The Chaser : A Fred Weasley Fan Fic

Forty Eight: Hurt

"Fine" he cut, leaving via the floo.

I felt more miserable than ever. I moved from the large table I was occupying to a stool at the bar. I downed the last of my pint and ordered another. I stayed for an hour just feeling sorry for myself or briefly entertaining anybody you recognised me from playing Quidditch. In American the Fitchburg Finches were a fairly mid-level team, but over here people just seemed impressed with anyone who could move from a British team to one in the States.

The pub began to get busy around 5pm when people started to filter in from work. The crowd was a bit more animated than it had been in the day and even more people recognised me in this younger crop. They probably thought my career had gone down the toilet if I was sat here drinking alone on a Tuesday evening.

After another young couple asked for an autograph and left my side, I was startled by someone stood remarkably close to be on the other side.

"You're a bit famous actually aren't you?" George laughed.

"Give it a rest" I teased, "What are you doing here?"

"Busy day, got to unwind" George chuckled, ordering two pints. For fuck's sake, I knew the other one would be lingering somewhere.

"Must be if you're ordering two beers" I pushed, raising my eyebrows at him. I didn't want to scan the pub for Fred just yet.

"Look, you can come and sit with us if you behave" George winked at me. It was absolutely no surprise that Fred had told him about our disagreement.

"I promise" I smiled sweetly.

I followed George to a quiet table away from the crowds in the middle of the pub. Fred looked tired after work, his eyes were hollow and his shirt was unbuttoned further than normal, with the sleeves rolled all the way to his elbow. His long hair looked unruly and he had one side tucked behind his ear. He still looked nice to me of course.

Fred looked up as we took seats at the table and his face dropped a little as he registered me, but he didn't look annoyed that I'd joined them. It was as if he was nervous or concerned, I couldn't quite tell.

"Look who I found handing out autographs at the bar" George sighed, rolling his eyes at Fred sarcastically, "Did they even ask or do you just give one out to anyone that approaches?"

"They asked!" I squealed, smacking him on the arm. Fred laughed weakly. His attention seemed to be on the door at the front of the pub, he kept looking every so often as if he was waiting for someone.

"Are you alright?" I laughed, waving my hand in front of his face when George got up to go to the loo. "You look like you're in a trance, no one's hexed you have they?"

Fred looked down and his hands. He didn't smile or laugh.

"I'm sorry" he started, "about your birthday. I just feel a bit - I don't know. I'm just sorry"

It was unlike him to talk like this. He usually had an idea of how he was feeling atleast. I was happy to sit with them so I thought that had made it clear I was fine.

"Don't worry about it" I smiled, putting my hand out on the table close to his, "It's fine. Everyone had a lot to drink, clearly and sometimes we say things we don't mean"

"Right yeah" Fred smiled, seeming to relax a little but not quite all the way "Look, Angie is coming in a bit. I just wanted you to know, I didn't want to spring it on you"

"Oh" I blurted out, looking up at the door just as Angelina entered. She was scanning the room and looked even more surprised to see me than I was to see her.