May the Best Man Win |×| Fred Weasley | 1 |×|

×| TWENTY-SEVEN |×

THEY'D BEEN THERE FOR HOURS. Just Ethan and Evelyn, talking quietly over the ever growing pile of empty butterbeers at their table in the back of the three broomsticks. It still felt surreal to her. Like she was a character in one of her Muggle stories. She was the "nothing special" girl and he was the "oh so charming" and "I can't believe he picked her of all people" boy. A cliché, yes, though Evelyn's experience of such ideas had been nothing if not enjoyable to read about.

She hadn't been paying attention to what Ethan was saying for the last couple of minutes. She'd been to busy thinking about book clichés and too-good-to-be-trues. She'd just been watching the way he smiled as he spoke - another thing she'd never thought she'd do. But then he'd stopped talking, and just sat there, smiling. Then - just like all the handsome men in all the romance stories - he'd cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

"What was that for?" Evelyn smiled as they broke apart.

"You weren't paying attention."

"I wasn't paying attention." She admitted.

"What's on your mind?"

"The surreality of this whole thing."

"What do you mean?" He questioned. Evelyn looked down at her hands clasping her butterbeer.

"I'm not sure I've fully grasped the fact that this is real. It's like a dream. It doesn't feel like I'm actually here." She looked back up and pressed her lips together.

"But we are. You are enjoying yourself, aren't you?" He asked her, looking concerned. Evelyn smiled.

"Of course I am."

"Good. Me too. Happy valentine's Day."

"Happy valentine's Day."

He kissed her again. For longer, this time. Slowly and then quickly and then softly again until they heard a bang and felt the table rattle, and quickly jumped apart.

"Oops. Sorry about that. You two should really get a room." Evelyn looked up at the intruder to see Fred's freckled face smiling wryly down at her. She sighed.

"Is it time already?"

"Afraid so. Sorry to break up your date." He made a point of leaning over the table slightly, looking only at Evelyn and blocking her from Ethan's view. Ethan peered around him.

"Time for what?" Ethan asked. Evelyn was about to answer him when Fred interrupted.

"Evelyn really, we should go. The others are waiting." He told her, ignoring the Slytherin entirely.

"Waiting for what?" Ethan tried again. Evelyn pushed Fred's shoulder back gently so she could see Ethan properly.

"We're doing another game today. I hadn't thought it'd be until later or I would have told you." She explained, downing the rest of her butterbeer and getting to her feet.

"Oh."

"I'm sorry." She told him, going over to him and placing a quick kiss on his cheek, "but I did say - you know, to the twins - that I'd do it when they were ready. I promise I'll come and find you when we're done, thought. Honest."

"Evelyn come on." Fred nagged her, taking her by the arm and pulling her away from the table. She only just heard Ethan's goodbye to her and waved hurriedly before Fred swept her out of the door, grinning, "ready? Apparently this one plays more to your strengths than mine." He told her, pulling her through the chilly streets of hogsmead.

"You actually managed to get that much out of them, huh?"

"Barely. Had to bribe Lee with a nose biting tea cup." He laughed, grinning down at her, "doesn't mean you're going to win though. Don't get cocky now."