She sipped at her tea, keeping her gaze on the shop's door. If Fred came she didn't want to miss him. They had so much to discuss, but after the party she worried he would avoid her and the tea shop. Not that she could blame him. In his shoes she would do the same. And according to George, Fred had run off the day after the party to Hawaii to learn how to surf. He'd only come back last night.

She checked the clock on the wall. Fifteen minutes late. She leaned back against the wall and pulled her knees up toward her chest. He probably wasn't coming, which meant she'd have to wait to have a private word with him. Drat. George seemed out of sorts since the party too. He still smiled and laughed but she kept catching him staring off into space with a troubled look that wrinkled his brow and made the skin beside his eyes crinkle. Every time she caught the troubled look she couldn't help but to wonder how much Clara had said was true. He needed to know. The curiosity was eating her up inside.

The door opened and she stiffened. Fred stepped through the doorway, uncertainty clear on his face. One hand nervously jingled the change in his pocket. He'd tanned while on his vacation and it made him look out of place amongst all the pasty customers in the shop. He spotted her and awkwardly shifted on his feet. She gave him a hard look and pointed at the cushion across from her. With the look of a kid who's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Fred padded on over to her table.

He held up a hand. "Before you say anything I broke up with her. She's gone for good." With that said he sat down, having to scoot the cushion back a few inches to fit his long legs in. He plopped down a package she hadn't noticed him carrying onto the table. The plain brown paper gave no clues as to what was inside.

"What is that?"

"It's an apology gift and a bribe to not hold anything she said against George. He would never cheat on you and most of the old rumors going around about us were my fault. I know he is worrying about it and I wanted to help make things right. He's a good guy and I don't want there to be issues between you because of Clara." He dropped his gaze. "So, um, sorry." He pushed the gift across the table to her.

She eyed up the package with suspicion. "Is it some sort of prank? Is something going to jump out at me when I open it?"

His eyebrows shot up. "Wow. You really do have a low opinion of me, don't you?"

"I didn't say that!"

"You implied it well enough."

"It's just that—well, never mind. Can I open it?" A gift from Fred. She tried to imagine what he might give someone. Quidditch gloves? A bottle of whisky?

He looked at her like she was an idiot. "It's your gift."

"Then I'm going to open it." She grabbed it, glancing at him to gauge his reaction one last time before opening the paper. She slid the paperback book out, her mouth opening in surprise. "How did you get this? It doesn't come out until tomorrow."

"You were reading the first book last time and said you liked it. I recognized the author's name when I saw a poster advertising it in the bookstore's window on my way here. You know that one just down the road." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder in the store's general direction. "Plus the covers are similar and have silhouettes of the same two characters. The archer looks like she's about to blow the swordsman on each cover. Pretty memorable." He pointed at the kneeling archer and Lucy spotted exactly what he meant. "I flirted with the cashier and talked her into letting me buy an early copy since they already got it in stock for tomorrow. She was a nice lady, old enough to be my mum, but nice."

"Wow," she said, unsure of how to feel about the gift. On one hand she'd been looking forward to reading it and hadn't expected him to pay any attention to her books unlike George. On the other hand his method was…unusual and she was also never going to be able to unsee the accidental blow job. "Thanks." She let herself smile at him. "I'll start reading it tonight."

"I'd also like to add that I think you should tell George about the love thing."

Her face blazed red. "Maybe." She traced a finger over the book's cover before shoving it into her purse. "Was anything Clara said about you two sharing girlfriends true?"

Fred sighed. "If you want to hear those stories this is going to take a bit. Let me get some tea first, yeah?"

She waited for him to put his order in, watching while he considered the menu and ordered. The tan looked good on him. Not too dark as to make his hair look outlandish, but enough to give him a light glow. "Did you actually learn how to surf?" she asked as soon as the waiter walked away.

"Kind of. I'm awful at it but yeah, I can surf now."

"Did you see any sharks?"

"Only one."

"It didn't eat someone, did it?"

He cracked a smile. "No. In fact I wrestled it myself, saved the whole beach. I'm a hero now."

She glowered at him. "I get it, stupid question."

Their waiter returned with his pot of tea. "Okay, you have your tea. Now talk!"

He frowned at her. "Fine, but I'm only going to tell you everything to absolve George and you'd better not tell anyone else. He's nervous about what Clara said to you. Afraid you're going to start doubt him and he doesn't deserve that."

"I have zero doubts about George." She poured her own tea. "How much of it is true? Are there any other crazy exes other than Angelina and Clara I need to be aware of?"

"Doubt it. I admit I made some mistakes with Angelina. Let things go on for too long in my desperation to keep her. Most of those rumors about us sharing can be traced back to one of my girlfriends. Leave it to a Slytherin to try to destroy her ex." He wrinkled his nose. "I was daft to ever think dating a Slytherin was a good idea."

"Then why did you?" She got comfortable, settling in for his story.

"For starters she was gorgeous. Great sense of humor and wicked at Quidditch. It took six months of flirting with her before she finally paid me any attention. She stumbled into the astronomy tower one night and let me kiss her."

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "Astronomy tower?"

"Don't laugh, but I liked looking through the telescopes. I also walked in on way too many other students trying to shag. The tower tended to be the hook up spot at night since teachers couldn't be bothered to patrol it. Anyway—"

"Wait, wait, hold up. You like astronomy?" Disbelief leaked into her voice. "I know you like Quidditch and dueling, but astronomy?" It was easy to picture him surfing and dueling, but sitting alone beneath the stars didn't seem like his speed.

He rolled his eyes. "Just because I like sports and fighting doesn't mean I can't like other things. I have a telescope I break out every few weeks because star gazing is peaceful. Sometimes when I'm struggling with new products I like to do some thinking with the stars. Something about it helps me clear my mind and relax. Sports help me let off steam, but they aren't as good for thinking." He tapped the side of his head. "I'm not all brawn."

Lucy snorted. "So what you're saying is you like star gazing so much you hooked up in the astronomy tower?"

Fred nodded. "The problem was after the second time I realized she thought I was George and couldn't tell us apart. When she realized she'd been fucking the other twin she wasn't too happy. And then there was a later girlfriend who also couldn't tell us apart and thought she was dating both of us but it was only me. Lasted all of two months that one. I've already decided to take a break after Clara. Work on myself a bit."

She sipped at her tea, turning over his words. "Sounds like a good idea. All my relationships started when I wasn't expecting to find someone. I think going in with no expectations helped."

He poured his tea. "Maybe the same will happen for me but I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I want to get my act together for George."

"Other than the drinking and lack of relationship success, what is there to get together?" It was an innocent question and she didn't expect the look of surprise that bloomed across Fred's face. "I mean you have the shop already and that's a grand success from what George tells me. He couldn't do it without you. You have hobbies, a club you attend. Lots of friends. Sounds like you just need to quit being so hard on yourself."

He stared at her, silence yawning between them. She swallowed, wondering if she'd said the wrong thing. She pushed a stray hair out of her face. Then she turned her gaze to her biscotti and dipped it into her tea. The feel of his eyes on her made sweat bead on the back of her neck.

"I wonder if that's what Ceece was trying to get at last week. She said my struggles come from not being seen as an individual due to being a twin. Said I keep unattainable expectations of myself and then punish myself when I can't reach them." He rubbed at the stubble on his jaw.

She relaxed. "Makes sense."

"I've never felt like just Fred. To everyone else it's always been Fred and George. Whenever I was alone I often got asked where George was and the girls who couldn't tell us apart didn't help. Without George I don't feel like I'm enough and I need to learn to be more comfortable with being myself outside of George."

This was beginning to get far deeper than Lucy had anticipated and she felt out of her depth. But if he was willing to talk she wouldn't stop him. "What comes next? Do you have goals set to become comfortable with being Fred? More surfing to do or glowering at books?" She wiggled her hand. "Maybe perfecting your 'I just rolled out of bed' hairstyle?"

He chuckled. "That last one is just when I forget to brush my hair. I don't do it on purpose but I'm flattered you think I'm so stylish. Now it's my turn to ask a question." He took a sip of his tea while he watched her, drawing out the tension. "Why is it that you don't seem to want to tell George about the love thing?"

Heat threatened to creep back up her neck. "Because I'm scared he doesn't feel the same and then it'll screw everything up. He's just so sweet and smart and handsome and well amazing. I don't want to lose him." She sighed. Wondering if he could ever feel the same was worse than her fear of confessing. What if she told him and he didn't feel the same at all?

"I think at the very least he would be flattered. He's a hopeless romantic and I think hearing how you feel would put him at ease after what's happened with Clara. He's mad for you."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah."

She took a large bite of her biscotti, watching as Fred grabbed his cloth napkin and folded it into a bird. "Why do you know origami?"

"We learned it as research for one of our products back during our school days."

"Can you show me how you made that?"

He unfolded the bird without protest. He slid the napkin toward the center of the table and narrated each fold to her as he made it until he'd reformed the bird. She grabbed her own napkin and made an attempt, but it came out looking like a pile of nothing. She huffed. "You win this one."

He smiled as he pulled his napkin back. "I'm aiming to try something new this week without George as part of my 'learn to be just Fred' homework. I already did surfing, so I'm stumped on what to try next."

"You should try something you normally wouldn't consider, like gardening or painting or something." She smoothed out her napkin. "Do you know how to make balloon animals?"

"No idea."

"Then there you go! I bet the kids at the store would love it."

He grinned. "That's not a bad idea."

"And then when you hit on chicks you can impresses them with your balloon shaping skills."

He groaned. "Okay that one isn't such a good idea."

"You could learn how to make balloon flowers and crowns to give them."

He cringed at the idea. "Please stop, you are killing me."

"But then you can call them a pretty princess."

"Ugh. The more you talk the more convinced I am to pick something else."

"No! I'll stop." She couldn't help but crack a smile at the thought of him making balloon animals. Something about it seemed so outrageous. "Next time we are here I expect a balloon animal as proof. And you can't be a smartass and make snakes or I'll consider your task failed."

"You're on. I'll knock your socks off with my balloon skills. I'll get so good the circus will wish they could hire me." He spoke with conviction, more determination shining in his eyes than she'd ever seen before. "But if I win, you have to tell George you love him."

Stakes sufficiently raised. She frowned, ready to chicken out on the bet.

"Come on, don't be a coward on me." He held his hand out for a handshake. "Do we have a bet?"

The determination steeling his jaw was a bit intimidating and she still felt the need to impress him. To prove him wrong about her. "It's a bet. If I win, the next visit is on you."

They shook on it and she wasn't so sure she wanted to see him make balloon animals anymore.

She turned the newspaper over to avoid the latest Death Eater sightings. Too much doom and gloom for her tastes. The kitchen timer dinged and she looked up in time to see George pulling on frilly purple oven mitts complete with a leafy floral pattern. "I had no idea you liked purple so much. Should I keep that in mind?"

George shrugged. "An aunt gave them to us as a housewarming present. I'm convinced she found them unused in her drawer when she was spring cleaning and decided to foist them onto us." He held one out for her to get a closer look. "They say 'I be-leaf in you.'"

"That's kind of terrible."

"Right?" He chucked as he reached into the oven and pulled out a cheesecake. He set it on the breakfast bar in front of her. "Ta-da!"

She sucked in a deep breath of the scent. "Chocolate cheesecake, right?"

"With a strawberry swirl and fresh ones to go on top somewhere in the fridge." He poked at the top of the cheesecake. The middle had caved in a bit. "Good enough." Satisfaction dawned over his face. He ripped the oven mitts off. "Let's eat!"

"Is that Mum's cheesecake?" Fred asked as he wandered into the kitchen.

"Her recipe, yes."

"Ah, so that's why mum was over yesterday. Teaching you how to not make a slab of chocolate concrete. Give me a piece." Fred grabbed the pie cutter and dug in, ignoring his brother's flaming face. He shoveled a large forkful into his mouth. His forehead wrinkled while he chewed, then his eyes lit up. "Tastes almost like Mum made it. Way better than that attempt last year when you accidentally used cottage cheese instead of cream cheese."

George's blush grew darker. Fred dropped his fork and clapped his brother on the back. "Good job. Save my slice for later for when I get back."

"Where are you off to?" George asked as he cut Lucy a slice.

"I've got a balloon animal class to attend. I'll catch you two later." He gave Lucy his devilish smile and her stomach dropped. He rested a hand on George's shoulder, catching his attention. "And Georgie, love ya."

Lucy glared at him. George gave his brother a look of confusion. "Thanks, you too."

"Mwah!" Fred said as he made a show of kissing his brother's forehead. "Be good, kids. Don't do anything I wouldn't."

"That's an awfully short list," George grumbled.

"Some of us like to live life on the edge." Fred gave them a wave as he turned and headed for the front door.

George peered down at the cheesecake. "Forgetting something." He ran a hand through his hair. A moment later he waved a finger in the air. "Fresh strawberries and whipped cream." He gathered the ingredients.

"George," Lucy said as he sliced strawberries. "Thanks for the dessert. I'm glad you're with me instead of off being seduced by Clara."

His forehead wrinkled. He sprinkled a handful of strawberries onto her slice. "I've been thinking about her and I think you deserve the full truth."

Her shoulders tensed. Her hands gripped the edge of the countertop. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I didn't tell you the full truth. I was afraid you'd judge me for past mistakes, but if we're going to be together I don't want to keep secrets." He sucked in a breath. "We both fucked Angelina. A threesome, technically. I was single at the time and she wouldn't let up on the idea. It was supposed to be a one-time thing but she wouldn't drop it." He leaned against the breakfast bar, his eye fluttering shut. "It was all completely consensual and I'd rather never talk about it again." He opened his eyes and took a deeper, shuddering breath. "There you have it. Y deep dark Angelina secret."

"Oh," she said, taken by surprise. Fred had left the whole threesome part out.

"I'll answer any questions you have. I don't want you to feel like you can't trust me."

"Was it strange fucking a girl the same time as Fred?" The question slipped out before she could stop her morbid curiosity.

George considered the question. "There was nothing sexual between the two of us. We've been almost attached at the hip since we were born and it takes a lot to phase us. Fred enjoyed it though. He has this weird thing about us being twins and I think getting off on it became a fucked up coping mechanism." Horror widened his eyes. "Forget I said that. He'd never live it down if he found out you know."

She grabbed the whipped cream and put a thick layer on her cheesecake. "He said his therapist has him working on the being an individual thing." She didn't want to see him drink himself to sleep like her mother tended to do. "I hope it all works out for him. As for the details of Angelina, I'd rather not know or I'll get insecure."

He reached for her hand. "I understand but know I never wanted to date her."

"Well, as long as we are divulging secrets you should know I was a total creep about you. I'd watched you at the pub at least twice when you came for lunch."

The side of his mouth twitched. "Was I too sexy to ignore?"

"Of course. As for the Angelina thing I'm a bit envious to be honest. I never had a wild time where I got to explore. I was always too shy and a bookworm. Didn't make me one of the popular girls at school for chasing after. Know I don't care what you did with whom in the past as long as I don't need to worry about any cheating in the present."

"Of course not!"

"Then there's nothing to worry about except for how many calories I'm about to eat." She cut off a large bite and dipped it into the pile of whipped cream.

"I hope this doesn't horrify you too much but I bet there's at least ten calories in there."

"And I'm going to pretend there's only ten."

He piled whipped cream onto his own slice, a small smile chasing away his tension. "I'm glad we can talk like this. It means a lot to know we can." His voice carried a wistful note to it. "Have you ever considered trying your hand at product development? Imagine the things we could do together."

She laughed. "Oh, George, now you're giving me too much credit. I could test your products and help research but I'm no inventor. I might be able to get you a few interviews with magazines though. I know a lot of journalists. I could bounce some marketing ideas off you too. I don't think anyone can work in publishing without picking up a few marketing tips."

"We have been considering working on our public relations more, especially with our recent expansions."

"Thanks to those expansions you might start hearing from journalists more. Once they see cute twins they'll be beside themselves trying to get a scoop. Photogenic photos and covers are great for sales." She leaned back with a groan. "This cheesecake is so good but I can't eat any more." She was going to have to take a few extra jogs this week to make up for all the sweets. She wouldn't let chocolate keep her from looking damn good for George.

George rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "Let's keep being fantastic together. And maybe I can bribe you to look over the ad copy for our next round of new products."

"Let me take a piece of cheesecake for lunch tomorrow and consider it done." She wondered if he'd feel the same if she told him she was in love. If Fred really had gone to a class tonight she was going to need to think of a way to break the news to George and soon to keep her end of the bargain. The competitive side of her reared its head around Fred. Strange with how it tended to stay dead unless she was playing Quidditch.

Her eye caught on the newspaper. Despite turning it over the portrait of a Death Eater on the run scowled up at them. "Do you know when Fred's dueling club meets? I was thinking about going somewhere where I could brush up with some lessons for peace of mind."

"They meet tomorrow. If he doesn't stay out all night you can ask him when he gets back. I think the place he goes to does all kinds of lessons. He always shows me what they practiced each week. We upset the neighbors a few times when we dueled outside. The cranky old biddy next door thought we were trying to kill each other."

She smiled. It was too easy to picture the two of them fighting. "I'll ask him about it."

George's gaze turned toward the window. "He's been distant after the Clara break up. I'm surprised he even came in here to try the cheesecake. He's been locked up in his room since returning from his impromptu vacation unless he's out."

"I think you should worry less. Let him know you're here to talk and leave the ball in his court. I get the feeling that making you worry is why he isn't so talkative. Let him have his space and I bet he'll come around."

"I hope you're right." He kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger. "If you're finished with dessert I got us tickets to that comedy show you wanted to see. It starts in 40 minutes." He pulled the tickets out of his pockets and she clapped her hands together in excitement.

"You're the best. Let's go!" She gave him another kiss for good measure. She'd been avoiding staying out too late thanks to the Death Eaters prowling in the shadows, but she felt safe with George. Taking some dueling and defense classes wouldn't be a bad idea though.

She really needed to find another private minute with Fred and hopefully he wouldn't mind her visiting wherever he went to duel, but something told her he might not be thrilled. She'd consider it part of operation "befriend Fred and prevent another Clara disaster."