Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe. To my knowledge, I am just a poor college student trying to earn a degree to teach. So I will never have as much money as JKR. Unless I make billions of a book I would actually manage to get published, but last time I checked, this had not yet happened.

A/N: Does anyone remember when I said this story was going to be 32 chapters long? Obviously this is not the case. I tried to have 23 chapters, then 32, but it will be more around 45 from the looks of it. Just like my beta predicted. This chapter probably won't be your favorite if you wanted to see Ron or Hermione, but we see Ron next chapter, so not all hope is lost. Enjoy and please review!

888888888888888888888888888888888888

Fred had dressed up. Well, to be more accurate, he had dressed up as much as his family's miserable budget would allow. It was even more depleted than he remembered.

As he stood outside the two story house in Yorkshire, he felt terrified and very small. It was a great house. How could he compete with that?

He shook his head. You aren't trying to compete, Fred. You just came to say hello to your old friends. Just for a spot of tea.

He knew he was lying. He just wanted to see Angelina again. He missed her dreadfully. If his and George's situations were reversed, he'd hold on for dear life, not run away like George.

Hesitantly he knocked at the door. Thump, thump. For a moment he couldn't decide if he'd actually knocked or if his heartbeat had gotten even louder.

Then the door opened. "Oh hello, Geor—Fred?" Lee asked incredulously. "I heard you were back, but I…"

"Never thought I'd come here?" Fred asked. He smiled. "It's good to see you, Lee. Is Angelina here?"

"Um, yeah. Er, come on in, Fred." Lee stood back from the door, allowing Fred to pass. Fred was ushered into the parlor by an over industrious Lee. "Sit. I'll go get Lina."

After Lee left, Fred snorted. Lina. She hated being called that. Or she once had.

Fred felt like he was in the parlor alone for twenty minutes. He probably was. Fred inspected the blue walls. Very clean. The white carpet was too. This room must not be used much. Then he heard her.

"Fred?" Her voice was small, whether from fear or amazement Fred did not know. He hoped it wasn't fear. She looked amazing—a sight for sore eyes in a lovely yellow sundress.

"Hey Angelina. Long time no see."

"Oh Fred!" she cried, and ran into his arms. "We all thought you were dead."

"I know," he said, hugging her gently. "I missed you."

She kissed his cheek. "I know. I missed you too." She moved away from him and studied the white carpet, nudging it with her foot. "I heard you were at St. Mungo's."

"Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

"I am now. I just finally realized that they're gone. It hit me all at once." He looked around. "Where's Lee?"

"Oh. Well, he thought he'd give us some time alone."

"In other words, he was afraid I'd beat him up."

She laughed, her dark eyes lighting up. "Yeah. Probably."

Fred sat down and patted the sofa beside him. She sat down. "How are things going between you two?"

"Pretty good, actually. Listen, Fred, don't get mad at Lee. It was my idea. I needed someone—we both did. So…"

"Yeah," Fred said flatly.

"What would you have done?" she asked, exasperated.

"I would have waited for you, Angelina. Even if it took forever. Just like I always promised."

She sighed and rose to her feet. "It's so easy for you to say that Fred Weasley. You don't understand. Besides, I'm happy now. I don't need you."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I don't need you. I've gotten along fine without you. I didn't love you. I just cared for you. We were young and scared. You were my first crush, my friend, my teammate. But you don't have to be my boyfriend."

"I never was your boyfriend, not really. You kept me hidden from everyone. Your parents wouldn't approve, you said. I thought maybe it was race, but it was financial wasn't it? I see Lee's got you this nice house."

"How dare you suggest that I'm doing this for my parents!"

"Are you?"

She sighed, her eyes welling up with tears. "Sometimes I don't know."

He stood up beside her and wiped the tears away. "Then you aren't doing it for you." And he leaned down and kissed her.

He hadn't planned on kissing her. Not at all. No, he'd just come for answers. And to look at her. But kissing her was wonderful. It was inevitable.

And she kissed him back. She opened her mouth and invited him in, then in turn invaded his mouth. Merlin, he'd missed her: the smell of her, the feel of her, the taste of her.

He pulled away before this went too far. His breathing was ragged, and he was already very aroused. "Angelina, I should go."

She nodded, her lips slightly swollen from his kisses. 'Yeah."

"Tell Lee I said best regards."

"I will." If he hadn't been so aware of her, he wouldn't have noticed the hitch in her voice.

"Angel?"

"Hmm?"

"If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."

And then he left.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888

A/N: And there you have it. So Fred/Angelina for those of you that have been waiting for it. Thesongremainsthesame comes to mind.

Special thanks to my beta jwoods471. Please review!