This isn't too long a chapter but I think you'll enjoy it anyway ;D I'll try to get the next one out soon! Would you do me a favour and write me a review? Please?

CHAPTER 8

'Monday the 17th of April! Our saviour has been given a name!' Mathilda shouted as she looked through her agenda. We were sitting in our dormitory, studying before dinner. I sighed. 'I already told mum and dad I wouldn't come home for Easter before the schoolyear started.' I said. 'With the O.W.L.'s coming up I don't want to get distracted at home.' I added and Mathilda rolled her eyes. 'I don't care about any of that. I might not go to Adrian's, but I'm definitely leaving school for the holidays. I'm not staying here cooped up for another second if I don't have to.'

It was halfway through March. The weather was nothing short of terrible, heavy winds and lots of rain, so like Mathilda said we had spent most of our time inside the castle. I had been expecting a letter from home but owls had been blown off course by the strong gusts of wind so it still hadn't arrived.

I had gotten over my embarrassment, partially because people around me kept telling me that they had seen me that day, dancing with Fred, and thought it was really cool. I was still embarrassed by it but not mortified.

'You're not going to Adrian's?' I asked Mathilda and she shrugged casually although I could tell that she didn't feel as nonchalant about it as she pretended. 'He was a real jerk the other day about.. Well, about nothing, but I'm thinking about not going to his house in the Easter holiday just to punish him.' She told me and I frowned. I felt like she wasn't telling me something but I also knew that Mathilda wasn't someone to share on command. 'Now, shut up so I can concentrate on your braid!' She murmured sharply.

Although we were supposed to be studying, we had been spending the last hour doing each other's make up (or Mathilda mostly doing mine) and hair and lazily flipping through our textbooks and study planners. Mathilda was currently braiding my hair, but she had done up my eyes earlier. It wasn't too much, just a light brush of the mascara and a soft eyeliner and that was how I liked it. I didn't do my make up often, I felt vain and self-involved if I did, but sometimes it was nice to pamper a bit. Mathilda loved make up though. She could spend hours pawing through magazines to read tips on how to do it. She always looked beautiful.

There was tapping on the window and both Mathilda and I looked up to see Aidan's owl bracing itself against the wind in front of the glass. I jumped up to open up the window and the owl shot into the dormitory, accompanied by rain and cold wind and I quickly shut it again. 'Oh you poor Altheda, the weather has been horrendous!' I cooed as I hurriedly found some owl sweets in my trunk at the foot of my bed. Altheda picked them out of my palm eagerly.

'Do you have a letter for me then?' I asked and it stuck out its paw, handing me the letter. I untied the knot and looked over the letter. It looked like they had had the common sense to put a drying spell on it or the parchment would've been utterly destroyed already.

'I'll just quickly read the letter Tilda.' I murmured as I unfolded it and Mathilda nodded, not paying attention much. It seemed to be several letters.

Dear Cecilia,

To come straight to the point, I was hoping you'd reconsider not coming home for Easter. When you made that decision you didn't know you'd be staying home for Christmas either and the case is that your dad and I are missing you terribly! I know your O.W.L.'s are important but you're underestimating your own capabilities enormously if you think you'll do less well if you come home for a couple of days.

Regardless of your reply, we love you very much and won't be mad if you don't want to.

Now, unto a completely different subject! Tamora has married! I told you about her new fellow in my letter I sent at Christmas but two days ago she married him. She sent me an owl inviting me on the actual day of the wedding but I had an appointment with Ludo Bagman, the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, to interview him about the missing ministry employee (you might have heard about her in the papers?) so I couldn't come but now she's acting like I was actively boycotting her romantic endeavours while honestly I couldn't care less. Your dad is telling me that I should just apologize but I bet I can outlast her. I just know that she's dying to show herself as a married witch so in a couple of days she'll send me a letter telling me that she isn't mad anymore and that she'll forgive my insolence of already having engagements on the day that she was planning to whisk me off.

The guy she's married to seems nice enough. We had them over for dinner a month or so ago and he was just lovesick. He looked way more into her than she into him. But you know how your aunt is. The contrast between husband number one and husband number two is ginormous by the way. You remember the first right? This big, muscular and handsome fellow, rich as I don't know who but this new one is actually shorter than her, isn't ugly but certainly not handsome either and is far from rich. He works in a pet shop in Liverpool. I don't know what she looks for in a wizard but it's certainly not something we can see on the outside! I hope she can stick with this one though. If she can't, she'd be divorced twice before her thirtieth birthday.

How's school going? And your friends? How's Mathilda's boyfriend doing? Tell me everything!

Loving kisses,

Wendela

I smiled down at the letter. Aunt Tamora was a handful. She was a latecomer, much younger than my mother and one of my favourite people. She was a bit ridiculous though. As a kid I'd love it though. She treated me like an adult. She'd gossip to me and paint my nails and she'd take me out for ice cream and she'd tell me which men walking by were "suitable" and I just felt so taken seriously.

I looked at the two other letters. One from dad and one from Aidan. I opened dad's first. It was much shorter than mum's. Mum was a journalist, used to writing. My dad was the owner of a specialty bookshop and much more of a reader. My parents often told me of how mum would send multiple page letters to dad when they first started dating, not expecting any replies, just happy to write him. Dad would still send me long letters though, just less frequently than mum.

To my dear Cillyhead,

I'm sure your mum has already filled you in on all and everything going on in the home. Your aunt has gotten married on another whim and your mother is secretly upset with her. She's telling me that she isn't but she must think I was born yesterday. She worries about her baby sister; she's afraid that living her whole life on a whim will land her nowhere. The best we can do is just be sweet to Wendy so she knows her family loves her so she might worry less. Your mum has a hard exterior but a gentle soul.

In the shop everything is going well. I sold the 19th century King Eustacian edition of the Standard Book of Spells. It was a rich collector from Saudi Arabia that bought it. We don't have royalty in this country anymore but they sure do in other countries! They wouldn't say but I'm quite sure that they were representing some sort of prince. And they say running a dusty old bookshop is boring!

Don't listen to your mother by the way! She's going to try and guilt trip you into coming home for Easter I think but I know how important studying for your O.W.L.'s is for you so don't feel pressured, you hear me? Just make your own plan and stick to it.

Love you,

Dad

My dad balanced out my mum perfectly.

Aidan's letter wasn't long either but he promised another letter by next week.

Cecil,

First of all, I wanted you to be the first to know, Nina and I are officially going out. I'm not telling mum and dad till it has settled down for a bit longer, but she's an amazing girl and I'm sure you'd like her too. She is smart and sweet and absolutely beautiful so I'm counting myself lucky.

Which reminds me. That guy that you supposedly like and who is in Gryffindor one year above you, which is three years below me and who is funny; he couldn't possibly be a Weasley, could he? I'm pretty sure those twins were three years below me. I don't think I'm entirely off base and I think that I'll have my answer when you start denying it like the bad liar you are in your next letter.

I got to go now but I wanted to just quickly tell you about Nina and about my suspicions before I left for work. I promise you'll get a better letter soon. Next week sound good?

Big fat kiss from me

I knew I shouldn't have told him anything. I looked up from my letter and glared at the oblivious Mathilda. 'Thanks a lot. Thanks to you Aidan has pretty much figured it out about Fred.' I said and Mathilda looked up from her Charms textbook. 'Well, what's wrong with that?' She asked. She was saved from my wrath by Marietta who stuck her head around the door. 'We're all heading down to dinner now, are you girls coming too?' She asked and Mathilda hastily jumped up. 'Yummm, dinner sounds great!' She said loudly, avoiding my gaze. I wasn't being very reasonable, I had sent the letter all by myself after all, but that was hardly the point right now.

We went down to the Great Hall with everyone else from our year. I sat next to Aurora and opposite Mathilda and immediately reached for the pot roast in front of me. 'Oh, I'm just going to say hi to Cedric!' Cho said from my left and I saw both Mathilda and, to my surprise, Marietta roll their eyes. 'I'm telling you, it's getting insufferable!' Marietta said to Mathilda. Mathilda shrugged. 'I've only been saying it for years.' She huffed. 'Don't get me wrong, I love Cho, I really do, but she's totally ditching me.' Marietta said. I was distracted from their conversation when the spot next to me that was vacated by Cho a minute earlier, was filled by Felix.

'Hey Cecilia!' He said with his cheery grin on his face. 'Hey!' I said, talking around the food in my mouth. 'I was actually just wondering when it's your birthday.' He asked and I frowned. 'My birthday?' I asked surprised. 'Why?' I added. He grinned wider. 'You're not supposed to ask! I'll just say that I'm wondering that if I'd find the hypothetical best birthday present ever, when I could hypothetically give it to you.' He said. 'Present? What is it!' I said eagerly. He waved his hands. 'You're not supposed to ask!' He repeated. 'It's August 29.' I informed him. 'It's aaaages away.' I complained. 'Don't worry, it'll come.' He consoled me with a still very wide grin.

'When's yours?' I asked. 'January 1st.' He answered. 'Really? You should've said! I didn't get you anything!' I exclaimed. He laughed. 'I accept presents with retrospective effect.' He said and I laughed too.

I was happy that Felix and I had become friends. He was really nice and kind and in general just a joy to be around. It would've been a shame if I had never seen him again after the Yule Ball.

After dinner everyone went their own way. Cho and Cedric one way, Marietta and Mathilda another, Aurora to the library and I promised to join her there later but I first had to go by professor Flitwick's office to ask about the possibility of doing the W.O.M.B.A.T. test at Hogwarts, an exam I needed to do as well if I wanted to do the internship at the Ministry that summer.

After I left his office I felt reassured of the possibility. I could take it two weeks after my O.W.L.'s if I ended up getting the internship. It wouldn't be long till I'd get my letter to tell me whether I was accepted. I had to be realistic though. The chances of them wanting a fifteen year old on the internship program were very slim. I had to be ready for rejection. Getting considered to begin with was already a big honour.

I was slowly walking to the library to join Aurora. She and Robin would be studying there and I was supposed to join them but I enjoyed walking with ease for a moment. I came by a window and decided to sit in the alcove for a bit and look outside. Although it was still very windy, it had stopped raining and I could see people had dared to go outside and get some fresh air. With a bit of surprise I realized I could see Felix and his friends were amongst those people, their Hufflepuff scarfs billowing in the wind.

I was all the way on the third floor but I could still distinctly recognize Felix' sandy blonde hair blowing in disarray and although it was quite high up, I could still easily tell he was smiling. I smiled at that too. 'What are you sitting here all alone for?' A voice asked suddenly.

I looked up, startled. In front of me stood Fred Weasley, his hands in his pockets. 'I'm supposed to be in the library studying.' I answered hastily. I scolded myself. "Cool and collected, Cecilia, cool and collected!" I told myself. 'Ah!' Fred exclaimed. 'Skiving off then!' He said and I, in an uncool and uncollected way, wildly shook my head. 'Just postponing.' I muttered shyly. Fred rolled his eyes, sitting down next to me in the alcove. I could barely think. We were alone! And he was so close to me! Sitting next to me!

'Where is your brother?' I asked. 'I have never seen you two apart.' I added at his questioning glance. He chuckled. 'He has detention. Sprout had almost caught me as well, but I had managed to duck into a secret passage way just in time. George had less luck though.' He said with a smirk and I laughed nervously. 'The best bit was of course that Sprout knows that I was there too but she can hardly prove it, can she?' He guffawed. I tried to laugh along naturally but my mind was blank. Fred Weasley was making casual conversation with me! What to do! 'I'm going to meet with Lee in a bit, Lee Jordan,' – he added for my benefit although I didn't need it (I was way too invested in his life) 'but he's snogging Patricia Stimpson in a broom closet somewhere so I have to be a good mate and leave him be and definitely not put timed dung bombs in his bag.' He said to me with a wink.

I had vouched to myself a few weeks back that I'd stop worrying about others so much. I had stuck with that the best I could, everything has to be done in small steps. I had for example been sticking my hand up in class more and I had told Eddie Carmichael that I wouldn't do his Potions essay for him, which he had tricked me into doing and I was too nervous to refuse. But this was different. This was Fred Weasley, my crush of nearly two years. And he was talking to me!

We sat in silence for a bit. He just looked at me and I tried to look back but kept averting my eyes to my fiddling fingers. Why was he bothering with me? 'You look really pretty Cecil.' Fred suddenly told me, waking me up from my racing thoughts, an uncharacteristically soft smile on his face. I felt my heart pick up its pace and I tried, to no avail, to control it. This meant nothing, Fred can pay me a compliment without me assuming the worst (or the best). I couldn't help praising Mathilda's vain make up skills in my head though.

'Thanks..' I said, a tiny crack in my voice. I blushed. Fred's smile widened into a grin. 'You like me a lot, don't you?' He asked suddenly and the question caught me completely off guard. I started stuttering. 'No, not at all!' I managed to spit out. But Fred laughed at me. 'That's alright Cecil.' He said. 'You know what..' He began, trailing off. He looked around the quiet hallway quickly and then, before I knew it, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.

I froze in shock as he pulled back again, his grin big as ever. 'I bet you liked that a lot.' He said with that proud, knowing smirk of his. I shook my head. 'It was.. alright.' I said, out of breath because I forgot to breath in my surprise. Fred let out an amused laugh. 'Sure it was.' He said, ruffling my hair and standing up. 'I'll see you around Cecil.' He greeted me before he sauntered off in the direction of the Great Hall.

I raised my hand and touched my lips. I broke into a broad smile. My first kiss! It wasn't much, nothing like the passionate, hour long snogs Mathilda always bragged about when they were gossiping in their dorm, but it had left me hot and electrified.

I quickly skipped up the stairs, hurriedly making my way to Ravenclaw Tower. To my disappointment there was no one in the common room I particularly wanted to share this with. I went up to the empty dormitory and laid down on my bed, happily staring at the ceiling. 'What does this mean?' I asked the quiet room. 'Does he like me now?' I asked the peacefulness again. I didn't know the answer to any of my questions but part of me didn't care. What mattered was that I had just had my first kiss and that it had been Fred Weasley who had kissed me!

Now, if you guys could review this, I'd be SO happy :D

It's a bit of a filler I have to admit, but next chapter loads more will happen, hehehehe ;)