Days and weeks flew by like leaves in the autumn breeze. Fred and Lily didn't talk, but it wasn't the hurt kind of not talking. It was an understanding sort of not talking. It took a few days, but eventually they were able to look at each other and smile. Their smiles were sad and full of sorrow. Seeing each other didn't hurt any less, but at least they knew they were on the same page.

Or so they thought.

Tina Raven, Lily's best friend, had something up her sleeve. She wanted Lily to be happy, and she knew that Lily wouldn't be happy while she was with Mason, and without Fred. So while Lily and Fred were having their talk, Tina was down at the owlery. She had a plan. It wasn't a fool proof plan, but it was still a plan, and at breakfast the next morning, is when it took place.

Tina was getting anxious, awaiting the arrival of her reply. They sat at the Slytherin table, like any other morning. Lily sat between Mason and Tina, like any other, morning. Draco and Tina were busy being young and in love, like any other morning. Lily sat with Mason's arm around her while she tried not to hex him for ruining her life, like any other morning. Although when the owl post came, it was unlike any other morning.
The room broke out in loud swoops and flaps of feathers and students awaited their mail. Lily noticed an old, brown owl that was struggling to stay in the air. She recognised it as the Weasley's owl, Errol. Errol, although, did not stumble down onto the Gryffindor table as she expected, no, instead she tripped onto the Slytherin table in front of Tina, nearly falling into the scrambled eggs on the way.

Errol was followed by a large eagle owl that stopped before Draco. Tina and Draco hastily fed the owls and took their letters. They exchanged mischievous looks after they had read them.

'Why is she getting letters from the Weasleys'? Lily thought, 'what isn't she telling me? Oh Merlin, what are they -'

Her thoughts were interrupted by a rough hand brushing against her hip bone. The hand squeezed her waist and slow breath tickled her ear.

"What's wrong?" Mason asked her, nuzzling his forehead into the crook of her neck tenderly.

"Nothing," she smiled briefly, trying not to shrug him off her shoulder, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" he asked sweetly. Lily nodded. "You know, you can always talk to me, about anything. If you need to talk about your family or…" he hesitated before speaking again "or about Fred. I'll always listen."

Lily was internally furious. Oh how she wished she could just slug him right now. He wanted her to talk to him about Fred! Fred! He had no right to even bring it up.

"Really, I'm okay." she said reluctantly reaching for his hand. Her eyes met Fred's across the hall. Once again, they shared sad, understanding, yet longing smiles.

Tina and Lily were walking back to their dorm at the end of the day when Lily decided to ask her about the letter.

"Tina, uh, why…why did you get a letter from the Weasleys'?" she asked.

"I-I didn't." Tina replied, trying to remain calm.

"Yes you did. I recognised Errol."

"Errol?"

"Their owl."

"Oh, well, I, um, I sort of thought that you and Fred might be able to…you know…find a way around this if…if Mr and Mrs Weasley knew." she said with a cringe.

"What!" Lily exclaimed, "You told them! Tina! Why?"

"This situation isn't fair to you or Fred and I thought that maybe they could convince you -"

"This is their livelihood at stake here!"

"So was your life!" she said grabbing Lily's arm and pushing back the sleeves to reveal the scars, "or did you already forget?"

"Of course not. But Tina, I've lived with them. Arthur's job is their only source of income and they barely scrape by as it is. He literally cannot afford to lose his job."

"I know that," she said quietly, "I just thought they should know about your situation."

"Fred and I know what we're doing is for the best."

"You guys aren't together. Tell me, how is that for the best?"

"Well…you can't please everyone."

"But this isn't pleasing anyone."

"Look, just write them back and tell them not to worry, that Fred and I have it all worked out."

"I can't, it's too late." Tina said biting her lip

"What do you mean?" Lily asked nervously as Tina looked over her shoulder. Lily followed her gaze and saw Dumbledore standing behind her with Fred.

"Ah, Miss Scott, Miss Raven, just who I was looking for." Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"Hello Professor." Lily said, avoiding Fred's burning stare.

"Good evening sir." Tina said.

"Please follow me ladies." Dumbledore said and turned, ushering for the three teens to follow him. They did so warily and tried to ignore the awkwardness.

Fred and Lily were walking dangerously close to one another. They were at the back of the group, stealing glances at each other. Lily looked up at him once more to find hem looking yearningly back at her. She felt his soft hand brush her knuckles, sending goose bumps all along her body and down her spine. His hand searched for hers and grasped it momentarily, before snatching it back, letting Lily's arm fall to her side clumsily. He sped up to walk ahead, beside the Hogwarts headmaster.

Lily's heart was beating rapidly. She had butterflies floating happily and freely in her stomach and her skin tingled at the prolonged touch. All it took was one touch for her to forget why she was distancing herself. She shook her head, as they stopped outside Dumbledore's office.
He opened the door slowly and Lily saw two heads of flaming red hair. Her stomach churned as they rushed over. Mr and Mrs Weasley were here, at Hogwarts, in Dumbledore's office. They embraced Fred tightly and then turned to Lily, pulling her into a bone-crushing embrace.

"Thank you Albus, oh thank you." Mrs Weasley gushed.

"No trouble Molly," he said patting her on the shoulder. "I shall leave you all to discuss this matter." he said and with a final wave, he left once again.

"FRED WEASLEY!" Mrs Weasley bellowed, Fred's face went red and he stared at the floor. "How dare you! Why didn't you tell us? We had no idea that anything was wrong! Especially the possibility of your father losing his job! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I -" he began.

"And to do this to Lily! After everything she went through last holidays! You should have told her! You should have trusted her!"

"Mrs Weasley, its fine. I understand why he did it." Lily said politely.

"That's not the point, though." Arthur said. "You're just kids. You shouldn't have had this…this burden placed on you."

"I know, but what else could I do? I do love Lily." he said, throwing a quick glance at her, "I really, really do, but you need your job dad. I couldn't destroy our family."

"We would have managed Fred." Molly said. "You two went through so much to stay together, you shouldn't give up now."

"Mrs Weasley, I still love Fred too, and I appreciate what you're trying to do, but there's nothing we can do without Mr Weasley losing his job." Lily said with a shrug.

"Yes, actually, there is." said a slow, cold voice. Everyone turned to see who was standing at the door.

Lily's jaw dropped along with Fred's, Mr Weasley's and Mrs Weasley's. None of them – except Tina – could believe their eyes.