forty-five

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FORTY-FIVE

I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND THAT I PUT DOWN IN WORDS, HOW WONDERFUL LIFE
IS WHILE YOU'RE IN THE WORLD
ELTON JOHN

THE GROUP settled into cohesion like ducks into water, and by that evening, had reverted to the jovial life they'd coexisted in only months prior

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THE GROUP settled into cohesion like ducks into water, and by that evening, had reverted to the jovial life they'd coexisted in only months prior. Although George had never heard of it, Alessia had insisted they indulge in a game of muggle Scrabble, most obviously because she possessed the ability to absolutely thrash him each and every round. Fred and Aspen watched distractedly from the couch, swimming in each other's embrace and nursing generous glasses of ageing Firewhisky.

"That doesn't count!" Alessia screeched, looking scandalised as George pumped a fist in the air triumphantly. "This is a muggle game! Quaffle isn't in the dictionary, idiot!"

"Well I've an unfair disadvantage, then," George retorted, leaning over to write down his forty-four points — it had crossed a double word tile. "How am I meant to know your boring muggle words?"

Aspen and Fred chuckled from the couch, grateful not to be suffering under Alessia's competitive wrath. From where her head lay on his chest, she could feel the steady rise and fall of his laughter convulsing through his body, and she shook with him, moving as one.

"S'nice having you all back with me," Aspen murmured against Fred's neck, warming the freckled skin there with her breath. "I've missed you guys. And Verity. Even all the annoying little kids at the shop."

Fred's lips pulled up into the ghost of a smile, but she could sense his distraction. Perhaps he fretted after the store, but she was certain there was more to it than that. Tugging at his sleeve, Aspen furrowed her brows together, asking silent questions she desired the answer to desperately.

"We've not seen Verity much lately," Fred informed quietly, his voice dropping a decibel or two to avoid contracting George's attention from across the room. It seemed he'd succeeded, for the younger twin was still staring intently at his tile holder, searching determinedly for the words that would grant him a victory.

"Is she alright?" Aspen sat up, her hand resting against Fred's chest instead of her head now — since they had been reunited, they had maintained a solid point of contact, as if letting go of one another would tear them apart indefinitely again.

"I suppose," Fred said, shrugging indifferently. "She and George had a little chat the other night. Kept me up for ages, the cheeky sods."

He earned a smack on the arm for that, although he didn't even flinch, as if he'd known it was coming all along.

"What's wrong with them? Are they broken up?" Aspen felt a terrible tug on her heartstrings at even the notion — George and Verity, in her eyes, were a perfect couple, light and fruitful in their companionship.

just like heaven ── fred weasleyWhere stories live. Discover now