cred to JadeDior_ for helping me a lot with this chapter and a few more chapters to come xx
A few weeks past and Florence had written back to everyone, well everyone except Pucey which she had kind of been dreading to open his letter.
It was also nearly her birthday which she was really excited for.
One afternoon Florence went back inside from lying on the grass in the sun all day with Hermione and Ginny.
She walked her way up the stairs to Ginny's room. She went into the room and Lee and the twins were standing there and Florence noticed a letter opened and in Fred's hand. Fred's face was morphed with anger.
It was the letter from Pucey.
'Guys what are you doing?' Florence asked.
'Flo...I think you may want to read this.' George said.
'Why did you open my letter?' Flo said grabbing the letter out of Fred's hand.
'I told them not to Flo I'm sorry.' Lee said looking rather sad.
Florence looked at the letter and read it as she glared at the twins.
Dear Florence,
I am writing to you to tell you a few things. I firstly want to apologise again for how I've treated you these few years. I didn't treat you right and I know that, and I am terribly sorry for the way I acted.
I just wanted to tell you even though it doesn't seem like it, but I do actually care about you.
I feel like I can't really force you to forgive me but maybe if you gave me a chance.
So, if your around at Diagon Alley in a few days let me know, maybe a drink or something.
Yours,
Adrian.
Florence looked up at the boys whose faces were looking for her response.
'So, you going to see him?' Fred asked angrily.
'I...I'm not sure, he seems like he is really sorry.' Florence said.
'But he's a dick.' Fred spat.
'Fred you're the one who opened the letter. It wasn't yours to open.' Florence said glaring at the boy as she left the room.
'Mate calm down. You know she doesn't like him that's all that matters.' George said.
'She's pissed mate, I told you not to open it.' Lee said. 'I'll go check on her and If I was you two, I would leave her for a bit.' Lee said walking out the room to find Florence.
Lee found her sitting on her own outside the Burrow by the river. He sat down next to her and she was looking into the deep aqua waters rippling on the surface illuminated by the suns beams.
'I'm sorry those dicks opened it.' Lee said embracing her in a tight hug.
'Why does Pucey want to see me though?' Flo asked.
'I'm not too sure. I know it's a lot and there is no way you could even forgive him for what he has done to you.' Lee said hugging her tighter. 'Do you think you'll see him though?' Lee asked.
'I don't know, I think I might have to see him. I also am meant to be seeing Blaise at Diagon Alley so maybe when I go there and see Blaise I'll see him for a bit, see what he has to say you know.' Florence said looking at the floor.
'Yeh you might need to eventually talk to him at some point.' Lee said.
'But why the fuck did the twins open it, it wasn't theirs to open.' Florence said angrily.
'Their pricks. You know it's your birthday soon, then you can hex them.' Lee said with a grin.
'I can't wait.' Florence said giggling and feeling much better with Lee by her side.
It was the day before Florence's birthday, and she had completely ignored the twins for a full 24hours.
- outfit -
The twins begged for her apology for opening her letter and she forgave them because they gave her piggy backs around the Burrow for several hours and she said she would hex them if they ever did it again.
'Weeeeeeeeeeee,' Flo called out as Fred zoomed through the living room on his back.
'All right have you forgiven us now?' Fred said slightly out of breath with George running around with the two of them also gasping for air.
'Fine. But I will personally beat you both up if you open my mail again.' Flo said smiling at them playfully.
'I don't doubt you will.' George said with a smile.
That evening Lee, Florence and the twins were sitting on the sofa in the Burrow's snug when everyone was asleep.
'I think I'm going to see Blaise in a few days at Diagon Alley.' Flo said with her head on Lee.
'That's a nice idea.' Lee said with a smile.
'Are you seeing Pucey then?' Fred asked trying to mask his underlying anger.
'I think I'll see him for a bit.' Florence said trying not to look at Fred's harsh gaze.
'I'll come with you.' Fred said.
'Freddie it's fine, I've got Blaise.' Florence said smiling at the boy reassuringly.
'But what if he tries something on you.' Fred said with a worried expression.
'Well, if it makes you feel better you can come with me, but you need to let me at least have a drink with him. Maybe he wants to be friends.'
'Please he fucking grabbed your arse in the school corridor.' Fred said angrily.
'Fred just leave it. You can come to Diagon Alley and see Blaise with me, but I do need to speak to Pucey.' Florence said.
'I'll come too actually, remember Fred we have that thing to check out.' George said with a smile.
'What thing?' Florence asked questioningly.
'Oh nothing.' Fred said a smile now forming on his face.
'I say we get drunk.' Lee announced.
'Let's do it Jordan.' Flo said with a smile.
'Accio Fire Whiskey.' George said and suddenly a bottle flew across the room and into his hand.
Florence snatched it off him and opened the cap and started chugging the bottle down her throat.
'That's my girl.' Fred said with a smirk.
'Your girlfriend is pretty cool.' Lee said with a smile.
'I know.' Fred said with a smile.
They all drank through the night talking drunkenly with one another.
It felt nice hanging with her best friends. She would never get use to how happy she was when she was with them. She would always feel so content when she was around them and would never stop smiling when they made her laugh.
Florence and Lee were lying on the floor like starfish and giggling with one another.
'Lee that rhymes with wee and pee.' Florence said as Lee bursted into laughter.
'Flo rhymes with woah and oh.' Lee said as they laughed loudly with one another.
'Peeeeeeeeee weeeeeee.' Florence exclaimed smiling at the boy.
'You two are nutters.' Fred said looking at them.
'But you're lucky you have us as your best friends.' Lee said smiling at the boy on the floor.
'Nah your lucky to have us.' George said challengingly.
'Fuck off you two wouldn't last one day without us.' Florence said with a smile.
'Yeh Fred when she was ignoring you for 24 hours you were bloody annoying. You wouldn't stop banging on about how you missed her.' Lee said.
'Aw you missed me.' Flo said with a grin teasingly.
'It was one day Fred.' Lee said with a smile.
'Yeh one day too fucking long.' Fred said.
'Shit.' Flo said as she realised, she had spilt the Fire Whiskey on her top.
'You're such a clutz.' Fred said getting up.
'Shut it carrot fuck.' Florence said drunkenly slurring her words.
'I'll go get you something to change into.' Fred said getting up.
'Aren't you a cute.' Florence said teasingly.
Fred apparated out the room and came back in seconds reappearing in the room with one of his old Gryffindor t-shirts in his hand. He gave it to her, and she took it.
'Alright I'll go change into it.' Florence said getting up with the alcohol seeping though her body causing her to stumble slightly as she left to get changed in the other room.
She put on the t-shirt and it draped over her tiny body and sent a feeling of comfort and warmth throughout her.
Florence walked back into the room and Fred's face was plastered with a happy smile.
He got up and ran to her and picked her up and put her over his shoulders.
'How dare you look so hot in my clothes.' Fred said as she struggled in his grasp.
Lee and George bursted into laughter and smiled at the struggling Florence who was trying to kick Fred to let her go.
'Fred put me down or I'll kick you in the balls.' Florence said jokingly.
'Alright darling.' Fred said putting her down.
The night was full of laughter and happiness and then at last they all headed to bed with drunken smiles on all their faces.
A few days past and it was the day of Flo's birthday.
She got up from her bed and got changed into something nice for her birthday.
- outfit -
Ginny and Hermione as usual were already up as they knew Flo was bad in the morning and needed a little more sleep than the rest of them. She did her hair and makeup and left the room excited for the day.
She came into the kitchen and she was greeted by the familiar smiles of the rest of them.
'Morning.' George said with a smile.
'Hey guys.' Florence said sitting down and taking a mug of coffee off Lee and sipping the liquid as she put the mug to her lips.
'Soooo...um what are we doing today.' Flo said.
'Oh, not much probably the same old same old and hang by the river.' Ginny said with a smile.
'Oh, not doing anything out of the ordinary?' Florence said hoping someone would realise it was her birthday.
'Nope but I'm going to head off to shower. See you later.' George said getting up.
Shit they had forgotten.
Florence got up and left the room with a saddened expression of the thought her closest friends had actually forgotten her birthday.
She went up to Ginny's room and started practising levitating a few books.
She was now allowed to use magic as she was of age but there wasn't anyone she could talk to about it.
She decided to spend the day with the others trying to act like she wasn't hurt.
They spent the day in the sun and playing in the lake. It was nice but at this point she just wanted to be alone.
She left the others and went into the Burrow and walked into the kitchen and she was shocked. There standing in the kitchen was Blaise Zabini.
'Hey there little one.' Blaise said with a smile.
'Blaise.' Flo said running and embracing him in a tight hug.
'I've missed you tiny.' Blaise said towering over her.
'Blaise I'm older than you.' Flo said looking up at the tall boy.
'Yeh but you're a midget.' Blaise said releasing her from their embrace.
'Shut it Zabini.' Flo said with a smile.
She hadn't seen him since school, and she had missed him tremendously.
'Happy Birthday by the way.' Blaise said with a smile.
'You remembered.' Flo said looking at him. At least someone had.
'Course I did.' Blaise said happily.
'Thanks Blaise.' Flo said.
'What do you say I get you out of here.' Blaise said.
'Sure, I'm not doing anything else.' Flo said.
'Ok let's go.' Blaise said taking her hand.
They left the Burrow. He walked her through the woods, and they sat down on two stumps in the trees.
The trees towered over her and the winds swayed through her hair seamlessly. She heard the faint sound of birds chattering in the morning sun.
It felt like hours they had been talking and sipping the bottle of Butterbeer Blaise had bought for the two of them.
'I've missed you.' Blaise said.
'I've missed you too.' Flo said with a smile.
'Fred asked you then?' Blaise said.
'You knew he was going to ask me?' Flo asked slightly shocked he knew.
'Yeh, he talked to me about it. He wanted to ask me before he did. He knows how much I care for you, so I think he just wanted me to know.' Blaise said.
'He asked me, I guess he's my boyfriend now.' Florence said with a smile escaping her lips.
'That's great Flo. He makes you happy I can tell.' Blaise said.
'He does doesn't he.' Florence said as her cheeks flushed a subtle rose colour.
'Here.' Blaise said handing her a velvet box.
'What's this?' Flo asked.
'Your birthday present.' Blaise replied.
'You didn't have to.' Flo said.
'Go on open it.' Blaise said gesturing to the box.
She opened it and there was a dainty golden bracelet with a tiny heart on it.
'It's beautiful. Thanks so much Blaise.' She said as she put it on round her wrist.
'Come on we ought to be getting back.' Blaise said getting up.
'Sure, it is getting late anyway and I don't want the twins to murder Lee while I'm gone.' Florence said also getting up.
They walked back towards the Burrow. They finally arrived at the door. Blaise opened it.
'Surprise!' A bunch of voices called out.
'Oh my god.' Flo said.
She now saw a bunch of people standing in the Burrow's kitchen. There was a banner saying, 'Happy Birthday Florence' and there were balloons floating in the air by magic. Her face morphed with a smile.
There was lots of people there, such as: her dad, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Luna, Lexi, Thomas, Cedric and the others she had been staying with.
Fred ran and grabbed her by the waist and spun her around.
'Happy Birthday darling.' Fred said hugging her tightly.
'I thought you forgot.' Flo said looking at the boy as he released her.
'We had to make you think that so we could plan all this. It was me and George's idea.' Fred said.
'Thank you, Freddie.' Flo said.
She then greeted all the friends she hadn't seen for a while who greeted her with Happy birthdays along with her dad.
Many people have her gifts and she received a lovely cactus from Neville, lots of sweets from Honeydukes from Dean, Lexi and Seamus. Her dad had given her a ring with a werewolf carved into it and it was beautiful. She also received a copy of 'Little Women' from Hermione along with many other gifts which she received with a grateful thank you.
Cedric then walked up to her.
'Happy Birthday.' Cedric said now hugging her. This caused Fred to glare harshly at the boy from across the room.
Cedric and Flo talked for a while catching up with one another from not seeing each other for a while.
Over where Fred was.
Bill and Charlie noticed Fred's angry stare.
'Aw Fredrick you jealous.' Charlie teased.
'Guys leave him be.' George said defending his brother.
'Who is he anyway?' Bill asked.
'That's Cedric, he has had a crush on her forever.' Lee said.
'I don't think he realises that Flo doesn't like him like that. I thought she made it pretty clear by saying she didn't want to go to the ball with him.' George said.
'Huffy puffy boy needs to know where he stands.' Fred spat.
Everyone ate the feast happily layer on the kitchen table which Remus and Molly had prepared with Bill and Charlie's help.
They all drank butterbeer and Flo caught up with her friends from not seeing them for ages.
Florence was sitting on the sofa talking with Lexi and Cedric. Lexi got up to go find Dean and left Cedric with Florence.
Cedric scooted closer to her, but someone had noticed.
Fred barged through people and stood glaring at Cedric by the sofa.
'What's your problem?' Cedric said looking at Fred's angry expression.
'Get away from my girlfriend Cedric.' Fred spat.
'Oh, so you're her boyfriend now. That's new.' Cedric said.
'Yeh so fuck off.' Fred spat.
'See you later Flo.' Cedric said winking at her and getting up and leaving her with Fred.
Fred sat down where Cedric had just been sitting.
'Fred, he was just being nice.' Flo said.
'He needs to get into his head that your mine.' Fred said putting his arm over her shoulder.
'You know I just think of him as a friend Freddie.' Flo said kissing his cheek.
'I don't think he knows that.' Fred said.
'Freddie you know I only like you.' Flo said with a smile.
'That's good then. Oh I almost forgot.' Fred said reaching for his pocket and pulling out a white laced bag.
'What is it?' Flo asked.
'Just bloody open it.' Fred said.
Flo opened the bag and she pulled out a pair of golden earrings. The earrings were shaped into flowers and they looked similar to the flowers from their day in the flower field.
'Freddie there perfect.' Flo said hugging the boy tightly.
'Thought you would like it.' Fred said. 'Me and George had made quite a bit of money from selling our products last year i thought i could actually buy you something nice.' Fred said happily.
'Thank you Freddie.' Flo said as she leant and kissed his lips softly.
It meant the world to Florence as she knew how his family didn't have to much money and it made her heart fill with gladness as she stared at the earrings happily.
The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and happiness and the day was completely perfect.
It was getting late and a few people said their goodbyes and expressed their excitement for the new year at school.
Seamus and Dean were very drunk, and Lexi and Florence had to help the two out the Burrow as they stumbled on their own feet and giggling loudly.
'Come on you idiots.' Flo said helping Seamus up from the floor.
Seamus and Dean left with Lexi and Cedric as did the others leaving the Burrow saying their happy goodbyes to Flo and wishing their final Happy Birthday.
Everyone had gone except Remus and she hugged him her last goodbye.
'Bye Dad, see you in a few weeks with Sirius.' Flo said hugging him tightly.
'He wanted to be here but with the Ministry on his back he couldn't risk it.' Remus said.
'I'll see him soon. I love you dad.' Flo said.