Rebel Rebel (A Fred Weasley fanfic)

14

Malfoy's mere feet behind him, just like he has been the whole game and the pair of them were racing towards the sparkling ball.

"It's there!" she points, mouth falling when Malfoy throws his hand out to grab the tail of the Firebolt.

"Cheat!" Roger barks, "Cheating bastard!"

"The whole bloody team are cheaters!"

Kaye takes the awarded penalty but because she's so angry, she misses.

Stevie chews on her bottom lip. The Gryffindor team were starting to lose focus and were starting to let their frustrations get to them.

"No!" a Hufflepuff boy groans from beside her and Stevie looks to where he's pointing, feeling her stomach drop.

Malfoy was going for the Snitch.

"No," Roger sounds as if he could be close to tears behind them as she desperately looks for either Fred or George, hoping that one of them is nearby so they can try and intercept him.

"Weasley!" Ribh yells, Fred is once again hovering near their stand, "Weasley, turn around!"

It's pointless. There was no way that he would be able to hear her yelling but with just a little bit of luck, he turns his head in their direction for just a brief second, looking back when the two of them start waving their arms and pointing in Malfoy's direction.

Stevie's sure that were some colourful words coming from his mouth as he takes off towards the Slytherin.

It was looking like it was all over - Malfoy was closing in on the Snitch now, reaching out his hand when-

"Go on, Harry!" Roger cries and Stevie tears her eyes from Fred, looking to see the Gryffindor seeker racing towards Malfoy at full speed.

Fred slows to a halt, the crowd watches with bated breath as Harry's Firebolt edges him forward

Madam Hooch blows her whistle, holding an arm in the air to signal that the game was over, "Gryffindor win!"

The stadium goes wild as a sea of red takes over the pitch, quickly making their way to the middle where the winning team is huddled together in a celebratory hug.

Stevie and Ribh slowly make their way down, intending on congratulating their friend but they don't get a chance. The whole team are swept up into the sea of red, carried to where Dumbledore is waiting with the Quidditch cup and so they join the crowd making sure to cheer the loudest when Kaye gets her shot of holding the cup up in the air.

This was their moment. They'd congratulate her later.

~~|~~

Gryffindor common room was the place to be that night. After the match, it had spread around the castle that they were going to be holding a little celebration shindig and though it took a little bit of convincing, Ribh had agreed to tag along with her.

They both changed into some more comfortable - since it was Gryffindor who won, Stevie decided that wearing her red cardigan would be fitting.

"Just how are we supposed to get into their common room anyway?" Ribh asks as they make their way to the tower, "We don't have the password."

Stevie didn't quite know the answer to that but it turns out that they needn't have worried; the portrait of the Fat Lady was already open and there was a young boy, a first or second year stood talking with her while Lee Jordan was ushering a steady stream of guests through the portrait hole.

"Ladies," he grins as they approach, "Welcome. Kaye's by the fire."

"Thanks, Lee." Stevie calls as she takes hold of Ribh's wrist to lead her.

Since it's her friend's first visit, she has a good look around before deeming that while it's nice, Ravenclaw tower is better.

Kaye's standing by the fire talking to Hermione but she excuses herself when she realises that her friends are there.

"Congratulations!" Stevie cheers while Ribh hugs her, "So tell us, how does it feel to be Quidditch champions?"

The Gryffindor rolls her eyes "Oh hush!"

"It was close though..." Ribh goes on to engage her in another conversation with Hermione about the game and Stevie takes a quick look around the room. There are groups of people stood by the stairs and by the windows but neither of them contains who she's looking for.

"He's not here," she startles when Lee appears beside her, a knowing smile on his face.

"I-I'm sorry?" she stammers, feeling her face warm.

"Fred," he grins, "You're looking for him, aren't you?"

"No," she shakes her head, "No, no. I'm just having a little look at who's all here."

Lee laughs, giving her shoulder a gentle pat, "Alright, if you say so. Well just in case you're wondering, he and George will be back with some food and drinks soon."

She opens her mouth to retort but no words come out and he laughs again, giving her a wink before he takes off and Stevie crosses her arms and sits down on the couch.

"I hate him."

~~|~~

When Fred and George do finally return to the common room, the noise level has gone up and they bask in the praise of students from the other houses who are almost gobsmacked at the fact that they'd managed to get sweets from Honeydukes and Butterbeers from The Three Broomsticks.

The two of them make the rounds, grinning when they're congratulated time and time again for their win before they finally split; George goes to mingle with some other students while Fred finds himself a spot on the floor by the fire and he's not at all surprised when Benatar wanders over to sit on his lap.

The cat practically lived in the tower these days.

He pets her, scratching under her chin as she purrs loudly and then he sees that her owner is sat on the other side of the circular room.

Stevie's sat on the floor with Dean Thomas; listening as he tells and shows her all of the records that the students of the house have somehow accumulated - most of them come from Muggle families and Muggle bands but there are a few Weird Sisters and Celestina Warbeck records in there too.

She's looking at the back of an ABBA one, one that's particularly popular within the Gryffindor house when she must feel his eyes on her.

He tries to look away when she raises her eyes, meeting his almost immediately and she grins.

He sits straighter when she starts heading his way, toying with the label on his bottle of Butterbeer.

"Hey," Stevie says softly, "What are you doing over here all on your lonesome? Where's your twin?"

He looks up at her with a smile, "You know, despite what one might think, I can be without his presence."

She sits herself down beside him, "You played really well today, Fred."

He shakes his head, making her frown, "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Tell us apart. You've done it since day one and you've never gotten it wrong." he grins as she looks away, "Come on, Stevie, tell me your secrets. Even our own mother struggles to tell us apart."

She turns so she's facing him, "You...you've got a scar. Right here," she points to her left eyebrow, "And you don't have a bump-" she trails off when she sees the cheeky grin he's giving her.

"You been staring at me, Stevie?" he asks, cocking an eyebrow and just like she had with Lee earlier on, she starts stuttering and blushing.

"I just notice things," she finally whispers.

"I don't mind," he shrugs, running a hand through his red hair, "I know I'm handsome."

Yeah, Stevie thinks as she gives him a gentle shove before lifting Benatar from his lap, he is.