Yours, Fred | f. weasley x reader

Chapter 57: The Split

A/N: Sorry in advance about this one :/

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As you spent days rotating between camping and walking, the only familiarity in the changing landscape was the sound of Potterwatch from the Muggle radio endlessly listing out the names of those missing. Ron constantly carried it close to him, as if it were a lifeline.

You all walked in silence apart from the sound of the radio, crossing through woodland areas, over hills, and across more fields, and even an abandoned caravan park one day, where at least a quarter of the caravans were completely charred as if they'd been set on fire and had exploded. Ron spoke less and less as time went on, even when he wasn't wearing the locket.

"You alright, Ron?" you asked him one afternoon as the winter sun shone down on you while you trekked across streams and grassy ditches.

He nodded, "fine, thanks."

And that was the extent of the conversation with him, you slowed your pace and allowed the twins to catch up with you, Fred took your hand in his and put your linked hands in his pocket against the chilly air. Potterwatch blared from the radio, and you were happy to hear your friends' voices, even though they almost always delivered bad news, though Lee always tried to end with words of encouragement for the listeners, though you could hear in his voice that he was scared, though he tried to keep up the persona of optimism.

You set the tent up under a bridge in an industrial wasteland, where there were no houses or buildings to be seen for miles. You all sat outside on a few camping chairs as Hermione checked on Ron's arm and shoulder, which thankfully seemed to be healing, and he seemed to be in a lot less pain than before, though he still needed the sling.

"He doesn't know what he's doing, does he?" Ron asked and you all looked over to where Harry was angrily flinging stones into a small stream under the bridge.

"None of us do," Hermione said with a sigh and you lifted your head from where you had been resting it against Fred's shoulder, and looked up at him. Even the twins had grown quiet over the last few weeks, and you worried about them, but you also realised that dark times like these made it more difficult to joke around and lighten the mood. You lifted your hand and combed your fingers through his longer hair and he smiled down at you, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"You alright, my love?" He asked and you nodded and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, "I'm okay, are you?" He nodded and said nothing, but he leaned down to pick up a small stone, and flung it at George who was falling asleep with his head resting on one hand.

The stone hit him square in the chest and he jumped in fright, falling backwards off the camping stool with a thud and a yelp, and you couldn't help but laugh as he stuck two arms up and flipped Fred off with both hands from where he lay flat on his back on the stones. Ron and Hermione chuckled as well, and you could've sworn it was the first time you'd seen them genuinely smile in weeks.

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It was the middle of November before you knew it, according to Potterwatch, meaning you and the twins had been with the trio for over two months. You had set up camp on the stony ground near a huge lake and you and the twins sat at the dining table studying the Marauder's Map. You watched Snape pacing Dumbledore's office, and saw the two Death Eaters on staff, the Carrows, patrolling the school. 

Hermione was cutting Harry's hair while he sat on a chair in the middle of the tent, and the twins had refused to let her near them with the scissors, despite the length of their hair. Their hair wasn't as long as it had been in your sixth year, thankfully, but you were still glad they'd refused Hermione's offer of cutting it for them, because while Hermione was brilliant at pretty much everything she put her mind to, cutting hair was not one of those things. You'd refused to try it yourself because you did not want the blame for the inevitable hack job you'd do on them yourself.