Delia - Fred Weasley

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐨𝐧𝐞

"You're literally radiating anxiety," Fred said to Delia who was pacing back and forth as she fiddled with the rose pendant hanging around her neck. "Talk to me."

"It's stupid."

"If you're so worried about it, it's not stupid," Fred said, climbing out of the bed, cold air brushing over his exposed torso as he gently seized her hand. "Talk to me, Sunshine."

"Don't you feel it, Freddie?" she asked, turning to him with desperation in her eyes. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Feel it?"

"The air, it's colder," she said her eyes drifting over to the window.

"It's winter, Delia," Fred pointed out and she shook her head.

"It's not that," she said. "It's more sinister."

"You're just tired and getting yourself worked up," Fred said squeezing her hand. "Come back to bed."

"I can't," she sighed. "The nightmares."

Fred frowned further. She'd been getting nightmares since Christmas. She'd often wake up crying or screaming and they'd had to move Rosalie into George's room so she didn't get woken up.

"Tell me about them," Fred said as he ran this thumb over her palm. "It will help if you talk about them."

Fred gently led her over to the bed and they laid down together, her face nuzzled in the crook of his neck.

"They're all different," she explained, her voice wobbling slightly. "You remember on Christmas Eve, when Harry and Remus were talking about Fenrir Greyback and I had that breakdown? When I was asking you to make it stop?"

"Yeah, I remember," Fred nodded, grimacing at the distress she had been in.

"It's him. He killed my parents," she admitted shakily as a tear slipped down her face. "I saw it all."

"I'm so sorry, Love," Fred whispered gently and placed a delicate kiss onto her forehead.

"I see that sometimes," she continued. "I see George, when he had his ear blown off and I see your Portkey arriving without you. I see people hurting the ones I love. You and Rosalie and your family. I remember when I was hit with the Cruciatus curse and I can feel the pain all over again."

Fred reached up and gently brushed away the tears that escaped her eyes and sent her a small but encouraging smile.

"They're not the worst ones," she sniffled. "The worst ones are the ones where you die or Rosalie dies or George,  Ginny,  Charlie, Tonks and Remus, your parents and other siblings, and the rest of your family like Muriel and Fleur."

"Delia, baby, listen to me," Fred said pleadingly. He wiped away more of her tears as he spoke. "We will always be together. I'm never going to leave you. So, when you fall asleep I'm going to be right here and when you wake up I'll still be here. Everyone in this house is safe right now and you need to rest. Okay?"

"Okay," Delia nodded before closing her eyes and attempting to fall asleep. She lay there for an hour at least before she let her eyelids droop. Fred was gently playing with her hair, plaiting sections of it which lulled her off to sleep as she smiled lazily at the comforting feeling.

When she awoke the next morning, Fred was still holding her tightly, just like he had promised and she smiled up at him.

"You feeling better now, Sunshine?" he asked her gently and she nodded. Fred leant down to place a kiss on her lips and she pushed him away with a small giggle.

"Stop it, I have morning breath," she said and he rolled his eyes.

"I don't care!" he whined.