my best friends brother - fred weasley

xxxvi. risks

Christmas eve dinner was one of the most awkward and nerve wracking things I had experienced since starting at Hogwarts. I sat between George and Fred, across from Ron, avoiding all eye contact as I prepared myself to break the news to him. I tried my hardest to eat, but with my shaking hands, I couldn't keep food on my fork and ended dropping most of into my lap. 

"You right, Clover?" Ron asked through his mouthful, after I managed to drop a forkful of carrots.

"Yes, fine." I replied bluntly without looking up at him, my leg bouncing up and down rapidly. Over my head, Fred smirked at my state with Harry and Hermione. Under the table, he pinned my bouncing leg down to the seat, trying to calm me down. 

"Just that you've dropped more food than you've eaten." He said again, catching Molly's attention. 

"Yes, I'm fine Ron."

"Oh my goodness, Clover. You look ill, are you okay?" Molly gasps, seeing my pale face.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley. I'm feeling fine." I look up to give her a small smile, seeing her concerned face. 

"I think she's just nervous." Fred grins, pushing the conversation further. 

"What you got to be nervous about?" Ron asks, clueless. I glare at Fred, who's smirking down at me.

"Nothing. I'm fine." I say again, trying to shove food into my mouth so I can leave the table.

"No, tell me. You're all hiding something, I can see it." Ron sits back, waiting for an answer. 

"It's nothing." I say. 

"Tell him." Fred nudges my shoulder, making it worse. 

"See there is something! You're all smirking your little smirks at each other." Ron whines. 

"You don't have to tell him if you aren't ready." Harry comes to my defense, but still makes it worse.

"Tell me what?" Ron starts getting annoyed. 

"You may as well tell him." Ginny joins in. 

"Or else he's going to blow." George adds on. 

"He's going to blow anyway." Fred mutters to me, but everyone hears him. 

"TELL ME WHAT?" Ron stands up, slamming his fork down. 

"There he goes." Fred and George say in unison. 

"Ron, calm down." Hermione tugs him back into his seat by his sleeve, taking away his knife and fork so he doesn't plunge them into my head. 

"Ron! Do not yell at her!" Molly says from the other side of the table, I look over and notice her, Arthur, Lupin and Sirius all staring at us suspiciously. I swallow hard and look up to meet Ron's angry glare. 

"Um, well." I look back down, too scared to look at him. I place my knife and fork together on my plate and push it away from me. "You can't get angry at me, Ron. Or at... Fred. Promise?" I whisper, slowly looking back up at his fuming face. 

"What?" He growls, his eyes flickering between Fred and I. I glance up at Fred and see his leaning back in his seat, hands behind his head with a smug look plastered across his face. 

"You can't get angry, promise?" I speak up a bit more. 

"I promise." He agrees reluctantly, still suspicious. 

"Well, you know last year I was sad because of Cedric, and the ball, and then Cedric died and I was all sad?" I say quickly and he nods along. "Well... during that time F-Fred and I got close."