Oh Merlin. Ohhh Merlin.
There was no denying it now — Padma and Serena definitely knew what he was up to. Fred's heart sank faster than a poorly charmed Quaffle. His face burned as the two girls exchanged a look that could only mean trouble.
This had been a terrible idea. Why did he even think this would work? It was George's fault, really. If George hadn't made such a big deal about buying that perfect, thoughtful gift for Angelina, Fred wouldn't be in this mess. He wouldn't be standing here, gift box in hand, with two of Ravenclaw's sharpest minds watching him like kneazles eyeing a mouse.
Fred shifted uncomfortably, the Honeydukes gift bag crinkling in his grip. He could almost hear George's voice teasing in his head: "Fred, mate, the secret to a girl's heart is to think with yours." Great advice — if you weren't about to get your intentions blown to pieces in the middle of a sweet shop.
Fred's thoughts spiraled. Padma probably wouldn't tell Cassie outright — she didn't seem the type to meddle like that — but Serena? Serena would absolutely tell Cassie, if only to watch Fred squirm. And honestly, could he even blame her? He'd been a menace to her since the girls' first year. This was probably karmic retribution for every prank, every hex, every snarky comment he'd ever aimed in their direction.
He glanced down at the box in his hands. The pale-blue packaging sparkled under the shop's warm lights, the snowy design feeling like it was mocking him for trying too hard. What if Cassie didn't even like sweets? Or what if she thought it was weird? Or worse — what if she thought it was a joke?
Oh Merlin, what if she hates me?
Fred's stomach churned. His fingers twitched against the edge of the box, half tempted to just shove it back on the shelf and pretend none of this ever happened. He could almost hear Serena's smug voice, already rehearsing how she'd relay this little incident to Cassie.
"Fred Weasley, buying you a gift? Isn't it obvious he's gone completely mad?"
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant, Weasley. You've outdone yourself this time.
Fred was yanked out of his mental freefall by the sound of someone clearing their throat.
"So," the cashier drawled, eyebrows raised, "did you still want that wrapped, or...?"
Fred blinked, realizing the cashier was staring at him expectantly, her quill hovering over the receipt. Right. He still had to finish the transaction.
Fred cleared his throat, his voice coming out higher than expected. "Actually, uh —can I swap this for a box of the Sugared Butterfly Wings?"
The cashier raised a brow but nodded, taking the box of Glacial Snow Flakes from him. "Sure thing. One moment."
Fred shifted awkwardly, sneaking a glance over his shoulder. Serena and Padma were still there, chatting quietly and occasionally casting glances in his direction. He groaned internally. Part of him hoped they'd leave, sparing him the mortifying task of addressing what they'd just seen. The other part hoped they stayed so he could beg them not to spill.
When the cashier handed him the freshly packaged box, complete with a delicate silver ribbon, Fred turned around, bracing himself for the worst. The two girls stood just a few feet away, waiting.
Serena smirked the moment their eyes met. "Oh, I'm so telling Cassie."
Fred's heart sank. "Please don't," he blurted out, clutching the gift tighter.
"Serena!" Padma scolded, giving her friend a disapproving look.
"What?" Serena said with an exaggerated shrug. "Why shouldn't I? He's been nothing but a nuisance since our first year. And how do we know this isn't just another prank?"
Fred winced but nodded. "Fair point. I've been…immature. A lot. But this isn't a joke. I really like Cassie, and I want to tell her myself."
Serena raised a skeptical brow, crossing her arms. "Uh-huh. And why should we believe that? For all we know, you're just buttering us up so we'll keep quiet."
"I'm not!" Fred said quickly, his ears burning. "I swear, I'm serious about this."
Padma tapped a finger to her lips, her expression thoughtful. "If you're so serious, how come you've never done anything before now?"
Fred hesitated, the tips of his fingers nervously tugging at the ribbon on the gift. "It's…complicated," he said slowly. "For a while, I thought it was just a small crush, but…something made me realize recently that I'm in a lot deeper than I thought."
Serena snorted, her smirk widening. "Let me guess. Was it the way she helped clean up after your slime explosion in the hall the other day? Or maybe the time she had to help get a student down from the ceiling after you gave them an especially potent whizzbee?"
Fred's face turned scarlet. "I — well — it's not like —" He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "You don't have to rub it in, all right?"
"Aw, but it's so much fun," Serena quipped, grinning. "This is new territory for me, Weasley. I'm used to you being the one doing the teasing."
Fred sighed, glancing at Padma for support, but she just gave him an apologetic shrug.
"Okay, but seriously," Serena continued, her tone softening just slightly. "Why should we help you? What's in it for us?"
Fred looked between them, his nerves ramping up again. "Because I…I really care about her. I know I've been a prat, but I mean it when I say I want to do this right. I just — I don't want to mess it up before I even get the chance."
The girls exchanged another glance, and this time, Serena looked less smug and more contemplative.
Padma finally broke the silence. "All right. We'll help you."
Fred blinked, surprised. "Really? Why?"
Serena rolled her eyes. "Knowing you, you're going to need all the help you can get. Besides, I don't like Aleksandr."
Fred furrowed his brow. "Aleksandr? Is that the Durmstrang guy hanging around lately? What's wrong with him?"
"Absolutely nothing," Serena replied breezily. "Except for the fact that he's not you. And I just think Cassie would be better off with someone who'll actually bring her out of her shell. Not stay holed up in the library debating the ethics and usage of different charms."
Padma laughed softly. "She has a point. But you really do need to spend more time getting to know her. Take it slow."
Fred nodded quickly. "I will. Absolutely."
Serena leaned in, her grin mischievous. "And for the record, if you screw this up, I will tell her about the time you nearly cried after seeing that Blast-Ended Skrewt loose near the Forbidden Forest."
Fred groaned. "That thing was terrifying and coming right for me, okay?"
"Terrifyingly small," Padma teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Fred ran a hand down his face, muttering, "I'm never living this down, am I?"
"Not a chance," Serena said smugly.
The teasing eventually died down, though Fred's face stayed a brilliant shade of red. When the conversation hit a natural pause, he glanced at the clock on the wall.
"I should get going," he said, tucking the gift securely under his arm. "I need to meet back up with George."
Serena waved him off. "Go on, lover boy. Try not to embarrass yourself too much next time you see her."
Fred rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small, nervous grin on his face as he headed for the door.
Fred exited Honeydukes with a small sigh, clutching the neatly wrapped gift. Serena and Padma's parting words still echoed in his mind as he trudged toward the Three Broomsticks. He couldn't tell if he felt more nervous or relieved. At least they hadn't told him off — or worse, told Cassie. But he knew he was far from in the clear.
Spotting the warm glow of the pub ahead, Fred shook off his thoughts and forced a grin. Time to act normal. Well, as normal as he could manage.
Fred ducked into the bustling Three Broomsticks, the lively hum of chatter and clinking glasses washing over him. George was already at a corner table, a half-empty butterbeer in hand.
"Finally!" George called out, waving him over. "I was beginning to think you got lost in Zonko's or something."
Fred slid into the seat across from George, dropping the small Honeydukes bag onto the seat next to him with a dramatic flourish. "Lost? Me? Please. Just had to fight off a pack of first-years swarming the exploding bonbons. Absolute chaos out there."
George raised an eyebrow, his gaze dropping to the bag. "And the gift bag? Taking your time picking out sweets, huh? What's in there?"
Fred casually tugged the bag closer to him. "Just a little something for Bill's birthday."
George smirked knowingly. "A week early? Didn't know you were such an overachiever."
Fred shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Just trying to stay ahead of the game. You know Mum — she'd have my head if I forgot."
"Uh-huh," George said, his tone dripping with suspicion. "Sure it's for Bill."
Fred rolled his eyes. "Drop it, will you?"
George chuckled, taking a long sip of his butterbeer before changing the subject. "So, who do you think's got this first task in the bag? Krum's still the favorite, yeah?"
Fred latched onto the shift in topic with relief. "Obviously. But I wouldn't count out Fleur. Seems like she's got a sharp mind for this kind of thing."
"True," George agreed, leaning back in his chair. "Still, Cedric's no slouch either. And Harry's never been one to back down from a challenge. Hogwarts pride and all that."
Fred snorted. "Hogwarts pride or not, I've got two Sickles on Krum."
"Big spender," George teased, grinning.
They continued their banter, the conversation shifting seamlessly to the Yule Ball.
"Speaking of the ball," George said, "we still need to sort out suits. Unless you're planning on winging it."
Fred groaned. "Don't remind me. Mum's going to insist on those ghastly old dress robes if we don't find something decent."
"Yeah, well, I'd rather not look like I just stepped out of the 1800s," George said with a laugh.
Fred chuckled, but his thoughts wandered back to the gift tucked away in the bag at his side. He was still a little uneasy, wondering if George suspected more than he let on.
The warmth of the Three Broomsticks gave way to the cool evening air as the twins made their way back to the castle. By the time they reached Gryffindor Tower, Fred was still replaying the day's events in his head — Serena's teasing, Padma's pointed questions, and George's knowing looks. He needed to keep his nerves in check and his plans under wraps, at least for now.
Fred stepped into the dormitory ahead of George, quickly snatching the Honeydukes bag from under his cloak. He shoved it into his trunk and buried it beneath a pile of old Quidditch robes, casting a quick charm to keep the lid sealed. Satisfied it was out of sight — and out of George's meddlesome reach — he headed down to the common room.
Lee and George were sprawled in armchairs by the fire, laughing over some half-finished parchment strewn across the table. Fred dropped onto the sofa, stretching his arms behind his head.
"Nice of you to join us, mate," Lee said with a sly grin. "Thought you were off composing poetry or something with how quiet you've been today."
Fred snorted, grabbing a cushion and tossing it at him. "Poetry? Please. I've just been enjoying the peace and quiet for once. You should try it sometime."
"Right, because subtlety is your strong suit," Lee quipped, catching the cushion with ease.
George leaned forward, smirking. "Don't mind him, Lee. He's probably just nervous about the Yule Ball. Big moment for our Freddy — assuming he doesn't trip over his own feet first."
"Speaking of the ball," Lee said, "I'm thinking about asking someone this week. Courtyard after classes — classic move, right?"
Fred's ears perked up despite himself. "Yeah? Who's the lucky girl?"
Lee shrugged, a rare hint of nervousness crossing his face. "Not saying yet. Don't want to jinx it."
"Fair enough," George said. "I'm taking Angelina up to the astronomy tower to ask her. Romantic, isn't it? She won't see it coming."
Fred laughed along with them but felt the now-familiar knot of anxiety twisting in his chest. His mind raced as he considered his own plans — or lack thereof. Compared to their ideas, his seemed downright pathetic.
He glanced at Lee and George, still deep in their animated conversation about dance moves and dress robes, and made a decision. Maybe it was time to swallow his pride and take Serena and Padma up on their offer to help.
"Alright," Lee said, breaking Fred's thoughts. "Yule Ball plans aside, what's next on our to-do list? New product idea? Holiday sabotage?"
"Speaking of holidays," George said, "we're staying here through the New Year, right? Mum'll kill us if we skive off another family dinner, but who could pass up a Hogwarts feast?"
Fred shrugged, doing his best to stay engaged as the conversation shifted to lighter topics. The three boys bantered late into the evening, their laughter blending with the crackling fire and the distant chatter of other Gryffindors.
But even as Fred joked about turning Professor Snape's hair green or sneaking fireworks into the Great Hall, his thoughts kept drifting back to Cassie — and the daunting task of making his move.
The Gryffindor common room quieted as the fire burned low, its embers casting a warm glow across the stone walls. Elsewhere in the castle, the Ravenclaw Tower was alive with a hum of activity, as students worked on assignments or wound down from their Hogsmeade weekend. Across the common room, Serena and Padma were seated on one of the plush blue sofas, engaged in hushed conversation.
"I still can't believe Fred Weasley of all people would go to the trouble of buying a gift," Serena said, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "I mean, I knew he'd been watching Cassie lately — always looking over at her in the library or at meals — but I wasn't sure if he was just bored or what."
Padma raised an eyebrow. "Bored? Really? You think Fred would joke about something like this? Even if he was bored, I doubt he'd go so far as to make a fake confession. That's just cruel, and he's not like that."
Serena huffed, crossing her arms. "I don't know. He's a prankster at heart. How do we know this isn't some elaborate joke?"
Padma gave her a pointed look. "You saw how nervous he was today. He's not joking, Serena. And honestly…they'd make a cute couple. Cassie could use someone like him to shake things up a bit."
Serena hesitated, her expression softening slightly. "I mean, sure, he's not terrible or anything. But I just — Cassie's my friend. You know she's always been a little…distant. I don't want to see her get hurt."
"And you won't," Padma said firmly. "Look, I'll keep an eye on him too. But maybe give him the benefit of the doubt? He wouldn't be doing all this if he wasn't at least trying to be genuine."
Serena sighed, relenting. "Fine. I'll keep his little secret — for now. But if he does anything to upset Cassie, he'll have me to answer to."
Padma smirked, leaning back against the cushions. "Fair enough. But I think you might be surprised. Fred's got more layers than you'd think."
Above them, a burst of laughter erupted from the dormitory as Lorelei twirled Cassie around, the two girls giggling over their dresses. Serena glanced up, her guarded expression softening further.
"We'll see," she murmured.
