If I'm Lucky {Fred Weasley}

In Between

We found our place

On the branch of an old oak tree.

My eyes shot open as I haled sharply, feeling my lungs with a calm, cooling air. The gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of rain across my face as it flowed through my bangs and caressed my skin. There was a sense of peace unlike any other I had ever felt before as I listened to the bustling leaves in the surrounding trees. All my senses started to kick in at once, and my heaving chest steadied as my vision came into focus and took in the scenery around me. It took me a moment to realise it, but I was lying in a field of tall grass with only a view of a clear sky and sunrays peeking through.

Wait, I've been here before...

Yes, something about this place is so familiar, but...different. Everything was white. Even in its monochrome state, the environment flashed pieces of an old, cherished memory across my mind, but why couldn't I place it? Deep down in my core, I know this memory is precious to me and that I've reminisced about it time and time again.

My brows furrowed as I sat up and looked around. Surprisingly, the pain in my body from before had vanished and felt anew as I stood to my feet.

Where am I?

I took in my surroundings and spun around carefully, trying to kindle my recollection of the place. It was right at the edge of my memories, so precise yet so vague. Feeling defeated, my head dropped in a sigh, but I wasn't giving up. I'm here for a reason. I just know it.

I watched my toes curl into the ivory soil beneath them, taking in the texture that was somehow both dry and moist at the same time, and then suddenly, it all clicked. With a spark of electricity in my chest, my head shot up as my feet started carrying me forward. I knew in order to find answers, all I had to do was go for a walk. So, I did just that, unsure how long the walk would be or which way to go. Nothing but pure instinct drove me towards my destination.

Soon, the subtle, intimate aroma of honey washed over me and filled my nostrils. But it wasn't just any honey. This scent was distinctive to only one person, and I thought I'd never get to smell it again. As the realisation hit me, tears swelled at the brim of my eyes, and before I could even think about it a second longer, I sprinted forward, going as fast as my feet would carry me. Pushing through the tall grass with every stride, each step became sloppy as I slowed down and came to a stop at a clearing where an old, white, thick-branched tree stood.

"Hello, Love," Cedric's soft, cheery voice carried in the wind as he hopped off the branch he had been sitting on. He beamed brightly, walking towards me with his arms out, "Fancy meeting you here."

"Cedric?" I whispered breathlessly. Unable to believe what I was seeing, I told myself that if I could just touch him, then he must be real. So I threw myself into his arms.

And he was there. His presence was physical, palpable, and all-consuming as he caught me.

"Oh my God, It really is you!"

"Expecting someone else?" He chuckled, embracing me tightly, "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too. I thought I'd never get to see you again," My voice cracked as I started to cry happily into Cedric's chest.

"Shhh," He whispered soothingly. His fingers grazed my skin as he lightly pushed back my hair and kissed my temple, "It's okay. I've got you."

Oh, how I longed to feel his lips pressed against the side of my forehead again. I thought I'd only ever experience it now in my dreams. But the sensation did nothing to steady my cries. Instead, I gripped his waist tighter, afraid he'd float away if I let go.