𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 ; 𝒹.𝒽

eleven

She shrugged, "Felt like staying." She said. She walked over to his bed, snuggling into it, "Mind if I stay a bit?"

"Stay as long as you like."

After a few passing minutes, Zoya almost fell asleep. She huffed as she looked at Fred, "Freddie..."

"Yes?"

"Come to bed."

He slowly looked back at her, "What?"

"Come on. I need someone to snuggle up to."

"Y-You don't mind if I...?"

She looked at him strangely, "We use to nap together all the time. What's so different about this?"

He shrugged, "I don't know..."

"I'll take George's bed if it bothers you that much." She said, already sitting up.

He shot up from the desk, "No no, it's okay." He quickly said, "It's just... shit, I don't know."

She smiled lightly as he walked to the bed, crawling in. She contently snuggled up to him, "This. This is my happy place." She mumbled.

"Really?"

"Really."

The two stayed up. Fred rubbed her side absentmindedly as Zoya shifted slightly, "All right?"

"Yeah." She said, "You?"

"Always am."

She craned her neck up to look at him, "I know tonight really scared you. I know there isn't much I really can do, but–"

"This is plenty, Zoya." He softly said.

She stared ahead as her hand stroked his jaw lightly, "Remember what you said about us growing up? How suddenly quick it all is?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, I've just been thinking about it a lot. Everything that we have could be gone when we wake up. So many quick changes that if you blink a little too long, everything is different."

He brought his hand to her chin, making her look at him, "Everything might be changing, but nothing will change how I feel about you." He whispered.

She closed her eyes and captured his lips, savoring the feeling. He pulled her closer, rolling over so that he was on top of her.

He pulled back slightly, staring down at her, "I love you, Zoya. Even Romeo and Juliet can't compare to us."

"Well, I bloody hope they can't. I surely don't want to end up like them."

He let out a breathy laugh as he kissed her again, "Good point."

"How do you know about that anyways?"

"I stole the book from your room."

She gasped, "So that's where it went!"

"Sorry, darling." He said, winking at her. She rolled her eyes and kissed him again, this time with more passion. She slipped her hands under his shirt, "Zoya..."

He pulled apart and she groaned, "Are you turning me down again?"

"You really want to do this in my childhood bedroom with my family in such close proximity?"

She shrugged, "A silencing charm can fix that. And besides, there's something sweet about us being in here." She reasoned. He stroked her cheek lightly as her eyes searched him with eagerness and love, "If you don't want this, it's okay." She whispered.

"I do. I just want you to have no regrets."

"Would you?"

He shook his head, "Never. Not with you."

The two discarded their shirts. Fred was lying on his side, still holding her close as their lips moved in sync. His hand stroked her bare side, fingers tracing her spine before his palm flattened against her back. He pushed her impossibly closer to him, pulling back so he could look at her.

His other hand stroked her cheek softly, "Can I ask you something?" He quietly asked. She nodded, "Do you think this will change things?"

"I do." Zoya said as she placed a hand against his chest, "But for the better. You're my best friend and the love of my life, I can't think of a single thing that's wrong about this."

"I'm nervous." He admitted.

"Me too." She bashfully replied.

"We don't have to. If you're only doing this because you want to cheer me up–"

Zoya cut him off, "I'm starting to believe you don't want this." She teased, "Never thought you'd be the one to want to take things slow."

He said nothing more, kissing her. And again, and again, and again.

Many I love you's were said that night, sweet nothings and mindless babbles to one another. Both of their minds were both racing, but going through time at a slow motion pace. Multiple inexplicable feelings rushed through them at the same time, but regret and fear wasn't one of them.

It was all love.