Decree No.29 (O.C) Fred Weasley/ Draco Malfoy

The Deal

The journey to Kings Cross was a lonely one.

The other students from Grimmauld Place took the Night Bus earlier that morning, accompanied by the Aurors of the Order, but Jessica was not invited to go the same way. She didn't mind, she got to have a lie-in and leave later without a rush, but waking up in a near-empty house without its energetic inhabitants felt oddly eerie.

Jessica had a rough time sleeping the night before, spending hours twisting and turning in her bedsheets. Every time she got close to drifting off, another replay of the evening flashed in her mind, making her wide awake again. Fred had not realised what he had done to her, he had given her a taste of bliss before giving her a decision that ultimately wasn't hers to make. Throughout the night she found herself wanting to go upstairs to see him, but every time she stooped herself after remembering that it would be a mistake.

He didn't hate her, and she decided that was enough. His anger was one less thing to worry about, and now with him neutral, space could be freed in her mind for other things.

Mrs Weasley was the one who volunteered to drop her off in the taxi, and when they arrived at the station she didn't get out after being told by the Order not to accompany Jessica to the platform. It was, as usual, more about eyebrows being raised through association rather than Jessica's well-being.

"Now, have a safe journey," said Mrs Weasley as Jessica got out of the taxi, handing her back the wand that had been taken from her by Sirius, "don't worry, Arthur and I will talk some sense into the boys before the summer holidays. By boys, we mean Remus and Sirius of course."

Jessica giggled as she grabbed the handle to her trunk but was a bit confused, she didn't quite get what she meant.

"Oh, you haven't realised?" Mrs Weasley said having noticed her expression, "we do believe you of course, about everything. We just haven't been able to tell you before now."

Jessica's heart filled up with joy.

"You do?" she asked as the taxi man closed his door ready to pull away again.

"Of course!" Mrs Weasley responded like it was obvious, "why do you think we visited you three times a day? We weren't going to let one of our children be alone because of the ignorance of others!"

The driver put the gear in first and pulled away, making Mrs Weasley shut her door frantically. Jessica hurriedly grinned and waved her goodbye as Mrs Weasley pulled herself together and did the same. She watched the car disappear back into London City, and once again she was alone, but she knew that she wasn't really.

They believed her, those who she admired most believed her. She was almost at half the order now, and once Bill and Tonks got proof that her necklace was of legend, she was sure that there would be no more doubt from the rest of them as well.

Newly energised by Mrs Weasley's admission, Jessica started striding through Kings Cross. She gave herself a pep talk as she pulled her trunk towards platform 9; telling herself that she knew what to expect this time and that she was prepared for the hurdles she was going to face.

This was going to be her term.

She had barely stepped through the passageway to Platform 9 & 3/4's when-

"There she is!"

"Hey-ow fuck!"

Jessica was now staring up at the train platform ceiling, having been knocked to the ground by a bouncing blur of thick black hair. She laughed as she cradled her friend and grinned, playfully nudging him in the ribs to make him get off her.