1: Trouble - Fred Weasley

7. about a girl

i need an easy friend, i do with an ear to lend

but i can't see you every night for free

-

In all honesty, Imogen probably hadn't needed to study in the library this lunchtime. She'd done all her homework, and her application was practically finished, but she had a horrible feeling Adrian's ambition to ask her out hadn't disappeared after the game. Every time she saw him, she was scared he'd come and ask her; he'd probably corner her whilst she was in a big group so she couldn't say no without an uproar. She had never seen him come to the library. So that was where she went.

Today, two tables away from Imogen sat Hermione Granger, surrounded by a pile of thick tomes. She had one open, pinned underneath her elbow, as she furiously took notes. The sound of Hermione Granger's quill was often the only sound you could hear in the library, and today was no different.

Imogen eyed her dedication jealously. She'd brought down a few books on medicinal potions, but a silly romance novel about a witch and a werewolf had piqued her curiosity and she'd spent the last forty five minutes reading chapters one to six, just reaching the point where the werewolf was informing the witch on the rigorous mating practices of an alpha wolf. It was forty five minutes of her life she'd never get back.

So her lunch break was nearly over, and all Imogen had to show for it was a load of questions about how Hogwarts approves books for the library. I doubt Dumbledore read this one before allowing it on the shelves, she thought, with a snort. She flung it to the side.

Hermione seemed to have been much more productive, and with a few last scratchy flourishes of her quill she began packing away. Imogen couldn't bring herself to do the same; she was so tired and the corridors and lessons would be so loud and stuffy. The library was always slightly cooler than the rest of the building. Sometimes slipping in here during lunch felt like slipping into the sea during a heatwave, even if she did just read smutty werewolf romance. Imogen propped her head up on her arm and allowed her eyes to close briefly.

As Granger was making her way out however, the quietness of the library was briefly interrupted by squeaking feet against the floor.

"Sorry Hermione!" someone whisper-shouted, and by the time Imogen had lazily opened her eyes to see what was going on, a Weasley twin was pulling up the chair opposite her, and taking her book.

"Alright Falker?" he said, smiling, slightly out of breath. "I've been studying with you all lunch, okay?"

Imogen was too tired for this. "...Fred? or-"

"Yep!" He opened the book to the page Imogen had closed it on. Her eyes widened at it.

"Fred, that book-"

But there was a second set of footsteps coming now, accompanied by a wheezing breath.

"Shh, I've been here the whole time," he said, full of urgency as he began to pretend to read. Imogen couldn't bear to look.

Filch burst into the library, and hobbled rapidly towards their table. He stopped when he reached it, glaring at Fred. She looked up at him, attempting to appear nonchalant.

"Weasley!" he spat, almost trembling with rage.

Fred feigned intense interest in his book. "Hm? Oh, sorry Filch. Concentrating on my studies."

Filch trembled on. "I know what you did - to my office."

Fred made an exaggerated face of confusion, looking to Imogen, who took that as her cue.

"Oh- um, well Fred's been studying with me here all lunch." she said, her eyes flicking back towards the werewolf erotica in Fred's hands.

Filch looked between the two of them, his mouth hard.