(mild sexual content warning... maybe?)
"Mass breakout from Azkaban, Ministry fears Black is rallying point for old Death Eaters." Hannah read through a mouthful of eggs.
The four of us grew silent as she skimmed the rest of the article, reading a few more important sentences out loud before I finally set my fork down, knowing I wasn't going to be eating anymore. Finally, she set the paper down on the table and all of us leaned in, scanning over the ten black and white photos of the mad looking dark wizards.
"That's it?" Bri asked, sounding indignant. "What's Fudge doing about it?"
"'We find ourselves in the same position as two years ago,' Yeah, and you didn't catch Black either!" Maddie echoed Bri's sentiment and I took a sip of my tea as an excuse not to have to speak.
I wanted to go back to bed. Back to an hour ago, even ten minutes ago, before I had known what all of the whispers had been about. They had dementors at every exit when one, suspected, murderer was loose. How many would they send with ten running around?
"You okay, Cass?" Maddie asked, the other girls looking to me at her words. "You look pale."
I nodded and waved a hand, watching my tea cup refill itself and adding in some sugar absentmindedly. Of course Hannah had nothing to worry about with her perfect blood-line, Bri and Maddie were probably fine too being half-bloods. Everyone knows the kind of people the Death Eaters wanted gone.
"Hi, love." Fred's body dropped onto the bench next to me, his lips pressing to my cheek quickly as he pulled me close. I scanned over his features now, noticing the slight lines creasing his forehead and the lack of smile.
"Hermione got the Daily Prophet too?" I asked, earning a shrug and a nod.
Along the staff table, everyone was either huddling in small groups sharing whispers or peering over their own copies of the Prophet. I held back a sigh. If Dumbledore looked worried, you knew it was bad.
"Cass, those aren't the earrings you were wearing before?" Bri changed the subject at last, everyone's eyes snapping towards my ears.
"Oh," I smiled to myself, watching Fred take a sip of my tea to stifle his own chuckle. "They change colors."
"They match your necklace now." Maddie's nose crinkled when she smiled, reaching over to push the hair out of my face for a better view of the jewelry. "Oh, never mind." She pulled back, her eyes latched onto my ears. "Changed again."
"To what?" Fred leaned forward, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh. Diamond. Classic."
"Alright, let's get to class." I slung my book bag over my shoulder, letting my hair fall back over my ears purposefully as Fred stood with us.
"Walking us to class, Weasley?" Maddie asked as we stepped out of the Great Hall.
"Thought I might." He nodded, the same smile from our seats still lingered on his face, yet his eyes looked miles away.
"So chivalrous." Bri teased from behind us with Hannah.
We reached the transfiguration classroom pretty quickly, Fred slowing down a bit as we drew near the door and the girls taking his hint and heading inside, Maddie shooting us a wink before sliding into her seat.
"It's gonna be okay." I blurted before Fred could speak.
"What is?"
"You. Me. Your family. Everyone's gonna be okay."
"Who said I was worried about that?" His smile was back again as he looped our fingers together against my thigh.
"Your face since breakfast." I squeezed his hand. "I don't need earrings to know what's on your mind."
"Alright, cheeky."
"Learned from the best." I replied softly, leaning closer to him, my head against his chest for only a moment before I felt his chin resting on my hair.
"You don't want to be late." He murmured.
"Want to skip." I answered easily.
I heard the chuckle from inside his chest. "You're already here."
"It's not too late."
"It's OWLs."
"Don't care."
He pulled away, one hand on either of my shoulders and gave me a serious smile.
"You know I'm not going to let anyone hurt you?" He gave me a little shake for emphasis. "So there's no reason to be anxious."
I nodded, glancing behind me to make sure class wasn't starting.
"So as much as I'd love to drag you up to my dorm," He murmured, his voice practically a whisper. "Throw you on the bed and take your mind off everything," His lips brushed against my ear and I felt as if I hadn't taken a clean breath of air in hours. "You have class." He pushed me through the open doorway with an evil grin and a wink before disappearing down the hallway and leaving me to my thoughts in the suddenly scorching classroom.
I hurried down the hallways, glancing in emptying classrooms that I knew he wouldn't be in. It shouldn't be this hard to spot a Weasley in a sea of black robes. I had sat through two horribly boring lectures, lunch and double potions without laying eyes on the smug weasel and I didn't think I could go another second. I let myself think for a second about the girl from three years ago who only lived at school for grades and tests, maybe the occasional slice of pumpkin bread. That girl would never have dreamed that one day she would be daydreaming her way through OWL lectures, unable to shake the attractive red-head from her mind.
"Weasley!" I shouted, finally spotting him with Lee and George at the end of the corridor, laughter spread throughout the three of their smiles.
"Oho," Lee muttered, locking eyes with me. "What the hell did you do?"
"What do you mean what did I do?" Fred feigned surprise. "She looks thrilled to see me."
"You're on your own, mate." George scrambled to his feet.
"Hello, beautiful-" Fred cooed with a grin.
"Shut up." I cut in, dropping my bag to the floor and lunging for him, his hands reaching out at the last second, gripping onto my waist and pulling me into him easily as I caught his lips in mine. I felt his hands slink around my hips to finally land on my outer thighs, pulling me in closer until I was straddling him on the bench in the thankfully empty corridor.
"You miss me or something, Cassy?" He pulled back from the kiss at last wearing his signature smirk.
"A bit." I replied, sarcastically, excitement rushing through my veins as I subtly adjusted myself on his lap and heard him swallow back a groan.
"Yeah?" He asked, still smiling, yet his jaw was clenched now. He pulled both hands from my thighs, letting them drag along my legs slowly as he brought them towards my lap. I could practically hear my heartbeat in my throat as I sat still, not daring to look at his hands as they drew closer. "How much?"
"I- uh..." I stuttered. His lips attached themselves to my jaw, pressing a few kisses along towards my ear and back down to my chin before slipping down my neck, his fingers slipping below the hem of my skirt, nails dragging along my tights slowly.
"Hmm?" He asked, one eyebrow curving upwards. "Something wrong?"
I shook my head, no longer trusting my speech as his fingers drew closer and closer to where our bodies were already touching.
"You want something, angel?" He breathed out before connecting our lips again, his teeth running gently along my mouth, his fingers stalling for only a second before...
"Hmm-hmm."
Fred's hands stopped a second after I had already jumped from his lap, standing up straight and flattening out my skirt as he stood beside me, not sparing me a single glance, his eyes narrowed at the small woman before us.
"Well, well." Umbridge's high pitched voice rang through the echoey hallway. "Thank goodness I decided to head this way as I obviously interrupted something."
Fred took a step towards her as if to block me from view, which caused her to raise both eyebrows, her face amused.
"Now now, Mr. Weasley. I don't think Miss Olsen seemed to care about being in the spotlight a few moments ago."
"Don't-" He growled out before she held one finger towards him.
"You are both aware of Educational Decree number twenty-six, I'm sure? It was posted in all of the common rooms yesterday morning."
I watched Fred's eyebrows knit together and could practically feel the annoyance rolling off of him in waves.
"Hadn't had the chance to skim that one yet, I'm afraid." His voice dripping in sarcasm.
"Hmm. Pity. If you had, you would have known that boys and girls are not to be within eight inches of each other."
"Oh, please-" Fred scoffed, shooting her a mad look. "That's ridiculous."
"No, Mr. Weasley. What's ridiculous is the two of you putting on a show for the entire school-"
"We weren't putting on a show-" Fred's voice was growing louder with every word.
"I quite disagree." She shrugged as if that was all that mattered. "Detention, for the both of you, tonight-"
"No." Fred cut her off again and I felt my stomach drop. "That was all me, Professor. She doesn't deserve detention."
"Fred!" I hissed, watching his jaw clench once again.
"I'm just not sure that will be enough, Mr. Weasley. From what I saw, Miss Olsen seemed as big a part of-"
"Two nights detention, just me." Fred countered.
"Fred." I spoke up now, yet neither of them looked at me.
Umbridge studied the two of us closely, an undeniable smirk lighting up her face. "Alright, Mr. Weasley, if you're quite insistent. I'll see you in my office straight after dinner. Miss Olsen, this is your second chance. There won't be a third." Her gaze flashed to me finally, yet her eyes were filled with triumph.
He emerged from the classroom, letting the door slam behind him, gripping the back of his hand in the other.
"I told you not to come again." He spoke out into the darkness.
I was at his side in an instant, reaching for his hand and grimacing at the cuts edged deep in his skin. "And I told you I was going to be here."
We walked in near silence through the empty halls, thankful at least that it was after curfew and there were no crowds to get past. We climbed the stairs to Gryffindor's common room, Fred muttering the password and the both of us falling onto a vacant couch next to George, Lee, Angelina and some more of the Gryffindor team.
"Does it hurt badly, Fred?" Alicia asked, craning her neck for a view before wincing and sitting back in her seat.
"No, s'fine." Fred lied as I pulled out the Murtlap Essence we had stored away last night after the first detention. He let me pull his hand into the small dish and I watched his face relax at once, breathing out a small sigh for only me to hear.
"What'd she make you write?" Lee asked, looking somber for the first time since I'd met him.
"I will follow the rules." Fred scoffed, before shooting the boys a grin. "Hope it doesn't scar. I'd hate to walk around with a blatant lie like that in my skin."
I shook my head with a small smile, pulling my feet up beneath me on the couch and hugging my knees to my chest.
"Stop." Fred breathed out as the others talked amongst themselves.
"Should have been me." I grumbled, the guilty feeling not having left my stomach in over twenty four hours.
"Not a chance." He shot me a stern look. "I'd do it all again, anyways."
"What did you two do anyway?" George asked with a smirk.
"Yeah, my bet was a fist fight but you don't seem all that beat up."
"Why would we be fighting?" I asked, looking between the group.
"You looked ready to murder him when we left." Lee shrugged, lounging back against the old couch.
"She wishes she could take me." Fred grinned, changing the subject to Quidditch practice without anyone's notice.
I woke up Saturday morning to three hard taps against the glass of our windows, squinting through the light and stumbling out of bed to let the large brown owl inside. It obviously hadn't gone far, as the small piece of parchment was clutched in it's beak instead of tied to it's leg. I rummaged through my nightstand until I found a small package of biscuits and traded one for the note. The owl hooted happily, munching on it's treat before dropping from the window and soaring back up to the owlery.
I unfolded the note quickly, knowing exactly who it was, especially on this day.
1 pm. Greenhouses. F
I smiled and tucked the note into the cover of the book on my nightstand before heading to the bathroom to get ready for the day, my roommates all still fast asleep, yet I knew Maddie would be up any minute now to prepare for the day.
Nearly two hours later it was only quarter past twelve, but I couldn't wait anymore. The girls and I had gone down for a late breakfast once all of us were actually awake and Maddie had secured plans with and turned down a total of three boys. She had then left right after lunch to head to Hogsmeade with the older boy, who Hannah had informed us was named Marcus. Bri and Hannah had stuck around a while longer before finally, and very reluctantly, heading off to Hogsmeade, having nothing better to do and both voicing their need for a Honeydukes visit.
I threw my purse over my shoulder and tucked a scarf around my neck a few times before heading to the Greenhouses, albeit nearly half an hour early. I didn't care. I was bored and I couldn't wait to see Fred.
My boots crunched under the light layer of snow still sticking to the ground as I made my way towards the forest, spotting the flash of red hair at once.
"You're early!" I called, Fred spinning to face me, his mouth pulling into a grin.
"You're early!" He straightened up, holding his hands behind his back. "Maybe I wasn't ready yet!"
I chuckled, my breath coming out in a fog of warmth in the cold air as I finally reached him. "You wanted me to wait much too long. I missed you."
"Well now you know how I feel. All of the time." He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine, one hand pulling against my back until my hips met his. I blinked back into the bright lights when he ended the kiss, holding out a giant bundle of pale pink peonies. "Happy Valentines Day."
Fred had been making a huge deal about Valentines Day the entire week, starting with hints that he was going to have to come up with a truly amazing way to ask me if he wanted to beat all of the 'other guys' out to sending me daily owls carrying polaroid snippets of random items with cheesy sayings on the back, like 'I can picture us together.'
George finally had to help me put a stop to it on Thursday when, not even two bites into my bagel at breakfast, Fred's amplified voice boomed across the Great Hall asking for me to be his Valentine while pink confetti exploded from the candles flames above us. George thankfully yanked him off the table before I had to die of embarrassment, yet my face hadn't stopped burning bright red for hours afterwards.
"Where did you get those?" I asked, taking the flowers from his hand with a smile. Peonies always reminded me of Fred and my first summer at the Burrow.
"Asked mum to mail me some seeds from home, Sprout was all too happy to loan me a corner in the greenhouse." He shrugged, as if secret Herbology sessions were all the norm. "They remind me of you. The bushes back home, from the first time I kissed you."
I grinned, holding the flowers to the side so they wouldn't get squished in between the hug I forced on Fred, his lips pressing a kiss against my head.
"I love you." I sighed, the two of us starting back towards the castle to put the flowers in my dorm. "I didn't get you anything." I frowned.
"I don't want anything." He smiled, "Just you."
"What should we do with the rest of our day, then?" He asked once we had placed the flowers in a vase of water next to my bed.
"What do you want to do?" I asked, wanting Valentines Day to be just as much a day for him as it was for me.
"I'll do anything with you." He slipped his fingers into mine.
"Hogsmeade?" I suggested.
"Hmm... Boring."
"Forbidden Forest?"
"Forbidden." He let out a dramatic sigh, as if something being off limits had ever stopped the Weasley's before.
"Could prank Umbridge." I joked.
"Too risky. That's strictly a Weasley and Jordan endeavor."
"You're gate-keeping your pranks now?" I asked, giving him my best pout.
"Only when they end with you getting hurt."
"You take detentions for me." I argued.
He stepped forward, pushing my body back a bit until my legs hit the bed frame. "We could always take advantage of the empty dormitory..." He said softly, his face close to mine now. "It's not like you and I can't get into Hogsmeade later on our own."
"Oh, the rule breaking is back in full force now." I joked, loving the smile which appeared on his face as he leaned in again.
"Priorities." He shrugged before pressing another kiss to my lips, this one deeper than the one outside. He pushed me softly back until I could no longer hold myself upright, falling onto the neatly made bed behind me and yanking Fred down on top of me in my attempt to stay standing.
His lips found mine again, pressing against me over and over before sliding down my jaw and latching onto my neck.
"You're going to have to drop out." He mumbled between slow kisses.
"W-what?" I wasn't sure if I could understand anything with his lips on my skin.
"Next year." He went on, sliding my sweater off my shoulder and continued his kisses over my collarbones. "I can't. Be away from you."
I giggled, a combination of his words and the feeling of his kisses on my neck.
"I think you should just get held back." I suggested, earning myself a deep glare.