CHAPTER 11

Lily woke up to Fred moving beneath her.

"What's going on? Did I fall asleep?" she asked sounding a little dazed.

"Yeah," Fred chuckled and stroked her hair, "Mum came in and said tea's ready. She saw you asleep on my chest and said I should leave you here to rest,"

"Well, I'm awake now," She yawned.

"That's adorable," he said and kissed the tip of her nose.

"What is?" her voice was croaky from just waking up.

"Your yawn," he smirked, "you don't have to get up, ya know,"

"Fred," her sparkling eyes met his, "I really don't want to be alone,"

"I know, love," he dragged her into a warm embrace. Her hands were on his chest and his arms were snaked around her waist tightly. He rested his chin on her head and silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

He pulled reluctantly away from her. She looked away quickly, avoiding his worried gaze. She still had tears slipping down her face and she didn't want him to see her be so weak. He turned her face to meet his and wiped tears away with his thumb.

"Hey," he said slowly, "you don't need to be afraid to cry in front of me,"

She didn't say anything, she just nodded and wiped her face.

"Let's go, they're waiting," she said and took Fred's hand, "does it look like I've been crying?"

"Yeah," he said, wiping away hair from her face.

"Great," she muttered.

"Don't worry about it. They know you every right to cry," he led her to the kitchen table, where everyone was sitting. There were two empty seats between George and Ginny. Everyone looked at Lily with sympathetic eyes as she sat next to the youngest Weasley. Fred sat beside her and held her hand under the table. That made her feel a little bit better, but not much.

"Uh, let's eat," Arthur said, and everyone started putting food on their plates.

Lily picked at the pasta on her plate. Not because it wasn't good, which she got the feeling is what Mrs. Weasley thought, but because she didn't much feel like eating. She just felt like she was going to throw up and cry. She felt like there was a dementor following her everywhere; like she would never be happy again.

"Lily?" Ginny spoke, snapping her put of her thoughts, "are you alright?"

"Uh, yeah," she nodded and smiled, and attempted to eat something.

It turned out, eating wasn't such a challenge once she started. It actually suppressed the urge to cry and throw up.

She thanked Mrs. Weasley after dinner and went to see Whiskey.

"Hey Whiskey," she said seeing the elf humming as he washed dishes.

"Miss Lily!" he beamed.

"You havin fun?" she showed the faintest smile.

"Yes Miss Lily. Miss Molly is very nice to Whiskey," he spoke cheerfully. Lily was glad to see him finally happy.

"Hey guys," she heard Fred approaching. He came up behind her and placed a light kiss on her cheek, and then one on her neck. Fred's soft touch sent a shiver down her spine.

"Hello Master Fred," Whiskey said and went back to the dishes.

"Guess Who?" Fred asked Lily, resting his chin in her shoulder.

"Um, Fred?" Lily had a confused look on her face. Fred must have found it adorable because he slid around to face her and stole a kiss. She felt his lips smile against hers. The kiss was short and sweet. He rested his forehead on hers and smiled.

"Guess Who," he said and Lily raised an eyebrow at him, "it's a muggle board game. Wanna play it with me?"

"Yeah, sure," she took a tiny step back, creating the slightest distance between them.

"C'mon," he said grabbing her hand, "I'll teach you,"

He led her into the lounge room.

They sat on the floor, so it was easier to play. Fred picked up a thin rectangular box and took off the lid. He passed a blue bit of plastic with thirty small pictures of cartoon faces on it, to Lily. She looked confused again.

"This game is easy Lil. All you do is pick one of these," he held the box over her head and she randomly selected a card with a female face on it, matching one of the smaller faces on the plastic thing, "got one? Okay, then we just ask each other yes or no questions describing a person. For example, if I ask 'Do you have blond hair?' and you answer yes, I have to flip down all the non-blonds,"

"Why would you ask me that? I'm clearly not blond," she gestured to her curly, coal black hair. Fred threw his head back in a fit of laughter.

"Not you, you, your card silly,"

"Oh," she said going red. She shook the card like it was a snow globe.

"Lil? What are you doin?" he asked, laughing again.

"Why isn't it moving? The picture, I mean," she shook it once more.

"Muggle pictures don't move sweetie," he said sweetly. Lily went red again. Nearly as red as his hair.

"Okay let's just start the game. You go first," she said as if speaking to the floor, looking down to hide her crimson red face.

"Are you a girl?" he looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, making Lily's heart race.

"Yes," she watched Fred flip down every face except for five of them. Lily counted her own, there was only five girls, "this game is sexist," she folded her arms across her chest, and sighed, "Are you a guy?"

He nodded and she flipped down the five girls.

"Do you have any idea how cute you are Lily?" Fred said but spoke again before Lily could answer, "Do you have blond hair?"

"How am I cute? No one's said I'm cute before. And no, I'm not blond," he flipped down one picture, "do you have green eyes?"

"No, I don't. The way you frown when you're confused is cute," he said casually, "are you a brunette?"

"Yes," Lily sighed as Fred flipped down two of the remaining four pictures, "Do you have glasses?"

"No. Are you Mary," he smirked. Lily frowned and threw the card playfully at Fred. He just laughed. Lily knew her father would never approve of her playing muggle games. And she loved every single second of it.