It was the week after her and Fred's adventures after curfew, honestly, Stevie was impressed that they'd both managed to get back to their common rooms unscathed - especially him. She was just mere feet from hers and been though she had insisted that he come into the tower until the threat was gone, he had said that he'd be fine and once she'd returned the map to him, he'd gently nudged her in the direction of the bronze eagle doorknocker and she'd luckily gotten the riddle right.
Before the door had closed, her eyes met Fred's and he gave her a confident wink before he took off back down the corridor - a wink that had left her with red cheeks and an unfamiliar fluttering in her stomach.
In the haste to get to safety, Stevie had forgotten to give him his jumper back and she found that she quite like wearing it - it was lovely and warm with a golden F on the front and just by the feel, she knew that it was most likely hand-knitted. It was so warm in fact, that she found herself falling asleep in it, enveloped in the comforting aromas of cinnamon and gunpowder.
Ravenclaw had just played Gryffindor and sadly, they'd lost. Everyone was saying that it was because of Harry Potter's Firebolt but Stevie thinks it was more to do with the fact that Cho and the rest of the Ravenclaw team were distracted by Malfoy, his two friends and Marcus Flint. The four of them had dressed up as Dementors to try and sabotage Harry but the joke was on them - he hadn't been affected at all and honestly, managed to produce quite the Patronus Charm.
Her housemates were obviously upset at the fact that they'd lost the match and so, to try and cheer them up a bit, Stevie was down in the kitchens where she was making them some brownies.
This was one of her favourite parts of the school. Not many people know how to get in there and so it's always quiet. Well, except for the House Elves who always try and ply her with food when she comes down.
With her wand, it really takes her no time at all to get the batter ready and although she could easily bake them with it as well, she prefers to use an actual oven - they taste so much better and so once she fires the two trays into one of the many ovens the school has, she starts cleaning up her mess.
"Mister Weasley, Mister Weasley!"
The excited cries of the House Elves distract her and with the momentary lapse of concentration, the bowl that she's levitating to the sink falls to the ground with a smash.
"Merlin," she whispers, muttering the repairing spell under her breath as she grabs a mop to get rid of the chocolate stains while she tries to get herself to relax.
It might not even be Fred. There were three other Mister Weasley's at this school and it could be any of them.
"You know, you could just use your wand for that."
She spins around, hand pressed against her chest, "Don't do that!"
It was Fred - she only knew that because of the F jumper he was wearing but unlike the one she has hung over a chair in her dorm, this one was a lovely forest green.
He must have multiple.
Laughing, Fred picks up an apple from the fruit bowl that he's stood beside, "Sorry. What are you doing down here?"
"What are you doing down here?"
They speak at the same time and his grin grows, "Party in the common room since y'know, we won."
Stevie rolls her eyes, "You only won because our team were distracted."
"Right," he grins, "That's what it was. Distraction."
"You saw how close Cho was to catching the Snitch," Stevie went onto explain as she dumped her dirty dishes in the sink, "Wood just about wet himself."
Fred snorts. That was somewhat true.
She turns and leans against the counter, "A party?"
He nods, thanking one of the elves when they bring him a large silver platter that's piled high with cakes and pastries, "Yeah. George and I said we'd get some supplies."
"So where's George?"
"He's gone off to Honeydukes."
This time it's her who snorts, moving towards the oven to check the brownies, "Alright, Fred. Keep your secrets."
"He is!"
She decides to humour him, "And just how is he doing that, hm?"
"With a little help from Moony and friends."
For a brief moment, she's somewhat confused but then she remembers the map he showed her.
"You mean...?"
She hears him moving behind her, glancing at him when he leans beside her, "There's a few passageways that lead out of the castle. One leads right to Honeydukes cellar."
"Really?"
"Yep. And let me just tell you, it's been an absolute godsend for these parties."
"I bet," she muses, pulling the tray out of the oven.
As soon as she puts the two trays down on the counter, he's reaching in to try and sneak a piece.
"Hey," she gently taps his hand, halting him, "They're still too hot."
"Alright, mum," he teases, watching as she takes a knife to check that they're baked through, smile tugging at his lips at the look of the concentration that's on her face.
"I could show you sometime. The passageway."
"Really?"
Fred nods - he quite liked the look on her face when she reacted to the map and would love to see her face when she was stood in Honeydukes cellar.
She gives him an excited smile, "I would love that!"
"Great. It's a date." both of their faces turn scarlet as the words slip from his mouth, "I-I mean it's not a date. Not that I don't want it to be a da-I mean...I'm just going to stop talking now."
With her cheeks still warm, Stevie giggles and holds up a now cut-up brownie, "Here."
He clears his throat, taking the treat from her almost shyly, "Thank you."
He stays silent as she cleans up the rest of her mess, silently eating and inwardly cringing at how much of an idiot he is.
Stevie keeps her head down as she packs her bakes into containers, not looking at him again until she's absolutely sure that the redness is gone from her face. When she does glance his way. she sees that he's already looking at her.
"Are you heading back up?"
She nods, gathering the tubs into her arms.
"I'll walk you."
"You don't have to do that, Fred."
He picks up his own tray of goodies, "I want to."
Stevie doesn't get a chance to reply because he's already heading for the door and she calls goodbye to the House Elves before following.
"You know," Fred begins as they start their journey back, "You could join us?"
"At the party?"
He nods and she snorts.
"Can you imagine the look on Roger's, on everyone's face, if they found out that I was partying with you lot? Ribh would have a fit."
"Hey, one of your best friends is one of my lot."
"I know and I love her so much."
Fred laughs, "Yeah, Kaye's a good one."
"She is, isn't she? Seriously though, thank you for the offer but I'm going to have to decline."
"No one has to know," he grins, a stark contrast to the blushing lad she was with not ten minutes ago, "You could just bring those brownies, which are incredible by the way, and have a nice time." She gives him a look and he shrugs, "Alright, I'll stop. But if you change your mind, you're more than welcome."
"Thank you."
When it comes time for them to part ways, the stop and Stevie puts one of her tubs of brownies into the crook of Fred's arm, "Take them. You can let me know how they go down."
He grins down at her, "There will be nothing but crumbs, I assure you."
She rolls her eyes and starts heading in the direction of her common room, "Enjoy your party, Fred."
"Hey!"
She turns when he calls, raising an eyebrow.
"Meet me down on the third floor tomorrow after lunch. Next to the One-Eyed Witch."
"By Gunhilda of Gorsemoor?"
"If that's who the statue down there then yes." he nods, narrowly avoiding a collision with a young Hufflepuff student as he walks backwards, "If you're free of course."
She bites her lip, feeling that fluttering in her stomach again, "It's a date."