Bellarke: Aww thank you! I'm so glad you like the story! :) Hope you like this chapter ^_^ Thank you for the support!
hpfan59: I don't know if you'll like this answer, but there are 25 chapters to this (plus an epilogue). But I have a surprise at the end so stay tuned for that :) And thank you, that is so sweet of you to say. Yes, more Fred is always good ;) haha. Thank you for being such an avid supporter!
ForeverTeamEdward13: Ask and you shall receive! :) Enjoy the update!
Hello all!
Only a few more chapters... :P
See you Monday!
With Love,
sparrowlina
Clara had been quiet all day once Michael and Ginny had left the house. She had this nagging feeling that no matter what kinds of scenarios played in her head about how Michael's school year would be, they would be nothing compared to the real thing. She was scared. She was worried. And now that Roman had to go fight his own battles already in Romania, she was even more on edge.
She was sitting in her room flipping through a book that Hermione had given her to read. It was a collection of muggle fairy tales, similar to the stories her father would read from The Tales of Beedle the Bard. There were stories of princesses being saved, knights fighting off dragons, and true love. The only thing that Clara didn't enjoy about the stories was that it seemed like magic was always used by the evil characters.
Looking up, she saw that the sun was already starting to set for that day. She hadn't even remembered eating lunch.
A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts.
"Come in," she called, tossing her book on a table near her bed.
"Good evening, madam," George greeted, standing in the doorway. He was standing up straight, dressed in his usual work suit, a smirk on his face. "A Mr. Frederick Weasley requests your presence at dinner this evening. 7 o'clock sharp."
Clara felt the corners of her mouth pull up into a smile as she stood up. "And what should I wear to this dinner?"
"He requested your finest attire." As he looked over Clara's features, his mouth formed a small 'o'. He reached into his pocket and tossed Clara a small vial. "He also requested that your hair...not be a rainbow."
She laughed as she took in the antidote. "Can you let Mr. Weasley know that I shall be in attendance this evening." She curtsied to George. "Thank you, good sir."
He half bowed with a grin as he pulled the door shut.
Taking a deep breath, Clara looked at her trunk across the room. It looked as if it had thrown up her clothes on the floor. She started to throw clothes all over the place as she looked for something decent to wear.
All the while, she never thought of her brothers. She didn't think of the craziness that lay just outside the Burrow's secure doors. She never thought about the what ifs of Fred and George's plans.
The only thing that mattered was the time she was going to spend with Fred.
About half an hour later, and one scattered trunk later, Clara heard another knock at the door.
She walked over and opened it to be greeted by Molly.
"Hello, dearie," she greeted. She walked past Clara holding a dress. "Let's get you fitted."
"Mrs. Weasley…how did you–where did this–when did you–"
"Never you mind. Now come on, arms up. I want to make sure this fits you."
Clara held up her arms as instructed as Molly placed the dress on her bed, then wrapped the measuring tape around her waist, chest, and hips.
"It might be a little loose, but it'll let you breathe," Molly informed with a smile. "Fred asked if you could wear this if you didn't have anything better."
Molly held up the dress once more for Clara to inspect. It was a simple black dress with no sleeves and a round collar near her neck. From the top of her chest to the collar, there was a sheer fabric that allowed her skin to peek through. The dress reached the floor, but had a slit near her right leg that would reach her mid-thigh when she wore it.
"It's nothing special, but you can always dress it up a bit," Molly added.
"It's wonderful, Mrs. Weasley." Clara smile appreciatively as she hugged Molly in thanks.
Molly stepped back and returned Clara's smile. "I'll leave you to it then."
Clara nodded as she took the dress from Molly before Molly disappeared downstairs.
She took a deep breath. Waving her wand to clean up the mess in her room, Clara guessed she didn't have much other choice than to start getting ready.
She walked down the hall to shower, the hot water releasing the tensions that she had been harboring all day. It felt nice to relax for the time being.
As she waved her wand to dry and style her hair, she noticed something. Although her hair was back to its usual brunette state, she couldn't help but notice that there was a streak near the top of her head to the left that was a deep red. It streaked all the way through to the ends. Somehow, George's antidote–intentionally or not–had allowed for her original hair color to return.
She touched it in surprise, unsure of the feelings she held when she saw it.
Ignoring it for the time being, she made her way down the hall and proceeded to finish getting ready for the evening.
+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+
A firm knock came at a quarter to seven.
"Come in!" Clara called. She was checking herself over once more in her mirror as she put on the necklace Fred had given her. The badger was the most excited it had been in weeks, running all around the chain and making it somewhat hard for Clara to put on.
Arthur opened the door and stood smiling to himself. "You look beautiful, m'lady."
Clara chuckled. Arthur had a suit jacket on as well as a fancy looking cap.
"May I assist you?" he asked.
Clara looked down at her necklace and held it out to Arthur. "This badger is much too excited."
He laughed as he stood behind Clara.
She watched as the necklace moved in front of her face, then rested around her neck.
After securing it, Arthur tapped Clara on the shoulder. "Shall I take you to dinner?"
She smiled as Arthur held out his arm for her. "I'd be honored."
The two walked out of her room, down the hall, then down the stairs. Arthur was sure to help her down the stairs carefully so that Clara didn't trip in her high heels on the dress.
As they reached the bottom, they were greeted by George.
"Madam, so good to see you once again," he played, holding out his arm. "I can take it from here, Mr. Weasley."
"Perfect, Mr. Weasley," Arthur thanked.
Clara couldn't help but giggle at the ridiculousness of this family that she loved so much.
Arthur tipped his cap to her as he returned upstairs, he and Molly eating their dinner in their room.
George walked Clara to the dining room table that was now covered in a deep red table cloth, two candles sitting in the middle of it. A feast sat before Clara's eyes. A beautifully roasted chicken sat in a pan flanked by mashed potatoes whose garlic smell permeated her senses. A colorful plate of mixed vegetables sat freshly steamed next to a bottle of wine.
Fred stood on the other side of the table, staring into space as he fidgeted with his hands. He was wearing a black suit jacket with a white collared shirt underneath, surprisingly not wearing a tie. He had black slacks on along with shiny dress shoes. Clara couldn't think of a time where she had seen him dress so sharply.
"Ahem," George announced.
Fred's attention snapped up, his eyebrows lifting as a smile grew on his face.
Clara left her hair down, waves cascading down past her shoulders. Her face looked perfect, her make up complimenting the brown eyes that Fred could stare into for hours. Her lips were graced with a deep maroon color lipstick as Clara's natural blush started to dust her cheeks. His eyes wandered up and down, admiring the dress his mother had made. It hugged Clara in all the right places, Fred tugging at his collar as he cleared his throat.
"Mr. Weasley, a Miss Caxton has arrived for you."
"Thank you, Mr. Weasley," Fred thanked. He walked around the table and pulled out the chair for Clara, George helping her sit in it.
Fred took the seat opposite of her while George proceeded to carve the chicken to the couple at the table. He placed it perfectly on each plate, then placed the sides artistically around it while Fred opened the bottle of wine that Clara had spotted when they walked in.
Once George finished serving them, he gave a half bow once more then left the room.
"Dig in," Fred instructed, waving towards Clara's plate. "Took me all afternoon to make this."
"You made this?" Clara asked questioningly.
"Well, I had some help from mum," Fred admitted, starting to cut into his chicken.
Clara nodded as she took a bite. She had to admit that it was delicious. The meal reminded her of when Fred and George would invite her up to their flat after work some nights. They had always wanted to make it up to her when she'd cook for them. The mashed potatoes had always been her favorite thing they'd make, Clara noting that the bowl that sat in front of her was bigger than usual.
"I made extra for you," Fred added, seeing where Clara's gaze had fallen.
"You know me too well," Clara chuckled.
Fred paused with a smirk as he gazed across the table to the girl that was illuminated by the candlelight. "Not yet."
Clara's blush seemed to make her face turn ten shades pinker as she looked down at her food. "So what is all this for?"
Fred shrugged. "This is our first date."
Clara raised an eyebrow. "Now?"
"Why not?" Fred laughed. "I can't think of a better time."
Clara nodded. "I suppose so."
The two ate in silence for some time, stealing glances at each other and looking away with a blush when they were caught.
Clara's laugh broke the silence, Fred admiring the way her smile lit up her face. Her eyes seemed to have a new life to them when she laughed, which is why he tried to so hard to make her do it when she worked at the shop.
The way he admired her made her heart dance in her chest. There hadn't been a time that Clara could remember that Fred looked that way at anything. She knew that the shop was his passion. When he'd look around when they opened in the morning, that look almost rivaled the one she saw on his face now.
"You have definitely impressed me, Freddie."
"I'm glad. And the night isn't even over yet."
With a wave of his wand, the dishes and food disappeared from the table. To Clara's surprise, it was replaced by an apple pie.
"Mr. Weasley made apple pie?" she questioned with a bright grin.
"I attempted it. Don't judge it too harshly," he asked.
"I dunno," Clara teased, grabbing the knife to cut it. "I've got some pretty high pie standards."
He rolled his eyes as he held out a plate. "Just serve the pie."
She giggled as she placed two slices on two plates. As she took a bite, she shot a look at Fred. "Fred, why were you hiding your baking excellence from me all year?"
He shrugged. "You never asked for help."
They finished eating their pie as they laughed about things from that year, including what would happen to the shop now that they had so many new ideas from Michael.
With another wave of his wand at the end of their meal, everything disappeared off of the table. Fred walked around and held his hand out to Clara. "Madam."
She took it gladly, following Fred into the parlor that was now void of the large sofas and coffee table. With another wave of his wand, an old violin that was sitting on the mantle picked itself up. It started to play a slow tune, each beautiful note floating towards the couple who now stood in the middle of the room.
"May I have this dance?"
Clara placed her hands on Fred's shoulders in acceptance as his hands sat on her hips. They moved in time with the music, their gazes never leaving each other's.
"You never cease to amaze me, Fred Weasley."
"I hope I can keep it up," Fred joked.
The more they danced, the slower the music played. Eventually the two found themselves swaying back and forth, Clara's head resting beneath Fred's chin as the space between them closed. Fred's hands sat on her lower back as her hands laced themselves behind his neck.
She closed her eyes as she savored the moment. Everything – at least in that room – was perfect.
The music soon ended, Fred suddenly sweeping Clara off of her feet, now carrying her bridal style.
"Shall I take you up to your room?" he asked.
"And what are your intentions when we get there?" she asked, an eyebrow raised as she felt herself being moved towards the stair case.
"Nothing you'll regret." Fred kissed Clara on the cheek before ascending the stairs to Clara's bedroom.
When they reached their destination, Fred set Clara down and they both walked in. He closed the door behind them. Turning around once more, he saw Clara standing near the window looking up at the stars. He walked over and stood behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist.
"I can't thank you enough, Freddie," Clara started, her hands resting on his. "Tonight was– is–the most perfect night that I can remember."
He smiled as he brought his head down into the crook of her neck, kissing it softly. "And it won't be the last, I can promise you that."
He could hear Clara chuckle.
"What's so funny?"
"Well, I can't be the only one thinking it."
"Thinking what?"
Clara pulled away and turned around to face Fred, her back leaning against the wall next to the window. "This may very well be the last perfect night we do get."
Fred shook his head. "You can't think like that."
Clara looked down. "Don't you ever think, though, that this could be it? Times like these were the very ones that made our own parents wed in a rush, made people lose the ones they loved before they could say or do the things they really wanted to do…have families…grow old together."
He placed his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. He paused as he made sure his next words were exactly what he wanted to say. "Yes, I do think sometimes that maybe this night could be it. But more often than not, I believe that this is just the first of many amazing times we will spend together. Because…yes, I do want to marry you. I do want to have a family with you. I do want to grow old together. It's those times that I want that make me push away all the doubt. They make me want to join the fight so that we can enjoy those times much sooner and not have to worry."
Clara smirked as she brought her arms up to Fred's shoulders, bringing him in closer to her. "So…you want to marry me, huh?" she asked, trying to lighten up the situation.
"Of course I do," Fred admitted as his hands resumed their position on her hips. "I've practically been in love with you for most of the year…"
Clara paused as she watched Fred's face. He avoided her gaze as an usually large amount of blush ran across his cheeks. His usual armor of confidence seemed dented, as if Clara had found one of his weak spots.
When he finally did make eye contact with her once more, Clara confessed, "You know…the other night I might have told you a little white lie…I don't exactly like you."
Fred's now showed some confusion, his eyes more honed in than before.
"…I love you, Fred Weasley."
"And I love you, Clarissa Caxton." He immediately kissed her once again, both their eyes closing as they reveled in the moment. There was so much more passion, more emotion, and more care than either of them had remembered their first kiss having.
Continuing their kiss, Fred slowly pulled Clara towards her bed. He sat down, breaking the kiss, as he stared up to the woman who stood before him. The moonlight casted shadows on her face making her seem all the more mysterious.
Clara couldn't wipe the smile off of her face as she looked down at Fred. She ran her fingers through his hair, his eyes closing as he enjoyed the sensation.
"That's dangerous you know," he informed, his voice lower than normal.
"And why's that?" Clara asked.
"That may lead to something more…involved," Fred replied, his right hand running up Clara's leg within the slit of her dress. He winked at her playfully as she chuckled.
"Now that you're going to have to wait for," she replied, taking a seat next to Fred. Her heart was racing much harder than it had earlier, the possibilities of what the night could lead to running through her head.
He nodded, taking a deep breath to settle himself. "I don't mind."
She smiled at him, taking his face in her hands so that she could kiss him again.
"I love you, Fred Weasley," she repeated again between kisses. The words were like a fine wine as they passed through her lips.
"I love you, Clarissa Caxton."
+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+
The twins stood in front of the Burrow, just as everyone before them had done over the past few days, as they checked to make sure they had everything they needed before they left.
Molly was trying her hardest to keep herself together before they left, but tears were already escaping her eyes. Arthur's mouth was a hard line as he stood with his arm around his wife.
Clara stood a little ways back, wanting to give the Weasleys their time to say goodbye to one another.
"Now you make sure that we hear from you as often as we can," Molly said to her two boys, her hands resting on each of their cheeks. "And keep each other safe. That's an order."
"Yes, mum," they replied in unison. Each of them leaned down to give her a hug, then moved to their father to give him a tight embrace as well. There wasn't much of an exchange of words, the hug meant to convey those unspoken feelings.
George walked over to Clara first, a large grin still on his face. "I dunno what you're gonna do here, locked away with Mum and Dad."
"I'll keep myself busy," Clara informed with a smirk. She reached up to give George a hug.
He lifted her off the ground during their embrace.
"Take care," she whispered to him.
"I'll be fine," he answered, setting his best friend back on the ground. "And I'll keep him safe as well."
Clara smiled in appreciation as she wiped a few tears from her eyes.
Fred walked over and stood next to his brother, George taking the hint and walking back to his parents.
Clara wasted no time in bringing Fred into her arms, her grip tight as she hid her face from the world. She buried her face in his neck, her tears starting to flow more freely. "You best make it home safely, Fred Weasley."
"Or else what?" He teased.
"Or I'll–I'll–"
"Actually, don't finish that," Fred interrupted. He pulled a little ways away so that he could look at Clara. "There's no way I'm not coming back home to you."