Flames Of Love
A Fred Love Story
Part Nine
Bad Romance
"Why don't you guys go on to bed, we will clean up the room." I said smiling sweetly at Harry,Hermione,Ron and George as soon as the DA meeting was over. They all rose their eyebrows at me but I just shrugged my shoulders and said "Fred was having some issues with a charm for class so I told him I would help him. I figured since we got this all set up it would be a nice place." They all seemed to buy this excuse as they started to walk out of the room but I couldn't help but feel guilty when George gave us one sad look before disappearing through the door.
I let out a sigh and tossed myself into Fred's arms wiping away a small tear. He kissed the top of my head and ran his fingers through my hair trying to comfort me. "Oh Fred I hate this feeling! We are lying to our friends and that look I keep getting from George. Its killing me, it really is." I whispered into his chest trying to dull my pain with his familiar smell and warmth.
"I know Elli, I know. It seems no matter what we do the outcome is going to hurt someone. If we come out with our relationship George will be hurt, but if we keep it hidden it is just going to keep hurting us. Its a lose lose situation love but at least there's one good thing." he said and gave me a smile. I looked up at him with wide eyes wondering what was so good about this, as if reading my mind he bent down and kissed me before saying "At least I have you."
I managed a to give him a weak smile and nodded saying "And I have you. Though I think right now I would rather have a giant bar of Honeyduke's chocolate." I added with a grin. He pretended to be sincerely hurt and got me back by nibbling on my neck causing me to giggle. No matter how much it hurt to hide this relationship from everyone, I was still happy that I had Fred by my side.
After an hour in the room of requirement with Fred I ran my fingers through my hair, trying my best to make it lie flat again. We exited through the hidden door and as we walked down the halls it was hard to resist the urge to wrap my fingers in his. "So I heard you have a match this weekend, mind if I come and watch?" I asked teasingly knowing that he forced me to go to every game since he made the team our third year.
Fred smirked and with a playful glint in his eye said "Now why would I want you to come watch me. You are nothing but a distraction when you change your hair for matches." I laughed thinking about the first time I had changed my hair into a glowing red and gold for a match, it was true most of the team had been so distracted if Harry hadn't of caught the snitch we would have lost the game to Slytherin. Though they too were pretty distracted. "How do you do that to your hair anyway?" he asked staring at my hair curiously.
I laughed and went on to explain the charm I used when sadly we reached the commons room and were met with some serious glares from Harry, Hermione, and Ron. I heard Fred gulp beside me but I kept my cool "And what are you three doing up so late? Surely you didn't wait up just for us. Now go along its time for bed for all of us." I said gesturing for them to move up the stairs but they stood their ground.
"We have to talk with both of you about something and we want the truth." Ron said with authority though he couldn't hide the slight trembling in his hands. I cocked my head slightly to one side innocently and he looked away with a blush not able to meet my eyes.
"Yeah you guys have been spending a lot of alone time together sometimes sneaking off in the middle of the night. Don't say you had George with you too because we have seen it on the map and the map doesn't lie. So we want to know what you two have been up too lately." Harry said gesturing to the Marauders Map in his hands. I felt my stomach turn into a knot at the thought of being caught but I forced myself to stay calm at their questions.
"Yeah Elli, you usually tell me everything so this is just … its so unlike you. If its about what you talked to me about over the summer I can understand why your hiding it but why from me? Why from your own sister?" Hermione asked and I could see the hurt clouding her eyes, threatening tears.
I bit my lip gently trying to make it look like I was thinking but in reality I was trying not to cry. I had felt bad earlier about keeping this a secret but seeing the pain in my sisters eyes it was just to much. Yet I just couldn't bare to admit that I had been lying to them for so long. I was about to deny it when I felt Fred's hand in mine and I turned to look at him in surprise. "Elli … we cant keep up the charade we have to tell them." he said giving my hand a gentle squeeze. With a gulp I nodded and turned back to face my friends.
"Ok you caught us. Fred and I have … sort of been dating in secret." I said and as I saw them open their mouths to yell at us I held up a hand and continued "Before you start getting on our cases we have a very good reason for keeping it a secret. We love each other I was so afraid that I would hurt George if he knew and even more afraid that I might even lose him because of this. Can't you understand that? I know I cant force you to keep this a secret, well I could but it would be wrong, but I am just hoping that you will see where we our coming from."
I looked down in both shame and sadness and was so glad that Fred was their to wrap his arms around me. For a few minutes there was nothing but the quiet whispering of the three talking amongst themselves but finally I heard my sister clear her throat. I looked up to see a gentle smile on her face indicating that she understood. I ran our of Fred's arms and into Hermione's glad that someone so important to me understood. "I love you Eli and I would never betray you." she said when we finally let me go.
Harry and Ron nodded in agreement and for a moment everything seemed right yet as soon as the feeling came it was gone. I couldn't explain it but something seemed wrong. "I am so glad you guys have our back on this. You don't know how much this has been tearing us apart. I am sure I am speaking for both of when we say we are so sorry from keeping it from you." Fred said pulling me close to him again as if he hated being apart from me any longer.
I nodded slowly but turned my attention to the staircase thinking I had saw something move. Then in that split second my jaw dropped and tears formed in my eyes because stepping out of the shadows was none other then George. "Oh no ..." I whispered as the tears started rolling down my face. Fred looked at me puzzled but as he saw where my gaze led his face turned stone cold.
"So you are so sorry that you did it yet not enough to tell your own brother. Not sorry enough to stop you from running of with the girl we promised to stay away from? So much for some brother or for that fact some best friend too." George spat at me and Fred before pushing through all of us and heading out the passage door.
"George wait!" I called with the tears falling harder then ever and before anyone could stop me I ran out the passage after him. Yet I was to late I couldn't see a single flash of red hair or the swish of an old red house coat. I knew these passages better then almost anyone but their were so many around here it was impossible to tell which he had took.
I fell to my knees and sobbed into my hands calling his name over and over again. I rocked myself back and forth wanting nothing more then to wake up, for this to be nothing more then a dream. No not a dream, a nightmare. My worst nightmare in fact. I soon felt a pair of arms around me but I shrugged them off, I didn't want to be comforted right now. After all I deserved this for hiding such a huge secret from him. I lost my best friend and it was all my fault.
