CHRYSALIS - FRED WEASLEY

CHAPTER 5

"I think Trelawny takes the cake," George says, holding his hands up like he's just said something shocking.

"No way. Lupin, easily," Lee replies.

"Woah woah woah, I didn't know we were including past faculty. In that case..."

Fred didn't catch the end of his sentence. He'd had his eyes trained on the portrait hole the moment they entered the common room, waiting for her to come in. He reacts as he usually does when he sees her: his breathing picks up, he starts sweating (everywhere), and his cheeks and ears glow bright red. She's wearing a yellow top that ties around her neck beautifully; he finds himself focusing on the way the straps disappear behind her curtain of hair.

"What'dya think, Freddie?" Lee says. Fred's concentration is broken by Lee's elbow jab to his ribs.

"Hmm?" he says, tearing his gaze away from Lillie.

"I just said that you're a homosexual, and that you're hooking up with Pat Pine. That true?"

"Yeah, uh. Yeah," he says, scanning the crowd for her. George chuckles.

"You plonker, did you hear anything I just said?"

"No, sorry mate."

"Godric," George says, "Just go talk to her."

"Yeah," Lee chimes in, "I'm tired of your moping about."

"You guys heard what she said. I called her a bitch, I'm such a fuckin' prat. She wants nothing to do with me."

"You don't know that!" Lee says, "Maybe she just..."

"I do know that, Lee. I tried to kiss her and it made her uncomfortable. I completely overstepped."

"Then go tell her that," George says.

"It's not that simple, is it? And, I'm not too happy with her either. She told me to fuck off. I mean, I deserved it, but..."

"Stop being a jessie and tell her that you're madly, hopelessly in love with her," George says forcefully.

"I'm not in love. I just-" Fred trails off. He catches sight of Lillie again, chugging punch from the Gryffindor 1977 house cup. Lee and George follow his gaze.

"Damn. I'd be in love, too. If I were, you know, straight," Lee says. George laughs a little and blushes. "You have got to loosen up. Dance with me."

"Stop flirting with me," Fred says goodnaturedly.

"You wish," he shoots back, starting toward the growing dance floor.

***

It's at least twelve A.M now, and Lillie is probably drunker than she's ever been before. Punch sloshes from the huge, jewel-encrusted goblet that she's chugging from, a group of Ravenclaws cheering her on. She finishes it off, wipes her mouth with the sleeve of her shirt, and trips towards the undulating dance floor.

The group is made up of around forty people, dancing together or on their own. Their twisting, moving bodies give the crowd a sort of pulse, a mind of its own. It's as if each person were connected, doing the same leaning, gyrating dance moves as the people around them. As Lillie steps into the group, a sense of calm washes over her, as though she's stepped into a bubble. In her drunken state, she registers that there was some type of charm placed on the dance floor.

She wades further and further into the crowd, scanning faces for people she recognizes. Quickly, her eyes land on Charlie Bell. He's dancing with a redhead in red and gold, but it seems innocent enough. It looks as though Charlie's placed a temporary healing charm on his bum leg, allowing him to dance with ease. She swivels away, stumbling slightly, and locks eyes with Fred. He's about ten feet away, dancing cheesily with Lee Jordan. However, he slows the minute their eyes lock. He sways slightly as his smile fades and his brow furrows. Curiously, Lillie finds that she doesn't feel the familiar pit in her stomach when she meets his gaze.