Once Florence got dressed and made her way to the living room, everyone was sat talking about plans of what to do for the day. Everyone turned to where Florence was stood and greeted her with good mornings and hellos.
"Okay, now that Florrie's here, we can finally decide what to do for the day," Fred said after everyone was done greeting Florence, and she had made her way over to sit next to George.
"Well, what are everyone's offers?" Florence asked.
"I suggested we go into muggle London, and do something there, but everyone shut that idea down," Ginny responded.
"What? Why?" Florence inquired.
"Because it is way too fucking hot outside to be walking around muggle London with tons of people around squished together," Ron argued.
"Okay, Mr. High Maintenance, what do you suggest we do then?" Hermione challenged.
"I dunno," Ron shrugged.
"I swear to Merlin," Hermione muttered to herself while bringing her hand up to her temples.
"Okay so I see none of you have decided on anything then," Florence pointed out. "I have an idea."
"By all means Florence, go ahead because I don't think we're getting anywhere right now," Harry replied.
"Alright, so a few days ago I was in my old room in my parents home, and I was looking at the pictures on the wall and I saw one where Hermione, Ginny, and I were laying on the grass sunbathing and it just reminded me of how the boys used to play Quidditch and we would just have a fun time at the Burrow. That was one of the things I probably missed the most while I was gone. So, how's that for a suggestion?"
"Aw, I remember when we used to do that all the time, I think that's a great idea, Florrie," Hermione agreed.
"I don't remember the last time we all played Quidditch together, so I'm in," George chimed in.
"I think that settles that, you guys can go and get your things and we can meet at the Burrow in say, half an hour?" Fred stated.
Everyone agreed and the two couples Apparated out of the flat to go get their things.
"I'm gonna go get changed I'll be back," Fred said as he was standing up and making his way into his room, leaving Florence and George sitting on the sofa.
"So, Florence, how's that hangover treating you this morning?" George teased.
"Oh brilliant, felt like curling into a ball and dying, until Fred got me a cup of coffee."
"Speaking of Fred, what was that little situation between the two of you yesterday? Don't pretend like it didn't happen, we all saw it, we just didn't want to ruin the 'moment' between you two."
"How considerate of you all, twats."
"Hey! It's not our fault the two of you were pretending like there weren't five other people in the room."
"Nothing happened, you didn't see anything, it was your imagination. Now, I'm going to get dressed. I suggest you do the same, Georgie."
"So you're just going to leave me in the dark about your blossoming relationship with my brother? I'm hurt, Florence, I thought you were my best friend."
"Go ask your twin brother, George, I'm sure he will love to tell you everything," she said while walking out of the room.
"You're no fun, Bardeau."
"Tell him what?" Fred asked, walking out of his room just in time.
"Perfect timing, go ask your twin," Florence answered patting Fred's shoulder and lightly pushing him towards the sofa.
Once Florence got to her room, she went over to her wardrobe to pick out a bathing suit to wear. She decided on a simple, red bikini set. Once she got changed she went over to the living room.
"Finally, can we go?" George commented.
"Calm down, I didn't take that long, you're just impatient. We can go now," Florence replied.
With a 'crack,' the three Apparated from their flat to the Burrow in a few short moments. The girls were already outside laying out on the field on a blanket talking, while the boys waited for Fred and George a few feet away. The three went over to where the rest were.
"Alright, gentlemen, ready to get your arses kicked on this fine summer day?" Fred teased.
"You fucking wish, we're definitely winning today," Ron argued.
"We'll see about that Won-Won," George teased.
As the boys were arguing over who was going to win, Florence got undressed leaving her in her bathing suit. Then she lay down in between Ginny and Hermione.
"You know, Florrie, you were right about Fred having a staring problem," Ginny pointed out, looking at Fred catching him red-handed.
Florence looked over to Fred already staring at her body. They made eye contact and they both grinned at each other.
"Like what you see Freddie?"
"Is it that obvious?" Fred joked.
"Yes," Ginny and Hermione said at the same time.
"Don't you have Quidditch to play, Weasley?" Florence ribbed.
"Yes, but I'd much rather look at you."
"Okay, hotshot, I think that's enough," George joked, pulling Fred away from where he was stood.
"Wait you wanker, I'm not playing in this shirt, it's way too hot right now," Fred pointed out, removing himself from George's grip.
Fred then took off his shirt and threw it to where Florence was laying, Florence catching it just in time with her left hand.
"Nah-ah-ah, Freddie," Florence said, shaking her finger side to side with Freddie's shirt in the other hand. She paused for a moment, raking her eyes over his physique which was littered with freckles.
"You like what you see, Florrie?" Fred teased.
Fuck yes.
"I've seen better," Florence tempted, smirking up at Fred.
"Oh yeah?"
"Mhm..."
"Ew, are you two quite done?" Ginny said while covering her ears.
"Go Weasley, before your sister starts throwing up."
"Whatever you say, your highness," Fred joshed while walking away towards the shed where the brooms were.
"God fuck, you have that man wrapped around your finger, Florence," Ginny jested.
"I would not go that far, Gin."
"I'm sorry, were you conscious just a minute ago? Fred doesn't act like that with just any girl," Hermione stated.
"I don't know where this sudden boldness has come from him, but I'm not complaining. I'm sure you two know this already."
"Know what? That you've liked him since we were in Hogwarts?" Ginny commented.
"Okay, you don't have to expose me like that."
"You're saying this as if you don't make it obvious that you like him," Hermione chimed in.
"I don't know, I just feel like this is all a fun little game for him and nothing more serious, we all know how he is and what he was known for in Hogwarts, besides being the 'prankster' of the school."
"We all know he was a playboy at Hogwarts, but you weren't a saint either Ms. Bardeau," Ginny commented.
"But they never lasted long, and anyway, what is a girl supposed to do when the guy she likes, didn't even pay attention to her in that way, and now all of the sudden, is acting like this."
Hermione and Ginny looked at each other, and then at Florence laying in between them. "You do have a point there," the two girls said at the same time.
~*~
After an hour of playing and the twins crushing Harry and Ron, they decided to have a short break before playing again. The four were in a circle-like formation mid-air talking.
"So, Freddie, what was going on between you and Florrie yesterday?" George asked his brother with a smirk playing at his lips.
"Whatever do you mean dear brother?"
"You know what I mean, we all saw it, we just decided to not say anything," George admitted.
"I think it's about time you made a move, you've liked her for years, but never had the confidence to say anything," Ron commented.
"Why would I make a move when all the guys at Hogwarts were fucking drooling over her all the time."
"But was she in a committed relationship with any of them for more than three months?" Harry chimed in.
Fred looked down to the ground, thinking over Harry's question, and then remembered."She was with Zabini for a while."
"Okay so? You were with Angie during that time," George reminded.
"That doesn't matter. I'm doing something now aren't I? I'm trying here," Fred retorted.
"Barely. You think putting your hand on her thigh and calling her beautiful is enough?" George scoffed. "You need to try a little harder with a girl like that Freddie. She's not just some random Hogwarts girl that's going to fall at your feet, by you just giving a compliment to her."
"Oh for fuck sake, what is this? An interrogation?" Fred said with an annoyed tone in his voice.
"We're just telling you to try harder if you want someone like Florence, mate," Ron informed.
"And what do you wankers suggest then?"
"Take her on a fucking date! Make her dinner, I don't fucking know! Do something before she gets tired of this little game the two of you are playing."
"Okay fine, Merlin you three are bloody relentless."
"Glad you've come to your senses. Now, breaks over boys, let's get going," Harry said while clapping his hands together and flying away.
"He sounds like Oliver when he does that," Ron pointed out and then proceeding to fly toward Harry.
~*~
Several hours had passed since the group had come to the Burrow. The sun was just beginning to set when the boys decided to finally stop playing. The girls were inside talking with Mrs. Weasley and were helping her with the dinner. Just as the table was finished being set, George, Ron, and Harry walked in.
"Glad the three of you decided to grace us with your presence," Ginny joked.
"Always a pleasure, Gin," George said walking past Ginny and grabbing a small tomato from the pile of vegetables Ginny was cutting up.
"Where's Fred?" Hermione asked.
"He went to go put the brooms in the shed," Ron answered sitting next to Hermione.
Shortly after, Fred walked in, looking for something. "Have any of you seen my shirt anywhere? The last time I saw it, it was with Flor—" Fred stopped once he looked over to where Florence was standing next to Ginny, wearing his shirt.
"Oh yeah," she said looking down at her wearing Fred's shirt. "Sorry, I got cold, I hope you don't mind."
"No, not at all, it looks better on you anyway," Fred admitted, giving her a wink. "I think I have some shirts left upstairs, I'm gonna go check. I'll be right back."
Shortly after, Fred came down wearing a white t-shirt, which was a little small for him, but Florence wasn't complaining. The shirt accentuated his muscles more. Fred made his way over to the table and sat down next to Florence, and flashed her a smile.
The group had their dinner and chatted over different topics. Harry and Ron complained over Fred and George beating them in almost all the matches they had that day, while the twins were babbling on about how they 'can't beat the professionals.'
After their dinner, the group bid their goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Apparated home.
~*~
The following Sunday, the three didn't do anything interesting, besides sleep in and have a lazy day before Florence's first day of work. She was excited to finally be able to work alongside the twins in the shop and finally do what she had been wanting to do since she was in Hogwarts.
Florence woke up earlier than the boys and decided to prepare breakfast for the three of them. Once she was done with making the breakfast, she went into her bedroom and put on her new work uniform. It was quite fashionable, considering the fact that the two bosses of the shop weren't known as being fashion designers. The work uniform consisted of an orange button-up blouse and a black pleated skirt, the boys also supplied her with some black work pants, on the days where she wouldn't want to wear a skirt.
After having breakfast the three made their way down and started opening up.
"Are you nervous?" Fred asked, walking up to the cash register where Florence was stood.
"I'm more excited than nervous."
"Well good, we don't usually have a lot of customers on Mondays, but you'll do great, I know it."
The day went by pretty easily, a small influx of customers walking in and out, Florence helping however she could, and checking everyone out at the cash register. George was in the office sorting out paperwork, and Fred was helping out a customer upstairs when Florence heard the chimes of the door opening.
"Welcome to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, how may I help you," Florence said, not looking up from where she was sorting out the Galleons in the register.
"I knew I'd find you here, Flora," she heard the voice of a man say. When she looked up, Blaise Zabini was standing in front of her, as dashing and hot as ever. She hadn't seen him in a long time, so to no surprise, he had changed quite a bit. If possible he had gotten taller, more muscular, and his jawline sharper.
"Holy shit, are my eyes deceiving me, or is Blaise Zabini standing in front of me right now?"
"Good to see you too, Florence, now am I going to get a hug or what?" Blaise asked with a smirk playing at his lips, his arms lifting, waiting to be engulfed in a hug.
Florence flashed him a quick smile and went round to the front of the cash register to where Blaise was stood and hugged him.
"How the fuck have you gotten taller?" Florence asked, breaking away from their hug.
"I genuinely have no idea, you would think I would stop growing by now."
"What are you doing here? You're the last person I expected to see here."
"I heard you came back from France and wanted to pay a little visit to see how you're doing, I also wanted to ask if you wanted to go have dinner with me after you finish with work? I want to have a little catch-up, we haven't seen each other in a long time, plus I have some news," Blaise said while looking down at her and smiling.
"Oh, so you're going to keep me in suspense unless I say yes?"
"That's the plan."
She looked up at Blaise and rolled her eyes. Good to know his personality hasn't changed. "Sure I would love to Blaise, I finish work at six."
"I'll meet you here at seven."
"Okay, perfect," she said with a smile.
"I'll see you then, Flora," Blaise said and made his way out the door into the busy streets of Diagon Alley, while Florence went back to her spot behind the cash register with a smile.
Florence and Blaise's relationship looked complicated to the outsider who didn't know every aspect of it. During sixth year, Florence and Blaise's friendship grew into something more. They spent a lot of time together and had very similar personalities.
He wasn't like the other Slytherins, who like to flaunt their riches to everyone and walked around the school with their noses up. He was always kind to Florence and respected her wishes during their relationship, not to mention the sex was phenomenal.
The two dated a few months but broke it off, mutually agreeing they would be better as friends, and revealing they had feelings for other people. They stayed friends and were as close as ever, but Florence moving to France made her break off contact with him. She was happy to be rekindling her friendships and couldn't wait to see what Blaise had been getting up to since Hogwarts.
Florence was snapped out of her thoughts by the chimes of the door opening and more happy customers filling the shop.
~*~
Fred was just finished up talking to a customer when he heard the chimes of the door opening. It was an instinct at this point to look towards the door and see who had come through it.
He was caught off guard when he saw Blaise Zabini walking through the door and towards the cash register where Florence was stood. Bloody fucking coincidence to see Blaise Zabini when the boys were just talking about him on Saturday.
He couldn't stop staring at the way Florence smiled at his every sentence and how she hugged him. He felt a sort of jealousy when looking at the two, that he hadn't felt before. Florence wasn't his to claim yet, but he always felt protective over her ever since first year.
"Mate, you alright? You look like you're about to tear off that railing by how you're gripping it," George commented while walking up the stairs with a box full of Canary Creams.
Fred hadn't realised he was gripping the railing so hard, making his knuckles turn white. He let go shortly after realising. "Look who decided to stop by," Fred said pointing towards where Florence and Blaise were stood.
"Holy shit, what's Zabini doing here?"
"What does it look like, wanker, he's here for Florence, fucking git," he mumbled the last part of the sentence to himself.
"Aw, is someone a little jealous?" George ribbed.
"Oh piss off. What are the chances we talk about him Saturday and he fucking shows up here two days later?"
"The world works in mysterious ways, Freddie," George pointed out, patting Fred's back firmly. "Now are you going to do something about it, or are you going to let Zabini sweep her off her feet?"
"Don't you have some Canary Creams to refill?" Fred asked in an annoyed tone and pointed to the box George was holding.
"I'm just saying, better get a move on Freddie," George replied and walked away.
~*~
At around quarter past five, Florence was closing up shop and was saying her goodbyes to the other staff members when she heard Fred walk behind her, snaking his arms around her waist.
"How come we work in the same shop, yet I've barely seen you today?" Fred asked, his mouth lingering right by her ear.
She turned around to face him and smiled. "I don't know, you tell me, I've been in the same spot all day, you're the one who's been hiding away somewhere."
"Good point. So George and I were thinking, we could go out and buy some food and watch something on the TV?" Fred suggested as they started walking up the stairs towards the flat.
Florence stopped momentarily looking up at Fred, who was a few steps in front of her. "Shit, I can't, Blaise came by today and offered to go to dinner with him at seven."
Fred gripped the railing a little harder, trying not to show the anger slowly bubbling up inside him. "I didn't notice, what did you say?"
"Well, I said yes," she replied, slightly confused. "Was I supposed to say no or something?"
She looked him in the eyes.
"Well, he is your ex-boyfriend, don't you think it's odd he's asking you on a date?"
"First of all it's not a date, and second, we're still friends, so I don't see why I have a reason not to go," she retorted, getting slightly more annoyed at Fred's questions. "Do you have a problem with me going?"
Fred looked off to the side for a few seconds, trying not to sound annoyed. "I just don't like the bloke, I don't trust him."
"What's your problem? You never even acknowledged Zabini's existence when we were in Hogwarts, and now you're suddenly all interested?" she scowled, not holding back her annoyance.
At this point Fred was gripping the railing so hard, his knuckles started turning white. He tried to hold back as best he could, but he couldn't bite his tongue any longer. "You want to know my fucking problem? You always do this shit."
"Do what?" She looked at him with confusion, trying to understand what he was getting at.
"You never give guys who actually fucking want you a chance, you always choose the fucking tossers who are just gonna use you and then get rid of you, once they're bored!"
All thoughts that were swimming in her mind evaporated, leaving her frozen in place not knowing what to say. She couldn't understand why Fred was getting so riled up over something so minuscule.
Fred was looking everywhere but at Florence once he realised how long Florence had stayed quiet. He was always so fucking frustrating making Florence agitated and confused as to why he's unloading all his anger on her.
Feeling what little common sense she had left leaving her body at that moment, she decided to get on his level. "It's not like you're my fucking boyfriend, at least Blaise had the balls to make me his girlfriend, can't say the same for you."
"I'm fucking trying! What do you want from me?"
"You're trying?" she scoffed. "You think calling me beautiful and putting your hand on my thigh is trying? That's the bare fucking minimum." She could feel tears pool up in her eyes as she was getting angrier and angrier.
"You know what go. I don't fucking care, but when he hurts you don't come crying to me, because I won't fucking be a shoulder to cry on." He took a deep breath trying to calm himself, but being calm was thrown out the window a long time ago.
"Well good thing I have people other than you that fucking care about me that I can go to, so I won't stress you with my problems."
"You know sometimes I wish you could have just fucking stayed in France," he blurted it out not thinking before he spoke. It was too late when he realised what he had said.
Fuck.
The tears Florence was holding back, finally tipped over like a dam that was being released. Once that first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. She didn't want to believe the words that were blurted out of Fred's mouth just a few moments ago.
Everything she had gone through the past month came to the forefront of her mind. She looked up at Fred, him not daring to look at her, but she could see the regret in his face. She had a lot to say but she couldn't get the words out. She looked up at him and started walking past him wiping the tears away from her face.
Fred turned around and grabbed her hand. "Wait Florence, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean—"
Florence yanked her hand away from Fred and looked into his eyes, he finally looked up at her for the first time in a while. "No, Fred. I think I've had enough," she finished and started walking further up the stairs.
"Please, Florence," Fred pleaded.
She turned around to face him again, now finally letting her words escape her mouth. "I came here for you, the only reason I'm fucking standing here is because of YOU! How can you fucking say something like that, when you practically BEGGED me to come back." She felt the tears pooling in her eyes again, wiping them away aggressively.
"Florrie..."
"Let me finish."
He went silent.
"You were always my first choice Fred, you just never seem to fucking realise it."
She turned around for the final time and ascended the stairs, and opened the door to the flat, leaving Fred at the stairs, with the last sentence she said looming over him.
Once Florence walked through the door, she saw George sitting on the sofa, obviously having heard everything that happened moments ago. He looked up at her with an apologetic look, while she stood there with bloodshot eyes, her cheeks littered with small red splotches from her tears.
"Do you want to talk about it?" George asked, breaking the silence.
"Not now, George," she said walking past where he was sitting and making her way over to her room, opening the door and slamming it shut.