Traitor : Fred Weasley, Draco Malfoy & OC Fanfic

Chapter 33 - The Seventh Floor

"Hurry up Celeste!" Ginny called from the landing. She could get so shrill when she was feeling impatient, but it was certainly effective as I increased my pace.

I looked over my clothes, neatly folded in rows inside my trunk and didn't feel the usual excitement I did about going back to Hogwarts this year. All I wanted was to stay here with Fred. 12 Grimmauld Place had been our safe haven.

"Come on, love" Fred said gently, wrapping his arm round my shoulder and leaning over the trunk, "It's not going to be that bad without me there"

"Can't I just stay here" I groaned, turning my body into his so he could hold me.

"Absolutely not, I'm not getting a Howler from Mrs. Reading blaming me for you not going back to school" Fred chortled, tracing comforting circles on my back, "but you know you can come to visit every weekend"

"We don't have time for this you two! Get a move on" Ginny huffed, throwing open the door to the bedroom.

"Alright alright" Fred sighed, closing my trunk and locking it up for me, before swinging it off the bed. I knew how much I had packed and how heavy it would be, but he carried it with ease, lifting it like it was nothing.

At 10:45am, the station was bustling with first years and their parents frantically checking over their belongings to make sure they had everything they needed and waving their goodbyes. Usually I would be brimming with excitement to get on the train, but I realised maybe all the years before it had been because it meant plenty of time spent with Fred.

We secured our belongings on the train and I stopped in front of Fred, it felt bizarre for him not to be coming with us. All at once, he leant down to my level and pulled me into a tight hug.

"A lot can change in a year, eh?" he chuckled into my ear. Suddenly, my mind cast back to this time last year, when things still felt so unsure between us. But, it appeared clear in my mind, forcing its way to the front....Draco. When he'd seen us on the platform, the catalyst to all the torment.

"That's true" I laughed nervously, trying to shake the thought from my head.

"I love you" he mouthed, as he straightened himself up.

"I love you too" I mouthed back. A warm feeling bubbled and began to overflow in my chest, even though we had said it heaps since that first time, I still couldn't believe my luck. We hadn't been brave enough to say in front of anybody else yet, but it was nice to have it remain our secret for now.

"See you later, Reading! I'll make sure he's fed and watered while you're gone" George jeered, hugging me goodbye.

"Celeste!" Daphne called, hurrying down the platform to join our huddle. She beamed at me, before giving the others quick greetings, lingering awkwardly when she came to George.

"Thanks for all your help this summer, Greengrass. See you soon" George said, with a wink. Daphne's cheeked blazed cherry red, a stark contract to her fair complexion and she eyed everybody awkwardly as she realised us watching. I gawked at my best friends, what on earth did that mean? I hadn't seen Daphne since she stayed the night at Grimmauld Place with us. She had been sure to wake up and leave before anybody else.

We waved our final goodbyes as we stepped up on to the train. It was certainly peculiar to watch the twins disappear out of sight as we pulled away from the station and it became all the more real.

Ginny joined Dean and his friends, while Ron said that he had something important to discuss with Harry and Hermione, they quickly vanished in opposite directions, leaving me and Daphne to ourselves. So many questions whirled around in my head about what happened between her and George, so I was quite thankful that any other Weasley was out of earshot. Finding places at a table in a carriage that seemed to be full of other Slytherins, I began by interrogation.