International Love | Fred Weasley

Chapter 59

I don't remember falling asleep on Fred's chest, but when I wake up, I'm lying on the couch with the blanket thrown over me and a pillow under my head. From the other side of the door that leads to the small hallway with the stairs to the shop below, I hear muted voices and on the table in front of me is a potion and a note. I sit up on the couch and reach for the potion. The pink liquid tells me it's Calming Draught. The note reads: This might help with the headache. I'm in the office or the shop if you need me. Fred.

I open the potion and drink it in one go. A warm feeling flows through my body and I feel myself relax. The voices on the other side of the door have stopped talking and the door opens to reveal Fred, George, Arthur, and a tall, dark-skinned wizard I have met before at the Burrow a few weeks back. Was this Remus or Kingsley?

"Good to see you're awake, how are you feeling?" Arthur asks.

"I'm good," I answer, holding up the potion, "This helped."

The dark-skinned wizard takes it as an invitation to step forward and introduces himself: "Nice to meet you officially, Elena, even under these conditions. My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt. I'm an Auror and member of the Order of the Phoenix. Do you mind answering some questions?"

I shake my head and Kingsley nods pleased. Fred takes a seat on the sofa next to the couch and takes my hand. 

The man sits down next to me and explains: "I need to know everything you can remember, names you heard, people you saw, everything. Let's begin at the beginning, take your time."

I proceed to tell the man everything I saw, heard, or noticed. Kingsley has a Self-Writing Quill which writes down everything I say. When I am done, Kingsley and Arthur discuss what needs to happen now. Something about a disadvantage if You-Know-Who is planning on using Ollivander for personal wands for his army. Fred is absentmindedly brushing his thumb over the back of my hand as he listens to the conversations.

Before Kingsley leaves, he thanks me for all the information. Arthur compliments Fred and George on their actions before both men leave the apartment. I turn to Fred who squeezes my hands lightly and says with a smile: "You're welcome to stay here if you don't want to go home."

"We were planning on ordering take-out from this Muggle place," George pipes in, "I believe the waitress fancies me."

"Delusional," Fred mutter under his breath which makes me laugh.

"She said she liked my suit the other day!" George protests.

We order take out and George heads over to Muggle London to pick it up. When he returns, we eat dinner seated around the low table in the living room, and watch something on the television Fred and George salvaged from the trash. Slowly, I feel my eyelids beginning to droop and when I almost fall asleep with my head on Fred's shoulder, Fred decides it's time for us to head to bed.

There is already a small pile of my clothes scattered around Fred's room from my visits and I grab a shirt and a pair of pajama bottoms out of a drawer. We brush our teeth and I climb into Fred's queen-size bed. Fred heads to the living room and returns with a bottle of Sleeping Draught. I frown as I take the bottle. I never liked the way this makes me sleep but drink it anyway. It doesn't take me long to fall asleep, wrapped in Fred's arms.

When I wake up the following morning, my head is pounding a little. I blink against the light coming through the gap between the curtains. I feel very warm. There is an arm wrapped over my body, tucking me nearly into Fred's chest. Our legs are tangled together and when I turn my head, I see Fred sound asleep. I can't help but smile at the sight and close my eyes again to get a little more sleep.