Fred
I pulled her warm hand through the chilly tunnel, hearing her laugh echo behind me as she tried not to trip on the loose boards which were staggered through the dirt now. We would have to be quick now, in the chaos of the Hogsmeade trip ending, the shop keepers would hardly notice us slip through the back door.
I pulled myself up to the dim storeroom, definitely noticing the lack of Quidditch these days. I was aching for a work out, I had even considered, very briefly, a jog. Standing up, I leaned down to pull the blonde up behind me, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she broke the rules, something I prided myself in being able to pull out of her.
"A prefect, breaking into the cellar of Honeydukes when she ought to be rallying the troops back to the castle-" I could no longer contain my laugh at her attempted glare.
We stepped lightly up the stairs, listening for any indication that the crowds had dispersed from. the busy shop before finally inching out from the cracked doorway and fleeing to the street.
"My little rebel." I teased, noticing the way she kept glancing behind us nervously.
"Only for you. Consider it your Valentines Day gift."
"I thought our time in your dormitory was a perfectly good gift-" I winked, ducking inside the Three Broomsticks before she could get a smack in.
The pub was crowded for Valentine's day, but no longer with students. The last two seventh year Ravenclaws tossing some coins on the bar and hurrying off to check in at the school before they lost points. The tables were all packed now with whiskey drinking wizards and witches laughing light heartedly at their poor attempts at jokes. I lead Cass over towards an empty booth near the back, just in case there was a spare Professor lagging behind.
"Hi you two, Happy Valentines Day." A young looking witch appeared beside us, sparkling pink hearts swirling around her head like a halo. I was thankful, for once, that Madam Rosmerta was behind the bar and not waiting on us. Even if I knew she would never turn me in, I knew Cassidy would have been stressed the whole night about getting caught. "Start you with something to drink?"
"Two butter beers and two shots of fire whiskey, please." I didn't look at Cass, hoping the young witch wouldn't question her age if I played it cool.
"Sure thing." She hurried off to the bar, bottles flying into her hand the second she neared them.
"You're going all out on rule breaking tonight, huh?" Cassidy whispered, as if anyone could hear her over the chatter in the pub.
"Me? I'm of age. I'm breaking no rules." I grinned at her silence as the waitress returned, setting our drinks before us.
"Ready to order, or just drinking tonight?" She asked.
"Ready, darling?" I asked, my voice dripping in sarcasm as I watched Cassy's cheeks flush pink.
"After you, dear." She scanned her menu quickly, although I suspected it had more to do with avoiding the waitresses eye at this point.
Once we ordered, the menus flying from our hands and settling back into their place behind the bar, I glanced at the beautiful girl in front of me.
"What?" She frowned, suspiciously.
"Just love you." I shrugged.
"Hmm..." Her eyebrows arched slightly as she watched me, leaning in for a sip of her drink through the long pink straw. "I love you t- Fred!"
Her face lit up for a moment as the picture snapped before I yanked the camera out of her reach.
"I regret ever buying you that!" She sank back into her seat, defeated, watching the picture print, shapes and colors slowly coming into focus. "You have to give me a heads up first!"
"The camera didn't come with rules." I shook my head, watching her features come into focus on the page before me. "Besides, if you don't want me to take your picture then don't look so bloody gorgeous all the time."
"You two want one of the both of you?" Our server asked, reaching for the camera before I had even begun a nod.
"That's it, Ron, that's it, grab it- ugh." George sank down onto the bench next to Cassidy, the entire row seeming to shake beneath his weight. We had been watching the Gryffindor team, if you could call them that, practice for nearly two hours. Ron had not made a single save.
"There's a muggle saying, you only fail when you quit trying-"
"Shut up Hermione." Harry muttered, letting his head fall against his hands on his lap. "We're doomed."
George snatched another chocolate from the heart shaped tin between Cass and I and tossed it in his mouth, his eyes never leaving the pitch.
"It's funny... I could have sworn my girlfriend got me these chocolates the other night, but I've hardly had any, and they're almost all gone-"
"That is funny." George mumbled, his mouth full.
"My prefect girlfriend who stole these for me from a closed and locked Honeydukes." I went on, grinning at the girl as she rolled her eyes.
"You did not." Harry looked up now, laughter painting his face.
"Sure she did. Didn't you, Cass?" I held back my own laugh as she shrugged. "When will you admit it? You know I saw you leave the money on the counter!"
"I don't know what you mean." She looked at me through wide eyes, as if I had accused her of murder rather than paying for chocolates.
"Jokes on you really. You might think no harm came from your theft, but you fail to realize what true business owners will notice right away." I popped another chocolate in my mouth, sugary jam oozing from the center as I watched her blink, confused.
"Their inventory's going to be all wrong." George smirked, eyes still on Ron as he made another attempt to dive for the Quaffle, missing just as badly as the first 70 times.
"I can't watch any more of this bloody train-wreck." I groaned, slapping a hand over my eyes before it was yanked away, my girlfriend standing before me with a sly smile on her face, pulling me from the bench.
"Let's go then." She whispered softly, her words barely carrying to my ears before I let her lead us down the steps to the frosted grass below, Harry and Hermione still watching the practice with matching grimaces and George pulling the chocolates onto his lap.
"Where are we going then, captain?" I joked, easily keeping up with what I assumed to be her fast pace.
She stopped as we reached the stone walls, pulling me behind a pillar, her fingers tracing easily along my neck until they latched together, pulling my lips to hers roughly.
"I don't like when you're upset." She whispered between kisses, her finger tips tracing along my hair, sending shivers down my spine that had nothing to do with the chilly March wind.
"What am I upset about?" I sighed against her, nipping at her bottom lip gently, liking the way her breath always caught in her throat when I did it.
"Quidditch." She replied softly, as if worried it would ruin my mood.
"Already forgotten." I mumbled back, my fingers looping their way into the curls at the back of her head as I pressed her into the wall, needing to feel every inch of her against my body, wishing I had toughed out the cold and skipped a coat.
"Mmm." She giggled in between breaths as I ran my fingers along her neck, letting them tickle against her jaw before skirting down her body and landing below her waist, my lips taking their place on her jaw to let her attempt to finish her thought. "We should... be careful."
"Of'wut." My lips paused briefly to mutter out a response before latching back to her skin, moving down her neck slowly, careful not to leave marks yet.
"Last time..." She breathed, trailing off as I pulled her skin between my lips, knowing exactly where her uniform would be able to cover tomorrow. "Got in trouble."
"I'll take another detention." I teased, glancing to her face quickly and regretting it at once as my clothes suddenly felt much too restricting. Her cheeks were flushed, her mouth parted slightly and her eyes barely open, deep blue peeking out from under her eyelashes as she watched me.
"I don't want you in detention." She laughed, obviously regaining some level of clarity from my moment of hesitation. "We can go inside-"
I shook my head, pressing harder against her until I was worried her bones might crush against the stone, pushing my knee between her legs as if to keep her here with me. "Too far."
"My dorm is right downstairs." She let out an airy laugh that sounded like half a gasp as my lips found their way back to her neck.
"Don't know if I trust myself alone with you." I brought my eyes to hers and shot her a grin, trailing a hand along her cheek and tucking a loose curl behind her ear.
"I know, it sucks." George said softly with a grimace as he sat down next to the small boy. We had heard his muffled cries from an entire corridor away, yet he was doing his best to control them now, and neither of us were planning to point it out.
"She's evil." I grumbled, hating Umbridge more and more with each passing day.
"What's your name?" George asked, offering the boy a smile now.
"N-Nigel." He stuttered, his face turning pink.
"Was it your first detention with her?" I asked, sitting on his other side. He nodded. "It shouldn't scar then. It won't hurt for more than a few days. We speak from experience." The two of us held our hands out to show the boy the faded red scars of overlapping sentences.
"Besides, I can tell you're really brave." George shrugged. "She should know by now, you can't mess with a Gryffindor."
Nigel's eyes looked hopeful now, not happy, but less teary.
"If you go to Madam Pomfrey she can give you Murtlap Essence. It helps right away." I explained to the second year who got to his feet immediately.
"Thanks. Both of you." He mumbled, gripping his injured hand tightly as he hurried towards the staircase.
"You know, George... I've always felt our future lay outside the world of academic achievement." I smirked through clenched teeth. My jaw always hurt after any encounter with Umbridge, even the aftermath of her cruelty.
"Fred, I've been thinking exactly the same thing."
I chuckled, turning away from the stairs now that the young Gryffindor had made it safely away when I saw her. Her eyebrows turned down, her face hidden in the shadows, but it was unmistakably Cassidy.
"Cass?" I grinned as she stepped closer, an odd smile on her face. "How long have you been standing there?"
"What do you mean?" She asked, sliding between the two of us as we started to the common room. "I just got done with patrol, figured I would come find you two before another prefect did."
She was joking, but her voice didn't sound right. Like she was going through the motions.
"What's wrong?" I asked, softly, knowing George would be able to hear everything anyways.
"Nothing. I'm actually pretty tired, I'm going to get to bed."
"Cassy," I frowned, spinning to follow her as she started down the stairs.
"I'll see you tomorrow." She shot me a thin smile. "I love you."
I love you... maybe she was fine. Maybe she was just tired.
"I love you more." I whispered, pulling her gently until her body hit mine in the dark hallway, kissing her twice before letting her go.
Cassidy
Fred tossed another rock and we watched as it skipped six times over the water, ripples spreading around on each tap of the surface. I grinned at him every time he turned to look at me excitedly, my cheeks tired from forcing myself to seem carefree when every inch of me wanted to be scanning the grounds for my roommates.
"Your turn?" He held out a carefully selected stone for me, but I only had to hesitate for a second.
"Cassidy!" The familiar voice rang across the field.
"Forget us or something?"
I looked up, thankful Fred's eyes were on my friends and not me for once so I wouldn't have to fake surprise.
"What do you mean?" I asked, already standing up.
"We had a date young lady. Loads to study, loads." Maddie sighed dramatically and I held back a laugh.
"You lot need some time off!" Fred argued, tossing the rock still in his hand, only earning himself three skips before it sank to the bottom of the lake.
"You would do well to start studying yourself, Mr. Weasley." Bri shot him a stern look. "NEWT's coming up, yeah?"
"Yeah, and I'm quaking on my broom." He replied with an eye roll, his arm nudging mine, begging me not to leave.
"Your time's up, Weasley." Hannah stated matter of factly, pulling me from the tall boy. "Come on, Cass."
"I'll find you later." I did feel bad, the usual brightness was no where to be found in Fred's eyes now as he offered me a smile and a small wave goodbye. "You're late." I hissed when we were finally out of earshot, the three of them hurrying to keep up with my race inside.
"We're right on time!" Bri countered, checking her watch to make sure.
"Well maybe, but I decided while I was stranded out there that we needed more time!"
"Oh, right, how did we not read your mind from across the grounds!" Maddie giggled, slapping a folded parchment into my hands as we started up the staircase.
"Harry and Ron said they could-" I started.
"They'll keep them at the Quidditch pitch until dinner. We have plenty of time, stop worrying! It's supposed to be fun!"
"It'll be fun when it's all ready." I agreed, glancing around the hallways before tapping the stone in front of me.
"Dissendium."
The statue slid over and the four of us dropped through the narrow space and landed on the hard dirt below.
"It's freezing down here." Hannah murmured in the dark as we lit our wands and began our walk towards the village.
"Here, have my sweater. I won't need it." Maddie smirked, tossing the blonde girl her jumper.
After what felt like an eternity, we reached the end of the tunnel, the four of us looking up nervously.
"Oh, come on, if Fred and George can get in there un-noticed, we can." Bri said, standing on her toes to slide the wooden plank over, the rest of us holding our breath to listen for movement from above before hoisting each other up one by one.
"Okay, this is the hard part." I said, quietly as we hurried up the sturdy stairs, pausing at the doorway. I turned the knob slowly and pushed against it inch by inch, peering into the crowded shop. "It's busy." I added, waving to them as we rushed out into the bright store, facing piles and piles of colorful candy.
"Maybe you guys should go and we'll wait here... you know... keep watch." Bri suggested.
"Only Maddie needs to go anyways." Hannah mumbled, digging into a barrel filled with chocolate frog packages.
"Oh, no. I'm not going alone!" Maddie squealed, earning us a few odd looks from the shoppers around us. "Cass is coming with me, she's the one with the money and the plan."
"Yes, yes, I'm coming!" I nodded, nudging her towards the exit. "We'll be back in a minute." I hoped I seemed cool and collected, and not as if I was about to pass out in the street.
"Wait!" Hannah stepped towards the two of us, pulling my jacket off my arms and throwing it over her shoulder. "That should work."
"Hannah, honestly." I rolled my eyes as we left the store, and while it had been cold in the tunnel, the outside air wasn't terrible. It was the last day of March. "What if it doesn't work?" I muttered, half to myself and half to Maddie as we neared the pub.
"It will work." She paused, looking at me. "Well... now it will work." She yanked my shirt down a bit before I slapped her hand away.
"Watch her be here anyways." I grumbled, fixing my shirt a bit as we walked in.
"She never is. It's always him." Maddie said under her breath as we paused at the door, watching the lanky man behind the bar hand off a bottle to one of the many customers inside the dim pub.
We finally reached the bar and I moved to pull a chair out before Maddie shot me a look, shaking her head slightly.
"'Ello." The man said, stepping over to us at once. "How can I help you ladies?"
"Hi," Maddie chirped, leaning against the bar in a glaringly obvious attempt to push certain areas of her body towards the man who thankfully didn't seem to mind. "We're in a little pickle."
His eyes scanned over her twice and then looked towards me, eyebrows raised. "Well I'd love to help."
"Our best friend is getting engaged tonight, and we only just found out and we're in a terrible time crunch, we were hoping to throw her a little party, you see." Maddie rambled and I held a smile on my face, knowing she was speaking too fast, yet the man didn't seem to mind.
"Mhm, you need some refreshments?" He smirked.
"Exactly!" Maddie was now twirling a piece of hair in her fingers, her eyes locked with the tall man's.
"Married you say?" He glanced at me again. "How old are ya, anyways? Don't look marrying age."
"Oh, you're too sweet." Maddie waved her hand as if she got that every day. "We're nearly twenty four now!"
"Twenty four. Don't look a day over seventeen." He chuckled, "And what does this friend like to drink?"
"Fire-whiskey." I answered at once, the man looking amused.
Twenty minutes later, Maddie and I were hurrying back towards Honeydukes, two giant boxes filled with Fire-whiskey, Bungbarrel Spiced Mead, Red currant rum and butterbeer in our arms.
"Oh, men." Maddie sighed, as if it was quite an inconvenience to be so beautiful that men bent over backwards for her everywhere she went.
"Ready guys? We're running out of time to decorate!" I nodded them towards the door and they hurried over, pausing to wait until the shopkeepers back was turned before sneaking back to the tunnel.
"How far along this tunnel is considered Hogwarts?" Maddie asked, "I've got to levitate this box already, it weighs more than an Erumpent."
Finally, the end of the tunnel was in sight once again, and I was regretting asking Harry to borrow the marauder's map, although he didn't know that I knew about that... I tapped my box and then Maddie's, muttering a quick Disillusionment Charm on both while Bri opened the statue, peeking out into the corridor before waving us up after her.
"The fact that this is working is blowing my mind." Hannah laughed, the stone of the statue grinding to a close behind us.
"You and me both." I replied, nervously. The four of us walked as slow as we could manage, two boxes filled with liquor trailing along the floor between us, blending in quite well with the stone walls if I do say so myself.
I raised my wand beneath the sleeve of my jacket to lift the boxes higher as we started up the steps. I could vaguely make out the slightly cloudy change in the air before my feet which was not helping me at all in my effort not to trip on the stairs.
Once we stepped over the last step and turned to face the portrait door, I took a deep breath, stepping towards the painting and offering her an innocent smile. Her dislike for me had grown even stronger with every late night visit to the tower.
"Fiend-fyre." I held my wand at my side, my knuckles white as I waited for the welcome warmth of the Gryffindor common room.
"All four of you?" She scoffed, swinging open nonetheless. "This is getting ridiculous."
We scampered in, although Hannah looked like she wished to argue a bit more with the woman. I finally took the charm off the boxes and flicked my wand over towards the coffee table, the bottles clinking amongst themselves as they landed with a slight thud and I winced.
"It's fine! You did it, now please," Maddie grabbed my shoulders, shaking me back and forth. "Lighten up. You're stressing me out, and I'm never stressed."
"What about last week when your hair wouldn't hold a curl?" Bri asked, starting towards the staircase leading to the girls dorms.
"Or when you thought Seamus was asking you out for Valentines Day and spent the whole day avoiding-"
"Wow! I've gone deaf! This is insane!" She looked around wildly, following Bri up to Hermione's dormitory where she had stored all of our party decorations for us. We got a few funny looks from the Gryffindors we passed, but luckily most of the students were outside enjoying the first somewhat nice day of the year.
I glanced over my shoulder for the hundredth time to make sure the twins were still eating, earning a warning glare from Hermione.
"I can't wait anymore, we have to go." I went to stand up before Bri shoved me back onto the bench.
"As if any of the Gryffindor's will leave before dessert, Cassidy. Sit." She said with an amused eye roll.
I glanced at my watch a few more times, taking small sips of pumpkin juice to pass the time before, at last, it was time. I jumped from my seat, the girls finishing the last of their dessert before going to wait in the hallway. As I neared the Gryffindor table, I heard Hermione, Ron and Harry excusing themselves on the entirely believably pretense of more studying as I reached the twins and slid into the now empty seats beside them.
"Merlin, this year's got to be the most well prepared fifth years..." Fred mocked, helping himself to another slice of the lemon cake at the center of the table.
"Yeah, they'd better be careful, the Ministry is going to think Umbridge is a bloody good teacher." George scowled.
"How was studying, love? Miss me?" Fred shot me a grin and pushed his half-eaten slice of cake towards me with raised eyebrows.
"Oh, good." I nodded, meeting his eyes very briefly. "You know, me and transfiguration are never going to go to well together."
"You're fine. You won't fail, McGonagall will let you into NEWT level, you little nerd." He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to his side, planting a kiss on my forehead.
After another ten minutes which felt as if it had stretched to an hour, the twins and Lee stood from the noticeably empty table and glanced around the Great Hall.
"Blimey, Gryffindor's getting lame." George commented as we started out towards the hallway. "Where is everyone?"
"Gryffindor's always been lame, took you all long enough to realize it." I shrugged, stepping back a few paces as three jaws dropped at once, spinning to look at me.
"And to think we let you in our tower." Lee set a hand on his heart as if he was physically pained.
"Into our dorm room!" George raised his voice, a few students glancing at the twins with the usual eye roll at their theatrics.
The four of us started up the stairs, me hurrying to keep up with the tall Gryffindors who obviously didn't feel like slowing down for me after the last comment, until at last we arrived at the portrait hole.
"Back again, I see." She grumbled, eyeing her fingernails lazily.
"Er, yeah, that's kind of how it works." Fred shot the rest of us an amused glance, obviously thinking the Fat Lady was losing her wit.
"Fiend-Fyre." George chuckled out, nodding to the portrait as she swung open, Lee and I pausing to let the boys in first.
"Surprise!" The volume of the words nearly caught me off guard, and I had been expecting it.
"Merlin's Pants!" George hopped at least an inch in the air, a smile on his face by the time he had landed.
"Wha-" Fred glanced at the packed common room before spinning to Lee and I. "You." He jabbed a finger into my chest with a laugh.
"Happy Birthday." I smiled at the two of them, George already starting towards a few of their housemates who were offering him high-fives and handshakes and some of them even shoving small packages into his hands which I was sure I didn't want to know the contents of. Lee went to catch up to George as Fred pulled me towards the rest of the quidditch team where Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville were also gathered.
"How'd it go?" I asked the boys as Fred launched into a discussion with Alicia and Katie.
"As expected." Harry huffed with a lopsided smile.
"It's not easy to keep two idiots with practically nothing on their schedules out of their own common room all day." Ron joked.
"Well, thank you both. I owe you one. And Hermione." I smiled at the girl who was glancing around the common room, looking rather nervous.
"We won't go past midnight. I promise, Mione." I looked at Harry and Ron who nodded along with me.
"Oh, it'll be fine. Gryffindor's are used to it, with them." She shrugged, collapsing into an empty spot on the couch.
"Can I get you a drink?" I asked her, hopeful that if she was having a good time she wouldn't want to bring out her homework.
"Er... Well, maybe just one." She shrugged as Harry, Ron and I started towards the giant assortment of drinks I had set up over an hour ago.
"And where did all of this come from?" Fred asked, appearing at my side, his fingers tracing the fabric of my sweater along my arm quickly.
"I have my sources." I replied, a smirk tugging at my lips.
"You? Have your sources?" He laughed, reaching for three cups, filling them with various bottles and handing one to Harry and two to Ron. "Bring that to Hermione." He shot his younger brother a cheeky smile and Ron scrunched his face up, but turned back to the couch.
"So this is where you disappeared to earlier?" Fred handed me my drink now, which I sniffed a few times before trying it. "You chose setting up a party over skipping rocks?"
Despite going on it's third hour, the party had not slowed down a bit. After Lee had jumped onto the only available table and serenaded the twins to Happy Bloody Birthday by Celestina Warbeck, Hermione had decided that a silencing charm was required and raced to the portrait hole, securing our party from McGonagall's ears, or worse, Umbridge.
I had stopped myself after two of Fred's, admittedly delicious, drinks while the twins were most definitely on their sixth at least. All I was thinking about was waking up for classes in the morning with a hangover.
Bri, Maddie and Hannah had left just before curfew, all looking disappointed as the party was still in full swing. It was now nearing midnight, and I had accepted long ago that I would be staying the night with Fred. I couldn't leave them when they both looked so happy, jumping around the room, singing along to music with everyone, showing off their new prototypes anytime anyone mentioned their business.
The couch sagged next to me as both twins collapsed, their hair sticking slightly to their forehead with sweat.
"I'm gonna have you plan all of our parties, Cass." George grinned, staring up at the sky.
"Do you want your presents now?" I asked, George sitting up eagerly.
"This wasn't our present?" Fred's smile faltered.
"Course not." I jumped from my spot and waved for them to follow me towards the staircase, two glittering presents laying on top of the table where I had left them, purposely out of eyesight from everyone else.
"Cassidy..." Fred trailed off as I pushed the packages into each of their arms. Fred glanced between his gift and my eyes a few times before tearing into the paper like George had, pulling the tops of the boxes off, eyes widening.
"Are these-"
"You didn't."
"She did!" George laughed, throwing the cloak over himself, disappearing from view immediately, a thin discrepancy where I had just seen his head vanish.
"Cassy, this is too much." Fred dropped the cloak over his left arm, eyes still wide as he too vanished from sight.
"No it's not. You guys need all the help you can get if you're going to keep pranking the rest of the year!"
George re-appeared at once, frowning and looking at Fred.
"You didn't-" He started, Fred shoving him hard in the stomach, sending him scurrying back to the crowds of Gryffindors to show off his new gift.
"Didn't what?" I asked, looking to Fred, nerves settling in my chest.
"Never mind that." He shook his head quickly, as if it was unimportant. "Cassidy, I don't like when you spend this much money on us."
"Fred, why." I offered him a small smile. "I like getting you stuff, I like seeing you smile."
"You make me smile." He spoke softly against my ear and I giggled under my breath, catching the time on his wrist.
"It's midnight." I whispered, our faces still inches apart. "Happy Birthday."
I had hardly finished my last word when I felt his hands at my hips, pulling me roughly upwards, sliding beneath my legs to wrap them around his waist, smashing our lips together. I could feel his smile in the kiss and a warmth spread into my stomach before the room erupted in cheers, my head spinning to the fireplace. But it wasn't us people were staring at.
"It's about damn time!" Lee screeched, hands cupping his mouth as if anyone could miss the seventh year's voice. George didn't break from his grip on Angelina, their lips still working together as he reached his middle finger towards the sound of Lee's voice to an roar of laughter.
"Go Georgie!" I grinned up to Fred who was laughing watching his twin, obviously surprised. "You didn't know?"
"I guess... I don't think about George's love life much, he meddles enough for the both of us." He pressed another kiss to my lips before dropping me back to the floor with a grin.