Thank you for the reviews and follows, my heart grew three sizes bigger my lovely children on the internet 3 I look forward to more feedback, and I'm so sorry for spelling Gryffindor wrong all this time, lesson learned: don't use Microsoft office from 1998. Bad idea. A no no. anyways please enjoy this installment :)
Kissing Fred was nothing like id imagined, though I can't be too surprised considering I basically assaulted his face without any warning. But he kissed back which I believe is a pretty good sign. I hope. The Gryffindor inside of me swelled with pride at my display of courage, and I sheepishly smiled up at Fred, not entirely sure what to say. Or how to interpret his silence and wide eyed expression.
"That bad eh?" I joked, hoping to end the awkward silence.
"Merlin's beard no. Shit Grace, if I'd known you had that kind of talent id have snogged you before." he exclaimed breathlessly, looking at me like I was some sort of mystical new creature.
I didn't have a comeback ready for that, so I settled on maintaining my smile as best I could, which must have been a good decision because he leaned forward and once again his lips were against mine. This time I was caught off guard, but I wasted no time in bringing my hand up and holding onto his shoulder like my life depended on it.
Snogging has always been such a strange concept to me, I'd never understood the appeal of exchanging saliva and pushing your lips together and sucking on air. Of course I was also twelve. Eventually I grew out of that phase, but it was always slightly awkward with Oliver. He was always too slow, I too fast, he liked gentle kisses and I was a lip biter. With Fred it was intense, passionate. When I experimented and nibbled on his lip he pulled me in closer like I could fly away any moment.
But I've never been one for public displays of affection, or at least not ones of this particular nature so I pushed Fred away and looked up at him, hoping he got the hint. A hint he didn't have to search for as some students from a table nearby started clapping.
"Oi knock it off, give a gentleman and a lady some privacy!" he yelled over, smiling like a fool.
"Wow, how chivalrous of you." I commented with an eye roll, rubbing my temples.
"A gentleman always defends his lady's honor." He answered simply with a wink.
"How about we go back to the castle?" I suggested, wanting to end the date on a good note.
"Sound's good." He said, even now still smiling contentedly at me, his eyes twinkling.
A part of me wanted to smack his arm, but the other part of me didn't want to be a hypocrite considering I had an equally goofy grin on my face. On the bright side I wasn't blushing like an idiot anymore.
We left the pub and were greeted by a new moon and chilly night air that forced its way through my sweater and sent chills up my spine. The kind of could that passed straight through your skin and bones and went straight into your soul. I looked over and saw Fred was in the same predicament, so like any sensible lady I propped a race back to the castle, loser buys the winner a drink next Hogsmeade trip.
"Gee Gracey, I'll be sure to thank you for the butter beer." He said as we took off, his long legs barely putting in any effort as he bounded ahead of me.
"Shit. Shit. Shit. You can't just let me win?" I yelled up to him, pouting at the sound of his laughter as it rippled through the air.
I lost sight of him and gave up on running, and simply jogged the rest of the way as I wasn't fully warmed up yet. I must remember to thank my mom for having me go to the ymca over the summer with my cousins.
I reached the castle and looked around confused, as a certain ginger was nowhere in sight. Fred wouldn't have gone inside without me would he?
I reached the door and pulled when I heard footsteps behind me.
"I really thought I had it in the bag, but it seems even I'm no match for midget speed." He sighed, leaning against the other to catch his breath as the moon reflected off of his skin and showing of a well-defined jaw bone and signature grin.
"You let me win!" I exclaimed with a stomp of my foot, pretending to pout but generally thrilled that he would be such a good sport.
"Let you win? Your legs are like tiny rockets propelled by lightening. I dare say you cheated and used a spell." He replied with a lazy smile.
"Whatever." I said, pulled open the door and went inside, the air being only slightly warmer than outside.
We walked in and I proceeded to ask about some of the gizmos and gadgets wed seen at Zonkos, letting Fred go on and on about the intricacies involved in making all of the devices id seen. His passion for creating and charms was evident, and it warmed my heart to see so much passion and care. I'd always been attracted to driven people, all of my friends had clear goals and dreams. Probably to compensate for the fact that I still had no idea what I intended to do after I finished school.
No matter how many meetings I had with McGonagall I was never able to pin down a career idea, I was good at transfiguration, gifted at potions, but dreadful in charms. I did well in defense against the dark arts, but I had zero interest in a desk job at the ministry nor did I think id fair well as and auror. Other than potions the only class I received top marks in was care for magical creatures, and I usually stayed after class to help Hagrid clean up and tend to the animals considering a good chunk of the creatures were traumatized after class.
Id toyed with the idea of being a vet, but whether in the muggle world or the wizarding world I wasn't sure. I also didn't know if I had the heart to deal with the sadder parts of that career.
Fred and I made it to the common room without incident, to which I was very thankful since if there had been anyone in the hallway we wouldn't have had one last snog before I had to go upstairs and face Angelina.
I winked at him as I ascended the staircase, grinning as he gave a deep bow and pretended to catch it in the air.
I sighed in a completely cliché manner as I walked into the dorm and leaned against the door, as Katie rolled her eyes knowingly from her bed. Angelina simply looked up and tried to smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.
I walked over to her bed and sat down, making myself comfortable like I would if we were about to have a totally normal conversation. But this wasn't going to be completely normal and there was a chance it would go disastrously.
"Why didn't you tell me you liked Fred?" I came out with bluntly, a trait I had acquired from years of friendship with Katie.
Her eyes widened in shock and she looked over to Katie who simply shrugged and said, "I didn't say anything."
"You knew?" I squeaked, looking over surprised and a tiny bit angry. They were keeping secrets behind my back? Not like I could be too upset since Angelina knew about my dislike of nearly every gift Katie has ever given me and Katie was the only one who knew about a brief affair I had with a Ravenclaw boy in a few of the broom closets on the first floor. Just snogging but it had been scandalous in my mind, it just happened once, and then again, and then one more time when I realized he was snogging two other girls and I kneed him in the groin. I didn't want exclusivity, but it's not like I knew about them. I never told Angelina simply because it was bad enough when Katy told me how stupid id been and how I overreacted, so I didn't want to risk getting the same lecture from Angelina.
"Of course I knew, I saw how sad she's been since we've been trying to get you and Fred together so I asked and she told me. Thought it best not to tell you since I knew you'd completely back off if you weren't sure Fred liked you." she said matter-of-factly.
"You should have said something! I feel like a total man stealing git!" I yelled, feeling a hand on my shoulder.
"You didn't know, and I didn't want you to know. I'm not exactly thrilled but I am happy for you, I really am." Angelina said with a small smile.
"But I feel like shit!"
"I'm fine!"
"Are you sure?"
"For shits sake Grace! If I say its fine its fine, I just want some time and some space from Fred but I'm seriously okay, leave it be!" Angelina cried, completely frustrated.
She'd never raised her voice at me before, this was the first time shed ever lost her temper.
We stared at each other and I nodded, as though to say I agreed to leave it be, and after some awkward staring we all heard a crash by the window.
We all looked over to see Barney on the floor in a pile of my books, looking angry, his eyes in narrow slits as he wormed out of the pile and darted out of the door.
That was all it took for everyone to start laughing, my stomach hurt and my eyes were watering as I stumbled over to my bed to clean up. I put all the books back into a neat little stack and looked over at Katie and Angelina laughing in their beds. When Angelina calmed down she smiled at me and gave me a thumbs up, her eyes were still heavy and I knew that things would be a tad awkward for a while, but I was just hopeful that we could get by it in one piece.
I got in bed and resigned myself to an early night, when I felt a nagging thought tugging at the back of my mind. I didn't want tomorrow to happen but I wasn't sure why. I had potions, but now that Alexander and I were on decent terms it wouldn't be too bad. Fred and I agreed to meet for coffee before breakfast in the kitchens, so that was definitely a positive.
There was something going on tomorrow that I didn't want to happen and I just couldn't place my finger on it, so I forced my mind to shut down and forced myself to let my mind wander. My thoughts drifted to the date, the memory of Freds hand holding mine along the path to Zonkos. My arms around his neck outside the portrait, and the deep bow. But then my mind turned my career path as Barney jumped up onto the bed and snuggled up in the space by my stomach since I was laying on my side.
I didn't think long as his purrs lulled me to sleep, and all I was concerned about were my dreams.
I was walking in the corridors, the moon was full and bright as it illuminated the hallways in a soft blue light. I heard murmurs coming from the great hall so I followed the voices, I knew them but I couldn't place how. The path was winding around like I was walking in circles, funny how strange the castle is at night, always playing funny tricks. Perhaps peeves had done something?
But I forgot all about it when I finally walked into the great hall, a crowd of people surrounded a large chalice. Large didn't describe it, as when it sat atop its pedestal its blue flames towering over even the tallest student. There was excitement in the air that buzzed like electricity as the flames danced.
I don't know how I knew, but I knew we were waiting for the sorting.
Suddenly the buzzing stopped, and I stood on my tip toes to see, as the flames erupted and from them came flying a small piece of paper, that flew into the hands of a solemn face Dumbledore clad in grey robes.
FRED WEASELY!
I bolted upright coated in sweat, hands clenching the sheets and chest tight as I gasped for air. Tomorrow was the day everyone could put their names in the cup, I knew the rules said you had to be 17 but the twins had worked out a plan even I wasn't in on to get their names in. when they set their minds to something they had a way of achieving whatever they wanted. What if they succeeded? What would happen if Fred's name was called? Would they let him? Of course they would, the decisions are absolute, there has never been a case of somebody being disqualified.
But I was being silly, there was less than a one in a million chance that the twins would even manage to get their names in, let alone end up being chosen.
I laid back down, still covered in sweat yet too shaky to do anything about it.
I closed my eyes and waited for sleep, yet in the back of my mind I knew there was something wrong, that the lack of first years, the dark cloud around mad eye and the overall dreary weather meant that this was going to be a trying event. The omens never lied.
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