Serpentine ; Fred Weasley

Eighty-four

Christmas came and went.

Fred and I were finally married. We walked down and did it on December twenty-fourth and now it had been a month.

It was January twenty-fourth of nineteen-ninety-eight.

I was working hard at the shop, seeing customers, doing paperwork in my office, falling asleep over my desk as well.

Carter was deciding to come by later but I didn't actually feel like talking to him.

Everything was stressing me out. I had to deal with the war going on, having no idea when it would all end.

It had been two months since Kwan died and it was still hurting but at least now I could get through my day without crying all the time.

I was watching Myeong so that my parents could go out on a date tonight and then they'd pick him up tomorrow.

Myeong sat on the floor of my office, drawing in a book with some of his coloured pencils.

My brother was twenty months old, almost two. He was growing so fast. He was walking, running, he was talking and he was very energetic.

My quill ran over the paper in front of me as I wrote my signature on a new shipment of books that was coming in next week.

I glanced over at Myeong, seeing his head tilted while he concentrated on drawing.

He did the same thing that Carter did when he concentrated.

Stuck his tongue out and bit down on it.

"No, it's okay! I know her!" I heard George shout from outside of the door before it opened and he slipped inside.

"George?" I asked as he shut the door.

Myeong saw him and gasped loudly before getting up to run at him.

"Freddie!" He shouted, and George picked him up while looking at me as if it was my fault my brother couldn't tell the difference.

"I'd like if I said that didn't hurt." George said before smiling at Myeong. "Hi little man. What're you drawing?"

"I show you." Myeong said and once George put him down, he grabbed his hand and dragged him over to where his book was placed on the floor.

I watched as Myeong showed George his drawings and when he was done, he went back to drawing while George approached my desk.

"You look tired." He said. "Have you had any break today at all?"

"Well... I did go for a cup of coffee." I said. "And Myeong got some juice."

"From the one across the street?"

I nodded.

"That can't have taken you more than five minutes." George frowned. "Kai for fuck sake. You promised Fred—"

"Hey. There was a line." I told him. "We were back ten, maybe fifteen minutes later."

George rolled his eyes at me and walked around the desk, grabbing the paperwork in front of me, to take a look at it.

"A new shipment?" He asked. "How many books are you getting in?"

Before I got to answer, he turned the page and found the number.

"Oh shit." He cursed, raising his eyebrows. "That's a lot of books."

"More than what you've read, huh?"

"A lot more." He laughed, putting the papers back down again. "Listen, you and Freddie will be alone tonight. Angie and I are going out."

I tilted my head back, humming while I stared at the ceiling.

"And you're still okay with him and I looking for our own flat?" I asked. "You'd be alone every night..."

George smiled as he leaned on my desk.

"Actually I won't. Angie's moving in once you've moved out."

"Oh really?" I grinned. "I didn't know you were getting that serious."

"No? We've been dating for months." He said. "And who knows... maybe I'll be the next Weasley to get married."

My eyes wideners

"You're that serious?!"

George chuckled at my enthusiasm, looking down at the floor with his cheeks turning red.

"I haven't seen Angie for a while. I didn't know you were thinking about marriage already."

He shrugged.

"I've loved her for a while... ever since school." He said, pulling himself up to sit on the desk. "But at least we aren't going as fast as you and Fred. You two said the L-word within a month or something like that."

I smiled at him.

"We're still together though, aren't we?" I asked. "When you know, you know."

"When you know, you know." He repeated. "Oh, by the way... can I borrow some money? I have to get Ange a gift but I forgot my money at home and I don't have time to go back and get it."

"You— George, apparate."

"I know... I know." He sighed. "But I can't remember where I put my wallet."

I cocked an eyebrow.

"Accio exists, you know."

"Alright, I don't have any money left for this month!" he spoke. "Can I please borrow some money?"

Chuckling, I nodded and pulled out the drawer in my desk.

"How much do you need?"

"Sixteen galleons." He said, causing me to snap my head up and look at him.

"Sixteen?! What the fuck are you giving her? A fucking mansion?"

George laughed.

"I think a mansion would cost a little more." He said. "I saw this necklace that I really want to give her. It's expensive."

I sighed.

"Fine. But only because I love her... and you need to pay me back next month!"

"Deal."

I gave him the money and George smiled, then pressed a kiss to my head.

"You're an angel!" He said. "I'll see you later!"

I rolled my eyes at him, watching him wave goodbye at Myeong before making his way out of the office, shutting the door behind him.

With a sigh, I looked at Myeong who looked back at me.

"Are you hungry?" I asked. "We can go get some food."

"Pizza."

"Pizza?" I gasped, acting shocked, and Myeong laughed. "I guess we can go get a pizza."