Breaking Free- Fred Weasley

Chapter 44

I walk behind the bush, trying to find the person who had been watching me. Who's gaze I felt on me, burning through my skin.

Snap

I whip my body towards the sound, to see the man I recognized as my father. "Sirius!" I gasp. "What are you doing here?" Suddenly I feel very my surprise turn to anger. "What are you doing here! You could get caught! This isn't the most discreet sp-"

"Eva-"

"-ot. What if someone besides me had seen-" I continue on in my rage.

"Eva darling!" Sirius raises his voice getting my attention. "My daughter was entered into a tournament where she could get seriously hurt," he smirks a little making me laugh, "and is about to attend a Ball and her birthday is coming up. Her 16th." He pulls a silver pendant out of his pocket and beckons for me to turn around. "The Black family pendant," he ties it around my neck letting it fall against my chest, "even though I was disowned, making you disowned doesn't mean you shouldn't be proud to be a Black. Like Andromeda, Tonks, and my Uncle Alphard. Those are the Blacks that count."

"And Draco." I add making the man raise his eyebrow. "Take it from someone who knows, he's only the way he is because of his father."

"Me?" I shake my head and look away from Sirius. I have gotten better about not thinking about John, about not jumping when someone yells at me or moves to quick near me.

"Thank you for the gift but I should go." I say before Sirius could ask anymore, and pull my father into a hug and smile. I felt safe in that moment, the warmth of the man who was at least trying to know me. "And you better not ever step foot in Hogwarts again. I can't have you getting caught."

Our departure is quick, Sirius turns into Padfoot and allows me one pet, before he bolts away.  I make my way to the last carriage leaving for Hogwarts, luck enough not have to walk back to the castle again. To my luck I see my two favorite redheaded twins.

"Hey you two," I sigh tiredly, after climbing into the carriage.

"Hello Eva, have fun at Hogsmeade?" Fred asks, sharing an odd look with his twin.

"Got my dress finally. Though I'm still missing a date," I groan a little, thinking about how close the Yule Ball was getting.

They both look at me confused. "What about Lee?"

"What about him?" I shoot back, now just as confused as they are.

"Isn't he your date?" George questions by himself this time.

"No, I don't have a date yet.". They look at each other again with an emotion on their faces I can't get.

"So er- do either of you have a date?" I say trying to break the weird tension building. But like always I make it worse.

"Well...I-I'm going with Angelina." Fred's whisper makes my heart drop. He looks into my eyes, trying to read my emotions. I dig my fingernails into my palms while keeping my face straight.

"I hope you two have fun. How about you Georgie?" I surprised my voice doesn't break, but I keep my face even still.

The redhead just shakes his head and we all fall into an awkward silence until we reach the castle. As we all climb out of the carriage I grab George's arm to hold him back.

"George do you want to go to the Ball with me?" His mouth drops open in surprise and I add on quickly. "As friends of course. The Ball is soon, and I don't really want to be the only champion without a date."

He looks into my eyes and deep into my hurt from the moment on the carriage. "Of course Eva."

Lee's POV

"Ivan!" I run up to the younger Durmstrang boy. I may not be the smartest person—especially for classes—but after Eva told me about her friend it didn't take me long to figure who she was talking about.

"O-oh hello Lee. D-do you need something?" I can't help but to smile at Ivan. His stutter, and the extremely bright red tint of his cheeks confirms what I had already guessed. It was Ivan who wanted to ask me.  As his emerald green eyes meet mine, then look away quickly, my stomach can't help but to flutter. I hadn't thought I had any interest in boys, but as I stare at Ivan, he was starting to disprove my original idea. I had come here to go with Ivan as friends to the Ball, but now I had no idea what to say.

"Emh, so uh, the other day Eva came to me about going to the Ball with her friend. She didn't say your name, but...well, I had a feeling it was you." I try to hold back a gasp. I was blushing, and I never blush. This Bulgarian was really causing a stir in me I had only felt with Angelina. "And- I mean, I don't have a date yet. So...uh, if you want to go together, well I wouldn't object."

"Really?" Ivan gasps loudly in disbelief, and I can't help but to let out a grin at his reaction. "I-I mean, of course that would be great, Lee."

"Good," Lee smiles, and tries to swallow the butterflies in his stomach. If Ivan fancied him, it would the part to was funny and laid back. Not the Lee who blushed and couldn't decide what to say. "But I have to say, as my date, you are going to have to hear all my pick up lines. I've come up with a bunch of new ones, and I'll need to know if they're effective."

That's when Ivan did something I didn't expect. He threw his head back in laughter. "I'd back happy to hear them." The younger Bulgarian moves a little closer, and I decide to the close the space between us, ignoring my fast beating heart, and throw my arm around Ivan.