DISCLAIMER: THE WORLD OF HARRY POTTER BELONGS TO JK. ROWLING.
ON WITH THE STORY...
" Fred…Oooo Freeeedddd…"
" Go away George"
" Freeeed…"
"What?"
" Fred, you really are going to have to open your eyes for this."
" No. go away. Let me sleep."
" Why? Did you get unusually tired out last night—OW! Bloody Hell Stephanie!"
Stephanie had finally woken up (in the crook of Fred's arm, of course) as George hovered above them tantalizing them.
" What are you doing?" asked Stephanie.
" What did you do?" replied George.
" What ever do you mean?" smirked Stephanie.
" Well, when I went to bed last night, I was all alone…and POOF I wake up and I see you AND Fred together…so you see, putting 2 and 2 together…hehe.."
" Is that all you think about? You perverted shell of a man you." Said Stephanie twitching her mouth.
Fred still had his eyes closed, head smashed in the pillow, as Stephanie pushed herself out of bed.
" mmm…5 more minutes.." he murmured into his pillow.
Stephanie and George both gave each other a wicked look, and together they turned their faces grinning madly at the specimen lying before them that would be the unlucky candidate of a morning prank. Silently, George went for his wand, as Stephanie stifled her laughter.
" What spell?" whispered George into Stephanie's ear. Stephanie was having a hard time breathing, as she tried to hold back all her mischievous laughter.
" How about we levitate him, and put him in Ron's bed." Said Stephanie turning red from lack of oxygen.
" Brilliant!"
Slowly and sneakily George and Stephanie tiptoed on the creaky floorboards directing Fred's levitating figure across the hall. With her index finger up to her lips, signaling them to be quiet, Stephanie opened Ron's door, and led the way.
" On the count of three…ready, 1-2-3."
Softly George levitated Fred down next to Ron, as Fred shifted to put his arm around Ron's waist.
Stephanie and George sat opposite of them on the other bed, laughing, awaiting their reaction when they would wake.
" How long do you think it will take?" whispered Stephanie giggling.
" Soon, When Ron realizes that…"
" What the bloody hell are you doing!" shouted Ron suddenly looking down as Fred's arm pinning him closer.
" Mmm warmth, just a while longer Stephanie…"
" Gerroff me Fred!" continued Ron, red in the face, and hitting Fred with his pillow.
" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"
" oi, you two!" pointed Ron towards the direction of the laughter.
" wh-what's going on..RON! YOU'RE NOT STEPHANIE!"
Stephanie and George sprinted out of the room, as covers went flying everywhere while Ron and Fred were trying to untangle themselves from the sheets and run after them.
George and Stephanie sprinted all the way to the kitchen, out of breath, and took a seat at the table acting like nothing happened, and grabbed a mug of hot chocolate.
" You two are going to pay!" yelled Ron as Fred came up behind him, both of them looking disheveled.
" Now dear, what are you talking about Ronald?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"Yeah, we've been here all along, haven't we George, what is Ron talking about?" asked Stephanie innocently.
" No you haven't, you were in the room, watching me and Fred sleep together…I mean, you put us there together…I mean I didn't want to, I mean I didn't know…"
Stephanie and George snorted into their hot chocolate, as Ron and Fred became highly embarrassed looking around the kitchen seeing Hermione, Ginny, Laura and Sirius sitting there looking at them with interested faces.
"Uhh..Nevermind.."
The rest of the summer passed in quite the same fashion, many pranks being played to make the dead atmosphere of this oncoming war seem less real. Only when Dumbeldore was at the house did the children comprehend the seriousness of it all. Most of the time was spent cleaning, getting the house livable.
" Ok Stephanie, now I want you to do the whole circuit one more time, but this time, try not to use your arms as much." Said Lupin with a stopwatch in hand, as Stephanie, sweaty faced and tired prepared to do yet another of those grueling practices he set up. Her body had sculpted nicely to Fred's notice, who would goggle at her every morning to make sure he wasn't still dreaming. Because after all, she did look hott.
" Oooh Bloody Hell…you kind of make me wish Snape was back." Said Stephanie out of breath.
Snape hadn't returned for training sessions with the girls ever since Stephanie had gotten so far inside him. He only appeared at the Order meetings. Apparently he had missions to do anyways, and so the girls were told to read as much as they could on dueling and continue practice with Lupin, and Sirius who liked to help out (check out Laura)
" Come on Laura one more," said Sirius from the other side of the room, encouraging her to do more push up.
" I hate you, I really do" she drawled out, catching her breath.
" Aww come on. It's not really that difficult. Plus, you two had a break on your birthdays."
" Ooh great, one free day in June, and one free day in August. Yippee!" she replied sarcastically.
" At least now that we're 17 we can do magic outside of school." Said Stephanie wiping her brow with a towel.
It was strange how still none of the other members of the household except for the adults knew of the girls training in the morning. Although Stephanie was fairly certain Hermione had a feeling of what was going on. But everyone was way too tired from the cleaning each day to care and the tense pre-war atmosphere, but alas, the girls were just twice as tired.
In a week Harry would be coming over to the headquarters. Apparently he had tried many times to get in touch with Ron and Hermione as well as Sirius, but after all, everyone at the Headquarters had to be top secret. It was lucky for the Twins and the girls, because Lee's parents were part of the Order, and as it turned out, Oliver had agreed to take part of it, so they didn't have to keep it hidden really.
Oliver had accepted just two weeks ago in fact….
(Two weeks ago)
"…Laura why are you upset? It was the best thing to do. Come on, you know as well as I do that Dumbeldore is right about this. Why are you against me joining the or---" Oliver had just come to headquarters to get sworn in the order, and it was only once he had made his vows that Laura had found out, because she had been upstairs with the boys cleaning the unfortunate attic.
" I know more than you think Oliver! And I know it's dangerous, Stephanie, the twins and I have heard stories of some missions. Please reconsider.." Pleaded Laura slightly furious, but more so distraught.
She couldn't even fathom him in danger. She had put aside all her feelings for Sirius whatever they may have been, or still be. If she was to be a key in this war, she decided to start acting responsible, and Laura had told herself, that while she was with Oliver she would be faithful to Oliver. And who knew, maybe Oliver wasn't the one for her. Only time would tell.
" Laura, please just listen. I'll be away at training for a while anyway, and Dumbeldore knows that, so I won't be able to do much while I'll be away, and—"
" SEE! AND you'll be away! How unfair is that! What am I going to do?" Said Laura now changing the subject.
Oliver held her around the waist, smiling slightly, and whispered, " Why, gonna miss me?"
Laura didn't move his hands, but she didn't give him the satisfaction to just throw herself in his arms. Please, as if that boy had her wrapped around his finger!
" Oliver," she said taking a calming breath, " please think about what you're doing. And if you want to stay in…well…fine. But if anything happens to you, while on a mission, or whatever, just be warned that if they don't finish you off, I am going to kick your ass."
Oliver laughed and said, " All right, I stand forewarned."
Laura and Oliver had spent just 2 hours together after that, 'making-up' and talking to the twins and Stephanie, when Oliver said he had to go, he was leaving the next day for Scotland.
So now, two weeks later, Laura and Stephanie were busy in the training room, sweating their bum off, trying to concentrate.
" Ok I have an idea!" said Lupin brightly all of a sudden. He turned around, and brought out this old disc machine, and put on a record.
" What is this going to do?" asked Laura raising and eyebrow.
" You'll see," the music started to play…" How about we dance!"
" That's it, he's gone mental…" mumbled Laura.
Lupin grabbed Stephanie and started swinging, because in fact he had put on an old record of Benny Goodman 'SING, SING, SING' and no jazz moved like it in the world. Sirius looked at Laura, who said, " Ain't no way I am doing what they're doing!"
But Sirius didn't listen; he grabbed her and started with the swing too. They were all dancing out of breath and laughing, and making one hell of a racket. The music was just too good to pass up. Lupin and his quirky ways thought dancing was the perfect way to loosen up, and get the body in shape, as well as learn to play off one another. As in following the partner in the dance movements, so that it taught the girls to play off one another in a real life battle. To know when to move and how. Well, he was right, except for one thing—they were having way too much fun to notice anything except the music.
Sirius turned out to be an out of this world dancer. Twirling Laura here and there, and a dip there. They just hadn't realized how much noise they had been making when the twins walked through the door that had been kicked open by Stephanie's foot when Lupin had dipped her—
" What the bloody hell--" They stood there gaping, as the couples kept on swinging, until Stephanie caught a sight of them as she came up from the dip.
" Oh shit.." she said quietly.
Everyone stopped and stood transfixed.
" Aaah, George, Fred you've figured out our little secret.." said Lupin way too smoothly.
What the hell were the girls going to do now? How were they going to tell their best friends; and to Stephanie her boyfriend. She had avoided it for as long as possible, but now how could she not tell him..
" Secret…uhh what is going on?" asked an uncertain disheveled looking Fred gaping from Stephanie to Laura.
" You know, this!" said Sirius catching on to what Lupin was playing at, " We are learning to dance!"
"uuoh..Right, we have been teaching each other swing.." said Stephanie nodding to Laura.
" Duh! Why do you think we've been so tired all the time? And you Fred, I would have thought better of you!" scolded Laura so easily, Sirius had to bite the inside of his mouth to stop himself from a chuckle.
What a woman! He thought.
" What, why…what did I do?" asked Fred.
" Umm, gee let me think…HER ASS!" said Laura pointing at Stephanie who blushed very deeply, taken completely off guard. Fred did a double take, and then smirked and said, " Aah I felt something different about that one…no no…stop changing the subject!"
" Yeah, how come you haven't asked me to dance! I feel highly affronted. Not only could I teach you some moves, but I'll have you know…I am bloody tired of cleaning all day!" exclaimed George theatrically.
" Well, it was a surprise!" said Stephanie still blushing furiously red.
" Surprise for what?" asked Fred confused.
" Uhh..for for…well to learn some new moves to.." Stephanie having caught on with the flow started swinging her hips menacingly sexually and said, " …some moves to move my body in every which way." and she let her hand roam up the side of her body.
If this hadn't been a somewhat serious situation, Laura might have started laughing, but if she laughed Fred would be taken out of his transfixed 'trance.'
" Uhh.." gulping for air poor Fred was lost for words, as Lupin and Sirius gave each other a highly amused look. After all, they had been Fred's age once, and they knew only too well what charm a girl could have.
" Right, well since you've found it out Fred, I guess it will have to stop, because it won't be a surprise anymore," added Stephanie pouting mockingly," because now I won't be able to take you off guard with a swing of my hips, " as she demonstrated again, much to Fred's pleasure, " or a move of my hand." And she put her hand around her neck, tilting her neck back, as Fred still stood there staring. Then resuming a business like nature, she straightened up and said, "Well, since you had to be curious, I might as well go and take a shower now. See you at breakfast." Said Stephanie flatly as she crossed the room and left, leaving Fred there still dreamy- eyed.
" Wait, what I don't get, is why you and Sirius have been helping them." Stated George addressing Lupin, totally not entranced by what Stephanie had just been doing, because to him she would always be and always stay, just one of his best friends, like a sister really.
" Well, we have to get up for the Order anyways, and since we used to love to dance, it was simply natural to offer. " said Sirius suavely, and they totally bought it.
No one mentioned the 'dancing' that morning at breakfast, except Fred kept giving Stephanie 'awed' futile looks, as if he was still in shock or in a reverie.
Stephanie however, ignored him and was chatting amicably to Ron, discussing Quidditch, and when she looked up across the table to Fred she would smirk and resume her conversation.
The day was spent mostly doing homework this time, because the kids still had work from their teachers at Hogwarts, while Sirius had left the house for one of the first times all summer, to go somewhere with Lupin. Apparently, Lupin needed to retrieve a certain plant for a potion Snape was making, that could only be found on a rocky mountainsides facing south, so Sirius went to help, since they were going to be away from prying eyes.
On the Mountain Top:
" Phew, if it was any hotter out here, I would melt!" called out Lupin climbing the rocky side, as he wiped his forehead with his robe.
Sirius nodded, and changed into a dog to facilitate the climb on four paws.
" Hey Sirius, that was pretty close this morning. I don't know if we'll be able to continue the training now that the twins know the girls are up to something. It's only a matter of time before they tell Hermione and Ron, and then what will we do?"
Sirius lifted his ears, and changed once again into a man to answer, "Well, I guess that's it then. We might as well give them the rest of the summer off. When Harry comes here, they can't train, and anyways it's not like the training—" he had stopped abruptly as he saw the silver flower they were scavenging for, and also because he was about to reveal his feelings about Laura to Lupin.
Lupin however, frowned at the back of his friend, and said, " Sirius, is there something I don't know, something you've been keeping from me?"
Sirius pretended not to hear him, and said, " Hurry! Come here! I found them!"
Lupin wasn't convinced, but they had a pressing matter at hand, and whatever Sirius wasn't telling him would be revealed sooner or later he thought.
BACK AT THE HOUSE
" ..stop it Frederick…" whispered Stephanie at the long kitchen table, bent over a long essay for Snape on Vampirisms. Fred was next to her, apparently also doing an essay for his astrology class, but in fact, he kept running the feather of his quill up and down her arm while no one was watching.
Oooh Chills, tantalizingly sexy-- Am I getting Goosebumps? Thought Stephanie.
Fred hadn't forgotten her little episode this morning, in fact that was all he thought about, and when he was going to hold her in his arms. All day they had been either doing work, or in the company of everyone else in the household, and he couldn't wait until they were alone.
It was after dinner, and Lupin and Sirius still hadn't returned, but no one mentioned it, because usually 'missions' for the Order took 1 to 2 days. However, Laura was worried. She thought he would have come back already, they had been gone over 12 hours. Wasn't that enough for picking flowers?
" Well kids you better go off to bed, there's a meeting in about an hour, and I don't want you listening. Well off you go now. Good night dears." Said Mrs. Weasley very motherly.
To be honest, everyone was pretty tired, and didn't argue. Laura couldn't wait to be in her room, so she could worry away from prying eyes. She went in her bed, and turned away from Stephanie's bed, so that she could pretend to be asleep.
Stephanie glanced at her after 10 minutes, and tip toed out of the room, for a secret rendez- vous with Fred. As he closed the door behind her, Fred grabbed her hand, " Ah—God Fred, almost scared me to death!" whispered Stephanie reprovingly.
Fred moved closer, as she was softly pinned on the wall in the middle of the hallway, and he started bringing his lips to her collarbone. He lingered softly, breathing on her skin, feeling her shiver, then kissing the skin beneath his lips.
" …Fred, someone is bound to come in the hallway…" said Stephanie, finding difficulty to open her eyes or care.
" mmm… you're right…" Fred put his arm around her waist, and led her to his bedroom.
" Where's George?" asked Stephanie suspiciously.
" Sleeping with Ron, I started snoring so he couldn't sleep and went to sleep on the spare bed in Ron's room." Said Fred smirking as he closed the door.
" But you don't snore."
" I know."
" What exactly do you think you are going to do with me tonight Mr. Weasley?" asked Stephanie, half hidden in the darkness. There was only enough moonlight from the crescent moon to fall across her lips and his eyes.
" Well, there are many things…" he said, starting towards her, " such as seeing how your body can move now…like you did this morning."
Fred was making Stephanie's heart beat way too fast, she thought he would be able to hear it bearing out of her chest. " Fred, I love you…but I don't want to…well it's just it's too soon to—"
" I know,…" he said slowly, meeting her lips in a whisper, as he cupped her faced gently with his left hand. He let his right hand roam up her thigh to her waist, wondering his chance under her shirt. She didn't move his hand as he let his fingertips press against her soft skin on her stomach. Stephanie continued kissing him, as a soft moan escaped her lips into his mouth.
That captured sound made him pull her ever closer to him, as she fell backwards onto one of the beds.
" Oops…" she said softly.
Fred came down over her, still kissing her, slowly lifting her shirt, but she caught his hands and slowly rolled over pinning him down as she opened the neck of his shirt. The continued softly making out by the moonlight, until they laid side by side still clothed, Stephanie in the crook of his arm, as Fred kissed her forehead gently and murmured, " One day, I'll see your moves…"
" Perhaps.." replied Stephanie smiling into the darkness and they both, once again slept the night away in each others arms.
Unfortunately, not everyone was passing such a peaceful night. Facing the wall on next to her bed, Laura's heart was beating just as fast as Stephanie's had been, but not out of passion, but out of confusion, frustration, perhaps obsession…
The way he had held her when they danced…how very different from Oliver's hands. His hands, how they had roamed along her back, feeling every muscle…so much more erotic then even a kiss...He was so sure of himself, so gentle, yet—Damn you Sirius Black! Why do you linger around in my head?