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Fred Weasley
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"Have I found you, flightless bird?
Jealous, weeping.
Or lost you, American mouth
Big pill, looming"
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
It was the day of Bill and Fleur's wedding, a two weeks after the battle of the seven Harry's.
Mum had woken us all up bright and early to start decorating and arranging everything.
Nezz still had her shoulder wrapped in gauze and bandages, as did George's ear. She was healing but she found it hard to rely on others for help; she still could just raise it above her head and she was beginning to create stronger magic using that hand. It was frustrating for her, she was so independent and powerful that she hated feeling useless.
Remus was in a considerably better mood now that his cycle had ended and he'd transformed a week ago. He was still furious at Snape for betraying us and he'd tense every time someone mentioned what had happened to Nezz.
I think he felt like he'd failed her as her dad...
I understood how he felt completely. I'd vowed to protect and fight alongside Nezz whatever it was and so far I'd done a pretty shit job. I'd watched her time and time again being hurt and attacked yet I'd not been able to do anything.
It made me feel so shitty-I felt like I didn't deserve her.
Everyone spirits seemed uplifted by the wedding though.
Mum was cooking food for the wedding with Hermione, Ginny, Fleur's sister and Tonks. I could hear the girls laughing and chatting idly about what they'd all be wearing, if they were taking any dates-that was until Ginny changed the subject to Quidditch.
The rest of us were outside, standing round the huge gazebo we had to put up for the after party.
We'd been trying to put it up for thirty minutes now but every time we would point our wands and begin to lift it-someone would lose focus and it'd fall down again. George and I found it quite entertaining as Dad let out a string of curses each time it dropped.
"Arthur, please won't you let me try?" Nerezza pleaded.
"as much as I'm loving watching you all, I think we should get this up so Bill and Fleur actually have a place to dance tonight" she giggled cheekily.
"Nerezza Lilith Lupin-Black, you should be resting that shoulder!" Remus chided from the opposite side of the gazebo, he stood next to a bored looking Ron.
"I won't even use that hand!" She argued back petulantly, "why am I even asking?" She scoffed, moving past me and George to get closer to the Gazebo.
Nezz lifted her uninjured arm, twisting her fingers as the red magic danced in between them. The red mist floated to the edges of the gazebo and it began levitating; Nezz pulled her hand backwards and slowly pushed it up. Her face was concentrated and a cute little crease formed on her forehead.
The gazebo was up finally and she grinned happily.
"Could you just once listen to what I tell you?" Remus exhaled as he made his way round to her, checking over her bandages to see if she'd strained herself.
"Dad! I'm literally fine" she swatted his hand away with a playful smile and he rolled his eyes.
A smile broke out onto his face before he ventured inside the gazebo with Dad.
I shook my head at my girlfriends antics, pulling her in for a kiss. It was soft at first, fleeting until Nezz pushed harder against my lips; I growled lowly and cupped her cheek trying to pull her even closer.
"You're looking simply divine, love" I whispered.
"Mmm, well thank you Freddie. You're not looking so bad yourself" she winked back at me, rubbing her nose against mine.
A crack of thunder in the sky alerted everyone to a new arrival.
Dad and Remus emerged from the gazebo, walking over to the path in the long grass to see who it was; Remus saw the new arrival and briskly walked over to Nezz and I.
"You have to hide" he urged her.
"What?" Nezz frowned worriedly, "hide? Why?" She questioned.
"Remus, who's here?" I gripped his shoulder, trying to calm him down enough so he'd tell us who was here and why it meant Nezz had to hide.
"It's the Minister of Magic" Remus breathed, his eyes wide and fearful.
Nezz jerked her head to look at me with fear.
The Ministry had attacked her once already and we all were well aware of their search for her. I grabbed her hand and we both sprinted into the house, the girls in the kitchen heard our frantic breaths as we burst through the front door and all turned to see what was wrong.
"Fred? Nerezza? What's going on?" Hermione asked with a firm frown.
"The Minister of Magic is here, we have to hide Nezz. Do not let him come upstairs!" I ordered my family.
"The Minister of Magic?" Ginny yelled after me in surprise.
Mum clapped her hands over her mouth in surprise and worry.
I pushed Nezz up the stairs in front of me and she ran as fast as she could, coddling her shoulder with a wince. We went straight into George and I's room, I opened the wardrobe and guided her inside before shutting myself inside with her. It was dark inside, our bodies pressed up against one another-which truthfully I didn't mind.
"Do you really think he's after me?" Nezz said in a small, vulnerable voice.
I glanced down at her and muttered the lumos spell so I could see her face. Her eyes were shimmering with emotion as her green orbes stared up at me with so many questions, her brows were pulled together in a concerned frown and the scar on her face gleamed white in the light.
"I don't have a bloody clue what that sods here for but he's sure as hell not getting anywhere near you" I told her, resting my forehead against hers.
"Freddie?" Nezz murmured.
"Yes, love?"
"Is life always going to be like this?" She sniffed, "us running? Will I ever be accepted as a Kenesis Witch?" Her hopeless tone of voice made my heart ache and I closed my eyes regretfully.
"I wish I could stand here and tell you that one day you'll be accepted but I can't. But even if that never happens, I don't care! I'll run with you till we reach the end of the world because I love you. I'm always going to love you, no matter how far we have to run" I promised, peppering her face with kisses.
"Oh Freddie I love you so much, I don't know what I'd do without you" she breathed a shaky laugh.
"Probably miss me" I smirked.
"Of course" she replied sarcastically, "well what would you do without me?" She giggled.
"I'd find you and ask you to be my girlfriend" I laughed.
She laughed along with me, her lips pressed into a wide smile as we spoke in hushed voices.
I studied her features and memorised them-all the small little details to her face. Like the few freckles she had just on the bridge of her nose that only appeared in the summer, or the speckles of yellow she had in her green eyes.
As we stood, moulded together in the darkness, I thought of how much I truly did love her. I was never going to love anyone else again, never. She was my ending-my future.
"Nezz" I whispered.
She gave a cute little hum as a response.
"Marry me" I asked her.
Her eyes fluttered open, trailing over my face as if gaging whether I was serious or not.
"W...what did you say?" She said looking completely baffled.
"Come on you've still got both your ears" I joked, referring to my poor brothers injury, "I asked you to marry me, Nerezza Lupin-Black. I want you to marry me" I said again, feeling my heart jumping out of my chest in nervousness.
Oh god had I scared her away? We were both 18 (Nerezza was in a few days anyway) and young, the war was approaching and people were dying. Why must I be so incredibly stupid? Of course she wouldn't want to marry me at 18 in the midst of a war.
"Yes."
I paused my defeated thoughts and pulled back from her ever so slightly. Did she just say yes?
"Did-did you just say yes?" I chuckled in amazement.
"Yes Freddie! I'll marry you" she grinned euphorically.
The widest, toothiest smile spread out on my face and I immediately crashed my lips onto hers.
She kissed me back, pulling me closer and deeper into the kiss by palming the nape of my neck. I skimmed my tongue along the bottom of her soft lips, asking permission. She opened her mouth and my tongue slipped in. She moaned breathily against my lips and we broke apart gasping for air.
"We're getting married!" I squealed like a girl, still keeping my voice in a whisper tone.
"I'm so happy Freddie" she said sincerely.
"You can come out" Ginny swung open the doors to tell us we didn't have to hide. "The Minister promised Dad and Lupin that he wasn't here for you" She swallowed anxiously.
I gave Nezz one last lingering kiss before helping her out of the wardrobe. She smiled warmly, holding my hand as we hopped down the stairs.
As we entered the living room, we saw Harry, Ron and Hermione all sat on the sofa each holding items in their hands and looking a bit downcast.
Remus appeared from the hallway and took Nezz in relieved hug; the Minister stood from his seat and advanced towards Nezz and I.
I subtly moved Nezz just behind me, letting my protective side take over.
"What do we owe the pleasure?" I said through gritted teeth.
"Lower your defences Mr. Weasley" he sighed, "I was merely here to deliver the last will and testament of Albus Dumbledore" he explained.
Harry gave Nezz a look I couldn't read. The Minister eyed Nezz with caution, she refused to break eye contact with him even as her eyes unintentionally flashed red. She couldn't help that-whenever her emotions were heightened they'd flash. The Minister flinched.
"I suppose you'll be taking your leave now, won't you?" Remus cleared his throat pointedly, wanting the Minister to go away.
"I'm not here for the girl, calm yourself" he snapped.
He neared the doorway where Nezz and I stood and he edged his way around her as if she was going to explode, but just before he left the room, he leered next to her and muttered in her ear.
"However, I suggest you don't linger here long Miss Black. The threat of Kenesis Witches will be stamped out."
Nezz inhaled sharply at his threat and I tightened my grip on her hand.
It took every ounce of restraint I had not to punch him square in the face for threatening her like that. Remus moved forward and the Minister quickly exited the Burrow.
"What an utter prick" George scoffed from the hallway, his eyes resting where the Minister had left.
"Ignore him Nezz, we won't let him do anything to you" Ron assured her.
"He simply can't hurt you just because you're a Kenesis Witch!" Hermione shook her head.
"He's a tosspot" Ron puffed.
Nezz stood still, her eyes shining like glass and her breaths shaky. Harry shot from the sofa and walked to Nezz, his hands lightly shifting her good shoulder to snap her out of her shock.
"Look, we already knew the Ministry was after you. I promise you we'll keep you safe but let's just enjoy today. We all need a break from everything" Harry half-smiled.
She nodded rapidly and I tucked her under my arm.
Remus patted my shoulder as he left again to help the others set up the inside of the gazebo, Hermione gave Nezz an empathetic smile as she passed to go back into the kitchen whilst Ron folded his lip in an awkward smile.
"I'm just gonna go talk to mum, why don't you go see how long it takes for you and George to make Remus swear?" I mused.
She beamed and nodded, pecking my cheek before linking arms with George and leaving to the gazebo.
I sighed contently and made my way into the kitchen where Mum was furiously whisking a bowl of batter, Hermione was casting a spell on a pot of slow cooked beef and Ginny was pulling something out the oven whilst chittering to Gabrielle.
"Mum" I coughed, "can I talk to you for a sec? Alone?" I asked, darting my glances between the girls who were nosily giving each other looks.
"Of course! Girls why don't you go help Fleur get ready!" Mum suggested.
The girls all nodded and wandered off.
Mum patted one of the dining table chairs, indicating me to sit down with her. I took a seat and held her hands in my lap before I started.
"Mum" I began, "I...I asked Nezz to marry me" I revealed.
Mum's eyes bulged from her head and a moment of silence echoed in the usually noisy kitchen.
I was beginning to think that she'd be angry with me, start telling me that I was too young and things were too dangerous at the moment but instead she began crying with a huge smile.
"Oh Freddie! I'm so happy for you two!" She cried, wrapped her arms around my neck, "you deserve to be happy" she cooed.
"Thanks mum. Love you" I whispered, closing my eyes and taking in this moment.
Because with this war, you didn't know when you'd need to remember moments like this...because the person you love the most could slip away at any time.
"I love you too, my boy" she sniffled. "Now, beautiful girl like Nerezza needs a beautiful ring!" She proclaimed.
"Yeah I know, I'm gonna ask George to come get one with me" I chuckled.
"Nonsense!" She dismissed before she slipped off her own engagement ring, leaving only her gold wedding band, "Here" she smiled.
"Mum...no. I can't, that's yours! What would Dad say?" I exclaimed.
"Oh shush! I still have my wedding ring! I want Nerezza to have it. She's as much my daughter now as she is to Remus" her eyes twinkled as she spoke.
I took the ring and inspected the green diamond, the silver catching in the light.
"You're bloody amazing mum" I grinned.
"Besides, she can give it to your son if you have one" Mum mused happily.
I bit my lip to contain my joy at that thought. The thought of Nezz and I starting our own little family and our own forever.