Unbreakable - Fred Weasley

Valentine's

Olivia rushed to the DA meeting that she was now—terribly—late for. She had been studying with Tim, who needed extra help with one of the concepts that they worked on that day in Arithmancy. As she entered the Room of Requirement Fred saw her, smiled, and waved as she made her way over to him. She nearly leapt into his arms when she saw him,
"How was Macnair?" He asked,
"Good, I think he understood by the end of it. Or at least I hope he did, did you tell Harry why I was late?" She looked up at Fred quizzically,
"Yea, that you were helping a friend." Fred told her. She made her way across the room from him and held her wand up, beaming at Fred,
"Thanks Fred."
"Anytime, Wood." He smiled.
—
"Go now," Harry told them, checking his map for teachers or Inquisitorial Squad members. Olivia, Fred, and George nodded and made their way out of the room, creeping quietly to the Gryffindor tower. Olivia had still been avoiding Cho and Marietta—seemingly moving into Fred's room with him, Lee, and George. She did try to smile at Cho when she saw her, who would always smile shyly and look away. Things with Marietta were still just as icy, and when Fred tried to bring up making amends Olivia would very heatedly point out that she shouldn't have to.
Fred held Olivia's hands firmly in his as they made their way up, thankful that at least she'd found someone to spend time with—even if it was a Slytherin. But from what Fred could tell, Tim seemed nice and quiet, always on time for their study times—even Hermione liked him. Olivia seemed indifferent to Tim as well, simply getting her homework done and helping him where she could. Fred wasn't entirely sure that Olivia even enjoyed his company more than how quiet he was when she was explaining something, but perhaps it would turn into a friendship and she wouldn't be completely left alone when he and George left.
"Fred, what are you thinking about?" Olivia asked, noticing his brows furrowed in thought. They'd made their way into the Gryffindor Common Room and he hadn't said a word in quite some time. He looked at her and smiled,
"A prank for when Georgie and I leave."
"Oh, that'll be quite a sight I imagine." She chuckled, leading him up the stairs.
"That's the goal, love."
———
January quickly turned into February, Olivia was in a whirlwind of classes, tests, homework, and exams. She hadn't even realized that it was Valentine's Day, Hogsmeade day, or even that it was a Saturday until Fred woke her up with a gentle kiss on the nose that morning and said,
"We ought to get going, don't ya reckon love?"
"W-w-what?" She said, trying to stifle a yawn. "W-w-where?"
"Wood, it's a Hogsmeade weekend." He stated matter-of-factly, "you can't have forgotten."
"I reckon I did, Fred." She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then stopped and caught her breath, "it-it's Valentine's Day!?"
"Yes." He replied, laughter audible on the edge of the word. He was enjoying her frantic demeanour, and decided to let her worry for a few seconds more. Fred knew she'd forget, she had been up until midnight nearly every night studying in his(rather, their) bed, and was growing more and more disheveled in her appearance in the most recent days. The kicker was that she had forgotten one, or both, shoes nearly every day that week. Fred knew there was no way that Valentine's Day was even a passing thought in her mind, as well as the fact that she wouldn't have remembered that there was a Hogsmeade weekend either. He looked at her, ink on her cheek, hair a mess, bags under her eyes, and a panicked expression on her face—her mouth opening and closing like a fish—and thought she'd never looked more beautiful.
"I-I, Fred, I forgot, I'm so-I-I'm sorry, I—" she stuttered, but Fred pressed his lips to hers,
"Relax love, I've got it handled." He said calmly after pulling away.
"But—"
"Wood. Don't worry." He smiled, disappearing behind the curtains surrounding the bed. Olivia struggled to free herself from the sheets she was tangled in, falling off of the bed and onto the floor in a heap. She looked up, seeing Fred near the bathroom, laughing at her, her motioned towards the shower and she smiled devilishly. She hopped up to her feet and followed him in, closing the door behind her.
—
"So what've you planned?" Olivia asked, stuffing the last bit of toast into her mouth as they left the castle to make their way towards the village.
"Uh-uh Wood, it's a surprise." He smirked waggling his finger. Olivia rolled her eyes and looped her hand around his.
"Alright. But you've got to let me get you something once I get there." She insisted,
"Perhaps." Fred replied.
"Fred," Olivia whined, "I feel terrible for forgetting, the least you could do is—"
"Olivia!" Someone called from behind them, interrupting her. She and Fred turned around and saw Tim, along with two other Slytherin behind them. Tim was waving to them and smiling, he had a envelope in his hands.
"Oh! Hello Tim, how are you?" Olivia smiled, both arms wrapped around one of Fred's. Fred was smiling at Tim as well, and Olivia realized that they'd never met. "This is my boyfriend, Fr—"
"—Fred Weasley, yes we know." A blonde girl said with a scoff. Olivia shifted uncomfortably in her boots and Fred pursed his lips. She didn't look too pleased to see them, Olivia thought, and her short blonde hair came down starkly around her pale face.
"Alice!" Another boy reprimanded, he had spiky black hair and was quite handsome, he rolled his eyes at Alice before smiling at Olivia and Fred and reaching his hand out, "I'm Teddy. That's Alice."
Fred and Olivia shook his hand and then looked towards the dirty blonde boy with blue eyes that had called out to them.
"Did you need something Tim? Or were you just saying hello?" Olivia asked sweetly, wrapping her arms around Fred's torso. Tim looked at the two awkwardly, looking uncertainly at Fred and then towards Olivia, feeling as if he'd lost the ability to speak. He pushed the envelope out to her, looking at Fred again, trying to read his expression and ensure he wasn't upset.
Olivia gave a slight look of confusion before letting go of Fred and taking the envelope gingerly in her hands. "What's this for?"
"Just, for all the help you've given me. I wanted to say thanks." Tim told her, again looking to Fred who—quite honestly found the entire display humorous but didn't want Tim to feel bad—kept a polite smile on his face.
"That's quite nice of you, thank you." Olivia told the dirty blonde boy, then looked towards his darkly robed companions, "and it was wonderful to meet you both. Teddy. Alice." She nodded at both of them as she said their names, eliciting an eye roll and foot tap from Alice, and a smile from Teddy.
"We've best get going, love." Fred told her, Olivia looked towards him and nodded understandingly.
"Goodbye! And Happy Valentine's!" She called to the three Slytherin, before turning away with Fred and tucking the envelope into her jacket pocket.
"I reckon Tim likes you a bit." Fred told her after a while, Olivia looked at him and laughed,
"Are you jealous?"
"Should I be?" He winked,
"Of course not." She said seriously, but still with laughter in her voice. He stopped in his tracks and kissed her,
"Then I don't see why I'd need to be jealous."
She lifted herself onto her tip-toes and kissed him back, pulling away slowly. Fred grabbed her hand and led her towards Scrivenshafts Quill Shop, Olivia could hardly contain her excitement. She looked at him wide-eyed and he laughed at her,
"Ravenclaws, so easy to please."
"Fred!" She squealed, excited at the prospect of a new quill.
"Whatever you want, love." He told her as he opened the door to the shop. Olivia couldn't remember being any more in love with him.
—
"Are you sure?" Olivia asked for the fifth time, as Fred chuckled, "it's not too much?"
"I'm positive, love. I said whatever you like, and this really isn't much." He insisted as she picked out her third quill. She had decided on some parchment, three quills, and two bottles of ink. Nothing too fancy, as Fred had been prepared to get her nearly the entire shop's contents. He brought all of the things she'd picked up to the front and turned back to her, "you're sure that this is really all you want?"
"Yes." Olivia told him, nodding dramatically. Fred paid and they made their way towards the sweet shop, "Fred, really, this is enough." She tried to anchor herself to the ground and keep him back, but he pulled her along with him.
"Nope, gotta get you at least one box of Fizzing Whizbees." He asserted, and Olivia relented, letting him pull her into Honeydukes.
—
"I can't believe you won't let me get you anything. I feel terrible." Olivia moaned, a butterbeer in front of her.
"You've been so busy and stressed love, I just wanted you to have everything you wanted today." He cooed, reaching across the table and letting his hand run down her hair affectionately.
"It's been perfect, thank you." Olivia smiled, seeing Harry walk in without Cho Chang. Olivia watched him walk over and sit next to Hermione, Luna, and what looked like a much older Rita Skeeter. Olivia frowned, not knowing where Cho was, and why she wasn't with Harry.
"What's the matter, love?" Fred asked her, noticing her change in expression.
"Harry was meant to have a date with Cho today." She replied, not letting her eyes stray from Harry. Fred looked over,
"Maybe their date ended?" He asked,
"I suppose..." Olivia said pensively. George walked into the Three Broomsticks at that moment and made his way towards Olivia and Fred,
"And how are you both today?" He asked, catching them both off guard.
"Have you seen Cho around today?" Olivia asked immediately, Fred looked up curiously at George as well.
"Er—yea, I mean, I think so. She was crying, but I think it was—" he started,
"—she was what!?" Olivia croaked, a wave of worry crushing her.
"I think she was crying, but—" George started again, Olivia looked towards Fred pleadingly,
"Go on, love! I really don't mind." Fred encouraged, knowing that Cho probably needed her. Olivia wasted no time, grabbing her bags quickly and running out of the pub. Once she got out into the rain, she searched around for her friend, wandering around aimlessly until she saw a familiar figure through the window of Honeydukes. Olivia rushed in, taking no care to dry herself off before entering and came face-to-face with a very red-faced Cho, and a scowling Marietta.
"Cho, is everything alright? What happened, George said—" Olivia began, walking towards her friend with her arm outstretched, before Marietta barged in between them,
"George now? You really get around." She snapped. Olivia stepped back, dumbstruck by the starkness of the girl in front of her. "You probably knew all about Harry and Granger anyways, you spend enough time over with the Gryffindors as it is."
"Hermione and Harry? What are you talking about? What's there to know?" Olivia asked,
"Just get away from us." Marietta demanded,
"Stop it Marietta, I'm here to check on Cho, and—"
"Just go back to whichever Weasley you're with now!" Marietta yelled at her, nearly every head in the shop turned towards them.
"I'm with Fred! There is no other Weasley. Now let me see my friend!" Olivia argued, trying to get around Marietta and towards Cho who looked more miserable than ever.
"She's not your friend! You picked Gryffindors over us, and you picked them over Cedric too. I wouldn't be surprised if he was so distracted by you that, that's why he died!" Marietta goaded. Olivia felt her heart wretch in her chest, and for all the bystanders that saw her, there was a darkened expression and deep fire in her eyes.
"Don't." She breathed, trying to keep her voice calm, "bring Cedric into this."
"You're the one that couldn't choose between him and the Weasley. You strung him along, it's really no wonder he died." Marietta said coldly.
The next sound was a sharp clap, it echoed off of the walls of the shop and caught Olivia off guard—even though she was the one who caused it. She hadn't thought about doing it, but when she turned to Marietta who had a red mark across her face, and saw her own hand up—she realized that she'd slapped her. Hard. She looked at Cho who watched her shocked, then looked around at the people in the shop, turning back to Marietta after a moment.
"I'd apologize, but I think you look better this way." Olivia told Marietta callously, before turning on her heel and making her way out of Honeydukes. She walked through town, her feet carrying her without thought.
—
"What's wrong with her?" Teddy asked as he, Alice, and Tim made their way out of the Three Broomsticks. Olivia was walking by herself through Hogsmeade, but she didn't look quite like herself. Alice looked up and was shocked to see the hollow expression on the usually annoyingly chipper girl. Before anyone else could speak, Tim had made his way to her.
"Olivia, are you alright?" He asked, reaching out towards her. Olivia looked up at Tim, not fully comprehending that he was anyone she knew.
"It really wasn't my fault." She said quietly.
"What... happened?" Tim asked slowly, unsure of how to approach her. She looked up at him again, her eyes misty,
"He's gone."
"Who? Fred?"
"There was nothing I could've done... right?" She said nonsensically.
"Where did? What happened? A fight?" Tim tried to understand what was going on with her.
"If they'd listened..."
"Olivia." Tim said sternly, holding her shoulders and looking directly into her eyes. Olivia couldn't comprehend what was happening, her grief for Cedric pulling at every limb on her body. She missed him. She stared back at Tim,
"Do you know where Fred is?" Her voice was terribly quiet,
"Last time we saw him he was in Zonko's with George." Alice piped up, too concerned to be catty. Olivia's eyes moved from Tim to Alice,
"I'll go there." She was resolved, nodding to herself. Fred would know what to do.
"We're going with you." Tim insisted, letting her shoulders loose from under his grip and giving a stern look.
"You really don't have—" she started,
"We insist." Teddy smiled, worried that she wasn't in the right space to be on her own. Even Alice was nodding in agreement with her two friends.
So they set off, three Slytherin, and one very distraught Ravenclaw. Alice was right, however, they found Fred quite quickly in Zonko's with George. His smiled faded quickly into a look of confusion when he saw the expression on the four of them.
"What...?" He asked slowly, Tim shook his head to signify his cluelessness. Olivia found her way next to Fred and intertwined her fingers into his while hanging her head lowly.
Tim, Teddy, and Alice watched as the two walked away, Fred obviously asking her questions that she wasn't replying to. George looked at them,
"Thanks for finding us, but you really have no idea why she's... like that?" He asked. The three green-robed sixth years shook the heads.
"She was saying someone was gone, and it wasn't her fault." Teddy told George,
"We thought maybe she and Fred had gotten in a fight." Alice said,
"But we don't know what happened." Tim finished saying to George.
"Right, well, this is where I leave you lot. I'll go and see if I can help them." George gave them a curt nod before jogging over to where Fred and Olivia had made their way ahead.
"What do you reckon happened?" Alice asked, genuinely curious.
"I've got no idea." Tim replied.
—————
What a wild Valentine's Day, hey?

This chapter is a little bot longer than the last two I posted, so I hope you guys enjoy! Make sure you're staying safe out there! Wash! Your! Hands!