"Wow, your hair is even fluffy while wet," George had commented when he returned in his pajamas to their bedroom. He ruined all my handwork of brushing through my hair by ruffling it harshly.

"Hey-" I bit out, slapping his hand and trying to fight him off. When he finally did let off, I glanced up at Fred to see him looking on in approval as he leaned against the side of his bed. "What, no help?"

"Afraid not," Fred teased, crossing his arms and tilting his head back a bit.

"That flavor changing taffy worked well on the first years who tried it out," George reported, taking his seat down in front of his bed on the floor. "But it didn't change their tongues at all, except for the color."

"What color did it show?"

"Usually a rainbow, but some randomly got solid colors, too."

"Mm, they didn't even say their mouths felt a little funny?"

"No," George said dejectedly.

"We'll have to use a different charm then," Fred looked up at the ceiling. "Oh, I've got it."

"Yeah?" George pulled out a bag that had some loosely wrapped taffy along with his wand.

"Engorgio," his eyes had that little mischievous glint in them, the one that made shivers run down my spine. "Feeling chilly, Soot? Grab a blanket or something."

George wordlessly reached over to some pullover left on the floor and tossed it to me, turning back to their conversation seamlessly. This hoodie...smelt heavenly. Whatever they used to wash the clothes must've been mixed with magic or something, and I pulled it over my head quickly.

"Fred, you are a genius," George muttered, beginning to cast the charm on the taffy.

"We'll need to test it," Fred mumbled, "Ron'll be fine, surely."

"Surely, a tough kid, that one."

The candlelight flickered, and I brushed my fingers over the threadbare carpet underneath us. Fred and George's voices were deep, low from the mumbling and muttering to avoid their mum hearing. It was soothing, in a weird way, and I felt the bass of their voices settle into the bottom of my head and rumble softly. My head flopped to the side and I barely caught myself from banging my forehead on the table.

"Sorry," I murmured, blinking slowly.

"Get into bed before you get another concussion," George fussed, pushing me over until I stood up sluggishly. "On you go."

He pulled back the covers for me and everything, treating me like a baby. Not that I minded, I was a bit too tired to really care.

"Glinda tells me he sleeps like a log," I heard George whisper to Fred as he turned his back to me.

I took a slow, deep inhale and reveled in the way the bed smelled just like Fred. Somehow, his bed was even more comfy than the couch downstairs.

"Really, now?" Fred laughed lightly, leaning his back against the bed. I could feel the back of his head just barely brushing against my back.

"Yeah, she talks about him a lot for someone who supposedly can barely stand him."

"Oh, those are the best friendships. How did we not meet them before this year?"

"I have no idea, they're absolutely hilarious."

"Soot's been at quidditch tryouts before too, I'm sure I would've noticed him."

"Why do you say that?"

I felt Fred shuffle against the bed, and the creaking of the floorboards clued me in that he shifted positions.

"Well...okay, this stays between us, yeah?"

"Duh, who would I tell?"

"That's the thing," Fred replied nervously, even quieter than before. "It's about him."

"Him?" I guessed the shuffle of fabric was George gesturing at me.

"Yeah, I think I smelled him with the amortentia."

"No," George whispered, "You're sure?"

Ooh, he was a good actor. Even I was convinced he had no idea.

"I'm almost certain, and sometimes I'll think he's looking at me a bit odd, too. Not that I haven't been looking at him odd..."

"You dog," George teased, "That's why you went for tutoring, hm? Had a little study date in the greenhouse, did you?"

"Perhaps," Fred replied smugly.

It was almost criminal how badly I was shaking and blushing. Here Fred was, thinking he was pulling all these moves when George and Glinda had carefully crafted everything to turn out this way regardless, I felt like I should be locked up for my part in it.

I wish I could've listened to Fred talk about me more, and have all these secrets to myself, but my sleepiness finally caught up with me. I couldn't help but let my eyes close as I drifted off.

A meadow filled with sunshine and flowers spread itself out in front of me. Mother and Father sat back in the shade of the big oak tree, leaving me to wander around the field and collect wildflowers in my little basket. It was a simple dream, one I hadn't had in a long time, but it was welcome.

Just as I turned around to call Mother to come help me, my eyes shot open to darkness.

"Ouch," I called out softly, feeling something crush against my leg sharply.

"Sorry, just trying to squeeze in," I felt someone shoving me toward the wall, and I was a bit too lazy to help them. "Go back to sleep, we'll wake you when it's morning for breakfast."

"Mm," I mumbled, letting my eyes close back.

He crawled into bed beside me, and I could feel his breath fanning against my neck. This bed was pretty small, and our legs bumped into each other a bit as we readjusted.

But the bed was so comfortable, and he was so warm, that I couldn't help but drift back off to sleep soon after waking.

Surprisingly, I wasn't woken in the morning by the noise of the Weasley family, but rather a few stray sunbeams that lit up the bedroom. My eyes cracked open to find themselves staring right at the face of none other than Fred Weasley.

"Ah," I quietly exclaimed, covering my mouth quickly as not to wake him.

His face was completely relaxed, and his head just barely was hanging off the pillow. I had obviously been a bed hog with how close to the edge he was, yet Fred still managed to look immensely peaceful.

Gently, I gripped his shirt and tried to pull him a bit more onto the bed, which worked pretty well until his eyes slowly opened and lazily focused onto me.

"Hello there," his groggy voice roughly spoke. "Come here often?"

"I wish," I breathed out without really thinking about it.

"I'm sure we can arrange that," he smiled, pushing himself up onto the bed further and tossing a limp arm over my waist.

"I wouldn't want to be a bother," I mumbled, not really sure what the polite thing to say is when you're in a boy's bed.

"Someone cute like you in my bed is never a bother," Fred responded smoothly, much better at this whole flirting thing than I was.

"What happened to top and tail?" I asked timidly, slowly resting the palms of my hands on his chest.

"Well, you just looked so cozy I had to join you."

"Mm," I hummed, avoiding his eyes. His face was so close, and all my raging teenage brain could focus on was how close his lips were to mine.

"Soot," he asked quietly, catching my attention. "I've got a question for you."

"Yes?" I asked just as quietly.

"Could I kiss you right now?"

My heart leapt out of my chest and screamed violently in the middle of the room, collapsing in a fit of shock.

"I-Uh, yeah." I stammered, not prepared for him to immediately lean forward and press his lips against mine.

My eyes were closed gently and for a moment I was in complete disbelief. If you had told me even a few months ago that I would be spending Christmas break in Fred Weasley's bed, I wouldn't have believed you. If you had then gone on to tell me that we kissed? I would've checked you in with Madame Pomfrey for mental issues.

"This is coming out a bit out of order," he mumbled as he pulled away, eyes still glancing back down at my lips before resting on my eyes. "But I like you."

"Oh, I was hoping so," I teased hesitantly.

"You like me too?" He asked, like he was surprised despite us sharing a rather tender kiss just a moment before.

"I'm glad you finally noticed."