Fred's POV:
Ash and Oliver are together more and more these days. Leaving me alone with George. We go to the great hall for breakfast and sit at the Gryffindor table when Ash walk in, Oliver not far behind her.
"Woah. Who is she?" A brown haired kid asks.
"Ah that's Ash Blue. You're out of luck with her though. She's with the Gryffindor captain, that guy behind her. Not officially but everyone knows they're together," another guy answers.
"I though she was with Fred Weasley?"a raven haired boy asks.
"That's like an old wives tale now," the other guy says, "All you ever see now is Ash and Oliver. I mean... they kissed at the last match."
"Haven't they been in love since like year one? That doesn't just go away," the raven haired boy says.
"Well look at them," the other boy points towards where Ash was sitting with Wood at the Gryffindor table, "do you see Fred over there?"
"I was really hoping they would end up together. Who knew it took a quidditch captain to separate them. I wonder how he managed to do that. Up until a month ago everyone in school thought Fred and Ash were already or would eventually date," the raven haired boy gives in.
That made me upset. Not just the fact that our lives were being openly discussed over breakfast but because the guy who was arguing for mine and Ash's relationship lost.
"Well have you seen them. I admit Fred and her would be cute but I mean quidditch captain and quidditch legend look pretty good too. They are both otherworldly people," the other boy says.
"So what I'm hearing is I don't have a chance?"
"Well you can always ask her yourself, she wouldn't be uncomfortable, won't even remember. She get's asked out much too often to even notice anymore," The raven hair boy shrugs.
"Yeah she doesn't mind the people who ask just to make sure they don't have a chance. It's the people who believe they do that are the issue. Of course if Weasley thought he had a chance together they may actually be together. That's about the only exception though," the other boy says.
"Goodness. Ireland was not this confusing."
I pick at my food. Annoyed and frustrated at them and myself.
"Fred. Hello? Earth to Fred?" George waves a hand in front of my facce.
"What is it George?"
"Aw come on, what are you moping about?"
"Let's go sit by Ash."
"It's always Ash these days," George sighs with a sad smile plastered on his face.
We walk towards them. George takes the seat across causing ASh to look towards me. She scoots closer to Wood. That makes me feel more uneasy than I already did. But she pats to the seat next to her, signaling me to sit. So I do.
"We saw you when you we came in but you looked like you wanted to be left alone. Is something wrong?" Ash asks.
"Freddie here is moping about a gril who got away," George answers.
I glance at Olliver who looks visually more tense.
"Well you shouldn't have let her get away. I've never known you Weasley's to cower before a girl. You're both rather bold," Ash points out.
"This ones different."
"I've heard that before. You're quite unique yourself Fred. I'm sure she'll come around."
"She's about to be with someone else though," I look at her.
"Well we both know what I'll say. You need to act on it Fred. She's not with them yet and Hogwarts is a magical place, what if they get together and never leave each other?" Ash pats my back.
"I think they'll get together no matter the odds. That's what soulmates do after all," George grins.
"Sometimes you want to believe they're your soulmate but someone else can make them just as happy," Oliver wraps an arm around Ash.
"I think soulmates would find their way to each other. Romantic or platonic. But I have to get going. I'll be organizing books all day. The librarian stays after closing for me sometimes and I have to repay her," Ash goes to get up.
"I'll go with you," OLiver and I say at the same time.
George laughs at this, "well I for one am going to hit the hay."
"I'll be with Draco anyways so you don't have to," Ash laughs.
"We'll go," I say.
"I won't turn down the extra help," Ash smiles.
We make it to the library. She has us doing one section at a time. Organizing them by genre and author.
I try and get as close to Ash as possible. Wood beats me to it.
"So it's not a coincidence is it? You and Wood being here?" Draco smirks at me.
"No. It's not," I answer.
"As someone who's dated Ash AND was her best friend. It's worth it. I mean look at us. We're still here. She's brilliant and a million break ups wouldn't stifle my ability to go absolutely breathless whilst laughing at her jokes," Draco hands me a book and I put it on the correct section.
"Yeah well she's a bit busy with Wood."
"If that's what you think. But I'm rooting for you Weasley. I really am."
I watch as Ash gets onto a ladder and Oliver holds it steady. He watched her like he was in love with everything related to her. Not just her face or brains or even skill but everything at once. Maybe Oliver was right, maybe he's the one for her.
"How could I do anything when they look that happy together? He loves her."
"And so does half the school, and so do I, and so do you. I'm jealous of you and Oliver sometimes, but we all make her happy. It just so happens that no one but you has made her laugh so hard she cried and had to be taken to madame pomfrey just to catch her breath. Nor has anyone made her fall in love like you have. It's why I admitted defeat. It's why I let her go. It's why I'm on team Frash," Draco pats me on the back and walks off to organize more books.
"That's because Im Her best friend."
"Is that what she tells you?" Draco smirks, "trust me, friends don't look at each other like that. They just don't."
Ash trips off the ladder. Oliver catches her. And so I leave before I can see the sigh of relief from Ash or the smile they exchange as Ash pulls Oliver into a hug when he puts her down. I cant help but think about the quidditch practice Oliver planned and then cancelled all in the span of this morning. He chose her over quidditch.
"Fred? You've done a lot. Reckon we'll be done soon... I feel like I haven't talked to you for a while. What's happening in your life Freddie?" Ash asks.
I pull her into a hug. A real hug. It felt like a year since we last talked.
"You don't have to-"
"Hi, my name is Lei. Could I talk to Fred for a moment?" A girl says.
Ash releases me from our hug. No. I wanted to tell the girl that whatever she had to say was unimportant but Ash had already pushed me towards her with a smile on her face.
"I'll leave alone so you can chat," Ash winks and walks towards Draco.
When she's gone the girl speaks up, "we have Herbology together. I thought you were really cute and... I was wondering if you'd like to go to hogsmeade with me."
I was angry. A moment passes and she opens her mouth to speak again, "um Fred?"
"How do you know I'm Fred?" I ask.
"Well Ash called you Fred so-"
"Is that all?"
"Well do you want to go on that date with me?" She says confused.
I glance at Ash. The girl seems to wince as I do. She knew I liked Ash and that Ash would always come first. Yet she still asked me out. Ash was talking with Draco. Oliver walks over, they talk. Oliver leans in to kiss her, she doesn't stop it.
When I look back at the girl again she brightens up as if she has a chance now. She was pretty and confident. The confidences annoyed Fred. No one had ever asked him out in front of Ash before. It was always when she was off doing something. And now the first girl to ever flirt with him in her presence was also brimming with confidence. Yet he couldn't see anything wrong with her on the surface. Before he had met Ash the girl in front of him might have been his dream girl. He wanted to say yes, he wanted to laugh with someone who liked him romantically, but she just wasn't Ash. Still, he wanted to move on from a girl he's never dated and yet he hadn't moved on yet. It wouldn't be fair to her if he kept thinking about someone else when he was with her.
"Give me two days to think about it. Ok?" Fred answers quietly, giving her a weak smile at the end. The first one this whole conversation.
"You know what. I'll take it. See you around," she grins.
Ash's POV:
I was talking to Draco. Oliver was walking towards us though I hadn't yet noticed.
"You reckon we'll see each other for Christmas? Or are you gonna spend it with the weasels?" Draco asks.
"Not sure. I may just spend it at Hogwarts. I'd like to at least once before I graduate," I shrug.
"Well whatever you decide I'll go too," Oliver throws an arm around me.
"What is with you and these Gryffindors? They're liked flies," Draco rolls his eyes.
"Well if I'm a fly I suppose that makes you my honey," Oliver smiles at me.
"Not interested, sorry mate," Draco says.
"Don't worry no one here is interested," I laugh.
"You we're pretty interested last year," Draco smirks, "these lips have connected with those lips."
"Really?" Oliver smiles and leans down to kiss me, which I accept, "Funny, I couldn't tell."
Why'd I let him do that. It felt wrong. I wanted to like Oliver, I really did but something was wrong.
"I truly dislike you Wood," Draco rolls his eyes.
"What's up with Weasley?" Oliver points.
"I think he's being asked out," I smile. I wanted him to be happy. She was his type.
"I think that's his first girlfriend," Oliver says.
"He had one first year," I shrug.
"Yeah before he couldn't avoid his feelings for you know anymore," Draco says.
Oliver shifts uneasy. He removes his arm from my shoulders and rubs his neck like he's guilty of something.
"Ah, well he could've just been busy. I've never had a girlfriend before because of quidditch," Oliver laughs trying to convince someone of what he's saying. I'm not sure who but it wasn't convincing.
I'm missing something. I'm out of the loop. I was about to say something about it when Fred walks towards us. I glance at the girl. She's brimming ear to ear. He has a date. I smile for him but even that feels wrong even though I know it's the acceptable response.
"Alright Weasley what's the verdict?" Draco asks.
"I said I needed more time to decide," Fred answers.
Draco scoffs, "that's almost worse than saying yes."
"Come on Draco. Everyone deserves love," Ash sighs.
"Yeah."