The only character that belongs to me is Carrie. Everything else is of the imagination of J.K. Rowling. Please review (this is the only time I've asked..) I really like this chapter and I would like anyone to review it. Hate it? Love it? Suggestions? Doesn't matter. Call me stupid or anything. Just review it. Thank you.

Chapter 4: Locked Compartment

Chatter filled the train compartment as exasperated sixth year Gryffindors were anxious for their last two years at Hogwarts before their departure into the world of over-age wizardry in which they could use their powers at will without penalty. Yes, it was a fine time to be sitting in the compartment with the windows thrown open as cigarette smoke wafted out. Carrie wasn't the only one smoking this time, however. Her only girl friends, Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson were passing a cigarette between them.

"So, I hear you almost got caught with Oliver by Mrs. Weasley at the Burrow," Angelina stated as she took in a drag before passing it to Katie.

Carrie smiled half-heartedly. "Um, yeah, almost." Fred, being in the same compartment, paused at their words in his game of Exploding Snap to look at her.

"Well, why was he there?" asked Alicia.

"Oh, well, I figured I could see him with the remaining holiday and at first, we would wander around the village, talking and holding hands, but I wanted to cuddle with him and feel safe in his arms. I opted to bring him back to the Burrow," she explained.

"You are so lucky, Carrie," said Katie with a sigh. "I always thought Oliver was so handsome, all those years I played Quidditch with him…I am so jealous of you!"

Carrie smiled and shrugged it off. Almost on a regular basis, upper class girls told Carrie how she found a good one. Well, at least the ones with sense. Most other girls fawned and bat their eyelashes at Cedric Diggory and most of their attention shifted to him once she and Oliver began to date her third year.

Suddenly, Fred, having exploded his house before construction was done, stood up. "I'm going to see what everyone else is up to." As he made his way to the door, he caught Carrie's eye and motioned her to join him.

Carrie gave Fred a three-minute head start before she stood up, plainly and unconvincingly stated that she was going to get more sweets from the witch and her pushcart.

As soon as the door shut with a resounding click, a hand seized her around the wrist and pulled her towards the back of the train. Loud noises of reuniting friends and excited voices droning as one faded the further back they got. Finally, they reached the very end to a deserted compartment and Fred pulled them in and locked the door.

"What do you want?" she asked innocently, taking a seat with bated breath.

"I want to talk about what happened…with everything," he replied, taking up what little room there was left to pace. A long pause followed these words. Carrie knew it was going to happen sooner or later and she would rather it be never.

"So, we're not going to talk about what happened? Or why you suddenly can't look me in the eye," he asked. "Look at me!"

His plea caused her to jump. "Well, what do you want me to say," she replied, jumping up from the seat she'd taken to look him squarely in the eye. "Do you want me to say that I had to keep seeing Oliver to nullify the feeling you give me when our eyes meet? Do you want me to tell you that being so close to you RIGHT NOW is taking every fiber of my being not to kiss you? Because it is!"

Fred stared at her, dumbstruck. She suddenly realized what words had just flown from her mouth. The weight of it finally lifted off her shoulders and her heart.

"You…what?" he was at a loss for words.

"Oh, fuck it. It's the truth," she said as she sat back in the seat. "I mean, you feel the same way…don't you?"

An awkward silence filled the compartment. A hard lump settled in Carrie's throat, constricting her breathing.

"Never mind," she said hurriedly before tears could splash down her smooth cheek. She made a rush for the door, just to escape such humility.

"No, wait," he finally spoke, resting his calloused hand on her hipbone. Such a simple touch made her want to melt into him. "I need to digest this. For so long, I have pushed these feelings aside because I felt you were out of my league. Your mind is so brilliant and cunning. You have quick wit and are the only person outside of Slytherin who would dare smart back to Snape and win. Your looks…GOODNESS! You're too exotic for drab and dreary England. But Oliver got to you first. I forced myself to get over you and I never succeeded. With every joke I told in your presence, you would laugh with such delight and touch my arm gently…it gave me some hope. And now you feel the same way?"

It was Carrie's turn to be dumbstruck and the only movement she could make was to nod her head. His hand still rested on her hip. Their words seemed to have hung in the air without being registered. Her brain was too befuddled with the electric currents passing from their skin on skin.

"So, you really have felt this way for so long?" she inquired quietly, bringing her hips as close as possible to touching his.

"Yes," he declared almost lamely, now so close that she smelled pumpkin juice on his breath and it stirred a few wispy strands of hair around her face.

They were so close that their noses were touching…

His lips were as soft as she remembered them from their "accidental" kiss. She wondered how many other girls he had kissed to make her go so weak in the knees, to know to hold the small of her back to guide her onto the cushioned bench seats of the compartment. Then that thought morphed. How many girls could Fred have kissed? He wasn't a troll. Actually, he was down right adorable. Suddenly, she pulled away, realizing they were still on the train.

"Do you think we should be doing this now?" she asked. With her thoughts of Fred's experience, it dawned on her she had no business to be so paranoid about it.

"What are we doing anyway?" he replied sliding off of her and smoothing down his fiery red locks.

"I honestly don't know." It was the complete truth. Such convenience rested with Fred, but also a sense of normalcy because she'd always been able to be herself and not worry about impressing him. With Oliver it was different. In the back of her head, she would like to believe that she charmed him by being herself when in reality, she used her natural feminine wiles on purpose.

Fred frowned slightly. "I don't want to break you guys up, but-" he drew his face closer to hers again – "I just can't help but want to kiss you again."

It was a quick kiss before she ducked out from him. "I think we should try to act normal. I don't know what else to say. We should head back anyhow."

The look on his face indicated he was crestfallen, but he obliged. They finally came to their compartment and Fred went in first. Carrie stared at her watch for several minutes until she felt it was enough to not arouse suspicion.

Carrie sat in her corner, smoking and talking with her girl friends. While she tried to ignore it, she couldn't help but notice Fred staring at her for the whole train ride.

"Carrie, why were you guys gone so long?" Angelina asked.

"What?" she replied, trying not to look guilty.

"I'm just kidding!" Angelina replied.

Carrie chuckled weakly as she stared out the window and tried to avoid any of their gazes. Angelina didn't know how close she was, even though it was just a simple question. It was as though she were accusing her of exactly what she was doing and that was falling in love with two people at the same time.

What a bumpy year it was going to be.