The Chaser : A Fred Weasley Fan Fic

Forty Seven: Birthday

"How was it?" Otto asked, almost making me jump the moment I stepped out of the fireplace on Monday morning. "Your- your hair"

"Um- lovely" I mumbled, ignoring the comment about my hair, "I played Quidditch most of the weekend, I got some good practice in"

"Good practice?" he laughed, "I wouldn't say playing with a bunch of amateurs is practice, sweetheart. Why don't you come and meet with the new coach I've hired? Get some proper practice on so we can both get playing again"

"I'm alright" I smiled, "I still think I need a bit of time to get settled"

"And who did you hair?" Otto pushed again, his brow dipping in a disapproving way.

"Hermione, she was practicing" I lied, "She's thinking about a career change"

Otto grunted and looked back at the television. I realised he was sat in the same position as I'd left him on Friday night. I knew he hadn't sat there the entirety of my absence, that'd be ridiculous but there was something unattractive about it that I just couldn't place.

I went upstairs to put away my weekend bag before wandering back into the open kitchen living space to make a cup of tea.

"It's your birthday next weekend!" Otto announced.

"Well done" I laughed, unsure what he was getting at.

"Ah, that dry British humour, I love it" Otto said sarcastically, joining in me in the kitchen to hover beside the dining table that separates the two spaces.

"We should have your pals round" Otto suggested, "I've been dying to meet them all"

The thought of Otto and Fred being in the same room together made my head spin. It'd be impossible to hide how I felt about Fred if he was right in front of my eyes. The charade would be up, Otto would know for sure and my life would be ruined. Not only that but I imagined that Fred would get a kick out of seeing quite how much taller he was than Otto or seeing how little we cared about each other.

"Maybe" I shrugged, adding sugar to the light brown mixture.

"Oh go on, pumpkin. I'm not that bad am I?" Otto chuckled.

"It's not you I'm embarrassed of, it's them" I laughed. It was an attempt to reassure him. I was trying.

"I won't judge them, they're you're oldest friends. Invite them over, come on" he pushed. He was dying to meet Fred just to size him up and I knew it.

"Fine, but nothing excessive. I'll just cook us all dinner" I agreed, "I'll invite my brothers too"

Otto wandered back to the sofa looking pleased with himself, as though he'd made some sort of plan for my birthday. Though I knew I'd end up arranging the whole thing.

I met with Ginny the next morning for coffee and she insisted we meet at the twins' shop. She was doing anything she could to get me to spend time there, as though exposure might simply make Fred fall right back in love with me.

"I think it's a brilliant idea!" Ginny gushed, as we stood beside the counter clutching our coffees. "Don't you, Fred?"

Fred had appeared from the floor above, his forehead shiny with sweat as he carried two large boxes on top of each other. He wore a simple dark purple shirt today, untucked and the sleeves rolled up his forearms. I wanted to hex Ginny for putting me through this torture.

"What's that?" he asked, setting the boxes down behind the till and looking at us both. His eyes seemed to rest easier on me now I looked as he'd remembered. There'd always be a harsh look across his face whenever he'd looked at my blonde hair, he seemed calmer now.