Enemies - Fred Weasley X OC

Fear and Love

~Zephyra~

We'd passed two days in an Autumn blur. It felt like the camping trip was endued with elderflower cordial and cool beer – alive and wonderful.

I found Angelina and Fleur to be delightful and we went on walks through the woods and fields together nearby, laughing freely and coming home with scraped knees like children from running or climbing.

Bill was fascinating, he told stories of his travels and work in such a way that I'd lean forward in my chair. He was gentle too; the way he held Fleur's hand or touched her waist was always so soft, like he thought she was the most brilliant thing in the world – which he did. It was made even better by the fact she thought the same about him.

Angelina was wild. Her laugh loud and her humour dry. She didn't much care for the way she was perceived. In school, I'd heard things about her – she was the sort of person people often made rumours up about; her confidence too intimidating for many. I, of course, adored it.

It was weird. It felt so unbelievably right living with them, like this is what life should have been all along. If I'd grown up in a house without prejudice and been able to choose my own friends, well, I could have had it all along.

I found it irritating when my mind strayed to thoughts of my actual family. My parents and Draco. It was irritating mostly because the truth was, I missed them. The adventures with Fleur and Angelina, going to the creeks and looking for rabbits in the woods – well it reminded me of Draco. A childhood version, before we were separated by prejudice and fear.

Darkness never fully escaped me. Fred neither. His moods shifted faster, he often needed time alone and sometimes his laughs seemed disingenuous, like he was trying for our sake.

It was most obvious at night; he held me tighter in his sleep. Each night I'd wake up warm and sticky with sweat from him and yet if I tried to wiggle away, he'd slide an arm around me and bring me closer. By the third night I gave up and instead cast cooling charms on us so at least I could sleep in comfort.

"Come on," I whispered one morning, poking Fred's cheek affectionately, "time to wake up."

He didn't reply. Eyes heavy lidded and face void of a smile.

"Twenty minutes," he said eventually.

And I could do little but nod dumbly and leave.

"You can't do much but be there," Angelina said, as we waited for the bacon to fry.

George and Angelina were the only people up and didn't seem quite as concerned about the whole Fred situation as I was.

"He's doing better, Zeph, you can't rush things. It's been intense for him, yeah?" George added.

"I suppose," I said glumly.

"It'll catch up to you too, Zephy," Angelina said quietly, "you seem more okay than you should after everything."

"I'm happy to be alive," I said disbelievingly.

"Yes," she agreed, "but you won't stay as excited about life forever, not when everything catches up to you."

I huffed, looking down at my hands. I hated the thought. The idea that sadness was expected from me. In what world should that be the case?

"I'll be fine," I said, forcefully. I didn't have time for it anyway. Not if I was to enforce Fred's happiness and try to win a war – not to mention Harry and Sirius. My mind briefly flicked to Draco, and I scowled. I'd already lost him to a life of misery, I wasn't about to do the same with anyone else I loved.