"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair."

-Rapunzel

Scarlett woke up the next morning and didn't know where she was. When her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw her surroundings and instantly remembered. She was in the classroom she had gone into the night before. She had never managed to escape and had eventually fallen asleep on the floor, which was hard to do with Mrs. Norris staring at her.

Remembering Mrs. Norris caused Scarlett to look around the room. The cat was in the back corner, her tail flicking and her red eyes gleaming as she stared at Scarlett. Had she been watching her all night?

The panic was staring to sink in again as Scarlett pushed herself into a sitting position and leaned against the wall. She didn't know how she was going to get out before classes started for the day. Banging on the door last night hadn't done anything; nobody had been awake to hear her. Even now it was still too early for people to be near the classrooms. Breakfast wouldn't even be starting for another half an hour.

Scarlett also vaguely thought of Filch and wondered if he had spent the whole night searching the castle for his precious cat. Surely he would have come across the classroom, but maybe not. There were too many rooms in Hogwarts to search all in one night. It didn't really add up. Something seemed strange, but Scarlett didn't have time to think about it because she suddenly became aware of a tapping noise against the window every few seconds. It must have been what had awakened her in the first place. She stood up slowly, feeling sore from sleeping on a stone floor all night, and made her way to the window. Looking down, she saw Fred standing on the ground, his broom in one hand and his wand in the other, charming rocks to hit the window.

Scarlett giggled and pushed the window open. A rock flew inside and she ducked to avoid it. It clattered to the floor behind her.

"Oi, Rapunzel!" Fred yelled. He shielded his eyes from the sunlight and looked up at Scarlett, grinning.

"That's not what you're supposed to say!" Scarlett yelled back.

"Are you complaining?"

"No." Scarlett laughed and shook her head.

"Anyway, I was going to rescue you, but I don't think your hair is long enough."

"No, I'm afraid it isn't," Scarlett said, deciding to play along.

"Well, that's okay because I happen to have a backup plan." Fred mounted his broom and flew up to the window. "Too bad Rapunzel's prince couldn't fly a broom, eh?"

"Are you saying you're my prince?" Scarlett teased.

"You know very well I'm not. That would be the Finch, but I don't see his lazy arse up here saving you. He's slacking."

"How did you know I was stuck up here?" Scarlett asked, leaning on the windowsill and ignoring Fred's newest poke at her boyfriend.

"Angelina wanted to have an early morning Quidditch practice," Fred began, gesturing to the Quidditch robes he was wearing. "I swear she's turning out to be as crazy a captain as Wood was."

"You're dating her," Scarlett said with a laugh.

"I know," Fred answered. "Anyway, I guess on Ginny's way to practice, she overheard Peeves yelling about you being locked in here."

"I knew it was Peeves who did it," Scarlett muttered.

"Yeah, I mean, it had to have been someone because the doors only lock from the inside, so something must be stuck under the handle on the outside. It was probably his idea of a joke."

"Yeah, well, he locked Mrs. Norris in here with me. The cat knocked over a pile of books and when I went to pick them up, the door slammed shut. I think she was watching me all night."

"I am so sorry," Fred said, wrinkling his nose. "That must have been awful. If I had known that, I would have definitely skipped practice to come and get you. I considered doing that anyway, but I didn't think it would go over well with Angelina."

"Because you'd be skipping practice or because her boyfriend would be going to save another girl?"

Fred shrugged. "I actually think she'd be more upset about the practice. I mean, you were locked in a classroom overnight. She's not heartless, you know. I don't think she'd have a problem with me saving you."

"Just as long as you didn't have to leave practice to do it," Scarlett said.

"Yeah," Fred shrugged.

"I still can't believe you actually came to get me," Scarlett laughed, "but why didn't you just come to the door? You could have moved whatever's in front of it."

"Why would I do that when I could have done this?" Fred gestured to his broom. "This way is so much better. Now are you going to get on or what? I don't have all day."

Scarlett smiled and hoisted herself onto the windowsill. She hesitated. "Fly closer."

Fred smirked and drifted closer to the window. "Better?"

Scarlett nodded and climbed onto the back of the broom, wrapping her arms around Fred's stomach hesitantly.

"I don't bite, you know," Fred said, looking over his shoulder at her.

She shot him a look before tightening her grip on him and resting her chin on his back. "Just fly." They flew in silence until Scarlett finally broke it. "Why do you tease me about Justin so much anyway?"

Fred laughed and shook his head, but didn't answer. Scarlett was going to press him for more information, but just as she opened her mouth, they reached the Astronomy tower. "Why are we landing here?" Scarlett asked.

"It's an equal distance between Gryffindor tower and the Hufflepuff common room. It's the closest we can get to where we each need to go without breaking down any walls as we fly through them."

"Oh," Scarlett said, quickly getting off the broom. "Fred?"

"Yeah?" he asked, climbing off the broom and heading for the stairs. Scarlett followed him, looking down at her fingers.

"What are we going to do? I mean, there's obviously nothing between us, but how are we going to be married when there are no feelings?"

"We'll figure it out," Fred shrugged. "We might just have to live with it but we do have two and a half years. There's a chance we could fall for each other." He said it almost questioningly and Scarlett picked up on it right away.

"You don't think we will."

"It just seems so impossible. We're both so crazy about other people."

"But I mean how are we going to act around each other once we're married?"

Fred stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. "I never really thought about that. I suppose we can just continue to act as friends. We don't have to touch each other or even kiss, except at the wedding, and the Vow said nothing about having kids…."

"Thankfully," Scarlett muttered, passing him and continuing down the stairs.

"I'm insulted," Fred said as she passed.

"You should be," Scarlett retaliated, smirking over her shoulder. "But really, it's for the best. If we don't have kids, I mean. Clearly, we're not comfortable with that."

"I've always wanted to have kids one day, though," Fred said quietly.

"Really?" Scarlett asked, reaching the bottom of the steps and turning to look at him.

"Yeah, why do you look so surprised?"

"I'm not, it's just…I didn't know."

"Don't you want kids one day?"

"Well, yes, of course, but-,"

"The idea of having them with me is out of the question, right? Repulsive, even?"

"No, Fred," she said quickly. "I just-,"

"I know, I'm just messing with you," he grinned. "Making you sweat." His grin faltered slightly. "That's going to be a problem, then, isn't it? Having kids?"

"There's always adoption," Scarlett suggested. "But no matter what there's going to be the problem of the child asking why their parents don't love each other and putting on an act for them will just be tiring and-,"

"Scarlett, stop," Fred said, reaching out and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"You're right. Too overwhelming," she sighed, nodding. "I'm just thinking too much, as usual. It's just that I can't believe we actually have to discuss this."
"We don't have to discuss it right now. We can wait until the time comes."

Scarlett sighed. "Yeah, let's just take this one step at a time."

"Good idea," Fred answered, looking relieved.

Scarlett nodded. "See you later, then?"

"Yeah, of course," Fred answered with a small smile.

"Oh, and Fred? Thank you for what you did. You really are a good friend."

"Just as good as I was when we were nine?"

Scarlett smiled and nodded. "Yeah…you haven't changed all that much."

"Neither have you."

Scarlett smiled wider and turned to walk away.

"Scarlett," Fred called after her.

"Yeah?" she asked as she turned back to face him.

"Since this Vow thing is happening…." He looked at her almost nervously. "Well, I'm glad it happened with you. I just mean…if I'm going to ruin my relationship with Angelina, it might as well be with you." He broke into a smirk as he met her eyes.

"Gee, thanks," Scarlett snorted. "Bye, Fred." With that, she waved and walked away.

"Were you in the library all night?" Justin asked at breakfast.

"Yeah, really," Erica added from Scarlett's other side. "Even I'm not spending that much time on my homework." She glanced up from sketching her latest clothing design. Erica was determined to be a fashion designer once she left school. She'd be so good at it, too. She was artistic, creative and not afraid to think outside the box.

"You don't really have to spend a lot of time on your homework. You're like a sponge. You just absorb all the material and keep it locked inside of you. I don't know how you didn't get put in Ravenclaw. Anyway, no I wasn't in the library all night. I got locked in a classroom."

"Locked in a classroom?" Erica and Justin asked in shock.

"How did you manage that?" Erica asked.

"Mrs. Norris knocked a stack of books off a shelf and when I went to pick them up, somebody locked me in. Apparently it was just Peeves."

"You were there all night?" Justin scanned her face as if checking for injuries.

"With that cat?" Erica asked.

"Yeah, but I'm fine. I was just locked in a classroom. I'm not hurt."

"Lucky Mrs. Norris didn't scratch your eyes out," Justin muttered.

"How did you escape?" asked Erica.

Scarlett hesitated. "Fred came to get me."

"Fred," Justin repeated as Erica's eyebrows shot up.

"He had an early morning Quiddich practice," Scarlett explained, "and he heard from Ginny who heard from Peeves where I was."

"I would have gotten you out if I had known," Justin said. "You know that, don't you?"

Scarlett smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Of course I do. Look, don't worry about Fred. We're friends. We were close when we were younger and we just recently started talking again. It's no big deal. It just looks strange because of the timing of it all."

Justin didn't answer right away, but finally he looked up and nodded. "Okay," he said, "I'll see you after class." He kissed her before standing up and leaving.

"We should head to class as well," Erica said and from the tone of her voice, Scarlett knew her friend was going to give her a lecture on the hole she was currently digging herself into.

Scarlett nodded and stood up, heading for the door with Erica at her side. She half wanted to tell Erica not to say anything, but it was better to just let her friend rant and get it all out.

"Why did you tell Justin that this thing with Fred was no big deal and that you're just friends?" Erica said the moment they had reached the staircase.

"I told him that because it's true. We are friends."

"You may not like Fred romantically, but you still have to marry him. Telling Justin your relationship with Fred is no big deal isn't going to make it easier when you actually tell him about the vow, which you still haven't even done! I told you on the train that you should tell him right away."

"I know and I promise I was planning on it. I wanted to tell him on the first night we got here, but now it's turned into us being here for three days and I haven't said anything. Every time I want to say something, I can't! I'm afraid. He'll hate knowing he's going to lose me to a guy like Fred. He already kind of hinted at that the other day. Besides, Fred hasn't told Angelina." Scarlett's voice was defiant as she spoke.

"That doesn't mean you can't tell Justin. And you have to tell him. Marrying Fred is inevitable. Justin needs to know. From you. Not from anyone else or by any other means except for you telling him."

"You're completely right and I know that. I just think, well, I don't know, maybe Fred's rubbing off on me."

"Wonderful," Erica said with a laugh. "Are you going to start pulling pranks on everyone in sight? Sneaking out after hours?"

That reminded Scarlett of the broom ride with Fred before she had gotten locked in the classroom. As much as she didn't want to, she had to tell Erica. They had never kept anything from each other.

"I was out after hours last night, though. Thankfully I didn't get stopped by a teacher."

"Yeah, but you were at the library. That's different. Usually, teachers are more lenient about people being in the library after hours. Especially if you're an OWL or a NEWT student. Of course, Umbridge probably would be the one who wouldn't bend that rule at all, but…." Erica shrugged.

"Well I was in the library most of the night, and I did leave after hours, but then before I got locked in the classroom, well…"

"Where did you go?" Erica asked hesitantly.

"Fred took me on a broom ride," she said quickly. "Don't get mad; it was nothing! We were bonding."

"If it was really nothing, why are you so quick to defend yourself before I even had a chance to reply?" Erica smirked.

"Because I thought you'd be upset! I mean, I was even nervous to go at first. It felt like I was cheating on Justin."

"But you weren't because you and Fred are just friends, right?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"Maybe I am."

"Fred and I are just friends! Friends who have to get married."

Erica snorted. "Look, I'll be honest, a broom ride at night certainly sounds romantic, but I believe you when you say you have no feelings for Fred. If you did, you wouldn't have said yes to Justin in the first place. I know you're not a cheater, Scarlett."

Scarlett nodded and smiled. "Sorry I didn't say anything at breakfast. I didn't really think about it, but I also don't think I should tell Justin. Not just yet, at least."

"I actually agree," Erica said. "Telling him about the broom ride would just make him extremely paranoid. He's already slightly suspicious, which is why you have to tell him that you and Fred have to get married. After that, maybe he'll understand that you were just hanging out with Fred to bond."

"He still won't like it," Scarlett said. "And he'll still break up with me. It just makes everything worse that it's Fred. Justin basically told me he would have hated to lose me to Fred but he's just glad that he got to me first and that it worked out."

Erica giggled. "What he doesn't know is that Fred really did get to you first. He basically marked you as his territory eight years ago."

"Shut up!" Scarlett laughed. They reached their class and took a seat. It was Defense Against the Dark Arts and Scarlett was not looking forward to spending another class reading from the textbook.

Umbridge walked in just then and the class fell silent. She reached the front of the room and turned to face the class. Her toad-like eyes scanned the room and she cleared her throat. "Good morning. You may take out your textbooks and begin reading the second chapter. There will be no need to talk and no need for your wands, so put them away if you please."

There was a sudden burst of noise and movement as the few people who had taken out their wands in hopes of using them put them away.

Once everyone had their books open, Umbridge smiled and took a seat behind her desk, grinning out at them. Scarlett found that smile to be extremely discomforting as opposed to genuinely cheerful. Fred had been right; this woman was going to try to change Hogwarts and it wasn't going to be for the better. Scarlett sighed. It did seem that no matter where she was lately, she was always trapped with no way out. Maybe Fred had been on to something with that broom ride after all. It seemed like that was going to be the closest thing to escaping for both of them at the moment.

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed and/or added this story to their favorites/alerts. I'm glad people are enjoying it.

I hope everyone who the hurricane affected is safe. Thankfully I only lost power for a day, but I've heard about the damage in the New York/New Jersey area, so I'm hoping everyone's staying safe.

Also, Happy Halloween! Anyone doing anything special?