Traitor : Fred Weasley, Draco Malfoy & OC Fanfic

Chapter 21 - Love Bites

December had approached painfully. The weeks dragged by slowly and I'd been in a constant state of existing rather than living. My heart still stung for Fred and my mind remained confused about Draco.

Draco had returned to ignoring me since our night in the Divination Tower and it began to feel like my previous four years at Hogwarts all over again. He would turn away in Potions, speaking with his friends across the table and would only mutter one word answers when I asked a question.

Though for some time I had wanted him to leave me alone, this felt wrong after what happened between us. Most nights I spent awake, cursing myself for ruining what I had with Fred when it seemed all Draco had wanted was a fling. I just had to accept that he needed to get it out of his system and now he was done with me. There was nothing left to hold on to.

Each day, I drifted from class to class and back to my room, occasionally resurfacing for meals but when my eyes fell on Fred across the Great Hall, my heart would shatter all over again. For weeks on end he'd looked tired and torn. George would try to joke with him and he'd give a small smile but never a deep throaty laugh like he used to. He slowly regained some colour to his face as time went on but I knew him, things weren't the same.

It was the last day before Christmas holiday and Hogwarts was alive with excited students, preparing to go home to their families and enjoy a much needed break. I, on the other hand, felt conflicted.

My family spent every Christmas with the Weasleys and given that I hadn't spoken to Fred or really any of them, other than Ron when we had a class together, I was concerned it would be uncomfortable.

Herbology was my first lesson of the day and I joined Ron at our shared desk. I was about to begin my usual routine of resting my head in my palm and letting my mind wander to anything other than Professor Sprout, when Ron nudged me.

"Where do you go?" Ron whispered.

"What?" I whispered back, furrowing my brow at him.

"Where do you go when you zone out like that? What are you thinking about?"

"Anything other than this" I whispered back with a wavering smile.

"Fred's been doing it a lot lately too" he whispered back and my breath caught. I straightened myself up to try and portray that I hadn't been affected by what he said.

"Oh?" I whispered.

"Yeah, hasn't been himself recently. I think he's been missing you...we all have actually" Ron whispered, looking pleadingly into my eyes, "Sit with us at lunch time, I think it would cheer him up"

"Ron, I'm sorry I've got to go to the library I-"

"Don't lie to me, Celeste. Please?" Ron cut me off. His pleading tone made my stomach twist. I loved spending time with them, I never wanted them to feel like they had to beg.

"Okay Ron, I will" I whispered back. His fair completion glowed as he gave me a beaming smile and turned his attention back to the Professor.

Herbology finally ended, me and Ron left the classroom chatting about what he should get his siblings for Christmas, as it was last minute and he still hadn't got any gifts. Classic. We were about to part ways for our next lesson, when he pulled me into a tight hug.

"You will come won't you?" he whispered into my hair. I nodded into him and pulled away, his bright smile still on his face.

"See you at lunch time" he called, as he disappeared down a winding staircase to his Charms lesson. The way the Weasleys looked out for one another never failed to warm my heart and I felt so grateful to be friends with them.