Insomnia | Fred Weasley |

31. In the alcove behind the tapestry is where confusion ensues

"Okay, if you say so," he told her with a laugh. "Now, c'mon!  I brought you along for a mission!"

He grabbed her hand and began to drag her down the hallway. Her brow furrowed in confusion as they ran until Alex recognized where exactly they were headed.

"Fancy paying Filch a visit, did we?" She laughed.

"Just thought he could use some cheer from our win," he responded with a wink as they come up to the corridor his office was in.

Fred knelt down by a statue down the hall and could see the door to Filch's office was open ajar.  His plan was too perfect.  Alex crouched down next to him, watching as he pulled a dungbomb from his pocket.

"Want to do the honors?" He whispered, hearing Filch moving about in his office.

Alex shrugged.  "Why not?" She responded.  "I'm in such a good mood after our win."

She took the dungbomb and edged closer down the corridor with Fred right behind her, mimicking her movement as she seemed to be very silent with how she moved.  Taking a deep breath, Alex chucked the dungbomb like it was. Quaffle, allowing it to land directly in his office.

The sound of his screams and Mrs. Norris' startled hissing immediately caused Fred to grab Alex's hand as the two of them began to run back down the corridor, hearing Filch's voice yelling for them.  Fred didn't slow down and pulled her down the endless corridors left and right, nearly causing Alex to trip over her feet had he not been holding her hand.

After about five minutes of running, Alex's lungs were desperately begging her to stop as they couldn't keep up with the physical exertion for much longer.  Her legs were not that far behind either.

"Fred, stop!" She yelled.  "My lungs can't take it anymore!  Just leave me for the wolves!  Go on without me!"

"Just a little further!" He yelled over his shoulder.  "Now, stop screaming or he'll know which way we're headed!"

Finally stopping, Alex barely had time to register that they had stopped in front of tapestry, which Fred quickly pulled aside, revealing a small alcove behind it.  He stepped in and before Alex had the chance to question, he yanked her hand and pulled her into it as well.  With a sound of surprise leaving her, she stumbled in to see him let the tapestry fall into place as she rested her hands on her knees, trying to regulate her breathing.

"I really need to stop questioning your knowledge when it comes to this school," she gasped as quietly as she could.  "Was this on that Marauder's Map you gave to Harry?"

"No," Fred told her, taking a few deep breaths himself.  "I actually found this myself just before Christmas break."

Alex shook her head, running her fingers through her hair as her breathing returned to normal.  Fred's chest heaved a little as he, too, regulated his breathing but he now noticed how close they were in the enclosed space.

Despite how dark it was, Fred could still make out the way Alex's hair fell over her shoulders and the way her eyes flickered to him every other moment as if she was, too, realizing how close they were.  She took a small step back, trying to put a little space between them.

After a minute of hearing nothing, Alex looked to Fred.  "Should we head back?" She asked quietly.  "I don't think he saw which way we were headed."

"No," Fred whispered back.  "I know he saw us head this way, he's just waiting for us to reveal our hiding spot - Hey!"

Alex had nearly stepped out of alcove, which almost compromised their hiding place and reveal it to Filch, who was probably waiting just down the corridor.  Fred grabbed her waist at the last second and pulled her right into his chest, which made her gasp lightly.  She could only pray he didn't feel the rise of goosebumps to her skin as his hands managed to grab where her shirt had ridden up and exposed her lower stomach slightly.