Moon and Stars

thirty four

It seemed as soon as the words left his mouth, Fred was just as surprised.

Aurora stared at him with widened eyes, and he stared down at her with the same expression. A silence fell over them, and for the first time in forever, it wasn't a comfortable silence.

"Fred..." She said quietly, her eyebrows raising in pity, and he just closed his eyes, turning his head toward the ceiling.

"You don't have to say anything, it just slipped out." He said curtly, running his free hand through his hair. The arm he had wrapped around her bare body was now tense, and his thumb was no longer rubbing those gentle circles across her skin.

"Do you actually love me?" She asked at a whisper, and he looked back down at her for a moment, before returning his attention to the ceiling.

"I've loved you for awhile, Aurora." He said through a sigh, and Aurora's hand lifted from his chest, just hovering over his warm skin. She didn't know how to respond to something like that, especially when she wasn't ready to say it back.

"It's too soon, Fred..." She trailed off, and he scoffed, taking his arm out from under her body and laying on his side to face her, his brows furrowed.

"Don't use that bullshit excuse to cover up the fact that you don't want to say it back," He says in a snappish way, making Aurora flinch at his tone, "I've known you for your entire life, and I've loved you for far longer than our relationship, I've just never told you." He finishes, and Aurora was no longer taken aback by his words, because she knew he was right. She had known Fred throughout their entire childhoods, and even though their relationship was new, she always had a sort of a crush on him.

She stayed silent for a moment, and Fred let out another deep breath, letting his eyes fall shut. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and rolled her to where her back was facing him, pulling her back against his chest. The room seemed to have lost the intense heat it just previously had, so Fred grabbed the throw blanket with his foot, pulling it up to cover both of their bodies.

"I can't say it back, not yet." She whispered, and Fred rubbed her shoulder in comfort, planting a soft kiss on the back of her neck.

"You don't have to. I'm not rushing you to say it back, because I want the first time to be real." He says softly, and she just nods her head, letting out a quiet breath of air.

"Okay." She says at a level so quiet she thought he didn't hear her, but nonetheless he kissed the back of her head and pulled her further into his chest.

The feeling of his heartbeat against her back was soothing, but Aurora was no where near calm. Her mind was running down a road that seemed to never end.

He loved her. He loved her, and Aurora couldn't even reciprocate that feeling. After all this time they've spent together, she couldn't say it back. Even though he kept a calm and sweet composure, she could tell that we was saddened when she didn't say it back, even if he said it by accident. It felt so natural to him that he just let it slip out like any other words, and a part of Aurora envied him for that. She wished she could've said it back so simply, but she couldn't, and it not only saddened Fred, but her as well.

Aurora let her eyes shut, and she sighed quietly, trying to fall asleep as soon as possible, in hopes that tomorrow won't carry the tension with it. She felt Fred move away from her, and turned to see him grab his bath towel, wrapping it around his waist and walking to the door, turning back to look at her for a moment.

"I'm going to shower." He says quietly, and she nods, watching him as he left her alone in their bedroom. She shuffled underneath the bedsheets, pulling them up around her shoulders and shutting her eyes once more, trying to be asleep before he gets back.

She let her mind drift to some of the happiest memories that her and Fred shared before they were in a relationship, attempting to see a perspective from Fred's side. Aurora was hoping to see if she could remember him acting as if he loved her, but in all her memories, he acted the same way he always had. He was always Fred, a goofy and loving guy who not only would care for someone, but would probably hurt them if needed.

Her breathing slowed as the reality came back to her, and she was exhausted from their previous exertion. She rolled to her stomach, hugging the pillow close to her body in order to fill the gap made by Fred, since she was so used to falling asleep next to him, and slowly let herself relax. Sleep washed over her like a gentle wave onto the shore of a lake, consuming her in it's peaceful serenity, leaving her to reminisce in her dreams of all of her and Fred's favorite moments.

Since she had drifted to sleep, she didn't get to see Fred return from his shower. Since she had drifted to sleep, she didn't get to hear Fred speak to her, even though he knew she was asleep.

"I love you, Aurora McGonagall, and I'm sorry you can't say it back." He whispered, furrowing his brows as he dressed himself.

"No, I'm not sorry you can't say it back, that's selfish.  I just hope to hear it slip from your lips soon." He said quietly, going to lay next to her.

He gently crawled under the blankets next to her, taking her bare body into his arms. He let out a deep sigh as he rubbed circles into her arm, letting his eyes fall shut as he readily accepted slumber. Aurora naturally curled into him in her sleep, her head laying on his chest in search of the comforting sound of his heartbeat resonating through him.

—

"Alright this is opening day, and it's a pain in the ass. Expect the worse, and act the best. It's horrid, and it's a shame you're facing it on your first day, but it'll be fine, you've had all the proper training and I'll be right there if you need me." Fred says as he finishes buttoning up his purple shirt. It was opening day at the shop, and Aurora was extremely nervous, since it was her first day.

She was dressed in a blouse the same color as Fred's, along with nice high waisted black trousers. She wasn't required to wear a set uniform, since all she had to do was dress in a sophisticated manner, but she felt that she would fit in best in her current outfit. She focused on perfecting her hair to distract herself from the nervous pit in her stomach.

Fred came behind her in the mirror, wrapping his strong arms around his waist and laying his head on her shoulder, looking at the both of them in the mirror. Aurora sent him a weak smile before looking at herself, letting out a shaky breath.

"I've got this." She stated, looking herself in the eyes. Fred dug his fingertips into her hip gently, getting her attention back on him.

"You got this, darling." He says sweetly, kissing the side of her neck.

She turned around so her chest was pressed against his, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a quick kiss. When she pulled away, he looked down at her with widened eyes, a goofy grin on his face.

"I'm gonna do great today." She reassures herself once more, and he smiles at her, nodding his head.

"That's my girl." He says lowly, and Aurora can't help but blush, the familiar eruption of butterflies in her stomach making her feel happy.

"Let's go, before I change my mind and get nervous once again." She says quickly, grabbing his hands and pulling him to the door, Fred just chuckling behind her, letting her drag him along.

The pair leaves their bedroom and closes the door behind them, walking hand in hand to the den. The plan was to leave as a group, so they waited patiently by the door, striking up a conversation to keep Aurora's mind off of the rush they're about to endure.

When the closing of a bedroom door and footsteps are heard from the hallway, and the pair turned their heads to see George enter the room, followed by Angelina. Aurora's jaw clenches as she looks over Angelina's attire, seeing that she was wearing the exact same outfit head to toe. They weren't required to wear something specific, so seeing Angelina in her outfit, and seeing Angelina pull it off better angered her.

"Blimey, Aurora, we can't both go in with the same outfit on! You must go change!" She exclaims in a joking manner, and George laughs next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Aurora grinds her teeth and forces out a tight laugh, and Fred places a comforting hand on her thigh, rolling his eyes at Angelina's comment.

Today is going to be peachy.