Always Be My Baby
Disclaimer: Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri own the song. And some lines of Angelina's finished letter were taken from blink-182's Always, Down and I'm Lost Without You. I take what I said earlier back: it's better than Cheshire Cat. I do, however, stand by my statement that everyone should buy it.
A/N: I wanted to end this on a positive note. And it took me forever to find the perfect song. Who knew it'd be a Mariah Carey song? Oh well, could be worse, I suppose; the perfect song could've been by Britney Spears. ::shudders::
A/N 2: Since Angelina is writing a letter in this one, I had to make a slight change to the formula. Instead of being italicized, song lyrics will be in bold. (They'll still have tildes around them, though.) Now parts of the letter will be in italics.
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A sound from the other side of the room disrupted Angelina Johnson's concentration. She glanced up, trying not to let on that she had been disturbed. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Alicia sitting upright in her bed. "Must've been dreaming about George again," she muttered under her breath before returning her attention to the parchment in her lap.
Dear Fred, she wrote before erasing the words with her wand. "That's not right," she muttered. She had been trying to draft this letter for almost a month now and she couldn't even get the greeting right. "At this rate, I'll have graduated before even I even finish the damn thing."
~We were as one, babe
For a moment in time
And it seemed everlasting
That you would always be mine~
She smiled, thinking of all the memories of her soon-to-be-over school days. All of them featured her future husband in some way, shape or form. She missed him so much, but knowing that he'd be there waiting for her when she graduated took away some of the loneliness. "Poor Alicia," she mused aloud. "I wish she and George could have what Fred and I have."
~Now you want to be free
So I'll let you fly~
Sometimes it was hard to believe that he was gone. She thought back to the night he had left. Watching him fly through the air on his Cleansweep reminded her of a bird eluding a cat. In fact, the very expression on his face was taunting Umbridge, like Tweety outsmarting Sylvester or the Roadrunner outwitting Wile E. Coyote. (Thank Merlin her older brother was addicted to Muggle animation or else she wouldn't have known what to call the look.)
Dear Bird, she wrote before erasing that, too. Fred was a lot deeper than most people gave him credit for (in fact, he was the only person who didn't make fun of her for being Head Girl), but she wasn't up for a discussion about why he couldn't possibly have looked like a cartoon bird. Fact is, Fred was into philosophical debates, and very few people could hold their own with him. Angelina was one of those few and Fred respected her for that. But arguments with him were flat out exhausting and she didn't want to be tired from that.
~'Cause I know in my heart, babe
Our love will never die
No~
Sometimes she wished she had never let him go, but she knew she had to. She understood that he didn't belong at school anymore. Besides, they loved each other and they weren't going to let a lousy couple of months come between them.
~You'll always be a part of me
I'm part of you indefinitely
Boy, don't you know you can't escape me~
He was a part of her. She chuckled and picked up her quill. He had told her the same thing before he left, but it confused her then.
Fred, she wrote. I miss you so much. You're a part of me. I didn't understand it when you said it but I understand now. She erased that, too. "That sounds like something Alicia would say."
~Ooh darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby
And we'll linger on
Time can't erase a feeling this strong
No way you're never gonna shake me
Ooh darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby~
Two months. It had become a bit of a mantra for her. The thought that she would see Fred in two months was the only thing that kept her going these days. When it came to Quidditch, Ginny was the only new member of the team that showed any aptitude for the sport at all. And Ron needed all the help he could get in the Keeper department. And school… She had been so happy when she received her Head Girl badge that summer (though she was afraid she wouldn't be able to take all the pressure when she found out she was Gryffindor Captain), but one meeting with Umbridge had changed her mind. And if it wouldn't have upset her parents, she would've left, too. Alicia had to force to her to eat at meals, because otherwise she'd just fly around the pitch and cry.
~I ain't gonna cry, no
And I won't beg you to stay
If you're determined to leave boy
I will not stand in your way
But inevitably, you'll be back again
'Cause you know in your heart, babe
Our love will never end
No~
She was so glad that she didn't cry or beg him to stay. They would've just both been miserable. And she loved him way too much to do that to him. Besides, after that wonderful proposal (even with all that stuttering and rambling, it was still perfect to her), she knew he'd be there waiting for her. But, Merlin, was the time apart killing her.
Fred,
How are things in the outside world? I can't wait to see you again. That was erased, too. She couldn't seem to come up the words to express how she felt.
~I know that you'll be back, boy
When your days and your nights get a little bit colder ooohhh~
Angelina shivered despite the blankets surrounding her. She wondered how Fred was doing with the shop. And if he was thinking about her right now. She knew he was awake; he was the stereotypical night owl. While she was the epitome of an early bird.
~(I know that) you'll be right back, baby
Oh baby, believe me
It's only a matter of time
Time~
Two months. Two months, she silently chanted. It was only a matter of time, but it seemed like forever.
~You'll always be a part of me
I'm part of you indefinitely
Boy, don't you know you can't escape me
Ooh darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby
And we'll linger on
Time can't erase a feeling this strong
No way you're never gonna shake me
Ooh darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby~
It was hard for her to believe that she was going to spend the rest of her life with Fred, of all people. She imagined growing old with him, then stopped. At eighteen, the last thing she wanted to think about was becoming old. She decided to fantasise about their children instead. Kids with her looks and his personality. She shuddered. "I wonder if there's a way we can arrange it so that they look like me and have my disposition." She shuddered again; her temper was even worse than Fred's. The very idea of saying 'No' to a child with a combination of their tempers and mischievous personalities made her want to rethink having children. She sighed. It was going to be a long eleven years before they could ship them off to Hogwarts. Finally, the perfect letter idea came to her.
Oi, Fred!
This is the five hundredth version of this letter; I wanted it to be perfect when you got it. McGonagall is helping me get this past the screeners, if you can believe that. (Actually, you probably can. I think the only students she likes more than me are you, George, and Hermione. I hope that didn't sound conceited.)
We all miss you. Lee's been throwing nifflers in Umbitch's window as his tribute to you.
I'm sure you're curious about how Quidditch is going. Well, here's a clue. Kirke and Sloper still suck. Ron still sucks. Ginny's pretty good though. I think if she can catch the Snitch in the first five minute of play, we'll be able to win the Cup. If only you were going to be here to watch it…
As for us… I miss you. I especially miss your smile and jokes. I don't know how to explain it. It's like… tidal waves rip right through me. And tears have worn my eyes cold and sad. I need you so bad.
Promise me this: when this is over, you'll let me hold you. Touch you. Feel you. Kiss you, taste you all night. Always.
Are you afraid of being alone? 'Cause I am. I'm lost without you, Fred. I'm counting the days until I can see you again.
With all my love,
Angel