Seeing Fred

The Tale of Adeline

Leah stared at the letter for quite a while, her eyes starting to sting from unshed tears, but refused to let them fall.

"Leah?" Fred's soft voice came next to her.

"I – I need a moment." She jumped up and sprinted down the stairs, leaving the stunned twins behind.

"Fred, you better go after her." George pointed in Fred's general direction. Fred stood up quickly and ruffled his hair before he followed her down. He started to panic when he didn't see her, but since he was still here, he knew she was close. Then he spotted a small light coming from bathroom, the door ajar.

"Leah?" He asked, not pushing the door open.

"Can you give me a minute?"

"Of course, love." He stepped back and slides down the wall to the ground and he waited. He heard her sniffle softly and a few minutes later the door opened. Leah looked down with a sad smile.

"You didn't have to wait here."

"I know." Fred said standing up. "But I didn't want you to be alone."

"You're amazing, you know that?"

"I try." He grinned. His eyes went soft as he studied her face, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. "I wish I could hug you."

"Hm." She hummed, letting her eyes fall shut. "Me too."

"Should I get George? He is the perfect substitute." He joked half-heartedly.

"In some ways." She said opening her eyes again. "But I'll know." She smiled up at him, a smile that made his stomach flip, a smile that made his breath hitch. He wanted to tell her, to tell her what she did to him, what he feels for her, but he couldn't. Not as long they didn't know if they could bring him back, really back. Instead he asked.

"How are you feeling?"

"Besides overwhelmed? Angry. That she didn't tell me, prepare me. That she knew about you but didn't do anything to stop it, to stop you from dying."

"Somethings –" He said as he traced lines over her cheek. "can't be avoided. And she was a muggle, what would she have done?"

"I don't know, but she should've done something!" She sighed exasperated, before looking him in the eyes and whispered. "I would have done something."

His closed his eyes and sighed as he leaned his head against hers... "Merlin, I want to kiss you so badly, right now!"

She chuckled lightly, knowing exactly how he felt. Her eyes sprung open when the stairs creaked behind Fred. George was standing there uncomfortable, bouncing on his heels as he looked everywhere but her.

"I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Yeah George, I was about to have a full-blown make-out session with the ghost of your brother, who I can't even touch." She snorted sarcastically, stepping away from Fred. Fred and George started to laugh loudly making the tension ebb away. Even though George couldn't see Fred, it still felt like he was caught doing something improper.

He slides next to Leah on the stairs back to the attic. "Do you ever get embarrassed?"

"Yes, but not easily and if you don't care what other people think, then what does it matter?"

"I like your way of thinking; we had that same mentality in school." He grinned.

"When you were down." George said, like she had just gone to the loo or make some tea. "I put the letters in order, there were dates written on the back." He turned to her, the letters in his hands. "Do you want to do this now or...?"