The Girl who Survived (Fred Weasley)

CH 73. Reaching out

"I'm allowed one cup a day. And if I'm happy, the baby is happy. And Coffee makes me happy. So, leave me alone," She said, sounding very cheeky.

I decided the time for eavesdropping was over, so I walked in and let my hand glide around her middle so I could rest my head on her shoulder for a moment. "Having fun back here?" I asked them.

"Oh yeah, we were about to call the mates over. It's a riot!" George said sarcastically.

"Look, I'm thinking of getting Ginny some new quidditch gear before she goes back to school. She could really use it if she's going to go pro someday," Elodie said to me as she held up a catalog opened to a page of padding.

"That's an investment. Wouldn't it make a better graduation gift?" I asked her as I stood upright and leaned back on the table next to her.

"You've seen her play. She'd be worth it. The two of you could have gone pro if you had wanted to. At least I think so," She said as she continued going through the catalog, jotting down notes and flagging pages.

"Yeah, now she tells us," George said as he turned to look through another box.

It had always been easy for me to forget just how cold she could be if she wanted to. Then again, I didn't know what the proper way was to deal with finding out that there was a chance her maiden didn't belong. Much less, that her adoptive fathers knew all along. Yet here she was, laughing, going on with her day as if I hadn't had to apparate us home a week ago after she nearly tore Sirius's house apart. I'd had to turn them away when they tried to come over to our house to talk to her, but what else could I do if she wasn't ready?

I knew that she was powerful. Time and time again, she'd proven to not just me, but to everyone just how powerful she could be, should she have the motivation. Yet the way that the house shook, pulling me and Harry away from our conversation about the shop, making us run down to see her fighting against Remus's hold. I'd never been more convinced. The incident at the ministry left me scared. I had to go through my head and wonder if she had a death wish, I wasn't willing to leave it to blind recklessness.

The way our magic had bonded made me realize that I wasn't sure I'd really be able to comprehend just how much of a gifted witch she was. The way her magic would dance through her fingertips into me, as if it were refilling me and floating back. As if she had magic to spare. I didn't think I'd ever fully understand it. It was just part of what made her, her.

"Where is Gin by the way?" I asked them.

"Uhm, I think she had a date today. I'm not sure with who, just that she didn't want to spend time with Fleur," She said casually as she continued looking through the catalog. "Look at this, I can't decide between the set of padding or a new broom," She said as she showed us a full set of padding that would put any one the house teams to shame.

"Oi, go back!" George called as he came out. "Not sure with who? What's that mean?"

"What is there more than one bloke?" I asked with a bit of a scoff in my voice. She didn't say anything, only pursed her lips and continued looking through the catalogue. George shot me a look. It was news to us that she was dating at all, but dating different blokes? He looked over her shoulder on one side as I looked over the other and we both leaned in.

"What aren't you telling us?" We said in unison.

"There's nothing to tell. She's just dating. Honestly, not every girl jumps into a relationship. Some girls like to take their time, they get to see what they like in a person, what they don't like, don't be so close minded," She said casually.