Chapter 21

Fred watched his father leave the orchard and then turned back to Eliza; she still had tears running down her face but looked decidedly calmer than before. He pointed his wand to a spot about five metres away from the tent and a campfire appeared. He moved his wand again and a small, yet comfortable, sofa appeared next to it.

Eliza took his hand and allowed him to lead her to it.

"Your Transfiguration is still improving." She said, sitting down and looking at the crackling fire sadly.

"I might have a flip through the textbook every now and then, just to keep up with you…well the syllabus, you're beyond that." Fred said, sitting next to her.

Eliza did not respond, so Fred took some of the food from the basket he'd prepared and started to roast the sausages.

"Last year Umbridge threatened to have you killed." Eliza said simply. Fred looked across at her.

"She's in Azkaban." He said with a dark look crossing his face.

"She said she could blow up the shop and make it look like an accident."

"I'd like to see them try. Eliza, do you really think I can't take care of myself? Do you think I don't take protection seriously?" Eliza leaned forwards and put her head in her hands. Fred stroked her back.

"I'm sorry." Eliza said, looking back at him. The odds spinning through her head again. They weren't going to survive this.

"It's okay. Are you going to read that letter?"

"Half of me wants to throw it on the fire." Eliza replied honestly.

"Then give it to me."

"Why? It's for me."

"Because otherwise you might do something rash and then regret it. I won't read it, I'll just keep it until you're ready." Eliza nodded and passed the letter to him.

"Let's look around the tent." Eliza stood up and followed Fred inside.

"This can't be the one you used for the world cup, there's only one room."

"No, this is dad's one for when he's working late."

"He sleeps outside when he works late?"

"Yeah they have a system, mom keeps a candle lit in the window until she gets into bed. So if dad gets back late and he sees the candle glowing he knows she's still up, but if it's not he grabs the tent and sleeps in the garden so he doesn't disturb her."

Eliza smiled at the idea.

"He hasn't had to use it for a while I think, she worries too much so the candle usually burns till he's back."

"I've never met a couple so in love like them. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are never affectionate with each other, thank Merlin, they spend all of their love on Dudley."

"How bad was it?" Fred asked, as he and Eliza sat down by the fire again.

"What?"

"Growing up with them." Eliza stiffened slightly and looked into the crackling fire.

"It was bad." She said quietly.

"Did…did they…" Fred took a deep breath and opened his mouth to finish the question.

"I don't want to talk about it Fred, please?"

"Just put my mind at ease, Eliza."

"I can't." Eliza said, poking the fire with a stray stick.

"Why didn't you…?"

"It's over now, just forget it. I found out what's going on with Hermione."

"What?" Fred asked, accepting that he wouldn't get anything out of Eliza now that she had shut the conversation down.

"Her parents made her choose between them and magic." Eliza said, with a surprising amount of guilt at betraying Hermione's confidence, anything to keep the previous subject away.

"Merlin, she must be…" Fred said, closing his eyes in pain for the girl he assumed would one day be his sister-in-law.

"Devastated, don't tell anyone though. They've moved away and she doesn't even know where they are. It makes me so cross, how could they just cut her out of their life like that, they're own daughter!"

Fred and Eliza carried on discussing the topic until the sausages had cooked and then ate in a comfortable silence.

"I'm going to miss you so much this term." Eliza said, as Fred put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"Me too, I'll come to all the Hogsmeade weekends."

"I doubt I'll be allowed out."

"Then I'll come in, I am a Weasley twin, I'll find a way." Eliza smiled, not doubting him for a moment.

"It's late let's get to bed. You go and get changed and I'll make an extra camp bed."

"Don't, stay with me." Eliza said, avoiding his eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asked, keeping his voice even.

"Yes, I'll go and get changed." Eliza grabbed the back pack that Mr Weasley had bought and walked into the bathroom. She changed into her pyjamas quickly and looked at her face in the mirror. She was pale and her eyes still held the memory of the tears they'd shed. Eliza brushed her teeth and pulled her hair into a loose plait before leaving the room.

Fred went into the bathroom and Eliza climbed into the bed and spread the Moonstone blanket over the covers. She sat up and hugged her knees, waiting for him to come back.

When he climbed into the bed he kissed her on the shoulder and she turned to look at him.

"I love you, Fred." She said simply as she lay down and snuggled into his chest.

"I love you too, Eliza, always. I need to ask you something."

"What?" Eliza asked, suddenly worried.

"Everyone keeps going on about how protective this blanket is, will I still be alive in the morning?" Eliza laughed.

"I don't know, I guess you'll have to pass the test." She said, putting her hand on Fred's chest, she couldn't help wondering how many heart beats his heart had left. He laughed and she tried to push away the morbid thoughts.

"Tests have never really been my strong point, can you put in a good word for me?"

"I'll have a think about it- actually that's reminded me. You're not allowed to prank Ron till Christmas."

"What! Why?" Fred asked in outrage.

"I promised him, I know who you can prank though."

"Who?"

"Bill."

"Why? What's he done?"

"Nothing, but if Fleur thinks I'm going to be one of her bridesmaids…"

"Got it. What would Ron do without you, Eliza?"

"After the Department of Mysteries it's more a question of what I would do without him. Give him a break Fred he saved my life."

"You ended up trapped under a wand wall!"

"That was my fault, if it wasn't for Ron I would have been trapped in Umbridge's cupboard for longer or maybe even fallen to my death off a Threstral."

"I asked him to keep an eye on you."

"Asked or threatened?"

"We're brothers, there isn't much of a difference." Eliza laughed and she felt Fred smile too.

"Okay no pranks on Ron till Christmas but its fair game on Bill till Fleur changes her mind- agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Eliza?"

"Yes."

"Can I kiss you?"

"When have you ever needed to ask?"

"Since I'm scared of your Moonstone blanket." Eliza laughed and turned her head to kiss Fred.

Fred moved his arm from under Eliza's head and put one hand on her hair and the other on her waist. They stayed that way for several minutes until Fred moaned and pulled away.

"We need to stop." He said, looking into her hazel eyes.

"I know, night Fred." Eliza put her hand on his chest and breathed in his scent, a mix of gunpowder, his favourite aftershave and essence of what she had always called 'Weasley'. Eliza smiled and they both fell asleep within minutes.