured to the book in his hand, as he did so, he snuck a glance out the window.
Across the way, a blonde girl was sitting at the ice cream parlor, talking with Florean Fortescue. She had a strawberry cone in her hand and Fred was mesmerized by nearly every move she made.
"Are you really? Well, that must be a pretty good book. Any reason why you're reading it upside down?" Ginny snorted and crossed her arms.
"Honestly, I wasn't staring." He stood up and shrugged proudly. "Fred Weasley does not stare." He grinned.
"If you say so." She glanced past him out the very same window he was looking out. Clucking her tongue, she shrugged and turned back around, starting to walk out. She stopped a little bit away, "but Fred Weasley better get a move on before Blaise Zabini gets there first." And with that, she walked out carrying her purchases.
Fred followed her out, but instead of going into Madam Malkins with her, he walked to Floreans Ice Cream shoppe, heading straight at Blaise, who was sure enough approaching the girl..
"Woops! Sorry, tall, dark, and handsome. Didn't see you there." He whistled after bumping into the other boy. His move had the exact aftermath on Blaise that he wanted: his ice cream splattered all over his expensive clothes.
"What are you playing at, Weasley?" He snarled, reaching for his wand. Fred's was already out.
"Playing at? I accidentally bumped into you." Fred smiled innocently and glanced at the blond, who still seated, looked very amused. Blaise, however, did not.
"Oh, I see. Blood traitor doesn't have enough balls to catch a girls eye on his own?" So he'd seen Fred looking. Damn. He opened his mouth to respond, but another wand had joined the two.
"Boys." She growled at them. Then looked, or rather, glared at Blaise, "call him that again, and you won't have to worry about balls." This confused Fred. Surely she'd be yelling at him? But Blaise was furious. And even more so when their lady companion took Fred's hand and dragged him down the road.
"Sorry, I didn't catch your name." He said when they stopped outside Knockturn Alley.
"That might be because I didn't say it." She rolled her green eyes at him, "I'm Ariana."
"I'm Fred. Fred Weasley."
"James. James Bond."
"What? Who's that?"
"Yeah, nevermind."
Fred raised an eyebrow and blinked at the shorter girl, puzzled. "Why'd you bring me to Knockturn Alley?"
She shrugged.
"To tell you to knock it off." She grumbled. "Stop trying to get Blaise's wand in a knot."
"Oh, trust me, I don't want anything of Zabini's in a knot because of me." Fred grinned. Ariana laughed. "But why were you with him, anyway?"
"With him?" She snorted. "I don't want anything to do with him, unless it involves me strangling the prat." It was her turn to grin.
"I'm glad I was staring at you." Fred said accidentally, but covered it with a cough.
"What?"
"Nothing, I said...are you going to Hogwarts this year?" He replied quickly. She nodded, her blonde hair moving with the nod.
"Yeah, I'm transferring in." Finally. "Slytherin." She smiled a little.
"Ah, tough luck. You have to deal with people like big man back there." Fred teased, though a little disappointed. Ariana rolled her eyes and looked around, then back at Fred. She giggled.
"Don't worry, I don't like dark meat."
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