They walked in silence. Occasionally Fred would divert his eyes towards his new fiance. He kept his face forward to avoid making eye contact with her. Since walking out of his joke shop, they had not exchanged any words. Not even the usual pleasantries or half-hearted conversations about the weather. If Laila noticed the tension settling between them, she gave no indication of it. In truth, she was in her own world of turmoil. For the first time in her life, she took no sight of her surroundings, breaking one of her most cardinal rules.
Just as Fred was about to clear his throat, he felt Laila stop a few feet behind him. Puzzled, he turned just in time to see the color drain from her face. He followed her gaze towards a young blonde man laughing with his friends. His hands clutched at a bottle covered in a paper bag that he was taking sips from in between bouts of laughter. Fred crept closer to Laila and tentatively laid a hand on her. Laila jerked before quickly catching herself. Her eyes locked with Fred's, and he caught a glimpse of fear before she bottled it away.
"You okay?"
"Yes, I just didn't notice we were in Muggle London. The coffee shop you frequent is down here?"
"Yeah. It's just nice to mix with people who don't know anything about me besides my name and order."
Laila looked up at him before quietly replying, "Believe me I understand."
She kept her eyes on him, and Fred didn't look away. For the first time he took notice of her eyes. They were a brilliant blue, a surprising contrast against her olive skin tone. The brown swirls in one of her eyes mingled perfectly with the blue, criss-crossing at multiple points much like the sea does when it laps on the sandy shore.
"So we're here, if you-"
"Go ahead, I'll be-"
The both stopped for a moment, their sentences overlapping before breaking into genuine laughter. "I'm sorry I'm really out of my element here," Laila sighed. "The last date I went on was with my case files and textbooks."
"Well I'm not too far off either," Fred laughed, running a hand through his hair. "But we're here now if you want to grab something? I was thinking we could sit down and talk in there? The shop is quiet in the mornings, and I don't think we'll really get a chance to talk with my family before you get ambushed during tonight's dinner."
Laila bit her lip. "Ginny and Hermione already beat me to the ambushing, but I didn't mind it. It's nice talking with someone younger than I am. I grew up with two older sisters and being able leave the house and make my own decisions was a nice change of pace."
Fred shook his head with a smile before gesturing to Laila to enter before him. As he watched Laila place her order, he thought back to her reaction on the street. She was hiding something, but it would probably be a while before he got her to open up. Hell, he hadn't even considered she might be dragging her own baggage with her from America, but given her blood status, he wouldn't be surprised. But that would have to be for another day. Heavy topics weren't an ideal conversation for a first date. A first date that will next jump into a wedding.
By the time the two had sat down with their orders, the silence had risen up like a thick mist between them. Laila raised her eyebrows as she watched Fred dump spoonfuls of his sugar into his already cream-laden coffee. "You going to have some coffee with that sugar?"
"Coffee is too bitter by itself. Putting sugar and cream in it dresses it up and makes it taste better," Fred replied with a grin.
"The bitterness and strength are the key characteristics that define coffee and why people choose to drink it over tea. Adding too many other things to it takes away the taste of coffee completely. And all you're left with is an overly sweet drink."
Quirking up his eyebrow, Fred said, "You just gave me a lecture on how and why coffee should be drunk black? Is this what you do, spend your days arguing your points?"
"Not usually," Laila laughed, "but when it comes to weddings then yes. I nearly gave grandmother a heart attack that I never planned on marrying, and if I did, then I would go to the courthouse and not empty all of my savings on one single day."
Fred grinned. "My mum is not going to be happy to hear that. Planning weddings for all of her kids is a joy for her. I can't wait for Ginny's time. That will be a row worth watching. What about your mum, has she been giving you direction on how to plan her dream wedding for you?"
Laila's smile slipped slightly at Fred's question before she quickly composed herself. "My mom passed away when I was 12, but I'm sure she would have loved giving me advice whether or not I asked for it."
Fred swore under his breath, running his hand through his hair before laying it on the table. "Shit, Laila. I'm sorry to have brought up your mum this way. If I had known-"
"But you didn't, and it's fine. It's been more than ten years, Fred. I'm not going to break if you ask me about her. I miss her, yes, but I keep her alive through my work and speaking for those who no longer have a voice."
Fred gazed at her. Laila's tone was fiery, and her eyes flashed brilliantly. In talking about her mother, she had straightened her back even more and her voice held traces of pride.
Laila continued speaking, no longer aware of Fred's presence. "My mom was the kindest and most devoted person I've ever met. My parents had three daughters; in Indian culture, it's not uncommon to question why a family doesn't have a son to carry on their family name. My dad still replies to this day that the toe of any one of his daughters is worth more than all the sons in the world."
"They gave us everything. We grew up with pride for the country we had been born in and for the country our ancestors had lived in. My mom devoted her life to service and fighting the wrong. She instilled in each of us that nothing, nothing is more important than the justice and sticking up for the right things. Her values were what got her killed, but my sisters and I don't live for her death. We live to honor everything she did in her life, and we keep her memories alive by living with the values she and my dad taught us."
Laila's breathing grew shallow. She bit her trembling lip and looked out through the window. She jumped slightly when she felt a touch on her hand, looking to see that Fred had firmly grasped the top of her hand. When she met his gaze, she was stunned by the intensity and pain she saw in it.
"I haven't lost a parent, but I have lost friends. This war, it's brutality and all the horror it left behind. Everyone likes to pretend to move on, and we need to. It's hard to speak about this because everyone wants to look forward to a brighter future, but I can't. I can't even talk to George about it. He's been so happy with Angelina recently that I worry he won't understand. Everyday I have to swallow my nightmares and the memories."
Giving a wry laugh, Fred shook his head. "And do you know what the worst part is, I can't even remember the voices of some of my friends or what they looked like. Everyday it's like another part of me slips away."
"Then don't let it, Fred." Laila interlocked her fingers through his hand and gave it a sharp tug. "Don't hide your pain. We haven't known each other for a long time, but we'll be sharing our lives soon enough. And that means the best and worst parts. I haven't experienced everything you have, but I understand. If this marriage has any chance of working, we need to trust one another."
Taking another deep breath, Laila continued. "But we cannot become each other's crutches. My father...when my mom died, there were days it seemed my dad died with her. He got better with time, but my sisters and I spent the latter parts of our childhood waiting for him to wake up and be the dad we had grown up with. If this marriage is to work, I cannot let myself become your emotional crutch, and you cannot become fine. It's one thing to support and have each other's back, but-"
Fred cut her off with another squeeze to her hand, and the two of them sat in silence for a while. Their hands remained intertwined, and the silence was now more companionable, almost comforting. No longer filled with tension as it had been only an hour earlier.
"Can I ask you something?" Fred spoke quietly, almost afraid to break whatever this was going on between him and Laila. She hummed in reply.
"The man in the alley, you-"
"There you are!"
"George Weasley! I told you not to follow them in here!"
Laila looked up to see Fred's twin being followed closely by a beautiful young woman.
"Blimey, Fred! It didn't take you a minute before you got her holding your hand-ow! Damn it woman!" Angelina cut off George with a whack to his head, shooting him a pointed glare. At the same time, Laila and Fred seemed to realize they were still touching and quickly they separated. Fred shot Laila a half-smile while Angelina berated his twin before turning towards Laila.
"I'm sorry about that. On behalf of this idiot bloke, I apologize. Nice to meet you, I'm Angelina."
Laila chuckled, "Laila and same here. Not that you need it, but you have my permission to hit any man who calls you 'woman' again."
George grinned, "Cheeky! I like her." He turned to Fred and gave him a slight shove before the two started engaging in friendly banter. Laila watched them with a smile, seeing firsthand the connection Fred had with his brother. She felt a pang in her chest and missed her own sisters. Her thoughts were cleared out of her head when she realized Angelina was speaking to her.
"I'm really sorry, can you repeat all of that?"
Angelina smiled. "I was just asking how your trip was? Hermione mentioned your flat was in Muggle London, and you decorated it beautifully."
Before Laila could reply, George helpfully butted in. "Are you starting already? Crikey, it hasn't even been ten minutes and you're planning wedding decorations?!"
Angelina opened her mouth to retort, but Laila beat her to the punch. "What else can we do? We clearly don't have the brains for anything else, and heaven forbid if we learned to think for ourselves! The scandal it would cause!"
Laila swooned back into her chair with a dramatic sigh. Fred's mouth twitched, but it took George a second before he realized Laila was purposefully poking fun at him.
"Yeah, yeah whatever," he grumbled goodnaturedly. But he surprised Laila with a brief hug. "Welcome to the family, or more officially when I'll pretend I have met you for the very first time during tonight's dinner. Bye!"
He gave a dramatic wave as he moved out of the door. Angelina rolled her eyes and followed after him after giving Laila a friendly hug and warm smile.
"Your family is very-"
"Over the top?" Fred laughed. "You'll probably think the same of me when you spend more time with me and George and the rest of us. Don't know how poor Mum tolerated pushing all seven of us out of her and then raising us."
Laila cocked her head with a smile, watching Fred's joy as he talked about his family, especially his twin. "I was going to say so together. Just from the outside it seems all of you are interconnected and know what's going on in each other's lives."
"It's not the same with your family?"
"Sort of," Laila sighed. "It's a little complicated to be honest. I think you'll understand once you meet them."
"Is it really true then that your family can't do any magic at all?"
"What do you think the meaning of a Muggle or No-Maj is?" Laila retorted with a snort.
"No I mean, did you ever try to get them to wave your wand around just to see what would happen? For the fun of it? Or even better the scientific curiosity of collecting evidence to prove your theory, Madame Prosecutor."
"Of course I did when I was 11! But see I unlike you had the brain to realize nothing would happen once I tried it three separate times on three different members of my family."
Fred grinned, raising an eyebrow. "So it took you three tries to figure it out? Wow that long."
Laila glared at Fred before looking around to make sure the Muggle barista who had taken their order was not in sight and the coast was completely clear. Wandlessly, she transfigured her empty coffee cup in a cushion before aiming it at Fred's face.
"Ow! Hey! What is it with you bloody women having to be so violent all the time?"
Laila grinned, snagging the cushion back from Fred before transfiguring it to its original shape. "I figured I might as well knock some sense into you literally."
"Hang on there, backtrack a second for me. You should be the one talking! You call non-magical people No-Majs. Could you Americans not think of a better word for them?"
"What can I say?" Laila shrugged. "We actually make valuable use of our time instead of spending it arguing over what to name trivial things. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Call them Muggles or No-Majs, it does not change who they are."
"Are seriously quoting Shakespeare at me to defend your point?"
Laila looked up in surprise. Fred saw her expression and rolled his eyes. "C'mon, I know my brother and I run a joke shop, but we're not complete dunderheads. I did pay attention occasionally in Muggle Studies, you know."
They spent the remaining time in companionable silence before heading back to Diagon Alley. It was closer to midmorning, and some of the shops had opened up. There was a slight crowd, but it was still peaceful before the afternoon rush would soon come spiraling in. She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and turned to see Fred gesturing her in the opposite direction of where she was looking.
As they headed back to the joke shop, Fred casually asked, "Are you free Friday night? Some of my friends wanted to grab a drink at a pub and meet you."
"I should be. And that sounds lovely! Although I have to warn you ahead of time that I don't actually drink."
"Really?" Fred turned towards her, intrigued.
"No special reason why," Laila responded to his questioning gaze. "I just made a personal choice not to after-". She hesitated, afraid to say anything more. She had known for Fred less than a day, and she had already told him much more than she was expecting to. They only had a short amount of time left before their wedding, and she wanted to keep everything in the open. But this-this was whole new territory. She would need time to collect her thoughts and tell him.
"Does this have anything to do with that bloke that caught your eye a few hours ago?"
Startled, Laila looked up. "You caught that, huh?"
When Fred gave a thoughtful smile and half-shrug, Laila felt comfortable enough to continue. "It's...complicated. We only met today, Fred. I need some time before I can tell you everything that happened. It's got nothing to do with you, believe me."
"You don't have to explain," Fred replied quietly. "We've all been through shit. Hell, we've only scratched the surface with mine. And we've got plenty of time to learn more about each other." Then with a grin, he asked, "Want an official tour of Diagon Alley and the famous Weasleys Wizard Wheezes?"
"Lead the way," Laila grinned.