This is out much faster than intended and - on the orders of chocolatecheesecakes - I cannot describe this chapter as being long and boring.

(But it is.)

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Enjoy

28. Meeting the Weasleys

The scratching of a quill. A gentle ticking of a clock. Sticky palms. A shrill bell. The swishing of robes.

"Your time is up," the drawl of Professor Snape's voice said. "Quill, down."

It dropped out of my hand. Pleasure coursed through my bones as I stretched my sore fingers and twisted my wrist. Thursday 27th May brought the end of my third exam, the previous two having been History of Magic and Herbology. Herbology had been relatively simple, even with the back-to-back first and second year exams on the insistence of Professor Sprout, mainly consisting of the preferred environment of Devil's Snare and its qualities and the traits of Abyssinian Shrivelfig, noting the medicinal properties in its leaves and the use of it in a Shrinking Solution. History of Magic had been slightly more daunting with the ancient dates and creatures spanning over several centuries.

I had come out of them alive and that was all that mattered, even though I always recalled an answer I had given, coming to the realisation that it was wrong. But I didn't worry over it – it was done, out of my hands. Leaving the rooms after every exam gave me peace of mind, reducing the stress as each was mentally crossed out of my mind.

Snape picked the paper from the table and stared with his black, beady eyes.

"Is there anything you require, Miss Wood, or are you too incompetent to understand that the exam is over, and you may now leave?" It was less of a question than an insult. His lips lifted into a sneer, and it was all I needed to grab my bag and exit the dungeon quickly.

The warm breeze was a great relief from the dreary dungeons that remained immune by the seasons and my body relaxed under the sun's rays. I didn't linger long on the steps outside the Entrance Hall, only allowing the chill to dissipate from my bones before venturing to the Lake.

Standing and throwing things into the Lake were the twins. They were both facing away from me. Their robes were discarded on the floor, their shirts untucked and sleeves rolled above their elbows. They were identical in this instance, but the watches and ropes around their alternate wrists alerted me to their distinct identities.

"Hi, boys," I said, wrapping my arms around the waist of the twin on the right, his arm lifted high, ready to throw whatever was in his hand.

"Ella!" they both cheered. Fred's arm came down and held onto my own, his head tilting to the side to kiss me on the head.

"Where have you been hiding all day?" Fred asked.

I unravelled myself from him, and, throwing my bag on the floor with theirs, sat on the grass. George sat beside me, throwing his arm around my neck in a painful hug.

"I had – get off! – my Potions exam today. I told you yesterday," I said, pushing George away. From his side he pulled a bowl into his lap. "Is that ice cream?"

"Mm-hmm," he hummed, scooping some on the spoon for himself.

"You didn't tell me you had Potions," Fred said, throwing whatever was in his hand into the Lake and then sitting on my other side.

"Yes, I did."

"No, you didn't. George, stop hogging it, you fat pig." He leaned over me, his fist swinging at George's arm.

"Oi! Shay pwease," George groaned.

"Give it here you sodding –"

"Ow!" I yelped, as Fred leaned too far over and fell on me, his knee digging into my thigh. Instead of moving, he straightened his legs out and laughed.

"Sorry, Elle," he said, his arms holding him up.

George was shovelling the ice cream into his mouth through his own laughter at watching me feebly push Fred away to no avail. In an instant his lips swooped down on mine, shutting me up. Even in the heat my body shivered at the initial meeting of our mouths. It was a quick touch, and far too hot to be so close to another body, but the feeling of his lips, his rumbles of laughter and body against me was just so delicious. The moment he made to move my hands scrambled to his head, keeping him secured to me, and my mouth pressed harder.

We forgot all about George being right beside us, forgot the insufferable heat – our bodies creating a suffocating warmth that was deadly and delightful all at once – and carried on in our little blissful bubble.

His hand grasped my hair, the other trailing down my body slowly – a gasp – until it rested on my waist. Through the opening in my robe and over my shirt I could feel his thumb rubbing soothing shapes, stalking up so slowly along my ribs. My mouth opened, for some reason listening to nothing but instinct, and I felt the wet muscle of his tongue on my mouth, slowly sliding inside until it touched my own.

There was heat, scorching heat on my stomach, fizzing and sparking. And then it was gone. George yelped.

Fred's lips jumped from mine, and they felt naked, exposed to the air once again, but my daze soon cleared away. George was on his back thrown back some feet from us, and his shirt was charred at the bottom, where a light fire could be seen. The impact from landing on the ground must have confounded him, but his eyes landed on the small flames, and he made an odd noise in his throat as he grabbed his wand, dousing the fire with a jet of water.

"What the hell was that?" George asked, staring at his brother.

Fred looked shocked, and his hand pulled his wand out of his trouser pocket. He held it out before him and stared at it as if never having seen such a thing before.

"Must've been accidental magic," he said numbly. "I haven't done accidental magic in years."

The boys' eyes were fixed on his wand for the longest time as my breathing came under control, my heart thumping consistently again. Then, they looked at me, and I could feel the prickle of embarrassment on my neck. George smirked.

"Isn't that cute," he cooed. "Ella getting you all flustered and bothered enough to do accidental magic!"

In response, Fred merely whistled and winked luridly. They both ceased their teasing when my fist connected with their bodies.

Much of the afternoon was spent out by the Lake thanks to the almost bare timetables of the twins, and we were joined by the girls and Lee soon after the bell rung, signalling the last lesson.

"Oh, don't act like you didn't find it funny!" Lee said, plopping down on the grass opposite us. He loosened his tie and threw off his robe, falling onto his back.

"What happened?" George asked, his arm going around Alicia's shoulders as she sat beside him, scowling at Lee.

"Lee thought it would be funny to charm Professor Trelawney's underwear to say something crude, and then foretell a sudden gust of wind that blew up her robes," Alicia said, and although she was glowering at her friend her twitching lips betrayed her amusement.

"Did you get detention?" George sat up straighter, grinning at Lee with pride.

"No!" Lee laughed, sitting up. "Bloody woman was impressed at my ability to see what happened before it did. She gave House points."

"What about what it said on her undies?"

Alicia rolled her eyes at their antics and finally gave into her smile.

"She didn't even notice. Shame – maybe another Professor will get lucky," Lee sighed, then understanding the prospect of his words scrunched his face.

"What did it say?" Fred asked excitedly.

"Bugger me here, darling." Lee answered with a proud smirk as Katie ruffled his dreadlocks.

Alicia laughed, and only then did I notice Angelina was still slowly making her way towards us.

"Fred?" she called when she was close enough to be heard, but she didn't sit down. Angelina smiled at us in greeting before returning her attention to Fred. "Can I have a word?"

"Sure, Lina." He jumped up and slung an arm around her shoulders, leading her away for some privacy. I couldn't help but watch after them until they disappeared from view.

"Poor, Ange," Katie sighed, having watched their departure as well.

I leaned back on my hands, exposing my neck to the sun.

"What happened?" I asked. Angelina was not one to be easily distressed, not as far as I had noticed. Stress sometimes overtook her when she was worried over her studies, but it was overcome in no time. Her friends were all a wonderful support for her, and she was often the one to soothe them, not the other way around, Alicia especially, the most studious out of the group. Angelina was a strong girl, physically and mentally, and it concerned me upon hearing something was the matter, for it had to be something big.

But, I noted with shame, the thing that bothered me the most was that she chose to confer with Fred – only Fred. Why not us all together?

"Her parents," Katie replied, then turned her attention to the lake as if those two words answered everything.

"That means sod all to Ella, Kates," George said, his hand playing with Alicia's in the air.

"Oh – sorry!" Katie apologised. She quickly sent a glance to where Angelina and Fred had left before turning back to me, her voice low. "She got a letter yesterday at breakfast. Apparently her parents' relationship has been growing strained over the years and they had a huge row –"

"It did not say huge row! There was no mention of a row at all," Alicia interjected.

"Anyway, they've decided to separate. She only found out that it's been finalised. When she goes home for the summer she won't be living with her dad anymore."

Poor Angelina. I didn't know what to say to that. What was appropriate? "I'm sorry" didn't seem sufficient, it was too measly, too uncaring for such a big calamity. And now I felt even more ashamed to be so stewed over her wanting Fred to unload to. It was only natural to want friendly comfort in such a painful time.

"It's because her dad's a muggle," Katie said. "He's always been excited about the magical world, but it's obvious it's getting too much for him."

"He's a lawyer – isn't he?" Lee asked.

"Yeah, and her mum works in the Department for Magical Law Enforcement. They met when Mrs Johnson was shopping, I think Ange said. Hit it right off when he dropped a tin on his foot and she went to see if he was alright."

"They always sounded so nice when Ange would talk about them," Alicia smiled sadly. "I can't believe this is being thrust upon her just before we break up for the summer."

"Did she ever suspect this was going to happen?" I asked.

"No, never! Like I said, her parents were so in love with each other. Everyone's shocked."

"Fred's the only one who's met her parents," George said, eyeing me in a way that made me fidget. Was it pity? No, that was silly. Did I look as if I was focused on her being with my boyfriend more than the thought of her parents divorcing? How else would George know where my mind was straying to?

"When did he…?"

"Last summer. He went around her house for a day," Alicia answered, sharing a glance with George. Lee and Katie were giving me similar looks.

"What?" I asked. Why were they all looking at me like that?

And then Lee laughed.

"You don't have to fret over Angelina being out of sorts, she won't do anything with Fred," he reassured in his not very assuring way.

"I'm not!" My voice came out louder than expected and at an odd pitch much higher than normal.

"Ella, stop being an idiot, it's obvious," George rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, those two were never serious," Alicia shook her head, accentuating her statement, as if it were the most ludicrous thing to comprehend. "Nothing could ever happen between them. And besides – Fred's absolutely smitten with you!"

Their words did little to soothe my non-existent fretting.

Not long after Fred and Angelina returned, laughing and hugging as they sat down. Conversation changed to Katie's mystery boyfriend, of which little was divulged. The only piece of information that really stood out was that he was recently in Hogsmeade to meet with her. He was otherwise blurred into the landscape description of every other tall, dark and handsome guy.

Weeks went by and I was able to enjoy the wonders of Hogwarts with the depleting stress of exams. I had only two exams left, my final one being on the morning of the third task. Some of the professors had given me the leisure of choosing whether to attend my lessons or not, revising the course with them or on my own elsewhere in the castle. At first, I had decided to work away from the professors, but found my time being heavily monopolized by the twins distracting me. After that and my countless threats to them, I returned to lessons.

Abigail had seemingly disappeared apart from swift glimpses in the Great Hall where I enjoyed many of my meals now. No threats or warnings of Yaxley came, and I wasn't sure whether that was a positive sign or not. I could hardly remember much of the man, but what I did wasn't all bad. He had been a nice father majority of times – playing with me at night before bed, showing off his magic, showing me off to his friends and colleagues from work. But as hard as I tried to remember the details from a younger age, nothing came. It was as if my early childhood memory before the age of five had been removed.

Darren was also acting a ghost, and despite his behaviour, I missed him somewhat. The few conversations we had were full of comfort; he had a wonderful sense of humour – less mocking and physical than the twins' – and was sweet. It didn't add up – his feelings towards my being a squib. And the more I thought about it, the more I realised that he hadn't actually ridiculed me.

But, a voice in my head repeated that spewed words oddly similar to a Gryffindor, he had probably been ashamed at having been so open to a tainted pureblood, to having asked a squib to the ball. Darren hadn't looked me in the eyes, and that had hurt.

Abigail had pulled him away. He didn't do anything willingly.

But he did. He could have stopped her.

I tried not thinking about the Slytherins.

The stares from all the other students had dissipated somewhat, but there were still those who felt it their business to know who I was. One day on my way to Ancient Runes someone had barged into me, and instead of offering me an apology insisted I tell them who I was and what affiliations I had with the Gryffindors. Relief came in the form of Lee Jordan cartwheeling down the corridor, and upon seeing me blew a raspberry at the fourth year blonde and dragged me away.

Angelina, on the other hand, was pulling Fred away during our times together more often. I understood it at first, when they all explained to me the circumstance of her home life that day at the Black Lake, but it gradually lost meaning when she would ask him to talk with a wide grin on her face, not an ounce of grievance.

Once again, I had to distract myself from thinking about things that would do me no favours.

As soon as the timer rang signalling the end of my last exam on the 24th June, I glided through the corridors that would lead me to the Great Hall. I was free! No more headaches over exam anxiety and preparation, no more late nights staying up re-reading words that might as well have been written in Gobbledegook. I could now spend the remaining week and a bit with Fred.

Endless possibilities of things to do in the summer flew in my mind. Fred would final be able to come over! We could watch TV all night, showing him all my favourite shows. I could remember George's first time, astounded at the moving images on screen. He had asked whether the little people lived in the box, and how so many people in so many different places and scenarios could fit. Would Fred be the same? I couldn't wait to find out, knowing he had never seen a television before.

Zoe and Nate would need to be introduced – to both Fred and George formally. They had been patient for years, possibly thinking I was crazy for befriending someone they had never seen or had ever heard of before. But they would see for sure that I wasn't lying. Mrs Brimble would also love to meet them. She was like a loving aunt, always looking out for me and caring for me whenever I needed her.

The heart wrenching thought of Nanny Anne and Bill never knowing Fred seared a pain through me, one that took quite some time to disperse. At least they had met George.

And hopefully, I would be able to see their house – The Burrow. Their description of it was poorly, always little bits of details on how rubbish it was. Their siblings and parents with masses of food laid on a mismatched dining table, odd chairs squeezed together to fit everyone around it. Perhaps in the summer I would be in one of those chairs.

Fred almost knocking me over in the Entrance Hall cleared the image from my mind.

"Oi! Watch it you – Ella!" Fred exclaimed, eyes wide and…frightened?

"Hello," I chuckled. "Where you off to in such a rush? The third task isn't until later."

"Yes! Right. The third task. That's where I was – George and I were just about to go and work on some more betting sheets. You can come with us! Yes, that would be great. Come, come. How was your exam?"

He grabbed my arm and turned me forcefully, pulling me up the stairs behind him.

"Where's George, then?"

"What?" Fred dodged past an excited second year, but I was too slow and he crashed into me. "Come on, stop slacking."

"You said you and George were going to do it." With my free hand I massaged my shoulder from where the kid had collided into me.

"Oh – he's, uh…coming. Went with Alicia to the kitchen for a mo, no worries."

His nervousness was obvious, and I would have shrugged it off had it not been such an odd reaction for Fred. Grounding my feet into the floor, I managed to bring him to a halt.

"Are you ok?" I asked. My hand went to push his hair out of his face and sit against his forehead. His temperature was fine.

"I'm grand. Why?"

"You're acting weird," I narrowed my eyes at him. Definitely suspicious behaviour.

He chuckled, bringing his own hand up and pinching my cheek. "You're adorable. I'm fine, love. Superb. Wonderful. Why wouldn't I be with you as my girlfriend?" With his other hand he brought mine down from his head and locked our fingers. He winked, and pressed his lips to mine quickly. It was hardly a kiss. "Now come on, you can keep me company before George comes."

His eyebrow wiggled, but his face froze when he looked over my head.

"Oh, shit," he muttered.

There was a man with fiery red hair, almost the exact same shade as the twins, but more similar to Ron's. It was long and tied back – far longer than his younger brothers', and his ear held an earring. It was no doubt that he was a handsome man, and only an idiot could not puzzle together that he was a Weasley.

Fred spoke. "Bill! How are you? Fancy seeing you here. What brings you to Hogwarts?"

Bill gave his brother an odd look. "You just saw me in the Great Hall."

I turned away from Bill to look back to Fred and crossed my arms, sending him my fiercest glare. "What's going on?"

His eyes shuffled between me and his brother. He sighed. "Ella, this is Bill. My brother."

"No shit. Why are you acting odd?"

He didn't offer an immediate explanation. Bill broke the silence.

"Fred," his voice was low. "A word."

Fred's arms went around my waist, preventing me from leaving. Could he see the embarrassment on my face?

"Wait here for me?"

"Why didn't you tell me your brother was here?" I whispered harshly, failing at pushing his arms away.

"Ella, please, I'll explain when I'm back, we're just over there, just," he swiped his hand through his hair. "Please. Just wait. I don't want you being mad."

As much I tried to stop it, my heart fluttered, but I didn't let it show. I gave him a curt nod. He grinned, pressed a quick kiss to my lips and strode over to his brother. They were both within sight, their voices inaudible. Bill was pointing, to me and to the stairs that went down to the Great Hall; Fred gesticulating wildly.

Eventually, they both came over to me. I tried not to fidget under Bill's gaze. He didn't look too happy.

"Bill," Fred said, an arm around my shoulder. "This is my girlfriend, Ella."

I smiled and thrust a hand out to Bill. "Hello."

He appeared shocked, as if my greeting was foreign, and after a moment shook my hand. "Er, hello, Ella. I'm Bill, the twins' eldest brother."

"Must you always mention being the eldest?"

"'Course. Oldest is best," Bill smirked and winked at me. It would be a lie to say I wasn't affected. "You're too gorgeous to be with a hobgoblin like my brother here. Why are you with him?"

"Ey!" Fred went to punch his brother. "Git. Now you know why I was in a hurry to get away from him."

"Yeah, well, you can't hide her forever. We'll all be sitting with you guys for the third task. Anyways, I best be off." A quick wink to his brother. "Don't want mum having a coronary wondering where I've gone. See you later, Ella."

Bill's words filled the air even after he had gone. Gone back to the Great Hall. Back to his mother.

Fred was quiet and made no move to drag me upstairs anymore.

No wonder he tried to escape to his dorm so hurriedly. His mother, and most likely his father, were downstairs. He had just seen them, and, finding me just outside the doors to where they were, turned me away and tried to hide me from them.

Shame. Embarrassment. Anger. Hurt. Foolish. I didn't know which feeling blinded me the most.

"Ella?"

I gulped down the lump as dry as cotton in my throat. I couldn't meet his eyes.

"Ella. Talk to me."

Anger and hurt. Those were the two feelings most prominent in the moment. "I don't know what to say to you," I spat, relishing in the slight pleasure it provided. But it hurt more. I closed my eyes. "Go on and explain then."

"I…I didn't tell you because – can you at least look at me?"

I had to force my eyes open and look up at him.

His fingers brushed my cheek as he began to talk. "I didn't tell you because I had no idea they were coming, I swear! George is with them. He said he'll ease the idea to them so there's no rash reactions to when they do meet you –"

"Because I'm a squib."

He faltered, opening and closing his mouth as if the words would come out automatically. "Yes. Look," I went to walk away, or perhaps to turn around so he wouldn't see my watering eyes, but he held on. "They won't mind. Not in the least, I promise. I just didn't want your first meeting with them to be awkward because of them being stupid and freezing up. Oh, don't cry, it's all fine."

"I'm not crying," I insisted through a thick voice. The building tears were from my own stupidity. He smiled and held my face in his hands, and brought his forehead to rest on my mine.

"You are wonderful, and my parents will adore you. Now," he swatted my bum. "Stop the blubbering otherwise my mum will think I have a thing for damsels."

"I'm not crying!" I repeated. No tears had fallen, so it wasn't a lie.

"Good. Because you know how I hate seeing crying girls."

We trekked back down to the Great Hall, his hand firmly holding mine. Crying girls made me think of Angelina, and although I hadn't seen her cry, there were a number of times when her eyes were red when she came back after talking to Fred. And not once did he look uncomfortable with that.

Inside the Great Hall I could make out six red heads sitting at the Gryffindor table beside Harry and Hermione, four of them I could recognise as being George, Ginny, Ron and Bill. Without any preparation or motivation Fred lugged me towards them.

It was a feeling I could only compare to being thrown into a lake completely unprepared, taking in the tiniest last lungful of air seconds before being completely submerged. Bill noticed us first and sent a smile. Beside him was another Weasley male, shorter and butcher than the eldest, more similar to Fred and George. His hair was cropped short, his skin darker than the rest in an alluring tan. Realising Bill's distraction, he saw us next, and whispered to Bill. Fred cleared his throat loudly.

"Mum, Charles."

"Frederick," the shorter Weasley nodded.

Fred sent him a glare, and his hand in mine twitched, itching to point certain fingers up. "Dearest family, I'd like to introduce you to Ella, my –"

"I do hope you're not fooling around again, Fred," the older woman said sternly, no doubt Mrs Weasley. "Here I am thinking I brought you up better than that. At least you have the decency to introduce this one to us."

"What! No! What are you blathering on ab – I don't – didn't Geor –"

Mrs Weasley smiled, stood up and patted Fred on the cheek. "Of course he did, love, only joking." She gave him a wink before putting her hands on my head. "Oh, look at you! What a beautiful girl." She threw her arms around my shoulders and embraced me tightly. She rocked back and forth before standing back, her hands still on my shoulders. "Finally, a girl decides to stick with our little troublemaker. I'm afraid Arthur - my husband - couldn't make it today, but my other two sons managed to take time away from work, Bill and Charlie."

Her cheerfulness left me speechless, and it was only when Fred pinched my arm I was able to talk.

"Hello!" I greeted a bit too loudly. "Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure's ours," Bill winked. Charlie grinned.

It was awkward for a moment with us all staring at each other, until Fred clapped his hands.

"Well, I would love to stay and chat but –"

"You are not sneaking away this time, Fred Weasley," Mrs Weasley warned.

"It's not sneaking if I'm outright telling you, now, is it?" Fred retorted, but shoved his hands in his pockets nevertheless.

"We're here all day and I intend to spend time getting to know Ella," Mrs Weasley said, standing tall before her taller son, her hands on her hips, daring him to defy her when he spluttered protests. "It's probably best you and George join us. You boys don't send enough letter homes."

"McGonagall sends them for us, mum," Fred grinned lopsidedly.

"She sends us all the mischief you have been up to! Come and sit down, now. You too, Ella dear, have you had some lunch? Here, I'll get it for you. Fred Weasleydo not think you can sneak away."

Fred, sitting beside me, dropped his head onto my shoulder and stretched out a groaned. "She's a mad woman."

In spite of his words, Mrs Weasley smiled at us, and I couldn't help but smile back as Fred's hand interlocked with mine and he pressed a kiss to my shoulder.