Triggering content (mention of attempted sexual assault)
"If it isn't my favorite redhead girl," Maddie grinned when Ginny came inside the café early that morning.
"Hey Mads," Ginny yawned and sat on the bar.
"The usual?" Maddie chuckled.
"Yes please, I'm starving," Ginny said dramatically.
"You are always starving Gin," Maddie shook her head and placed in front of the redhead a cup of black coffee and a full English breakfast she had made for her beforehand.
"I'm a professional athlete," Gin gloated. "I workout all day so I deserve to get my greasy morning meal!"
"I never said anything," Maddie laughed.
"So we're all going to an all girls karaoke bar tonight, you in?"
"Would it be just us or is Angelina Johnson also invited?" Maddie asked bitterly.
"Just us obviously. 'Mione, Alicia, Liz, Luna and Fleur even though she can't drink," Ginny shrugged, "we don't like Johnson either."
"Why would that be?" Maddie said sarcastically, making Ginny laugh.
"She talks shit about you a lot," Ginny pretended to throw up at the thought of Angelina, "like a lot, that's why mum doesn't like her either."
"Yeah, Molly does love me," Maddie gloated. "I'll be there tonight, tell the girls that we're meeting at my place then."
"Will do, but now I'm late and Gwenog will have my head," Ginny swallowed the last of her breakfast and chugged her coffee. "Write it down in my tab please, I'll pay you at the end of the month!"
"Don't stress about it," Maddie yelled as Ginny rushed out the door to apparate.
Ever since opening, the café had been a big success with tens of people queueing outside to get their morning coffees and fresh pastries before work, lunch or something to have with their afternoon tea. She had barely spoken to Fred since the fight they had one week prior, only sparing each other glances as he came inside every day to get breakfast and lunch for him and George. The majority of her days now were made up by cooking and baking, attending customers who asked for special cakes and balancing her time at work so that she could still spend as much time as she could with Teddy, who also quite enjoyed being in the noisy and crowded café.
"Mads, there's someone who's asking for you," Larissa entered her office, looking scared. "She wants a cake."
"Did she make an appointment? Because I don't have any meeting with a customer scheduled this morning," Maddie looked at the calendar in her wall.
"She didn't make an appointment but she's demanding to see you immediately," Ethan said quietly, "she's being rude."
"Send her in then," Maddie sighed.
"Madeleine!" Angelina said and came inside her office, Larissa and Ethan sending the blonde an apologetic look from behind the girl. "I was beginning to think that you were going to ignore me!"
"Angelina, of course not," Maddie cleared her throat to try and disguise the disgust in her voice, "what can I do for you?"
"I want you to make mine and Fred's wedding cake-"
"There is a protocol when it comes to ordering a cake Angelina, the first step is actually scheduling an appointment," Maddie interrupted her.
"Well, I was thinking that given the circumstances you would be willing to beng the rules for two friends-"
"Angelina, your wedding is in a week's time and I don't think you understand how much time and energy it takes-"
"Well, I'm the customer here and it's me the one who will be paying you-"
"With Fred's money because last thing I knew, you don't have a job," Maddie snapped. "I just believe that when it comes to a wedding cake, both bride and groom should be present-"
"Well, he's busy and we both agreed that it's me who handles the wedding planning," Angelina hissed. "Now, there are two hundred people coming to our special day so it has to be big."
"Angelina, as I told you there is a series of procedures that-"
"I want layers, as many layers you can do and each layer to be a different flavor," Angelina cut her short again, "why are you not writing this down?"
"From what you're asking of me and in the time span that you're giving me, without the decoration and without the cake testing for you and Fred to decide the flavours then that would be about one hundred and fifty galleons."
"Are you insane, for cake?"
"And that would be without counting the price for decoration. For a cake that big then that would be another hundred a fifty, making it three hundred galleons. To transport it to your venue and for the cake testing since you're asking for that many flavours, then that would be an additional fifty making the total price three hundred and fifty galleons."
"You can't charge that much for cake, you're totally ripping us off because you're jealous of me!" she shrieked.
"This is the price I would charge anyone who comes into my business to ask for a cake like that with one week of anticipation before the event and without even scheduling an appointment. Contrary to your beliefs, I also have hundreds of orders of special cakes and other desserts and pastries on a weekly basis and the waiting lists opens every Monday at seven. You can go to another place but they won't do it for you, especially with that distastefully rude and prepotent attitude of yours."
"Fred will come and talk to you then," Angelina said indignantly. "When will the cake testing be?"
"The only free space I have in my schedule is the day of your wedding rehearsal so that would be next week Thursday morning-"
"Maybe if you worked more than just spending time with Teddy-"
"You speak my godson's name again and we'll have a real problem," Maddie spat and stood up abruptly from her desk. "You know your way out."
After that short encounter with Angelina, the blonde's patience had thinned out throughout the day and now found herself in the empty wide kitchen of the closed cafe, preparing things for the next day before going back to her flat to meet with her girlfriends. "You're chopping aggressively," Fred said, leaning against the kitchen's doorframe with his arms crossed.
"And you're not supposed to be here," Maddie rolled her eyes without sparing him a single glance.
"You're cross at me," he said stating the obvious.
"I'm not," she said in a fake sweet voice and put the knife down, "what can I help you with Fred?"
"So Angelina spoke to me-"
"I'm not lowering the price of the cake she asked, three hundred and fifty or nothing," Maddie glared daggers at him.
"The price it's fine by me, I don't give a fuck, really," he scoffed. "It's just fucking cake."
"Exactly, it's just cake," she said through gritted teeth.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Use your brain and figure it out," she snapped.
"You don't have to snap at me!"
"Look, the reason I'm fucking pissed is because your fiancée barges in here like she owns the place. She's not only rude to me, but also to my employees and that is something that I do not tolerate. She demands for me to make her a cake for two hundred people with many intricate details like as many tiers I can give her, and a different flavor for each layer and then complains for the price I've given her and demands a change because I'll be doing "two friends," a favor. So yeah, I think I have the right to be fucking pissed Fred."
"Why do I get the feeling that this is more than just cake," Fred narrowed his eyes at her.
"Look, I'm busy. I'm working and prepping things for tomorrow so I can use my time for cooking to design your bloody cake instead," Maddie hissed. "Please leave, we're closed."
"Things between us don't have to be this fucking difficult Madeleine!"
"Then give your fiancée a pill to fucking down her rudeness-"
"Well, then you do the same with Warrington!"
"What the fuck does Cassius have to anything Fred? Enlighten me!"
"He just crashes our party-"
"He didn't crash the party Fred, I invited him to come with me!"
"You had no right of doing that, it's my house-"
"And Lizzie's and George's and they told me that if I wanted to, I could bring someone with me," Maddie huffed.
"And you bring Cassius Warrington out of all people?"
"Same applies with you and Johnson, or do you need a little reminder of the things she said and did back in school?" she chuckled dryly. "You don't get to control my decisions Fred, you never have and you never will. If I want to fuck Cassius Warrington, then that's my problem, not yours. If I want to fuck a hundred people, then again, it's my problem so you don't have to go and stick your nose where it doesn't belong!"
"Fine, if that's what you want, fine by me," he barked. "Just do the fucking cake."
"I intend to, now get out before I force you out because you know bloody well that I can and will," she snarled and a second later, he was out the door, storming back to his flat angrily.
When Maddie finished with her pending list, she went back to her apartment, deciding to use the muggle underground instead of apparating to clear her mind. She felt so angry at Fred and she felt even angrier with Angelina, knowing that it was her that had caused the downfall between them since she had returned. With her heart heavy and aching, she opened the door to her flat where all the girls where chatting and drinking, all except Fleur for obvious reasons.
"Hey!" Maddie threw her bag on the coffee table and plopped on the couch, taking a half-full bottle of wine and downing it quickly straight from the bottle.
"Hey Mads!" they said.
"You're late and you look exhausted," said Hermione.
"Two words-"
"Angelina Johnson," Ginny said bitterly.
"You said it Gin," Maddie nodded, "and seven more!"
"My stupid brainless idiot of a brother?" Ginny laughed.
"You read my mind," Maddie chuckled. "So where is it that we're going?"
"All girls karaoke bar!" Luna said dreamily.
"I'm getting drunk and when I can no longer stand, let me sing The Winner Takes It All because it's the only song that I can use to describe how I'm truly feeling lately!" Maddie said with fake enthusiasm and went to thrown on a dress instead of the jeans and top she was wearing.
They all went to the bar Ginny had suggested which took a bit longer than expected because Fleur was now eight months pregnant but refused to miss a night of fun. "I may have a grown baby inside me but I'm still young so the baby will go where I want to go," she said in her thick French accent once they were all seated in a VIP table the youngest Weasley had reserved.
Luna, Ginny and Alicia were definitely the most excited to sing to the all female crowd that was in the pub but Maddie's mind was somewhere else. Lizzie was already tipsy and the rest were distracted so only Hermione noticed the unusually quiet state that the blonde was in. The recent fights with Fred were replaying in Madeleine's head over and over as she siped her drink, staring blankly at her glass while playing with her drink's umbrella.
"You okay?" Hermione asked quietly.
"I'll be okay, it's just," Maddie took a deep breath. "Things with Fred are just messy now and Angelina is behind him pulling the strings so I know he's not being himself. I haven't heard him joke in while and that also has me worried, he's not my Fred."
"I just don't understand why you didn't say to him that you loved him before," Lizzie blurted drunkenly. "If the two of you had said it before, maybe this mess with Angelina wouldn't be happening."
"Because we loved each other in our own way, we were together in our own way and just because it was different from what you and George had from the start it doesn't make it any less valid Elizabeth. Love comes differently to every person and we loved each other by pretending that were nothing but friends with benefits but we both loved each other and unconsciously we both knew it," Maddie said angrily. "We didn't need to say 'I love you,' with words because in a way we said with actions, so yeah I'm sorry for calling you out on this, but your relationship with George is completely different to the relationship I had with Fred. Even though they look the same, they are completely different people and you more than anyone should be well aware of that."
"Keep the drinks coming and don't stop until I tell you to," Alicia said to the waiter and forced both of her best friends to have more cocktails to avoid a bigger fight, which worked until Lizzie passed out and George had to come get her, cutting the night short.
*****
"Hey mum, where's everyone else?" Fred came inside the Burrow, later than usual for Sunday roast only to be met with a silent sitting room.
"Timothée and Alicia took a day trip to the beach, Cressida is sick and Sirius had to stay at Hogwarts today-"
"Where's Mads?"he asked quickly.
"She's working on your wedding cake," Molly said resentfully, "everyone else is in the garden."
"Tell me about it dad! You have no idea how rude Ang-"
"Ginny, shut it," George hissed when he saw Fred approaching the table where all the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione and Lizzie were sitting.
"No Ginny, carry on," Fred frowned and took his usual seat on the table.
"No, it's fine nosey," Ginny mumbled. "I wasn't saying anything."
"Don't stop on my account," Fred huffed.
"Stop being stubborn Fred, Ginny wasn't saying anything," Bill tried calming the storm before lightning struck.
"You know what, I'm done! I was talking shit about your fiancée because she's a fucking bitch and we are all done staying quiet about it Fred!" Ginny bursted at last.
"Ginny!" Molly shrieked. "Language!"
"No, fuck it mum I'm done," Ginny stood up from the table and pointed her finger at the older twin. "And so is George, and Bill and Percy and Ron and dad and fucking Charlie who likes fucking everyone!"
"Me and the baby don't like her either, every time she's around she starts kicking like crazy out of anger," Fleur added.
"Harry and Hermione don't seem to have a problem with Angie-"
"Well I do, Madeleine is my sister so I'll always take her side," Harry said coolly.
"Yeah, me too," Hermione stammered.
"You too dad?" Fred turned around to look at his father, completely infuriated.
"You know, I'm going to check something in the shed, I think I saw a leak somewhere," Arthur said rapidly and walked even faster to the shed, away from the scene.
"You didn't like Fleur at first mum!" Fred yelled and look at his mother. "And neither did you Ginny!"
"Well, we were truly mistaken about Fleur but we are not mistaken when it comes to Angelina," Molly scowled, "she is a nasty girl and the things she's done."
"Like what things?!"
"Like the fucking time she helped out Montague and Bletchley to shove Madeleine inside a broom cupboard to try and rape her in seventh year perhaps, you fucking idiot!" George cursed.
"You are not thinking clearly mate, we all know that you used Angelina as a rebound when Maddie left but we just don't get why you're taking the joke this far," Charlie said.
"It's not a joke Charlie, I love Angelina!"
"No you don't," Lizzie said shyly.
"Stay out of it Bennet," Fred snarled.
"You talk to my girlfriend like that again and I'm gonna make you wish you were never born," George stood up fuming with his fists clenched.
"Freddie, you are getting married too fast and-"
"And you're pissed with me 'cause you're not helping with the planning," he glared at his mother.
"Oh I'm glad I'm not helping out because there is no way I would like to spend time with that girl!" Molly huffed.
"Well, I'm getting married next week you all like it or not!" Fred roared.
"We know that part Fred, it is you decision after all but that doesn't mean we agree with it," Percy shrugged.
"Perce is right mate, we love you but you're marrying the wrong girl and deep inside you know it," Bill said.
"And because we love you we will still throw you your bachelor party and we'll still attend the rehearsal dinner and wedding rehearsal-"
"Whatever the fuck that is," Ron muttered, interrupting Charlie.
"And if you want to run away we can also help with that," Bill said.
"We're family Fred, and despite your shitty decisions we still love you," George went over to try and calm his furious twin down.
"Georgie is right my dear, now sit down and eat before I make you," Molly scolded, "you boys are way too thin!"
"I've actually gained weight since Mads arrived, and now with the café just around the corner she brings us food all the time," George grinned and sat back on his seat, "like how do you not expect me to eat the whole thing of warm cookies by myself?! If I'm alone then why should I have to share?"
"Because sharing is caring Georgie," Liz chuckled.
"Don't act as if you didn't eat the entire stack of crepes by yourself," George laughed.
"Well I couldn't resist myself!" the curly-haired girl blushed.
Fred stayed silent for the rest of lunch, refusing to meet anyone's eyes nor to join the conversation. He knew they were right, he knew he was making the wrong choice but no matter how much he wanted to be with Madeleine, he still couldn't comprehend why he couldn't just end things with Angelina. It was as if a greater force was stopping him from breaking up with her. He wanted to be with Maddie and he knew it, he knew that she was the love of his life but he couldn't let Angelina go, despite also knowing that his feelings for her couldn't begin to compare to how he felt about Madeleine. It just didn't make any sense.
*****
"Mae!" Teddy giggled and went to tackle Maddie's legs, making her steps falter as she picked him up in her arms. He kissed her cheek and handed her a piece of parchment with many colored inks staining the paper.
"Yes lovey?" Maddie chuckled and looked at the parchment adoringly. "Oh, you made me a drawing, it's beautiful."
"He's nice, I've never liked kids but I like him," Cassius smiled came inside the closed café's kitchen where she was sketching Fred's wedding cake.
"Good to know Warrington," Maddie sat down Teddy on his high chair to prepare his lunch. "Listen, I have a wedding next week and I'm required to bring a plus one so that I won't look pathetic, so I was wondering if you wanted to come with me as friends."
"Yeah, I'll do it," Cassius grinned. "Whose wedding?"
"Angelina Johnson and Fred," Maddie sighed.
"Oh, so that's why you and Weasley broke up?" he asked.
"We were never together in the first place, you can't break what was never there," she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.
"I've seen the way you look at him," Cassius said softly, "you love him."
"But he doesn't love me anymore so there is nothing I can do about that," she shook her head. "One shouldn't cry over spilled milk, that's what my dad used to say."
"And why don't you just tell him? It looks like he doesn't know how you really feel about him."
"Because I don't see the point anymore, I guess it's just not worth it since he is going through with the wedding. And now I'm here, looking like an idiot who got her heart broken because she got herself into a messy friends with benefits situation six years go."
"I don't think you're an idiot."
"I am, because I'm exhausted of loving him but I can't love someone else. No one could ever compare to the way he made me feel, no touch could compare to his, so yeah. I'm the stupid girl who fell in love," a tear rolled down her cheek. "I shouldn't be telling you this."
"I didn't know that your feelings for him were that deep, it's nothing to be ashamed about 'cause it makes you human."
"I just want him back, there is nothing I wouldn't give up if that meant that I could have him one more time."
"I think you should tell him, the worst thing that could happen is him saying that he'll still marry the bitch and if that does happen, you get some closure, move on and find someone new."
"Why do I get the feeling you're speaking from personal experience?"
"Violet, she had my heart in the palm of her hand and just crushed me to pieces. When I refused to joing the death eaters during the war she just went off with Graham so I had to move on."
"Well, I guess moving on is simpler when the person who crushed your heart is locked up instead of someone you have to see and speak to everyday."
"You do have a point there, but you still have one week to tell him so use your time wisely," he gave her a tight hug. "You deserve to be happy Mads, and if that means stealing what was already yours, then go ahead and do it. You'll end up regretting it if you don't tell him."
AN: let's be honest, mads would sing her lungs out to SOUR and every Taylor album in karaoke and there is no denying it. this is just a filler but i wanted to add what the other weasleys truly think about fred and angelina and warrington lighting up mads' way. tpwk <3