Pancakes for Dinner|Fred Weasley

Thirty-One

Her anxiety was high as Maddie sat across from Cedric who was quietly eating his food. He'd talk to Anthony every so often but stayed quiet. Maddie would catch Fred staring at her every so often, he wouldn't look away. He would smirk at her making her cheeks heat up and butterflies well up in her stomach. She was nervous, Fred made her nervous.

"Think things will go well tonight?" Cedric asked looking up from his plate. Maddie smiled to herself and nodded.

"Yeah I think so." She confirmed feeling happy. Cedric nodded letting out a little sigh, he had accepted his defeat. He was trying to push his feelings aside and be better for Cho because to him she actually wanted him. He'd be lying if he said it didn't hurt his ego that it was really Fred Weasley she wanted to be with.

Maddie had told Cedric about the Yule Ball do over and her conversation with Fred the second she walked through the portrait hole. He had been waiting for her in the common room just to make sure she got back okay. She didn't want to keep anymore secrets for him or Caroline. Cedric was even nice enough to clasp her "L" bracelet back on her left wrist. She made sure to put her ring back on this morning.

Maddie told Caroline the news on their walk to class the morning after. Caroline was just happy that Maddie was speaking to her again. They picked up right where they left off not wanting to deal with apologizes and awkward conversations about their fight.

She hadn't seen much of Fred the entire day. It seemed as though the times she didn't want to see him he was always around. She had butterflies all day, she was so nervous about tonight. Everything was out in the open with the two of them. They both liked each other and they both knew it. Something about it felt different to the both of them. It was fresh and new but it also felt like they've always been connected to one another.

Parker still wasn't talking to Fred and he knew something was up. He watched as Fred looked at his sister who was blushing like a tomato. He found it to be disgusting. Max on the other hand didn't care all that much it wasn't any of his business, he had learned from his mistakes. The other one not so much.

"It's disgusting." Parker groaned looking over at Fred who was sitting further down the table with his own brother and Lee.

Max rolled his eyes, "you keep saying that and nobody is caring." He pointed out making Max groan, "listen if you don't back off then she's just going to hate you."

Parker scoffed at his younger brother, "when did you go soft? You used to be my partner in crime." He said trying to remind Max of the time they tried to get Cedric out of the picture.

"Are you ever going to let Maddie date anyone?" Max questioned bored with the conversation, Parker shrugged.

"Hmm maybe if he's her age and not a player." Parker said crossing his arms and pushing his plate forward.

"Look at him," Max said pointing at Fred who was smiling down at his plate, "you honestly think he doesn't care about Maddie? Look at him!" He exclaimed quiet enough that people wouldn't look over at them. Parker huffed in response seeing how giddy one of his best friends over his sister.

Fred couldn't help himself looking at her. He would laugh every time he was caught. As much as he wanted to try and hide from Parker and Max, he wanted to scream from the top of Hogwarts about how much he liked Maddalena Burns.

Dinner soon ended and Fred popped up from his seat. He didn't even wait for Maddie before running to the courtyard. Maddie took her time finishing her conversation with Cedric and said hi to Caroline. Parker had ignored her while Max did a little wave and they disappeared.

"I'll see you guys later." Maddie said walking off not waiting for a goodbye from Cedric or Caroline.

Maddie walked out to the courtyard that was dimly lit. She didn't see Fred making her frown, she walked further into the courtyard and sat down on the bench. Suddenly she felt two hands on her shoulders making her jump.

"AH!" She screamed jumping up, she turned around seeing Fred laugh at her. "That wasn't funny!" She exclaimed hitting his arm.

He laughed but silence soon took over the two. Neither of them knowing what to say but had a million things on their mind. Maddie looked up at him and smiled, "come with me." She said turning around and walking off, Fred followed. 

"Where are we going?" He asked curiously as Maddie continued to walk further away from the castle. 

A little ways away from the Whomping Willow was a little hill, it was dark and wouldn't be able to be seen from the windows of the castle. Fred had walked by it a million times but had never truly seen it. Maddie stopped at the top of the hill and sat down, Fred sat down just about a few inches away from her. Maddie looked up at the sky admiring the stars. Fred just looked at her, Maddie felt his eyes on her making her blush. 

"My mom used to tell me she would come here at night, this is the first time I've come here since she died." She said putting her head down, "forgot how beautiful the stars were." She said. 

Fred nodded his gaze still on her, "yeah beautiful." He said leaning back putting his weight on his arms. Maddie laid back too, staring at the twinkling sky not caring about the possibility of her skirt becoming dirty. 

Fred looked at her once more before laying down and using his left arm as a cushion and put his right on his stomach. "there's the big dipper." He pointed out Maddie looked over at him confused.

"Where?" She asked not understanding his direction, he moved closer to her taking his hand in his and using it to point. He moved her hand in the motion of where the stars aligned and made the constellation. 

Their faces were only inches apart as Maddie finally saw the stars. She smiled excitedly looking over at Fred. Her smile dropped as he turned towards her, they stared into each others eyes. Maddie's breath hitched as Fred wrapped his arm around her waist. Her hand made its way to his cheek as their lips were only mere inches away from the other. 

Maddie closed her eyes dropping her hand and backing away from the closed quarters. She bit her lip looking back at the stars wondering why she had just pulled away. Fred removed his arm clearing his throat to make up for the awkward tension between them. He looked back at the stars putting his hand through his hair. 

"Stars are really pretty." He said trying to not overthink too much.

Maddie nodded, "super pretty."