International Love | Fred Weasley

Chapter 16

With Roger's footsteps gone, Fred and I break apart. My eyes flutter open to see Fred staring back at me with wide eyes. I feel Fred's thumb brush over my lower lip before dropping his hand and taking a step back. I look at him, a bit dazed and breathing heavily.

Fred avoids looking at me and scratches the back of his neck. He has to clear his throat twice before he seems to find his voice again.

"I, eh, I will walk you back to your common room – no wait, sorry – your carriage."

His voice sounds hoarse. Fred laughs but it comes out strange, wrong.

I nod, feeling the coldness of the night seeping into my bones. I rub my arms to keep myself warm and curse myself again for not bringing a wand. A warming charm would be wonderful right now.

"Are you cold? Wait-" Fred takes off his jacket and hands it to me, "here. This might help keep you warm."

I put the jacket on and immediately am wrapped up in Fred's scent. We head back to the courtyard, past Roger and Fleur who are too busy with each other to notice us. The comfortable silence from before has turned awkward and I want to say something to break it but can't seem to find the words. My brain keeps replaying the way Fred pulled me closer, his lips on mine.

In front of the carriage, we stop. I take off Fred's jacket and hand it back.

"Thank you for this evening, I had a good time."

My voice sounds off. Fred either doesn't notice or ignores it as he puts his jacket back on.

"I guess I will see you tomorrow then," Fred says and finally looks me back in the eye. There is a glint of hope in his eyes that feels like a weight has lifted off my shoulder.

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow," I smile.

I turn around and after one last look over my shoulder to Fred standing in the cold, I enter the carriage. In a daze, I walk through the main room towards my room. I quickly take off my heels and fall on my bed.

An unknown amount of time has passed. My mind keeps replaying the kiss as I stare at the ceiling.

Flora interrupts my thoughts by barging into the room. Behind her are Aline, Henry, and Xavier. Flora stops in her tracks when she sees me which results in Aline almost bumping into her.

"Let me guess," Flora smirks, "You like him."

I stick my tongue out at the girl who laughs. Aline is busy pulling off her heels before sitting down on the ground in front of Flora's bed, facing me. Henry sits down next to her, and Xavier sits down on Flora's bed.

"We kissed."

Flora has been walking around the room, pulling off her heels, undoing her hair, but stops when she processes my words. She turns around and stares at me with wide eyes. Aline laughs at the girl's facial expression and the two boys share a look that translates in us being crazy.

"How? Where? What happened? Is he a good kisser? Oh, you would ma-"

"Flora, maybe it's a good idea to let Elena tell you what happened before you start bombarding her with questions," Henry interrupts Flora's enthusiastic rambling. The girl glares at him but sits down on the end of my bed, gesturing for me to get moving on with the story.

I tell my friends what happened and how we ended up against that wall.

Once I am finished, Flora and Aline giggle while Henry remarks: "Well, that's unexpected."

"Unexpected?!" Flora huffs, "Are you blind, or have you missed the way Weasley looks at her?"

The two begin bickering and stop when Aline nudges Henry in his stomach and throws a heel in Flora's direction. She misses but Flora shuts her mouth.