Safe With Me ~ Fred Weasley

The Weasley Twins

"Excited for Magical Creatures?" Madison smiled eagerly and I returned it after my first sip of the caffeine. While everyone knew that Hagrid had a soft spot for the Gryffindors, particularly Harry and his friends, the Hufflepuffs all loved him too. You could always count on a smile from Hagrid if you passed him in the halls, and we all appreciated his love and care for the animals living on the Hogwarts grounds. Not to mention the giant Christmas trees he put up in the Great Hall year after year.

"Very. It'll be great, I'm so happy he gets to teach, and it's the perfect class for him." I pulled a few pieces of French Toast onto my plate and drizzled just a bit of syrup and berries on top. At this rate, I would be going back home for Christmas with an extra hundred pounds. I shook my head and promised to eat better in the coming days. Father would be enraged if he had to bring me to a work party looking anything but my best. Especially this year, since he wouldn't have Tommy to show off, spewing fake stories of his accomplishments in muggle studies like accounting, or business.

I felt my teeth grind together for only a second before I felt fabric against the base of my neck. I jolted forwards and spun my head to see what was behind me, locking eyes with the twins.

"Good morning, Cassidy." I was sure this was George. Standing together, I could tell. Fred had more freckles, although barely, and George's cheekbones stuck out just a bit more than his brothers.

"Morning?" I smiled up at them, taking a sip of my coffee and waiting to see what they wanted.

"What's on your neck, Cassy?" Fred asked, reaching his hand out to my skin. I jumped out of his reach and my hand flashed to my neck, rubbing slightly and wincing. I knew immediately what was there. A bruise that I thought had faded by now. I slipped my arms into the sleeves of my robe and yanked it over, feeling the fabric graze my neck.

"A... bruise, feels like." I stuttered. Idiot.

"Yeah, we're not blind," George joked, meeting my eyes and shooting me a lopsided grin. "From what? You get into your first tousle with your Magical Creatures book? Ron nearly lost a finger."

I laughed at the image, almost forgetting all about the bruise or the twins questions, until my eyes landed on Fred's face. He wasn't laughing. His eyes remained locked on the skin now covered my the collar of my robe.

"It looks like it hurt, Cassy..." He continued, obviously not letting George change the subject.

"I don't know where I got it. Probably bumped it in my sleep, it always takes me a bit to get used to the beds here."

"What's with the third degree, Fred?" Bri asked, teasingly and I held back a sigh of relief.

"Just making sure our little Cassidy isn't being bullied already, it's only the second day!" George reached out and pinched my cheek before I slapped his hand away and laughed, throwing him my best scowl.

"Thanks for stopping by!" I said pointedly, gesturing back towards their House table and the boys rolled their eyes and said a short goodbye to the girls.

"Our little Cassidy," Madison sang, elbowing me and causing my coffee to spill in droplets on the table.

"What?" I asked, wiping the drops away with a napkin to avoid their eye contact.

"George Weasley? When did you meet George Weasley?" Maddie snuck a look back to the twins who sat across from each other back with the Gryffindors.

"On the train Sunday, they-"

"Forget George, did you see Fred look at her?" Bri asked, incredulous.

"Both of them!" Maddie giggled.

"I've spoken to them all of twice! You guys are idiots." I laughed, every muscle in my body aching to peek at the twins behind me.

"Okay, let's do bets. Maddie you want George, I'll take Fred?" Bri began digging through her bag, pretending to look for change before I slapped her hand away.

"I don't know who I want! Give me a few days to figure it out." Madison tried to look back at the twins but I dragged her body back to face our group.

"By then she'll be with one or the other!"

"Okay fine, yeah, I don't know, I'll take George." Maddie agreed, shaking Bri's hand as I buried my face in my own.

"I need better friends."

"You've already made two, although I wouldn't say better for sure." Bri teased, poking my shoulders until I looked back up at the two of them and shook my head through a laugh.

"Let's go, we have charms." I slung my bag on my shoulder and finished my coffee in one gulp.