Chapter 3

Fred stumbled into his dorm and onto his bed. He stared silently at the roof, running through what had just happened.

"Fred?" George asked. "You alright mate?"

Fred stayed silent and just shook his head.

"What's the matter?" George asked.

"I have to leave Lily." he choked wiping away a tear that was starting to roll down his cheek.

"What! Why?"

"Mason is threatening to have his dad fire ours if I don't break up with her."

"He can't do that can he?"

"Apparently, he can."

"Fred, I, I really wish I could say something to make you feel better." George said.

"Can you convince me to change my mind?" Fred asked hopefully.

"I can't mate. If dad loses his job, it'll tear our family apart." George said sadly.

"I know, but I don't know what I'm going to do without her." Fred said turning away from George.

"I'm sorry." George said and closed the hangings around Fred's bed.

Fred muttered a silencing charm and cried himself to sleep.

When Lily walked out of the common room the next morning, Fred wasn't there.

'Maybe he just slept in.' Lily thought to herself.

She walked to the Gryffindor common room, ignoring the nasty comments. She uttered the portrait password and stepped inside and headed for the boys dorms. Dean tried to stop her but she pushed past him. She saw Fred lying asleep on his bed.

She crawled onto the end of his bed. His hands found hers, showing her he wasn't asleep. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms tightly around her. She giggled girlishly as he kissed the side of her neck.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Fred mumbled into her neck.

"Okay." she replied happily, wiggling out of his grasp. She jumped off of his bed and dragged him out. She waited in the Gryffindor common room while he got dressed.

Fred wanted more than anything to not have to go through with this. He knew he had to though. If he didn't...he didn't even want to think of what would happen to his family. He thought he hated Mason before, he was wrong. He despised him now. He wanted nothing to do with Mason; which brought him right back to breaking up with Lily. If he wanted Mason out of his life, Lily had to leave it too, and that was the very last thing he wanted. He had to stop torturing himself by thinking about this. He was doing the right thing.

Wasn't he?

Should he tell Lily about what Mason is threatening to do? She'd understand. He knew she would, but of course, she wouldn't go running to Mason and Arthur would lose his job anyway.

Running to Mason. The thought made Fred sick to his stomach.

His heart raced as he trod down the stairs to meet Lily in the Gryffindor common room. She was waiting alone in a corner. He hated seeing her like that; alone.

"Hey." he said, his voice shaking.

"Hey." she said cheerily. She took his hand and they walked towards the lake side-by-side. There were a few hisses and mean remarks from onlookers, but Fred and his beauty happily dismissed them.

He sat by the clear blue lake with Lily leaning against him. The breeze was light and the sun was about to rise. It was the perfect makings of a romantic morning. This, Fred knew, was going to be anything but romantic.

"Fred," Lily said with a nudge, "penny for your thoughts?"

"Look, Lily." he sounded like he'd just swallowed sandpaper.

"Yeah?" Lily asked nervously.

"I've been thinking, and this week has been...pretty full on." he managed.

"I know, but, we can get through it, we always do." she said, about to kiss him but he turned his head.

"I, I don't think we can get through it this time." his voice was getting thicker. His false confidence was the only thing stopping the tears he was holding in.

"What are you saying?" Lily's voice broke.

"I'm saying, I will always love you, but we just...shouldn't be together." he looked away from the tears sparkling in her eyes.

"Did I do something wrong? Please, Fred! Please! I love you Freddie! I'll do anything! Don't do this to us!" she begged through gasps of breath. She felt like someone just kicked her in the gut.

"I'm sorry, Lil. I just can't, it's too hard." he said standing up and beginning to walk back to the castle. Lily jumped up after him.

"I thought we were worth it, you said we were worth it! Why are you changing your mind on us now?" she screamed between sobs.

Fred ignored her and kept walking. Lily's knees buckled and she fell to the ground crying.