Bonded

Thirty-Eight

"You did what?" Natalie demanded when Calliope returned to the common room later that night.

"I got another detention from Umbridge," replied Calliope.

"No! What you said before that!"

"Oh, Fred kissed me."

Natalie let out a high pitched squawking noise, causing several other people in the common room to give the two girls odd looks.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear that!" Natalie sat herself down on one of the sofas in a corner of the room, Calliope sat beside her.

"You expected it?"

"Callie, you and Fred spend almost every second in each other's company, you can sense each other's emotions and we literally read a book that says if he dies you die..." Natalie trailed off looked at Calliope expectantly, "it's destined Callie, you can't have that much of a bond without falling for the other person!"

"That's not it Natalie," Calliope shook her head, "I've never really thought about it until now, because I suppose I didn't know that I liked him until now, but I like Fred in spite of the bond, not because of it. I suppose it has bought us closer, but I really think that even if I couldn't sense his emotions that I would like him for who he is. I don't like the bond, I like the person."

Natalie grinned widely, "you just said you like him."

********

Calliope lay awake that night, staring at the curtains draped across the top of her four-poster bed with many thoughts running through her mind. 

She had just experienced her first kiss and it had left her feeling quite giddy, but it had also left her overthinking much of what had happened. Despite being able to literally sense Fred's emotions, she was left in the dark about what he was thinking. 

Did this kiss mean that they were dating, or was she being stupid to think that? Did Fred have the same odd fluttering feeling in the wake of the kiss, or was that just her? Above all, did Fred want to do it again as much as Calliope did?

********

"Hey," Fred had walked over to the Hufflepuff table and tapped Calliope on the shoulder, causing electricity to course through both of their veins at the touch. Calliope looked around expectantly, waiting for him to continue speaking. Fred cleared his throat, "can we go for a walk?"

Calliope smiled and nodded. She got to her feet, bade Natalie goodbye (Natalie shot Calliope a thumbs up), and then she and Fred exited the hall together. 

Fred made a beeline towards the double doors leading to the grounds, and despite the fact that it was January and a light drizzle was taking place outside, Calliope did not find herself objecting to this excursion into the grounds but rather finding that she too wanted the comfort of cool fresh air on her skin.

They walked in a comfortable silence towards the lake, which had a fine layer of mist over it, giving it an otherworldly feeling. They finally stopped walking when they reached the edge of the lake, where Fred picked up a stone and skimmed it across the lake. It jumped out of the water three times before it sunk to the bottom. Calliope stared at where the stone had disappeared.

"I'm just going to be blunt about this Screamer," Fred spoke up after an extended period of them both simply staring across the lake. "I kissed you because I wanted to kiss you, and I know that you're doubting that-"

"I hate how much better you are at reading my emotions than I am at reading your's!" Calliope complained.

"I know you're doubting that I wanted to kiss you, but I did, and you're going to have to wrap your head around that," Fred said, turning away from the lake to look her straight in the eye, "and I don't like you because of the bond, I like you in spite of it."

"That's exactly what I said to Natalie," Calliope let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding, "I feel like one way or another, bond or no bond we would have become friends-"

"Friends who kiss?" Fred grinned.

Calliope punched his arm lightly, "what I'm trying to say is that I don't think the bond has anything to do with my feelings towards you-"

"Oh, so you admit that you have feelings towards me?" Fred's grin widened, causing Calliope to roll her eyes.

Simply to wipe the cocky grin from his face, Calliope stood on her tiptoes and kissed Fred. He lent into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist. This kiss was longer than the two they had shared the previous night as they both revelled in the feeling that spread through them, both due to the sensation of the kiss and the electricity that coursed through them at the other's touch. 

There was no one to interrupt them this time, so it was a long time before the two broke apart.

"So we are friends who kiss then?" Fred asked, his arms remained around Calliope's waist and the grin returned to his face.

"Weasley, I think we're more than friends who kiss."

"Best friends who kiss?" Fred teased, Calliope laughed and shook her head, extracting herself from Fred's arms and beginning to head back towards the castle. Fred hurried after her, easily catching up with his much longer legs, "Mega best friends who kiss?" he asked, "come on Callie, enlighten me, what are we?"

"What do you think we are?"

"Oh I have a pretty good idea," Fred teased, "but I want to hear you say it for the world to hear."

"You know what, I take it back, I hate you," Calliope laughed.

"Say it, Callie!"

"No," Calliope shook her head.

Fred poked her arm.

"Fine, you are my boyfriend? Are you happy now?"

"I'm very happy," the same irritating grin spread across Fred's face, and again Calliope found herself wanting to kiss him to wipe the grin off his face. 

If I want to kiss him every time he grins I'm going to make my way through a lot of lip balm, Calliope thought as she and Fred re-entered the castle, but now they were holding hands.

********

"Are they holding hands?" George demanded of Natalie, who was munching on a slice of buttered toast.

"I think they are," Natalie followed George's eyes to see Calliope and Fred in the entrance hall.

"Merlin that took them long enough!"

My ship is sailing.
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~Em xx