A/N: Just a forewarning: I've altered the timeline just a little bit to fit into my story. Most of you probably won't even notice, as it's a super minor change that has no real effect on the plot, but it just made for a smoother narrative for me.

Hope you're all safe and healthy with all the coronavirus madness happening out there. If you're stuck indoors like I am, then I can imagine you'll appreciate this update. See you at the bottom!

One moment they were staring like they were searching one another's souls, and in the next Fred had her flush against him, his lips pressed to hers.

Winona gasped against him, but just as quickly melted into it. She stopped thinking; stopped wondering and deliberating and second guessing, and she just threw herself into Fred with everything she had.

She wound her arms around his neck, using the angle to push herself up higher against him. He retaliated by wrapping his other arm around her waist, gripping her tightly for traction and lifting her like she weighed nothing. Her feet left the floor and she could do nothing but hold onto him, held in his embrace, lips fused together like they were helpless but to be consumed.

It felt like it were something she'd been holding back from. A cake she'd spied at a party that she hadn't been allowed to touch. But now that she had it in her hands, tasted it on her tongue, she wondered why she'd ever bothered to hold back in the first place.

Kissing Fred was like the feeling of being away from home for years and years, then finally stepping through the door to find the fireplace crackling and the smell of fresh bread wafting in from the kitchen; a home more perfect than you could have even imagined. Because that's exactly what it felt like to Winona.

Kissing Adam, it had been awkward and perfunctory. Kissing Jeremiah had been like scorching fire, burning her alive from the inside out. Exciting and hot, but deadly all the same.

Kissing Fred? That was like coming home.

Slowly, as if she were something delicate and breakable, Fred began to lower her feet back down to the floor. Weightless no more, she let her hands travel from his shoulders up into his red hair. Fred sighed against her when she ran her short nails against his scalp, and she took the opportunity to nip at his bottom lip then soothe it with a quick flash of her tongue.

She was the first to pull away, desperate for air. Her eyes stayed shut and her fingers remained tangled in his shaggy hair. He moved closer, noses brushing until finally his forehead rested against hers. For a moment they were just breathing the same air, and it felt more intimate than anything she'd ever done with anyone else.

But she couldn't keep her eyes shut forever. Sooner or later they had to open, and she had to face this new reality she and Fred had created for themselves.

Eyelashes fluttering open, she was met with Fred's cornflower eyes already open and watching her. She swallowed, finding her mouth dry. Slowly, tentatively, she untangled her fingers from his messy red hair then unwound her arms from around his neck. Bringing them down to his chest until her palms were pressed gently to his chest, her cheeks warmed at how fast his heart was racing, like a galloping horse.

She wasn't sure what to do other than look at him. Words escaped her. What could she say after that? After they'd crossed a line she wasn't sure could ever be taken back? Had they just made an awful mistake?

But then Fred spoke and all doubt flew from her mind.

"I want to be more than just your friend," he confessed, voice raspy and thick with honesty. "Does that sound good to you?"

In typical Weasley twin fashion, it was such a casual question. Does that sound good to you? Like he was asking what she thought of lamb instead of steak for dinner that night. But somehow it held her entire future in its mere six syllables. It gave her unfathomable power.

Because she could say no. He knew she could. Knew she could break him and her and everything they'd built since that day she'd punched a bully in the face on a train bound for a magical school in Scotland. But she didn't want to, and he probably knew that, too.

"Yeah," she rasped, just as wrecked. "That sounds good to me."

Fred smiled. Not his usual impish smirk, or his wide guffaw of hilarity, but instead something wide and sincere and gentle and crackling with warmth like the hearth of a fireplace. Winona smiled back, finding herself inexplicably shy.

His hands rested on her waist, and when his thumb brushed over the sharp jut of her hipbone, she bit her lip to smother a gasp. Fred smiled, just a little bit smug, and slowly disentangled from her. "If I go have a quick shower, will you wait here for me?" he asked hopefully.

Wordless, Winona could only nod her head. He ducked down, pecking her lips like it were the most natural thing in the whole world.

"I'll be right back," he promised, then ducked down to his trunk, swiped up a handful of clean clothes, and disappeared into the bathroom. The door clicked shut and the shower turned on, and Winona was left alone in the boys' dorm, heart thundering in her chest.

She felt strangely like the floor had been pulled out from underneath her, and she were just hanging in this odd state of limbo where she wasn't sure what was real and what was total illusion. Forcing herself to take a few deep breaths, she padded with bare feet over to Fred's bed, hesitating only a moment before throwing caution to the wind and climbing onto it.

Even with the fire burning, it was cold, and this time there was no hesitation as Winona lifted his covers and crawled underneath. Instantly she was warm, and the pillow smelt like Fred – all gunpowder and fresh soil. Winona took the towel off her shoulders, tossing it over the foot of the bed then sinking down into the mattress and closing her eyes.

She was tired but not sleepy. Exhausted from the day she'd had but too wired by what had happened just now to even think about getting any sleep. For now she just enjoyed Fred's bed, soaking up its warmth and its scent, and thinking that if she had the choice in that moment, she might never leave this spot ever again.

She tried not to overthink things, knowing it would just send her into a spiral. She wanted to live in this moment, and this moment alone. She wasn't interested in their past, and she certainly wasn't focused on their future. She just wanted to exist as she was, without time ruining things, or making them any more complicated.

Soon enough the sound of the shower stopped and the door creaked open. She still had her eyes shut, so she felt more than saw Fred's relief that she was still there, curled in his bed like she belonged. Maybe to him, she did.

"Win?" he whispered, unsure whether she were asleep or not.

She waited only a heartbeat before opening her eyes and peering up at him from where her face was half buried in his pillow. Their eyes met, and as if they were helpless but to smile, matching grins stretched across their faces.

Emboldened, Winona lifted the covers on his side, and though the tips of his ears had gone bright red, Fred still didn't hesitate to climb underneath the covers with her. He laid down on the mattress, stiff as a board, arms by his sides.

Winona rolled her eyes fondly. "Don't be weird," she chided him, shifting closer and curling up against him even as her heart fluttered nervously.

She wound an arm around his waist, threaded their legs together and then rested her chin on his shoulder. She could feel Fred's heart racing through his skin and smiled as she pressed a gentle but cheeky kiss to the junction of his shoulder and throat.

"Relax," she whispered, forcing herself to do the same.

Fred took a deep breath, then slowly let his arm curl around her in return. They breathed together, Winona soaking up his presence, calm in a way she'd hadn't been in weeks. Like the anxious chatter and what-ifs in her head had gone quiet, replaced by bone-deep tranquility.

"I like this," she confessed, subconsciously rubbing her toes against his shin. It was easy, mindless affection. It came as simple as breathing; like they'd been doing it all their lives.

"Me too," he admitted, fingers trailing thoughtlessly up and down her side. He hit a particularly sensitive spot and startled when Winona giggled. He propped himself up onto his elbow, smirking down at her, eyes alight with that familiar mischief she so adored. "Are you ticklish?" he asked impishly. She stubbornly didn't answer, burying her face in his shoulder instead. But that in itself was all the answer he needed. "You are. How did I not know that?"

She peeked up at him warily. "You have to promise to use this information for good, and not for evil," she ordered him as sternly as she could manage while curled around him like a needy octopus.

The smirk on his face widened, and she felt a sinking horror. "And what exactly is this 'evil', you speak of?" he asked sweetly.

She knew what was coming – whether by premonition or just because she knew him so well, she couldn't say. "Don't you dare."

Fred grinned, wide and sparkling with mischief, before he dove in, ticking her sides and sending her into throws of laughter. She tried to fight him off, kicking at him with her feet, but he wouldn't give. Finally she hooked her leg around his hip and threw her weight at him until their positions were switched.

He was so stunned by the reversal that he paused his assault, and she took the opportunity to snatch up his hands, pinning them above his head.

He went still, staring up at her with wide, surprised eyes. Winona grinned wickedly, leaning down until their noses brushed and watching as he followed her every move. "You wanna know something, Freddie?" she whispered, and Fred could only nod soundlessly. "I really hate being tickled."

Fred swallowed, nodding again. She rewarded him with a sparkling beam, bravely swooping in to press a soft kiss to his lips, then sitting back up and rolling off him, only to curl up into his side once more, threading their legs together like the most lovely of puzzle pieces.

Face pressed into his side, Winona couldn't help but giggle. The whole thing was so farfetched. If she'd been told twenty-four hours ago that this was where she'd be come the next night, she'd have laughed it off and made an off-colour joke about the state of Fred's sheets.

But now here she was, curled up and content. Happy while also mind-numbingly terrified. Everything was different now; was it for the better?

"We should probably talk," she finally said reluctantly, tracing nonsense shapes into his chest with the tip of her finger.

Fred let out a huffing laugh. "You could sound a little more enthusiastic."

She pulled far enough away that he could see her crinkled nose. "I don't do well with these sort of things."

Fred's answering smirk was affectionate. "I know."

This time when she pulled back, it was completely, pushing away from him and sitting upright with her legs crossed underneath her, toying idly with the small ring on her middle finger.

The levity in Fred's face disappeared, replaced by a more sober expression. "When you say we should talk…" he said carefully, copying her and sitting on the bed across from her, legs crossed and facing her.

Winona took a deep breath. What came next wasn't going to be easy, and she got the feeling it was going to either make or break them. But she knew she couldn't go any further if they didn't address the elephant in the room.

"What you said to me," she began, hating how unsteady her voice came out. She cleared her throat and tried again. "What you said really upset me; and I don't think it was fair."

Fred frowned like he had no clue what she was talking about, but as she stared at him expectantly for a long moment, realisation crashed over him like a torrential downpour. Pain and regret twisted on his face, and Winona said nothing, her heart swelling into her throat.

"Win, I didn't – I mean, at the time – I was angry – I was jealous," he said quickly, such pain in his eyes that she almost felt bad for bringing it up. Almost.

It needed to be said, and before they took this anywhere meaningful, she had to know he didn't mean it – or at the very least that he felt some guilt over it.

She set her jaw, grit her teeth, and stood up for herself in a way she hadn't ever before. "No amount of anger or jealousy ever excuses calling me a whore," she said, voice hard and as pretty as diamond. Remorse flooded his expression, and she couldn't help but feel relieved at the sight of it. "Tell me you're sorry," she said it so softly, he nearly missed it.

"Merlin – Win – of course I'm sorry," Fred babbled, reaching out to scoop up her hands, gripping her so tightly that she got the feeling he was afraid she wasn't going to accept his apology. That she was going to get up and walk away from him, for good. "I regretted it the second it left my mouth. I hate myself for it – I was blinded by jealousy. And that isn't an excuse, but it's…it's an explanation."

Winona said nothing, letting him clutch her hands and watching him inscrutably.

"George tore me a new one after it happened," he continued, looking more anxious than she'd ever seen him. As though this might not be enough to absolve him. "But he didn't have to – I know it was awful of me. And if you decide not to forgive me – well, I'll understand-"

"Oh, shut up," she said, and Fred fell abruptly silent, eyes wide and alarmed, like a deer in the headlights. He didn't seem to know what to make of her interruption, so she allowed herself to smile. "Of course I forgive you, you idiot," she laughed quietly.

Fred blinked like she'd just spoken fluent Gobbledegook. "You do?"

"We all say and do stupid things when we're angry," she told him softly, gripping him in return, stroking her thumbs over the skin on the backs of his hands. "Merlin knows I've committed my fair share of atrocities when I'm pissed; sometimes for no reason other than not getting any sleep the night before."

He stared at her silently, eyes narrowed as he tried to work out what she was saying.

"It wasn't okay, but I care about you enough to forgive you, and give you another chance. But Fred Weasley, so help me God, if the word 'whore' ever so much as comes out of your mouth in relation to me again-"

"It wont!" he insisted, jumping on the opportunity she'd given him.

It was enough to make her smile. "Well, then that's that."

Fred swallowed thickly. She watched his Adam's apple bob as he did, like he were nervous, and she leaned in so their noses brushed. She stayed there, breathing his air, until his eyes fluttered shut and she slotted her lips gently between him.

The kiss was chaste and delicate, like the seal of a promise, and her skin tingled with something she could only describe as magic. Winona pulled back to find his eyes still shut, and she pressed another gentle kiss to his cheek before leaning back and squeezing his hands.

He opened his eyes, looking adorably dazed, and Winona's heart melted just a little. There was still more to say; they weren't done yet.

"Fred – the last two relationships I had, they didn't turn out so well," she began again. The hazy look in Fred's eyes disappeared, replaced by something clear and determined. He listened with the kind of fervour he'd seldom had before. "I don't want what happened with them to happen to us," she finished honestly, because she was done with secrets between them. She was all in; and she could only hope he was, too.

"It won't," he said, the words easy and confident, like they were a simple fact of life. Exasperated, Winona sent him a flat stare. "I mean it," he insisted. "Look into the future. Tell me what you see."

Winona rolled her eyes, growing annoyed. "You know it doesn't work that way."

Fred rolled his eyes back, like she were being the annoying one. "I don't mean as a Seer," he huffed. "Look ahead, just as you. Imagine your future. What's in it? What's always been in it?"

And she knew the answer in her heart and the answer he was looking for were one and the same. "You," she said, cheeks turning pink. Fred grinned back widely, showing off his pearly white teeth, a little bit impish. "Shut up," she told him, but it lacked bite.

"Win," he said, reaching across the bed and taking her fidgeting hands in his own, gripping firmly. "Whatever happens, we won't lose each other. Not ever. Not even if this whole thing crashes and burns."

Reluctantly amused, Winona's lips curved up at the ends. "Are you expecting it to crash and burn?" she wondered, a little bit playful.

"Not at all," Fred told her without a hint of doubt.

"You sound so sure."

"I always have been," he told her, bright and happy in a way she hadn't seen him for months.

"Well why couldn't you have said something sooner?" she asked, finding herself annoyed again. It was like that with Fred, a life of walking the line between annoyed and amused. She wished she hated it, but she really didn't.

"Why couldn't you have said something sooner?" he shot back, the smile in his eyes never disappearing, his hands holding hers like he intended never to let go. "It takes two."

Winona narrowed her eyes. "You were with Ange," she reminded him. "I'm many things, Fred Weasley, but a home-wrecker isn't one of them." Instead of looking chagrinned, Fred just smiled as if in that moment there was nothing in the world that could melt the smile from his face. Winona scrunched her nose at him in displeasure. "This is serious, Fred. If we're going to do this-"

"Do what?"

Winona paused, peering at him with suspicion. "This," she said again.

Fred smirked. "And what is this?"

Praying to Merlin for patience, Winona glared. "Are you looking to get slapped?"

He rolled his eyes, less than chastised. "Win, I'm happy over here," he told her warmly, a sort of fire crackling within the words, and she knew them to be true. "Why don't you stop worrying and come join me in the land of content?"

But Winona wasn't so ready to stop fretting. She did shuffled closer, moving until their knees brushed, and held tight to his hands. "Fred, I don't know if we can just waltz down into the common room hand in hand and expect everything to work itself out," she said softly. "Ange is one of my best friends; she was in love with you, and you just broke up today. How's that going to make her feel?"

Finally Fred's blasé attitude shifted. He didn't frown, but he wasn't smiling, staring down at their hands, gently tracing patterns into her upturned palm. She got the feeling he was just enjoying being able to touch her freely; it was a feeling she more than shared.

"I didn't think about that," Fred admitted, a little bit ashamed.

Guilt itching at her insides, Winona threaded their fingers together and ducked her head until she caught his stare. "What're we gonna do?" she asked gently, pleading with him to have an answer, because she didn't want this all on her. Maybe that was selfish, or maybe it was just part of being in a relationship – sharing one another's burdens.

Suddenly unsure, his hands tugged and pushed at her own, a thoughtless affection. "We are…together, right?" he asked awkwardly.

Winona couldn't help but smile. She leaned closer, and as if helpless but to copy, Fred mirrored her, leaning forwards until their breath intermingled. "You wanna be my boyfriend, Fred Weasley?" she asked him, whispering it like a secret.

He might have smiled, but she didn't see, too busy counting the different shades of blue in his eyes. He didn't say anything, didn't seem to know how to possibly reply. He just exhaled in a rush and ducked in to press his lips to hers. She grinned into the kiss, making it clumsy, but neither cared. Winona suddenly understood with a little more clarity what he meant about being happy with him in the land of content.

She hadn't realised how much she'd wanted this before now. She thought it dangerous, really. Like any addict, now that she'd had a taste of a single moment of happiness with Fred, who was to say she wouldn't demand a thousand more? A million? Would she ever be able to stop? She wanted a lifetime.

Fred pulled back and Winona opened her eyes to find him smiling down at her. "Does that answer your question?"

"Hmm, not quite," she said playfully. "I think I'm going to need a more in-depth answer."

He hummed back, cheesy grin firmly in place. "Yeah," he agreed. "Me too."

He tugged her unexpectedly into his lap and she let out a quiet squeal of surprise as his hands pressed to the small of her back, drawing her against him. With nowhere else to put her legs, she wrapped them around his hips, straddling him on the bed. Lips melded together, they kissed languidly, like they had all the time in the world. In that moment, it certainly felt like they did.

And some part of her – the anxious, eager-to-please part – wanted to take it further. She wanted him like she hadn't wanted anybody before, but there was a voice in her head reminding her that she'd given into Jeremiah within only a few days, and look how that had turned out. She was determined not to ruin things with Fred. She was determined not to rush it.

So it was with a great execution of willpower that she pulled back, gasping for air, hands tangled once more in his hair. Fred made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat, and he tugged her back towards him. Winona avoided his lips with a small laugh.

"We have to stop, or somebody's gonna come looking for us," she said quietly, as if not wanting to let the world hear her daring it.

"Nobody's gonna come looking for us," he tried to assure her, hand running down the length of her spine. Winona bit her lip as she shivered, but still, she refused to give in.

"Well, I'm hungry," she said instead, leaning backwards and taking some of her weight off of him. "We should go down and grab an early dinner."

"Well, I guess being put under that kind of bewitchment for a whole day's bound to make you a little hungry," he said, watching her as she climbed reluctantly off his lap and reclaimed her seat on the mattress opposite him.

But Winona knew they couldn't leave the dorm just yet. "Fred," she began quietly, dread settling like a stone in her belly. "I think we should hold off on making this…public knowledge," she said, trying to be delicate about it.

Fred didn't outwardly react, but by now she knew him almost better than she knew herself, and she could see the drop in his mood. He didn't say anything, watching her silently, and Winona took a deep, nervous breath.

"It isn't fair to Ange, for us to start dating the same day you broke up," she said, a frown pinching her brow.

"Ange knows how I feel about you," said Fred, and Winona couldn't possibly deny the small, electric thrill his words gave her. "She told me herself that she was okay with this happening."

"Be that as it may," said Winona, as if she were in a job interview rather than talking with her new boyfriend about labels, "how is the rest of the school gonna look at me? They're gonna think I'm the villain here."

"Since when do you care what other people think?" Fred countered.

"Since Rita Skeeter aired all my dirty laundry in her article," she replied without missing a beat. "I'm already the freak with visions, I don't want to add 'home-wrecker' onto the list of things people can talk shit about."

Fred's expression was hard, but not hostile. Maybe a little disappointed. "So, what, you think we should wait?"

"Just a while," she said, desperately hoping he'd understand. Because she couldn't lose him over this. Fred's expression remained firm, and Winona looked away. "I'm just not ready to be the school's Undesirable No.1 for the second time in a single year," she said, feeling oddly naked with the confession. Her shoulders drooped and she avoided looking at him, toying with a loose thread in his bedspread.

His hand wrapped around hers, stopping her from ripping any more of the thread from his sheets. "Win," he said, quieter than usual. "If you want to keep it quiet for awhile…I understand," he told her, almost like it pained him to do so.

Hesitantly, she met his eyes. "You do?"

His hard expression had softened, and now it melted further in the face of her round eyes and pinched mouth. "I just don't want it to be a repeat of the Nott situation," he spat the name like it was acid on his tongue.

"It won't be," she promised immediately. "I want to be with you. And as of this moment, I am. But we're just going to keep it on the down-low for a few weeks. Until the fuss over yours and Ange's breakup has faded away."

He slid his arms around her middle, pulling her back into his lap again like he could hardly stand another minute of space between them. She let out a bark of surprised laughter. Fred was even more affectionate than she'd thought he'd be – and she loved it.

"I'm telling George," he said, a compromise.

Winona rolled her eyes. "Obviously," she told him, and his goofy grin nearly caused her heart to explode. "And Lee, too."

"Lee?" he asked. "I love the guy, but he couldn't keep a secret to save his life."

"Well, how else are we going to be able to explain why I'm up here in your bed all the time?" she countered.

Fred's eyebrows shot up his forehead, and she knew she'd said the wrong thing. A sly smirk broke out across his face, and her heart leapt again – like it was sick of hiding and had finally come alive, reacting to Fred in the way it had always wanted but never felt free to.

"Planning to spend a lot of time in my bed, are you, Win?" he asked smugly.

"Probably, yeah," she said, owning it without shame. "That a problem?" She pushed away from him as if to stand and leave. "If you'd rather, I can go back to my own-"

He gripped her hips again, pulling her flush against him, and Winona's breath left her in a huff as they were pressed chest-to-chest. "Don't you dare," he murmured into the hollow of her throat; not like a warning, but like a plea.

Please don't leave, he seemed to beg her without actually using the words. Please don't ever leave again.

She sighed with playful exasperation. "Well, I s'pose if you're sure…" she trailed off for no other reason than talk became difficult when he pressed his lips to the spot over her racing pulse. She slid her hands into his hair again – because, really, she loved his hair – holding him to her as he kissed her throat. His thumbs rubbed little circles into her hips, and she realised she'd never felt so treasured by anyone before. It was enough to make her eyes mist, but she bit her tongue until the feeling went away and focused on Fred's breath against her sensitive skin.

"How d'you expect me not to touch you?" Fred asked, finally coming up for air. She looked down at him from where she hovered a little above, tilted upwards so their pelvises wouldn't touch. Slow, she reminded herself, don't rush anything.

"Hm?" she hummed distantly, feeling his skin warm and soft against hers.

"Now that I'm allowed to," he continued, staring up at her like it were a question on an exam he really needed to know the answer to, "how am I meant to stop?"

She sent him a befuddled frown. "You've always been allowed to touch me."

When his eyes lit up with wickedness, Winona knew she'd made yet another mistake. "Oh really?" he asked, nearly purring the words. Her insides tied themselves up into knots. "So, you would have been totally fine if I'd just come up to you and kissed you here…" he fell silent as he began to kiss a path up from her collarbones to the spot beneath her ear that covered her skin in tingles. "Or here…" he murmured, trailing his mouth over the sharp line her of jaw. "Or here…"

When he kissed her this time, she melted into it like she never had before, kissing him with a fervour that left him the one breathless. She nibbled at his full lower lip and surrendered herself to the feelings he was creating within her; hot and bubbling and passionate like she'd never known.

Distracted from her need to take things slow, she unthinkingly pressed closer, hips slotting together as their pelvises brushed. Fred's breath hitched against her lips, and Winona stopped breathing completely.

It took a great deal of self restraint to pull back from him, staring into his eyes, the cornflower blue almost completely hidden by the black of his blown pupils. She was sure hers were much the same.

"We should-"

"Take things slow," he finished, nodding in agreement. She felt a flush of relief that he was on the same page as her; something that hadn't been the case for quite awhile now. "Why don't you change back into your clothes?"

She blinked. "Hm?"

Fred looked amused. "Not that seeing you in my clothes isn't the single greatest thing on the planet; but if we're planning to keep this quiet, you slinking from my dorm wearing my favourite Puddlemere jersey isn't going to help keep suspicion at bay."

She glanced down at herself, finally remembering that she was wearing clothes she'd pinched from his trunk. Her cheeks went just the slightest bit pink, and she climbed off him. "I don't slink," she said, scrunching her nose at the thought.

Fred just laughed. Winona ignored him, fetching her wand and slipping into the bathroom where she'd left her clothes. With a flick of her wand, the clothes were dry and clean, and she changed into them silently, giving both herself and Fred some much-needed time to cool down.

Reappearing in her own clothes, she put his back into his pigsty of a trunk and then met him where he was standing at the door.

"So," he said before she could reach for the handle, "outside this door, everything's to be kept strictly innocent, yes?"

"That's right," she nodded.

"So, no holding hands, or kissing between classes, or ravaging you up against tapestries…"

Rolling her eyes, Winona reached for his hand. Sliding her fingers between his, she held on tight for a moment, just letting herself feel him there with her. "You're okay with that?" she asked, looking up at him from under her lashes.

"I'd be okay with anything if it was what you needed," he told her without so much as a beat of hesitation. Winona's chest swelled to the point of pain, and all she could so was push herself up onto her toes and press a chaste, gentle kiss to the corner of his lips.

"Thanks," she whispered against him.

He didn't answer but to wrap the arm not holding hers around her, holding her tight for one long moment before finally he pulled back, opened the door, and waved her out into the hall.

The common room wasn't completely empty, but it was certainly quieter than it had been before. Winona supposed everyone was down at the feast.

George, Lee and Katie were all hanging out by the fire, and the pair made their way towards them, smiling casually at a few of the called greetings as they passed. "There you are," said Katie when they reappeared. "I was wondering where you'd got to."

"I desperately needed a shower," Winona told her, glad it wasn't a lie. "I'm half starved. We heading down to dinner?"

Luckily, nobody seemed to have noticed she and Fred come from the boys' dorms, so there was no immediate grilling or not-so-subtle looks. Katie began to ask her eagerly all about the lake, and Winona answered dutifully ("I dunno, Katie. I was bewitched. All I remember is that it was fucking freezing.") as they made their way down to dinner.

Taking their seats at the Gryffindor table, Winona was somehow both relieved and disappointed that Fred took the spot opposite her rather than beside her. It was for the best, she reminded herself. Things needed to cool down before they could do this properly. The last thing she wanted was to be the centre of the school's gossip mill, again.

Angelina was there too, but she wasn't sat with their usual group. Instead she sat with Alicia some way up the table, closer to Ron and Harry, who looked exasperated but content, happily eating his way through a bowl of mince pies.

"Where'd you disappear to?" Lee asked loudly, and she looked away from her cousin to find him staring at her expectantly.

"I told you," she said, "I needed to shower."

He raised a skeptical eyebrow. "For over an hour?"

She met his stare, a challenge in her own. "Are you asking me about my shower routine, Lee?" she asked him, voice full of molten sugar. Lee, even for the lady's man he so claimed to be, went a little bit darker at the insinuation. "That's what I thought," she said, satisfied, and reached for the green beans.

Dinner passed without incident, until about halfway through when she felt a foot nudging at hers. Her initial thought was that somebody had tried to kick somebody else and hit the wrong person, but then they nudged at her again, and she looked up to meet Fred's eyes.

He was smirking at her over the top of his shepherd's pie. A thrill went through her and her blood turned thick. Not to be outmatched, however, she promptly caught one of his feet between both of hers. His smirked turned into a grin and she rolled her eyes, pointedly turning her attention back to George, who was spitballing ideas on how to get a tour of the bottom of the lake for himself.

Dinner passed and once they were up in the common room, Winona had to admit, she was rather tired. She cast a glance around the room but couldn't find any of her friends around. She figured Fred had taken George and Lee up to the dorm to spill his guts about their new relationship status. With the girls all missing, she knew there was only one place they'd all be.

She considered heading over to Harry. He was sat in the far corner with Ron, who was eagerly telling his embellished tale of heroics to anybody who'd listen, but her cousin seemed content where he was, and she didn't want to disturb him.

So, knowing she had no possible excuse, Winona reluctantly trudged her way up the stairs to her dorm. She considered knocking on the door when she got there, but that would probably only make things weirder, so she opened the door without announcing herself.

Katie and Alicia were both sitting on Angelina's bed, while Hope was on her own, working on an essay. Angelina had been in the middle of speaking, but as her entrance all chatter in the room came to an abrupt, uncomfortable halt. The silence rang out and Winona bit down on the inside of her cheek, unsure how to react. Angelina's eyes were bloodshot and swollen from her tears.

"Hi," Winona finally said, the first to break the quiet. It was lame, but it was all she had.

To her surprise, Angelina shot her a smile. It was small and weak, but Winona appreciated it all the same. "Hey Winnie."

Winona hovered in the doorway, unsure where to go from there.

Angelina rolled her eyes. "Just get in here, already," she said with a huff.

Winona obediently pushed off the doorframe, shuffling awkwardly into the room. Angelina must have shot the others a look, because Katie murmured a hurried goodnight and disappeared out the door, and Alicia mumbled something about a Transfiguration essay that couldn't wait and made a beeline for her bed.

Glancing up, Winona found Angelina staring directly at her, and she figured this probably wasn't a conversation she was going to be able to put off any longer. With a resigned sigh, Winona perched herself awkwardly on the very end of Angelina's bed, toying idly with the cheap toy ring she wore that she'd won at an arcade with Harry the summer before.

"I'm not mad at you," said Angelina suddenly.

Winona looked up from the plastic ring, eyebrows raised. She hadn't exactly been expecting a shouting match, but surely there was going to be some sort of resentment, some sign of heartbreak, or betrayal? The surprise must have shown on her face. Angelina rolled her bloodshot eyes.

"I knew what I was getting into," she said, sniffling quietly. "I knew, and I walked into it anyway. This is as much my fault as it is his."

Winona pursed her lips. "And me?"

Angelina shrugged. "You can't control whether or not somebody loves you."

The words were said with such absolute surety, like it were a simple fact of life that Fred Weasley loves Winona Andrews. Her heart leapt in her chest at the word, then turned into rock and sunk down to her feet like a stone in the lake. Again, her expression gave her away.

"Of course he loves you, Winnie," she said with a disapproving tut, as if Winona were being deliberately obtuse. "Anyone with eyes knows that."

Winona wanted to ask why the hell she'd put herself through all that if she knew there was only one way it could end. Why would she try when she knew all that could come was failure? Why put herself in such an emotionally precarious position? If she was right about how Fred felt – and that was a rather big 'if' – then why let herself fall for him at all?

She supposed the answer were rather simple, in the end. Who could resist falling in love with Fred Weasley? He was like sugar quills, or the smell of charcoal on your hands; he was irresistible.

"Do you love him?" Angelina asked abruptly. Winona looked up, alarm in her eyes. "You're a bit harder to read. I know you care about him – but do you love him? Are you in love with him?"

Winona couldn't answer. Her tongue felt numb and her mouth was too dry. Angelina smiled at her silence.

"I think you should figure that out," she said softly. "Because I don't want him to ever feel the way I feel right now."

Winona cleared her throat, reaching up to tug uncomfortably at a loose piece of her hair. "How do you feel?"

"Heartbroken," said Angelina bluntly. Winona couldn't help but wince. "I'm going to need some time," she added, voice gentle. "I just need space to…to work through it…"

"I understand," said Winona quickly. "I, um, I'm here though," she added, feeling a little awkward as she said it, but Angelina didn't seem to pick up on it. "If you need anything. I'm always here. You're my friend."

Angelina didn't answer for a long few moments, and when she did her eyes were filled with a thin sheen of tears. "You've had a big day," she said weakly. "You should get some rest."

Winona felt like utter shit, but what could she do but agree? "Okay," she murmured. "Um, night."

"Goodnight," Angelina said, and the moment Winona was out of her way she shut the curtains around her bed and cast a Silencing Charm, if the deathly quiet that echoed in her wake was anything to go by.

Winona glanced over at Alicia. Her friend had given up pretending to do homework, now just smiling at Winona sadly. She didn't appear angry, or in any way upset about what had happened, but Winona could tell she wasn't intending to do anything that could be mistaken for taking sides. She understood, and even admired her a little for it.

There was barely any talk in the dorm as the four young women got ready for bed. They cleaned their teeth and brushed their hair in silence, the only sound Hope's off-key humming as she went about her nightly routine.

Laid on her bed in the pitch dark, Winona spent at least an hour staring up at the ceiling. The breathing from her friends' beds evened out, and eventually she knew they were asleep. She stared and she stared, debating with herself.

Her talk with Angelina hadn't been a fight, but somehow it had been even worse. Heartbroken, that was what she'd said. Winona may not have been solely responsible, but her part in this was undeniable. She felt like the worst friend in the whole world, hating herself a little more with each minute that ticked away on the old clock in the corner.

Finally, she could take no more. Moving by wand-light, Winona silently gathered the things she needed for the next day, shoved them into her bag, then padded on bare feet to the door. None of her roommates stirred, and she slipped out into the hall with barely a whisper of sound.

The common room was almost completely empty – except for a small cluster of overexcited first years by the fire and Harry and Ron sat in the corner playing a quiet game of chess.

As if sensing her presence, Harry looked up when she appeared in the gap between staircases. Their eyes met, and she knew he knew what she was doing. It was unmistakable – her in her ratty pyjamas, barefoot and holding provisions for the day ahead. She felt like she might as well have been caught by a great, blinding spotlight.

Ron's back was to her, and he seemed to be thinking deeply about his next move. He didn't even notice Harry's distraction.

Winona locked eyes with her cousin, guilty and caught in the act. She wasn't sure what she was expecting – maybe exasperation, or a look of disapproval? – but instead Harry's lips quirked up at the corners and he took one moment to smile at her before turning deliberately back to his game.

It was as much of an approval as any words could be, and Winona breathed a silent sigh of relief. She padded quickly up the boys' stairs, and didn't bother knocking on the door to her friends' room before opening it with a creak and slipping inside.

They weren't all asleep, like she'd hoped. Instead Fred and George were sat on Fred's bed, dressed in their pyjamas and talking in low tones by the firelight. Lee was in the doorway to the bathroom, a toothbrush hanging from his mouth. They'd been talking, but stopped abruptly at the sight of her.

Great, she thought grimly, twice in one night.

She almost turned on her heel and swept from the room again, but the sight of Fred's happy grin stopped her. She was helpless but to grin back.

"Oh Godric," Lee muttered around his mouthful of toothpaste. He turned back to the bathroom with a roll of his eyes. George said something under his breath to Fred that Winona didn't catch, then clapped his twin on the back before hopping up from Fred's bed.

"You know you're not technically allowed up here," George said teasingly as he made his way back towards his own bed.

"Hasn't stopped me before," she shrugged. She hoped they weren't going to make a big deal out of this – and luckily, instead of asking questions or making any other clever comment, George simply turned back to his trunk and began rifling around inside for something. As though this were something that happened every other day (and it was, but context was everything; and context had recently changed).

"Hey," said Fred, still grinning at her.

"Hey," she replied, a tiny bit meek.

"Just couldn't stay away, eh?" he asked, mischief glinting in his cornflower eyes.

Winona smiled, but even she could tell the expression was off by a few degrees. "Something like that," she said ambiguously. Concern appeared in Fred's eyes, but she waved it away, setting her bulging bag down by the foot of his bed.

She crawled her way up the mattress to Fred's side, then collapsed into the pillows next to him with a sigh of relief. Yes, this was much better.

His large, calloused hand pressed against the small of her back, softly brushing the sliver of skin exposed by her pyjamas. Her first instinct was to tense up, but she just as quickly relaxed. Fred didn't seem to mind, running his hand up the length of her spine again, then brushing away some of the blonde hair from her face.

There was nothing sexual about the touch; it just felt comforting.

Winona let out another sigh of relief, gripping his pillow tight to her face and letting her eyes slide shut. Fred kept his hand on her back, fingers trailing slowly up and down her spine.

"Am I gonna have to make a no-shagging-while-we're-around rule?" Lee asked obnoxiously from his bed. "I'd thought it was pretty obvious, but I could write it out on some parchment and pin it to the wall, if you'd like."

"Fuck off," said Winona without so much as opening her eyes.

"It's been a long day," said Fred without moving his hand from her back. "We're just gonna sleep, Lee."

Lee made an unconvinced humming noise. "Well, we're at least gonna have to come up with some kind of system. Tie on the door handle, maybe? It's a classic for a reason."

"Lee," said Fred, a rare sternness in his voice. Winona couldn't see his face, but she imagined it was rather terrifying, because Lee immediately backed down.

"Sleep well, Winnie," he said, sounding apologetic. It wasn't his fault – until recently the dial was always set to playful. But things were getting serious, both in their lives and in the world at large. Winona couldn't blame him for getting his signals crossed.

Winona lifted a hand in a weak wave, but then the sound of Fred's curtains being drawn reached her, then with a muttered spell they were in a little bubble all of their own. The curtains, flimsy though they may have been, felt like a barrier against all the hardships in the world.

Together, in this bed, they were safe. They would always be safe.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Fred was watching her, brow pulled into a worried frown. "Are you okay?" he asked her gently, knowing anything louder would destroy their quiet peace. She relaxed a little bit more. "Did things go okay in the dorm?"

"It could've gone better," she whispered, even though she knew neither of the other boys in the dorm would overhear, no matter if she shouted. Fred's brow furrowed with concern. "But it also could have gone much, much worse."

"But you didn't want to stay?"

She shrugged, a little bit helpless. "I wanted to see you," she confessed in a whisper, like it were a secret they shared. Burrowing her face in his pillow before she could see his reaction, she felt stupidly shy.

For a moment Fred didn't answer, then the hand stroking along her spine moved to her hip, his arm curling around her, and he pulled himself into her side. He was so warm against her, and again that feeling of inexplicable safety wrapped around her.

"Get some sleep," Fred murmured against her ear. "You need it."

Winona turned on her side, facing away from Fred, and hooked his arm around her middle. He wrapped around her like a puzzle piece slotting into place. He was so much bigger than she was, tall and lanky while she was short and supple, but they fit perfectly. She'd never cuddled with anyone before – Jeremiah hadn't been the type to linger – and it made her heart feel almost painfully full.

She hadn't known what she'd been missing out on, but with Fred wrapped around her like this, she felt safe and loved, completely and totally at peace. And if she'd thought his kisses were addictive, then just being held like this was on par with heroin. She melted against him like butter.

And before she knew it, she was asleep.

She woke up with Fred still wrapped around her, like he hadn't moved so much as an inch in the night. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she trailed her fingertips over the arm hooked around her waist.

"Hm?" he hummed sleepily.

"We should get up," she whispered.

The Silencing Charm had worn off in the night, and she could hear one of the boys in the shower and the other rifling through his trunk.

"Don't wanna," Fred murmured, arm tightening around her, pulling her firmly against his broad, Beater's chest.

"Me either," she agreed, feeling it in her bones. "But we should."

"Says who?"

"Says my stomach."

As if listening, her stomach gave an impatient rumble. Fred's arm tightened around her, then with a tired sigh he pulled away and sat up. Winona felt cold without him wrapped around her, but she knew they had to get up. As much as she'd have loved to stay in bed with him all day, the world was still turning outside these curtains. They had to face it eventually.

"Morning, you two," said George once Fred had opened his curtains. He was crouched by his trunk, searching in the mess for his scarf. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah," said Fred warmly. He glanced over at her, a glint in his eye that made her heart skip a beat. "We did."

Once Lee was out of the bathroom, Winona slipped inside and dressed for the day. It was Sunday, so they had no classes, and she was grateful for it. Reappearing in jeans and an old jumper, she brushed out her hair and then headed down to the Great Hall with the boys for breakfast.

Angelina was sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table, and Winona could take a hint. Alicia, Katie and Hope were sat with her, talking in low tones over their porridge. Alicia looked up, catching Winona's eye.

"Sorry," she mouthed with a nod at Angelina. Winona waved her away with a small, understanding smile. Alicia wasn't choosing sides – not that there were any to choose – but Angelina needed someone right now, and that someone couldn't possibly be Winona.

Harry, Hermione and Ron were sat on the other end, talking in low tones. Winona cast Fred a look, and he nodded in agreement. With a grateful smile she made her way to her cousin, taking a seat on his right. "Hey Boy-Wonder," she greeted him, already beginning to pull pancakes onto her plate.

"Morning Winnie," said Harry, and when she glanced up at him his eyes danced with amusement. "Sleep well?"

His teasing made her roll her eyes, but she didn't blush. "I did, thank you," she said tartly, drizzling her pancakes with syrup. Harry hid his smirk in a goblet of pumpkin juice.

A small group of third year Hufflepuffs meandered by, eyeing Hermione and tittering under their breath. "Can I help you?" Hermione snapped at them, and their eyes went wide, scurrying away like they were afraid she might curse them in retaliation.

"What's that about?" Winona wondered, already shovelling pancakes into her mouth.

"The whole school thinks it's hilarious that I'm the thing Viktor would miss most," Hermione spat, cutting at her crepes violently, like they had somehow wronged her. Ron's expression soured but he wisely said nothing. "You'd think they'd find something better to gossip about."

"That sucks," said Winona around a mouthful of strawberries.

Hermione's eyes flashed. "It's not just me," she snapped as if Winona were teasing her, too. "The whole school thinks you're dating Harry in secret."

Winona's fork froze halfway to her mouth. She glanced at Harry, whose cheeks had gone flaming pink. "Excuse me?"

"Well, you're who he'd miss most," explained Ron.

"Because we're cousins," she seethed.

"Yeah, but the rest of the school doesn't know that, do they?" he said, glancing at a cluster of first years nearby. They were eyeing them curiously, and Winona had to hold back a lethal glare in response.

She wasn't sure how she'd missed something so big, but it occurred to her that she'd been in somewhat of a bubble with Fred over the last twenty-four hours. It shouldn't have surprised her that she'd missed out on the newest piece of gossip circling the halls.

She turned her head up to look at Fred, and judging by his amusement, he seemed to have heard the same rumour. As if sensing her gaze, he glanced up at her, laughter in his eyes. She shot him a glare and he winked, no doubt finding the whole thing to be bloody hilarious. Prick.

"Mail's here," said Harry, seeming glad to have a distraction.

The owl circled overhead, and Winona blinked as one of them landed before her, a small piece of rolled up parchment tied to its leg. She carefully untied it, then fed the owl a piece of toast before it took off again, soaring away, probably glad to have a rest.

Winona,

Go with Harry to the end of road out of Hogsmeade (past Dervish and Banges) at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. I'll meet you there. I'm very much looking forward to seeing you again.

It was simple, written in Sirius' loopy scrawl, and Winona stared down at it for a lot longer than it took to read. She hadn't seen him – not in person – since that night at the end of last year. Part of her was excited, while another, larger part, was simply terrified.

"You got one too?" Harry asked, and Winona looked up from the note to see him holding a very similar one.

Hermione and Ron leaned over the table, asking what they were. Harry handed his over for them to read, while Winona just folded hers and shoved it deep in her pocket.

"He hasn't come back to Hogsmeade?" Ron hissed incredulously.

"It looks like it, doesn't it?" Hermione sighed, looking worried.

"I can't believe him," said Harry tensely, "if he's caught…"

"Made it so far, though, hasn't he?" argued Ron. "And it's not like the place is swarming with dementors anymore."

"He has a point," Winona agreed. "Sirius has spent over a year on the run. I think he knows how to keep himself safe by this point."

"Why don't you call him 'dad'?" asked Ron around a mouthful of toast. "S'bit weird, calling him by his first name."

Winona didn't bother responding. She turned to Harry, whose eyes looked haunted. "He's going to be okay," she said quietly. "And we're finally going to get to see him – and not just through the Floo."

A tiny smile flickered on Harry's face, and she knew she'd won. Harry looked at peace, going about the rest of his meal as Ron chattered some more about his time in the lake to anyone who'd listen.

Winona ate in silence, trying not to think too hard about what it was going to be like to face Sirius again, and what exactly she was going to say when she did.

A/N: Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed. If anybody's interested, I've just begun a new project that I've been working up to over the last few months – I've started a booktube/bookstagram channel. I won't be talking heaps about fanfiction on there, instead mostly focusing on published books and my reviews of them/reading vlogs/recommendations.

If that's something that interests you, and if you wanna get to know me, the author, then you can follow me on instagram at arrianereads – or on youtube under the same name. I haven't begun posting videos yet, but content's coming real soon, and I'm beginning to post on instagram. It would mean the world to see some of you guys following me over there, but if you're not into booktube, that's okay, I understand, and I look forwards to entertaining you with even more fanfiction in the future!

This week's spotlight review goes to: Avalongirl55 – thanks for your review! So far I'm healthy and safe where I am, and I'm sorry to hear you've been on lockdown. Things are looking to get that way in Australia very soon – which I suppose will be a good thing for you guys, because it means I'll get more writing done! Hope this chapter was everything you wanted it to be, and thanks for the support! :)