Chapter 12

Lily awoke the next morning with a pounding headache.

"Thank Merlin it's a Sunday." she said wiping her head groggily.

She looked around, trying to adjust to her surroundings. She soon recognized it as her dorm room. She was in her bed, not wearing much of anything, and completely alone. She checked her pocket watch and saw that it was 11:46am.

She rubbed her forehead again, trying desperately to remember what happened last night. She remembered going to the kitchens, wandering around the ground, talking to a portrait and then…

Nothing.

It all went blank. Lily had no idea what had happened after that moment, she didn't even remember which portrait it was.

She got slowly out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. The shower came on with a loud hiss and sprayed her with warm steam. She walked into it and relished in the feeling of the warm water hitting her cold skin. She grabbed the soap and started slowly running it over her body.

'Is that -' she thought, noticing a red mark on her stomach. 'Oh Merlin, it is! Why the fuck do I have a hickey next to my bellybutton?'

She brushed her fingers against it lightly. Her mind flashed a quick image of her on a bed with someone kissing her stomach. But who?

"Okay, so, I hooked up with someone when I was drunk. That's nothing new." she muttered to herself, stepping out of the hot water and wrapping a towel around her.

She got dressed as she tried to piece together the events from the previous night. It was slowly starting to come back to her. She remembered being in a dorm with someone. She remembered removing clothing from a tall boy and him returning the favour. She also had a strange sensation of suspicion and queasiness eating away at the back of her mind.

She shrugged it off and headed out to the great hall in time for lunch. When she got there, she took a seat beside Tina and Draco. She greeted them and began to mound her plate with food. She was too busy stuffing a ham sandwich into her mouth to notice the pitiful look Draco and Tina were both giving her.

"Hungry Draco?" Lily laughed, watching Draco try and eat a muffin and a nutella sandwich at the same time.

"Always." he said with his mouth full.

"So, you slept in today." Tina teased.

"Yeah, I think I got a bit drunk last night and -" Lily started, but her attention was taken away when a certain pair of red-heads entered. She watched Fred and George as they took their seats at the Gryffindor table. Lily was staring at Fred when she saw something on his neck. It was a big red hickey the size of England.

That's when it hit her like a punch in the face.

She was with Fred last night. He gave her the love bite and she obviously gave him one too. He was the one taking off her clothes. She was in his dorm.

And so was Tina!

"Why the fuck were you in Fred and George's dorm last night?" Lily exclaimed loudly without thinking.

"I-um-I—er-well um… " Tina stumbled.

"Well?" Lily pushed.

"Maybe we should go back to the dorm?" Tina suggested, standing from the table and kissing Draco lightly on the temple before leaving, ushering Lily to follow.

They made their way back to the dorm, where Lily had been just half an hour ago, and sat on Tina's bed. Tina sighed.

"I was in their dorm because I had to talk to Fred." she said.

"About what?" Lily asked.

"About why he broke up with you."

"You already know why. He just doesn't love me anymore." Lily said, although she didn't know if she believed it herself anymore.

"Oh, bullshit! Even you don't believe that. He pounded on Mason because he was kissing you, would he do that if he didn't care? No. So I wanted to find out the real reason."

"Did you?" Lily asked quietly, staring at the floor.

"I did." Tina said sympathetically.

"So, why did he do it?"

"I wish I could tell you, but it's not my place."

"Tina, please. It's not like he's going to tell me himself. You're my best friend; I should hear it from you if not from him."

"Well…"

"Please." Lily pleaded and Tina answered with a sigh.

"Mason is blackmailing him."

"What?" Lily choked out, "How? Why?"

Tina nodded and spoke again. "He threatened to have Mr Weasley fired if Fred didn't leave you and convince you he didn't love you."

"Please, please, please tell me you're joking!"

"I wish I was,"

"Oh my…" Lily was in so much shock that she was gasping for breath. "Everything I did to myself! I thought he didn't love me! I thought he didn't care! Why didn't he tell me?"

"Because he knew that if you knew there was no way you would be with Mason and his dad would be fired anyway. He loves you, but he couldn't let that happen to his family."

"I know, Tina, I understand, I'm just in shock. He should've trusted me. His family has been so, so good to me, I don't want Arthur to lose his job."

"I know sweetie."

Tears began to fall as Lily decided on what she had to do. She couldn't be selfish. Yes, she would always love Fred, but if she needed to be with Mason to make sure his family didn't fall apart, she would. She knew what it was like to lose your family. She couldn't let Fred go through that pain. She knew what she had to do.

She had to let him go.

A/N: So guys, it's getting closer to Christmas and I'm already planning to write a Drarry and Wolfstar one-shot for Christmas and New Years (I know it's early, but oh well). I also wanted to write one with Freed in it, but I only ship him with Lily so I thought I'd ask you guys if you wanted a Fred/Lily one-shot for Christmas and New Years? Leave me a review if you'd like it! Also, I'll take requests for a pairing for a Christmas and/or New Years one-shot if you'd like, I write most pairings there's just a few that I don't but if you want one, let me know by leaving me a review or messaging me! xo