original my beloved evelyn ~ fred weasley

.19 - sweetest sixteen

J U N E   1 9 9 4

June first marked Evelyn's sixteenth birthday. Before Fred realized this he had been caught up in a prank on Filch with his twin brother. They stood behind a corner, Fred's head above George's as they peered at the door where George had his wand out and held a bucket above it. Patiently they waited for Filch to leave the room as he was about to take his usual two thirty bathroom break. Finally the door open and George flicked his wrist, dropping green sticky slime all over the man who stood disgusted. They ran away before he could see them and that's when it hit Fred.

"It's her birthday." He whispered softly to himself, meaning to only think it to himself.

"What?" George turned to Fred as they turned a corner and out of sight from the furious Filch. "Who's birthday?"

"Uh, nothing." Fred cleared his throat awkwardly and itched the back of his neck whilst glancing down. "Nevermind. I'll be back in a bit, yeah?" 

As he walked around the school to the usual spots she'd be only to find no one, he realized he hadn't seen her the whole day. Not even passing by. He knew she was upset with him and he was a bit upset with himself too but she wouldn't stay in her dorm alone to avoid him, right? He paid a Slytherin girl a few sickles to check her dorm but she came back with nothing. Fred searched for a while more before going to the kitchens by the Hufflepuff's dormitory.

He found her there. Eating a sweet from a tray as she sat on the counter. Evelyn turned to look at Fred but simply looked away after he gave a greeting grin. 

"I'm sorry." Fred whispered to Evelyn as he stalked over to her.

"No, Fred-" Evelyn began but he quickly interrupted.

"It was dumb to say." Fred moved to hold her hands and began. "I was mad and shouldn't have been so harsh for no real reason-"

"I'm truly over it." Evelyn placed a finger to his lips to silence him. "No need for a speech."

"I'm still sorry." Fred mumbled making Evelyn smile slightly.

There was a small pop as a house elf came over to them and Evelyn turned to the small creature, wide eyed and in shock.

"Master Evelyn?" Dobby croaked out with the same shocked expression.

"Dobby!" Evelyn cried, breaking from Fred's grip to the floor and pulling Dobby into a hug on the floor. Dobby was now crying into the hug as Evelyn was slightly tearing up at the sight of her best friend from childhood. Fred smiled at how happy she was but was slightly confused on how she knew the house elf. "What happened to you?" She gasped, pulling away from the hug and wiping his tears away.

"Mister Harry Potter sir freed me." Dobby sniffled. "He was very kind. Dobby warned him about the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets against Master Lucius's orders." Dobby grew guilty as Evelyn stared him down in a motherly way. "Dobby punished himself for disobeying Master Lucius." Dobby hugged Evelyn tightly as she sighed. She stood up and placed him into the counter like a toddler all while Fred watched. "Master Evelyn-"

"Just Evelyn, Dobby." She quickly corrected as Dobby nodded.

"Miss Evelyn knows Mister Fred?" Dobby would always use 'miss' or 'mister' no matter what. He was very polite.

 "Yes. We do know one another." Fred answered. "Mind getting us a small cake?" Dobby nodded and left with a pop. "You know Dobby?"

"My old house elf." Evelyn smiled and hopped back onto the counter. "Played with Draco and I while Lucius and Narcissa had meetings or other things to do. Dobby would be like a babysitter in a way. I'd be the one to scold Draco when he misbehaved as Dobby didn't have the heart to do it. I felt oddly like his mother than his sister."

"That doesn't seem healthy." Fred told her as Dobby came back with a pop, a slice of cake on one plate. Evelyn took it with a small 'thank you' and handed it to Fred. "For a child to care for another child like a parent- why are you giving this to me?" Fred stared down at his hands as they gently held the plate with the cake and fork. "It's your birthday, Evelyn."

"I rarely ever have cake on my birthday. Usually just a small sweet." Evelyn shrugged slightly as Fred tried not to widen eyes but did just so slightly.

"Well it's your lucky day, yeah?" Fred breathed making Evelyn smile. He cut a piece of cake from the corner and stabbed it with the fork before holding it up. "Say 'ah'." Fred teased as Evelyn rolled her eyes but obeyed and opened her mouth. He placed the cake inside her mouth and she bit it off gently before Fred slid the fork out of her mouth. He watched her as she placed a hand in front of her lips while she chewed in some proper way which made Fred's stomach soar. "Good, eh?" Evelyn nodded and took the fork from his hand as she dug in.

"I like your hair short." Fred told her, moving a hand forward to tuck a loose hair behind her ear. "It looks mature."

"Do you hate me?" Evelyn asked suddenly, moving her eyes to connect with his brown ones which looked surprised. This could be at the question or at her sad expression. The surprised expression turned to a smile. A happy, relaxed smile.

"Never have."