"Aren't you lucky, so do I." Fred smirked.
"Great." Gwen replied.
"Don't sound so happy about it."
"No I am, I am. I just don't really want to make a habit of getting detentions."
"I didn't either, but here I am." Fred smiled.
They reached the door to the potions classroom. Fred pulled it open.
"After you." He extended his hand.
"You're late." Snape said as the door closed behind them.
"Sorry, you know Thatcher here is quite the bad influence." Fred winked.
Gwen jabbed her elbow into Fred's side, to which he doubled over exaggerating his pain.
"Weasley, I don't want any funny business out of you. Thatcher is here to help keep you in line, seeing as your last two detentions with me I was left missing a few very expensive ingredients. If it happens a third time I'll ensure you spend the rest of your sixth year in detention, understood?" Snape snarled.
"Understood, Professor." Fred sassed.
"Watch your tone with me. I expect all these shelves and textbooks to be organized. They should be put in order so the oldest is at the front, with newest supplies in the back. They should also be alphabetized and sorted by function. I trust Weasley must know this since he used a good amount of these to turn Mr.Malfoy and his friends into creatures. And do not touch the cabinet near my desk. I'll be back in two hours to check on your progress. Don't make me come back before then." Snape said before flipping the cloak over his shoulder and entering his office.
"Isn't he quite the buzz kill. Why couldn't we just sit and think about our actions?" Fred laughed. "Because I would love to keep thinking about the look on that chicken's face."
"I personally think the look on Pansy's face was the most rewarding." Gwen smirked. "So where should we start?"
"You're actually going to do it? You know he'll let us out in three hours regardless if we do it or not."
"Well maybe he'll let us out early if we finish it all."
"That desperate to get away from me?" Fred teased.
"No."
"So you want to spend this time with me?"
"I didn't say that either." Gwen smiled.
"Oh, I know you love me."
"In your dreams, Freddy."
"Yeah, especially there." Fred said suavely.
Gwen felt some redness enter her cheeks.
"Um, let's start with the textbooks."
Gwen opened the cabinet and began to tear the books from the shelves. These books ranged from mint condition, to barely distinguishable. Some of the textbooks were printed in ancient Wizard languages.
"How do you alphabetize something that doesn't use the alphabet?" Gwen exclaimed examining the book in her hand.
"I don't know why you even bother. Snape is just doing this to waste our time." Fred said leaning back against the nearby cabinet.
"And you know this because?"
"Gweny, darling, sweetheart, have you met me? Do you know how many times I've had detention with Snape in my six years? Do you know how many times George and I have had to organize this room? I know where every last potion, ingredient, book goes, and yet somehow every time I'm back they've moved."
"If you know where they all go can't you help me?"
"Because if I'm going to be in here reorganizing again in a few days, why bother now?"
"Because, unfortunately for you I don't want detention to become a habit of mine, so I would like to do it right. Now help me." Gwen tossed one of the books at Fred.
"So bossy." He quipped, catching the book as it hit his chest.
"Don't make me throw another book at you." Gwen teased.
"I don't believe you will."
"Oh, I will."
"Doubt it."
"I so will."
"Prove it."
Gwen picked up the book nearest her. She tossed between her hands. She stared down Fred. His face held a big dopey grin. His eyebrows raised suggestively. Gwen looked at the book in her hand, she reached as if to place it back down, when she threw it again towards Fred. He ducked out of the way.
"Missed me." Fred laughed.
"I was planning to."
"Sure you were."
"I was." Gwen felt her lips twitch trying to hold back a smile.
"Wow lying again."
"I am not." Gwen gasped.
"I thought you Hufflepuff's were supposed to be truthful or something." Fred rolled his eyes.
"Trustworthy, but we are truthful too."
"You must be the exception then, because you did that cute little scrunch thing that you only do you're lying."
Gwen slapped her hand over her nose. "I do not have a tell when I lie."
"Oh, you most definitely do, and I bet I could prove it." Fred began rummaging through a cabinet next to Snape's desk. "There has got to be some veritaserum around here."
"Some what? I don't think you should be digging through there."
"Doesn't matter. You don't have any secrets hiding from me do you?" Fred turned over his shoulder.
"I, I"
"Found it." Fred interrupted. He walked across to Gwen. He gestured to the table urging her to sit down. "Okay we'll only need to use a few drops of it."
"Are you sure it will even work?" Gwen took a seat across from him.
"Of course." Fred smiled, settling in his seat. He stretched out his arm across the table until it met Gwen's chin. "Open wide." He whispered, prying open her mouth with his thumb. He used the dropper and placed three drops of the liquid on her tongue. He closed her mouth. "Swallow."
Gwen gulped hard.
"Well?" Fred asked.
"I don't feel anything. This seems pretty stupid. I bet you just gave me water, and are expecting me to just spill all my secrets to you like an idiot. Another classic Weasley prank."
"To me it seems to be working, but we can start with a few simple questions." He pulled out his wand and extinguished all the candles in the room. "Lumos. Now, Gwen, If that even is your real name?" He said in a harsh tone.
"It's not my real name, and are you interrogating me, like some bad cop movie?"
"Maybe. I thought it would be more fun this way." He cleared his throat. "What is your name?"
"Gwendolyn Alexandria Thatcher."
"What is your house?"
"Hufflepuff."
"Who is the headmaster?"
"Albus Dumbledore. Before you ask me the next one, are you gonna actually ask me something I would need to be on this truth serum, or whatever to answer?"
"Patience, love. Did you plan to hit me with that book?"
"Yes."
"Wow, and I thought we had something."
"You're an easy target. Really tall, lots of space to hit."
"Okay, no need to be so honest, but while we are being honest, are you still with Malfoy?"
"I think so."
"You think so?" Fred questioned, the tone of his voice reflecting his disappointment.
"I didn't think we were. He hadn't talked to me for a month, and that whole thing at the dance. So I assumed we were done for. I was almost totally over him, well maybe, I don't know, he's the first guy I've ever really dated, been with, whatever we were, are. But, today, like an hour ago, he pulled me away and apologized, and at first I was like there's no way I can forgive you, but then I saw his face. He looked so sincere, and kinda sad, and handsome. Then I was thinking about how much I missed him, and when he said he missed me, I was like hmm maybe I should go back. Then I thought about what you and Hannah said, like how you think I'm too good for him. Which is nice, but you guys are my friends, and you are supposed to say things like that. He's the only guy who ever liked me, in that way, and, so um I think so." Gwen finished, finally taking a breath.
"He's not the only guy who ever liked you like that." Fred replied.
"Okay, Zacharias Smith did. That was second year, which doesn't really count. I think we kissed twice, and held hands, which doesn't count in my book. Then we stopped being friends after that, well we are friends, but not good friends."
"Sure." Fred said, standing up and relighting the candles. He walked back over to the cabinet, and silently went through it.
"How long does this stuff last?" said Gwen, breaking the silence.
"Only a few minutes longer." Fred put the bottle back. "But there is one more question I could ask if you want."
"Yeah, It's kinda fun. You won't tell anyone what I said, will you, because that would be very bad. I would lose Draco all over again, and I don't think I would be able to recover this time, knowing it was my fault."
"Gweny, your secrets are safe with me. Okay this one is like a smell test." Fred held a different vial in his hand, the label read Amortentia.
"Okay. What is it?"
"Well if I tell you what it is you'll know what it smells like, won't you?"
"Fine."
"All I want you to do is take a big whiff, and just say whatever comes to mind, got it?"
"Got it." Gwen took a deep breath in. "Um, I don't really smell anything."
"Nothing at all?"
"Let me smell again." She tried to place any scent. There was nothing in the vial she hadn't already smelled in the room.
"Anything this time?"
"I mean I can only smell gunpowder, something woodsy and like a sweet marshmallow scent, but I always smell that when I'm around you." She inhaled another time. "Maybe if there's anything else it's like a small hint of cinnamon or apple." Gwen confessed, sinking deeper into her seat looking defeated.
Fred pressed his lips together into a mischievous smirk.
"What, do you smell something different?"
"Nothing, must be a dud." Fred grinned.
"No, tell me." Gwen pouted.
"No you're right, must be something wrong with it because all I can smell is you." He placed the vial back.
The office door burst open. Snape had caught Fred in his personal storage.
"Mr. Weasley." Snape's voice boomed. Fred's head hit the top of the shelf as he jumped back. "Ms. Thatcher. It seems you have made no progress in the hour I have been gone."
"I think we've made loads of progress." Fred announced.
"Now is not the time for jokes. Thatcher, care to explain why Mr. Weasley was digging through my belongings."
"We-" Gwen started.
"We were just organizing like you asked us to." Fred smiled.
"The last time I checked your name was not Ms.Thatcher. Now, do you care to explain."
"It's like Fred said we were just organizing." Gwen asserted. She felt some relief pass her, as she realized that the truth serum had worn off.
"That still doesn't explain why you were going through the cabinet near my desk. Five points from your houses, and you've earned an extra night's detention."
"Professor Snape, sir, Gwen didn't do anything. Don't punish her." Fred said walking towards Snape.
"Unfortunately, being an accomplice does make you guilty." Snape curled his lip. "Finish the textbooks, and go. Tomorrow I'll make sure your task is less, tempting, Weasley."
Snape entered his office, slamming the door behind himself.
"Well, it could have been worse." Fred shrugged his shoulders and began placing the textbooks in order.
"Maybe for you. I'm up to two detentions in one week." Gwen sighed, continuing the stacks of books.
"Two detentions, with yours truly." Fred winked.
"I don't see how that makes it better." Gwen giggled.
"Haha, you're so funny."
"At least you admit it."
Gwen and Fred finished organizing the books in the room fairly quickly. Fred had not been lying when he said he knew where everything in the room belonged. He did basically all the work by himself, while Gwen stood near by handing him the books out of reach. By 9 o'clock they were able to leave the room. They had started walking towards their common rooms together from the dungeons.
"Um, can I give you some advice on something." Fred spoke.
"What is it?" She looked up at Fred. Even with his hands in his pockets she could see them fiddling.
"Just because ferret face is the first guy you've ever been with, doesn't mean he's the one you should be with."
Gwen sighed.
"I'm serious. If you don't actually like him. You aren't obligated to him."
"I do like him." Gwen snapped at him.
"If you say so." Fred said, putting his hands up defensively.
"It's not like I just did the little scrunch thing. Right?" Gwen said, touching her face.
"No, you're right. I'll see you tomorrow, Gweny." Fred said as he started walking towards the Gryffindor common room.
"Not if I see you first." She smiled.
Gwen walked the rest of the way to the Hufflepuff common room thinking about what Fred had said. She didn't think she felt obligated to Draco. She really did like him, and he showed he cared like he had before. She liked the way she felt with him, or she thought she did. Maybe you only feel attached to him because he took your virginity. She thought to herself. She didn't think that was true. Gwen had felt attached to him before, but she didn't know if it was the same. When she thought about him before it always had felt so hopeful, but now it mostly felt lustful. She knew she missed him, but the longer she thought about it, she didn't know if that just meant his body. She thought about his tall, strong frame, his eyes, the smoothness of his skin. She then thought about the hair on his head, except her thoughts had been intruded. Her brain had imagined running her fingers through soft tuffs of red hair, and when she imagined the rest of him Draco, had completely gone. She took a deep breath and shook off her thoughts.
"How was detention?" Cedric said when she entered the common room. Cedric, Cho, James, and Susan were playing exploding snap. Justin, Ernie, and Hannah were on the other side of the room talking by the fire.
"So great, that I decided to go again tomorrow." Gwen rolled her eyes sitting between the two groups.
"You don't think that will happen when I serve mine." Hannah gasped.
"I think if you aren't with a Weasley, you'll be fine." Gwen replied.
"What did Snape have you do?" Susan asked.
"Organize, but I have a feeling tomorrow we'll have a less exciting task. When's your detention Susan?"
"Tomorrow. I'm serving it with Filch, but I think Angelina is serving hers tomorrow also"
"No way, my detention is with Filch tomorrow." Hannah added. "McGonnagal stopped me after dinner and told me. I think we are polishing the trophy room."
Gwen felt a shudder rush down her spine. She had only been in the trophy room once, and the experience was memorable. It was the first time she had kissed Draco. She felt heat fill her cheeks.
"Whatcha thinking about Gwen?" Cedric cocked his head.
"Nothing." Gwen rushed her hands to her face.
"Nothing has never made me blush like that." James laughed.
"Who's the lucky guy?" Cedric smiled.
"I bet it's Fred. She had detention with him tonight." Susan interjected.
Gwen blushed harder. She thought back to imagining her hands in his hair.
I don't like Fred. I just like that he's nice to me, and he's funny. I know I like Draco. Every time I see him I get butterflies, and that's never happened with Fred. Gwen told herself.
"Oh my god. It totally is. Look at her!" Susan continued.
"No, it is not." Gwen defended.
"It's okay if it is. He's very nice." Cho added.
"What about me?" Cedric pouted, hugging Cho tightly around the middle.
"You're very nice too." She smiled. Cedric kissed her cheek.
"Ugh. Get a room you two." James gagged.
The conversation quickly drifted its attention away from Gwen. They hung out until close to eleven when Cedric walked Cho back to her dorm, and the rest of them decided to turn in for the night. Lily had been asleep in their room since before Gwen had even returned. Susan was the next one asleep. When Gwen had heard the two distinct snores coming from their mouths she whispered out to Hannah.
"What?" Hannah replied.
"I talked to," Gwen dropped her voice, "Draco today."
"When?" Hannah sat up in her bed.
"Right before detention."
"No wonder you were blushing. What did he say?"
"He said he was sorry."
"Did he really?"
Gwen nodded.
"You better not just be saying that to me, so you can go run back to him."
"No, he really did. He said he missed me."
"Then why hasn't he talked to you before now?"
"It's his family. You know the Malfoy's, the sacred twenty-eight, Thatcher's don't really fit that picture."
"Well, what does that mean for you?"
"I don't know, but I really want to see him again."
"If that's what you really want, I'll support you, but if he hurts you again." Hannah held up her two hands like fists and smiled.
Gwen giggled, not only at the thought of Hannah fighting Malfoy, but at getting to start something with him without hiding it from her closest friend. Hannah's support made her happy, but it made her question even more why Fred was against it. Gwen pondered this thought for a while, it's not like they were even very close friends. Gwen eventually brushed the thought away, assuming it was mostly because of the family problems Malfoy had caused for them in the past.
She glanced over at her nightstand. She pulled open the drawer, and looked at the box Draco had gotten her for Christmas. She opened it and looked at the silver necklace. She pulled it out of its box and put it around her neck. She tucked it under her shirt, and held the pendant tight.