Disclaimer: Characters are J.K.'s. She's richer than the Queen of England. I'm broke.
A/N: Um, just a little something whipped up to cure my writer's block. It's been a while since I've posted a one-shot. I also think it's my first strictly F/A. –woah- . Didn't think I could do it, did ya? -.
FYI – think of the numbers as a timer. They're counting down from five minutes.See You, Love
5:00…
She was in the library, studying for her Advanced Potions N.E.W.T. Her head was buried in her textbook, her brow creased as she read and re-read the information, pounding it into her skull. And then, suddenly, she had been interrupted, and it was the teary eyes that tipped her off.
"They're leaving." And it only took Angelina a split second to realize what she was talking about, before she stood, her chair scraping loudly on the floor, which gained her several reprimanding glances, but she didn't care. Not now, not when everything was falling apart.
"How long – how long do I have?" Her friend shook her head, tears making there way out of her eyes.
"Five minutes, at most." She chocked up. Her heart sank and she couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that it was finally here and happening.
"Where?" She tried to say, but it was more of a loud exhale. Alicia understood, however and nodded up towards the dormitories because she didn't trust her voice.
"Com-common room." And then she was off.
4:04…
She burst through the portrait hole, a wild and crazy look about her, she was sure, but he wasn't here, and she should've known that he wouldn't be. She was keeled over and out of breath, but as soon as she took a look around she knew they'd left. For one, it was completley deserted, and the plasc was sparse. If they were still in here they would have their luggage, in here, waiting, and why was she still waiting? She didn't much time, no time, and they were leaving, leaving….leaving.
And so she sprinted down the stairs, hoping beyond hope, oh please, oh please, oh please oh please oh please.
3:45….
She slipped on a step and almost fell over, but caught herself just in time. Shrugging off her robe that was slowing her down she left it lying alongside the staircase, but she didn't care. She didn't care about anything but finding him, she had to find him, she had to. She turned the corner, ran into Seamus.
"Seamus!" She squealed. "Where are they, you have to tell me where they are!" She was shaking him and he looked terrified.
"Angelina?" His voice was incredlous and he was giving her a funny look, but she didn't care, she had to fine him. "Who? Where are who?"
"Fred and George you idiot, where are they?" She was going insane, he decided, but he shrugged.
"Down thataway somewhere, I dunno," And then she was racing down the corridor and he was staring after her, bewildred.
2:20…
She caught a flash of red and whirled it around but it was Ron and she nearly screamed but didn't because it wouldn't do any good. "Where!" She yelled, breathless and hot and he looked as scared as Seamus at first, but soon realized the situation and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.
"Down there a little, take a left." And then she was gone and he was rubbing his shoulder because her grip had been so tight it had hurt.
1:34…
And then she saw him. She wondered where George was briefly, but she really didn't care, all she wanted was to see him, she couldn't let him leave her, she couldn't let him go.
"Fred!" She screamed, hurling herself at him, collapsing into his arms, tears slippery-sliding down her cheeks. "Please, please, tell me that you're not leaving, don't go, don't go." He looked surprised to see her, but was secretly exhuberated because he hadn't really wanted to leave without telling her good-bye.
"Lina…" He pushed her away and looked into her teary eyes. "You knew this would happen, you knew it was coming, please, don't make this harder, don't make me regret this."
1:21…
"But you can't!" She yelled, pushing him in the chest. "You can't leave me!" She was boarderline hysterical and it was effecting him. He ran his hand through his hair. "I can't do this without you!" He shook his head firecly,
"Yes you can!" She felt so weak and she wanted him to hold her but she knew he couldn't, wouldn't, shouldn't, or it would make this harder than it already was. "You have to, love, I can't stay."
"You don't want to stay!" She screamed at him.
"You're right!" He yelled back. "I don't!" She stared at him in stunned silence, as the seconds ticked by.
1:04…
"I hate you." The words came sharply though softly from her lips and her eyes were starting to get puffy. His breath caught in his throat.
"No you don't." It was hard to reply to those words because they hurt. She nodded several times, her heartbreak so evident on her pretty face, so evident that it tormented him to look at it and know that he was the cause of it. He took a bold step forward, grabbed her upper arm, and pulled her to him roughly, his mouth finding hers, his other hand finding it's familiar resting place between her waist and her hip. He could feel her tears hit his cheek and when he pulled away she was full-fledged sobbing and he couldn't help his eyes from burning as well. "Lina…please…"
0:49…
"Fred," Her hands shakily reached for his face, cupping each cheek tenderly an endearing, frequent gesture that he knew he would miss. "Look at me," He did but it took all of his strength. "You're my everything Fred." He shook his head, his eyes closing,
"Angel, please, stop…"
"No," She stated firmly. "You need to hear this. I don't know who or where I'd be if it weren't for you. You're the only thing that's kept me going, Fred, the only thing that's kept me afloat. You're my best friend, and I can't bear to watch you leave like this." His porcelin skin began to pale and she tugged him to her, placing her lips gently on his. "I love you." She whispered against his mouth. It wasn't the first time she'd told him, but it was the first time that goosebumps had raised on his arms and it was full of so much raw emotion that he would do anything to stay.
0:23…
"I love you too." He replied, resting his forehead against hers.
"Then stay with me." Slowly, painstakingly, he shook his head and she sobbed as she felt it, her body almost doubling over.
"I have to go. I have to go now, it's time - "
"No!" She yelled, grabbing his robe, burying her face in it. "No…"
"I'm sorry, love." He grabbed her wrists and tugged them off of him gently. She realized that there was nothing that she could do to stop him, and she watched, numb as he took a few steps backwards.
"Fred?" It was George's voice and he wasn't far away. "You ready? It's almost five."
"Yeah." Fred's throaty whisper replied, and he took another stumbling step backwards. She was staring at him with salty, firey-hot tears trailing down her face. "I'm sorry Lina." She took a deep breath.
0:11…
"Write me?" A gulping sob. He nodded.
"Of course."
"Miss me?" Her voice was a little softer now, and he nodded, exhaling loudly, his chest constricting.
"Every minute."
0:08…
He picked up his trunk, ready to go, and then she was next to him and pressing her lips to his again. He could've stayed. He thought right then. He could've stayed and it would've been okay, because she was with him.
"Fred, comon, we've gotta go…" He pulled away.
0:01
"Times up Ange." He whispered, pulling away, wiping away a hair sticking to her tear-stained face. "I've gotta do this." She nodded resolutely, wiping her cheeks, hating the fact that she'd shown this much weakness in front of him.
"I'll see you then Weasley." He nodded, a ghost of a smile lighting up his features.
"See you, love."
……
Later she heard about their spectacular departure. About how they summond their brooms and they flew through the air, about them kicking off and Peeves saluting them as they sped away. It brought a smile to her lips because it was just so Fred and George. She was glad that she hadn't seen it, though, because it would've been worse. It would've been worse to see them ride out those doors and know that she'd never see them come through again. Right now she could pretend that it was some dumb prank and that if she just went through the motions sooner or later they would return and it would forever be, "Remember that time when we tricked everyone into thinking we were leaving for good…Merlin, what idiots…"
But when she received her first letter she realized it was not a prank, and although the words I love you and miss you like hell, were scrawled at the bottom of the parchment, she had cried herself to sleep that night, because she realized that he wasn't coming back.
He really wasn't coming back.
……
