You, Fred, and George soon left Madam Malkins, each with a bag holding their new clothes.
The rest of your afternoon was a blur. You, Fred, and George finished getting the rest of your books and later met back with the large group at Florean Fortescue's for ice cream.
"There you three are!" said Molly walking into Fortescue's with the rest of the pack trailing behind, Hermione now a part of the group as well. "It's nearly dinnertime! We should get going back to the Burrow."
Not fifteen minutes later and everyone was back and comfortable in the Burrow. Everyone helped Molly quickly prepare dinner, you were all very hungry after the long day.
All the seats at the long table were filled and despite everyone's extreme hunger, the table was still bustling with noise and chatter.
At the table, you sat in between Hermione and Ginny staying relatively quiet except for when Arthur asked you a question about what muggle's used sticky notes for.
Worn out from the day and full of food, you all trudged up the stairs to the second floor into Ginny's room. George and Ron flopped onto Bill's old bed while you, Ginny, Hermione did the same on Ginny's bed. Fred and Harry grabbed and sat nearby beanbags.
While everyone got comfortable, Ginny lifted a large and heavy cardboard box onto her bed.
"So." Ginny said hitting the sides of the box, "How do you all feel about some nighttime quidditch?" she said, scanning everyone's faces for their approval.
"For sure," said Ron.
"In the dark," questioned Hermione, "that has got to be dangerous."
"Well not in the complete dark, everyone can use Lumos. Plus, to make it less creepy since we will be in the dark, we have this," said Ginny once again hitting the box in front of her, "it's a muggle record player and a bunch of records! Music!"
The seven of you quietly crept down the stairs and made your way onto the grass, brooms in hand, even Hermione held one of Charlie's old brooms.
The teams were then decided on. Ron, Ginny, George, and Hermione on one team, and the other being you, Fred, Harry.
You may have had a smaller team, but, to put it kindly, Hermione was no asset when it came to quidditch. After she was unable to mount her broom, Ron pulled her up onto the back of his, both of them blushing profusely as she wrapped her hands around his waist and clung to him for dear life.
You all decided to play with only the quaffle and the snitch, no bludgers. They would be impossible to see and hit in the near darkness.
To see the snitch, Harry cast a light spell on it, having the small orb light up a pale yellow, contrasting heavily against the night sky.
Ginny took the record player out of the box, placed it on the grass, and popped a record into it. Not long after she did so, rock music began to drift out of the machine, filling the air with a little more life.
George bopped his head to the beat, his hair swaying slightly as he did so. Ginny pretended to play her broom like it was a guitar before hopping onto it.
"The music was a brilliant idea, Ginny," Harry said
"Everyone ready?" asked Fred. Everyone except Hermione nodded. "Alright! Everyone to your positions! Now! 3...2...1... go!"
You had been given the quaffle to start with. You sped off in the direction of the goal, using the light from the tip of your wand to guide you away from trees in your path.
You looked up and saw Harry zipping through the sky, looking for the snitch. The only thing that probably made his task any easier was the fact that the snitch would light up. You refocused on your task at hand, getting the quaffle past the keeper, which was Ron and Hermione.
You took a sharp left turn and saw Fred, perfectly set up in front of the goal. You threw the quaffle with as much arm strength you could muster and breathed a sigh of relief seeing that Fred successfully received it.
You watched Fred, pull his long arm back, holding the quaffle in his right hand with just his middle finger, pointer finger, and thumb. Then, he quickly snapped his arm forward, the quaffle now hurtling towards the goal.
From the back of the broom, Hermione shrieked as Ron moved to block the quaffle from entering the goal, but he didn't move quick enough. Fred scored.
Fred whooped from about fifty feet above you, Harry paused to cheer before continuing to search to find the snitch before Ginny could do so.
George now had possession of the quaffle. You turned your broom in his direction and sped off towards him.
As he neared the goal, you saw Fred had stepped in to be the keeper. Instead of continuing to trail behind George, you flew upwards, just a few feet above him, and slowly started to get in front of him.
You were flying backward.
"You're funny if you think you can stop me," said George, a mischievous smiling forming.
"Well, Weasley," you replied, "you have no options left."
You were right. Fred's broad shoulders almost completely blocked the goal, George had no chance of scoring, especially with you also blocking his shot. Getting rid of the quaffle was also not an option for him.
Ron was still back at the other goal with Hermione, struggling to inch the broom forward without her flailing her arms and screaming. Ginny was also preoccupied, she seemed to have spotted the snitch and was speeding after it along with Harry.
"Fine," chuckled George, "you're right, for once I suppose," He then attempted the shot, the both of you knowing that it wouldn't go into the goal.
As predicted, Fred caught the quaffle, "GO LONG" he yelled to you.
You obliged and sped off in the opposite direction, George right on your tail. Fred threw the quaffle and you flew upwards to receive it sooner.
You caught the quaffle and darted towards the goal, which Ron and Hermione continued be stationed, still struggling on the broom. Suddenly, Ron's broom shot forward, taking him and Hermione with it. You heard Hermione shriek in shock but what was more important was you were nearing the goal, which was now wide open and completely unguarded. You could still feel George's presence flying behind you but you shut him out and focused only on scoring. You then raised the quaffle in your hand and threw it. The quaffle passed through the goal. You scored.
Before you could rub it into George's face, you heard Ginny's voice nearing you.
"I CAUGHT THE SNITCH!!" she screamed, "WE WON!"
Honestly, you could care less that you, Fred, and Harry lost. It was all harmless fun.
You were just so happy you were back with your friends. You flew to the ground where Fred, Ron, and Hermione all stood around the record player.
When you reached the ground, you quickly hopped off of your broom, temporarily forgetting the incident in Madam Malkin's, and sped towards Fred, tackling him with a huge hug.
"Your goal was so good!" said Fred smiling down at you.
"Mine?" you asked incredulously, "There was no keeper! Of course, I scored! Anyone would have. Your goal, on the other hand, was perfect!" you said, poking him in the chest, "Who knew a beater would be such a fantastic chaser!"
"Well I am a man of many talents" he smiled smirked, sarcastically flexing his biceps.
Moments later George and Ginny also joined everyone on the ground. Ginny kneeled in front of the record player which was still playing rock music and switched it with another.
Hermione suddenly turned a sickly shade of green. She leaned into Ron and grabbed his shoulder, looking like she could collapse any second.
"It's gotta be the motion sickness from being on the broom. And it's just now hitting her." gasped Harry.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Hermione moaned.
You looked away from Hermione right when she said that. The sight and smell of puke make you throw up.
Ginny quickly stepped in and supported Hermione's opposite side. Now both Ron and Ginny were holding her up and the only reason she was still standing. Both Harry and George cast Lumos maxima and started leading the group back to the burrow.
You and Fred were the only two just standing there. You felt useless but knew you were more harmful than helpful if you also threw up.
"YOU TWO GRAB THE RECORD PLAYER AND MEET US BACK OUT THE HOUSE," Ginny shouted.
You and Fred turned back towards the record player which was now playing a slightly crackly but sweet slow song.
"Lumos," you said, your wand lighting up. You used the light as you crouched down to inspect the record player, "Okay, how do we turn this off Fred."
You looked to your left and then to your right but Fred was not crouched beside you.
"Fred?" you said standing up and turning around looking for him, "Fred where are y-"
Then, you saw him.
Fred was still standing where he was when the group was present, but now his eyes were closed. He slowly swayed back and forth in beat with the music.
"What are you doing?" you questioned, "Training for the ballet?" you added, with a smirk.
"Well we do have a dance coming up don't we?" Fred replied, "Better start practicing now right?" Fred extended his arm towards you, "Cmon," he encouraged.
You took your wand which was still in your hand and stuck the handle into the ground so it could stand up on its own and still provide you and Fred some light.
You then took Fred's hand and put the other on his should. In response, Fred put his other hand on your waist, in the same spot it was when he had caught you in Madam Malkins. You gasped but hid it well by looking at your fingers intertwined with Fred's and the difference in your hand sizes.
Fred led you in the dance, you both swayed back and forth. Occasionally Fred would release your hip to spin you before pulling you back. On the third time, he spun you and brought you back but gently pulled you even closer to him. The side of your head now rested comfortably against his chest. He smelled of gunpower and cinnamon. You allowed your eyes to flutter closed, Fred continued to lightly sway you both.
"Is this okay?" he whispered down towards you craning his head in order to reach your ear.
"More than okay Freddie," you mumbled in response.
Illuminated by the pale light from your wand and the sweet, slow music you felt perfectly at ease. You longed to live in this moment of bliss forever.