A/N: It feels like forever since I've updated and I'm really sorry but here it is! My first update in ages! If anyone is still reading my stuff, I hope you enjoy this final chapter of what started as a one-shot but is now a three-shot. :3
I don't own any of these characters.
This chapter is based around the song Always by Panic! At The Disco.
Enjoy and drop me a line if you liked it!
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Angelina's POV
It's Christmas time but it doesn't feel like it. I thought to myself.
I sat in my dorm room, watching the snow fall outside.
It would bemy first Christmas without Fred around. I couldn't really believe it had been that long, and I still missed him.
Every part of my body yearned to see him, touch him, kiss him again but then I reminded myself that he didn't love me back, that it was all a lie. And snapped myself out of it all. I didn't want to go home for the holidays but I knew I couldn't stay at Hogwarts, all alone. Usually, I'd go to Alicia's for Christmas but I hadn't spoken to her in a while.
She used to talk to me every day but I ignored her and she got the picture eventually.
I didn't want to talk to anyone ever again.
Alicia had been dating George for a while and I knew that Fred and I were a topic of conversation for them. I read a letter George sent her and it was all about me. How is Angelina? How is she coping? Blah blah blah.
It was none of their business, anyway. I'd never mentioned my feelings to Alicia, so I don't know how she'd guessed that I was still stuck on Fred. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore.
"Angie!" Alicia caught me by surprise, snapping me out of my thoughts.
Speak of the devil... I thought to myself.
"How're you going, kid?" She chimed.
I shrugged and turned my head away, trying to ignore her. I thought she'd learnt by now, but obviously she needed some more hints...
"What are you doing for Christmas?"
That's what it's about. She wants me over for Christmas... I thought.
Again, I simply shrugged.
"Right... Well, do you want to spend Christmas with me?" She blurted.
I thought about it for a while. I'd been so horrible to Alicia...
Why was she still so nice?
"Alicia..." I started, the first words I'd spoken to her in over a month.
She blinked a few times as though she didn't believe that I'd spoken.
"Alicia, I'm sorry." I continued. "I've been horrible, I know, it's just-"
"Fred." She interrupted. "I know."
I raised my eyebrows. "Alicia, I never spoke about it. How do you know?"
"You talk in your sleep." She smiled.
I blushed. "Oh god..."
"Don't worry, it wasn't too bad. Just kept saying his name, over and over..."
I sighed. "Leesh, I'm so sorry. About everything."
"Don't even mention it." She beamed. "Listen, Angie, I meant what I said about Christmas..."
I smiled. "Yeah, I'd love to go to yours for Christmas! "
"Well... See the thing is... We're not going to my house, exactly..."
I narrowed my eyes. What?
"We're... Uh, that is... We're going to The Burrow."
I choked on my own saliva. "What?"
"And... Fred's going to be there..." Alicia muttered.
"WHAT?" I spat.
"Oh, Angie, please don't get mad, George thought it would be a good idea to get you both back together-"
I shook my head "It's not like that! Alicia, you don't understand!" I yelled.
"Then help me!" She pleaded. "Tell me why I don't understand! Just tell me, Angie!"
"He never loved me, Leesh." I lowered my voice. Tears started to well in my eyes.
"Angie..." Alicia soothed. "You don't know that."
"I do." I sobbed. "I know he never... He never..." I wiped my eyes. Alicia wrapped her arms around me and I sighed.
"You don't know, Angie. Not for sure. Just come to The Burrow. I've already asked Mrs Weasley and she said it was fine. Even if Fred doesn't talk to you, George and I will be there! And apparently Lee Jordan and Katie Bell are coming. You'll have all of us." Alicia whispered.
"Okay." I nodded. "But if anything happens, I'm leaving."
"Okay." Alicia let go of me and I wiped my eyes once more.
"Well, you'd better get ready." She smiled. "We're leaving the day after tomorrow."
I half-smiled back at her, but I felt a little queasy. Would I really be seeing him again, after all this time apart?
And how could Alicia be so sure that he loved me?
I guess I'll find out when we get to The Burrow...
Two Days Later...
"Do you have everything Angie?"
I nodded.
"Okay then..." Alicia grinned. "Hold on to my hand."
I did as she asked while the ground slipped from under me and we Apparated from Hogsmeade to The Burrow. Everything was spinning, but I was used to it by now. Once we got there, Mrs Weasley came out to greet us and gave me the biggest hug I'd ever experienced.
"Angelina, dear, we miss having you around here!" She cried.
I found myself smiling as Mrs Weasley pulled away.
"Fred and George should be here in a bit..." She smiled and hugged Alicia.
Mrs Weasley didn't know about everything that had happened between Fred and me. She just thought we were good friends, perhaps best friends. She didn't know how much I loved him, or how he failed to return my love...
She didn't know how much it hurt me to know that he was on his way. The boy I always loved but couldn't have...
"Come inside." She beamed. "Ginny will show you your room."
Alicia grinned and pulled me along behind her. "You ready, Ange?" She whispered.
"No." I sighed but continued walking.
A Few Hours Later...
I sat on the bed, noticing how heavy my stomach felt, how shaky my breath was. Alicia had gone downstairs to greet the twins but I couldn't.
I looked sideways in to a mirror that was propped up on the wall, noticing how much I'd changed since I was last at The Burrow.
I'd lost a lot of weight, I noted. My face was a little gaunt, my hair was messier than I would've liked. My eyes were... Different. I couldn't put my finger on it. They weren't exactly lifeless, but they were heading there...
Other than that, I looked normal. Or as normal as I could have looked, given the situation.
"Angie!" I heard George call. "Where are yoooooou?"
Tap, tap, tap... The sound of feet on the wooden staircase.
I jumped to my feet just in time to see George push the door open and...
And a startled-looking Fred behind him.
My stomach dropped.
"ANGIE!" George grinned before hugging me.
I wrapped my arms around him, trying to hide my face from Fred.
"How have you been?" George ruffled my hair. I couldn't help but grin.
"Been giving the teachers hell from us?" George pulled a face.
I giggled. "Of course!"
He smiled. "It's good to see you, Angie."
"You too!" I beamed. It really was good to see George again.
I couldn't say the same about Fred.
I mean, part of me loved seeing him again, being this close to him...
The rest of me wanted to collapse in a small heap and never have to see his face again.
He kept staring at me.
It was strange, because although I knew I looked a little different, Fred looked exactly the same.
Except for his eyes.
They kind of looked like mine...
"Fred!" George interrupted. "Come here, say hi to Angie."
Fred nodded and stepped forward.
I held my breath.
He cleared his throat. George frowned.
Fred glanced at George and then at me and then at George again before making a face.
George coughed.
"I think I'll... Yeah. Bye." George ran out of the room.
Fred turned to me.
I studied his face.
He really did look exactly the same, but there was something new about the way he held himself, the way he looked at me.
It was odd.
"Angelina." He spoke.
I blinked a few times.
"I..." He stared at me.
I didn't say a single word. I didn't move. I didn't breathe.
"I miss you." He stated.
I nodded.
"I wanted to tell you earlier but I thought you were... I thought that guy-"
"Wait, what?" I frowned. "What guy?"
Fred frowned too. "Your boyfriend?"
I coughed. "What? My boyfriend? What boyfriend..."
Fred bit his lip. "You don't have a boyfriend?"
I shook my head. "Not after you."
Fred sighed as though he was relieved. "Well that makes all this a little easier..."
And then he kissed me.
I was stunned. Completely stunned.
The kiss only lasted a few seconds, and then it was over.
What in the name of Merlin's beard-
"Angie, I always loved you. I hope you do realise that. And I still do love you. It was always you, only you... I know I was stupid, and I don't expect you to forgive me-"
"You told Alicia." I blurted.
Fred shrugged. "I told George; I guess the news got back to her-"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you were with that guy..." Fred trailed off. "That's what I heard, anyway."
"No." I smiled. "No... I wasn't. I never... Fred, it was always you."
And then I stepped forward and kissed him, letting my wall down, letting myself be happy.
He was the only boy I'd ever loved... And he loved me back.
And somehow I knew it would all be okay now.