Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [4]

⚡️ Chapter 44 ⚡️

Over the next two days, Vega was extremely busy – and for the first time, it wasn't due to the either studies or the troubles that came from being the Girl-Who-Lived. It was due to something that Vega wouldn't have expected herself ever going through, something she would've laughed off a year ago – she was busy trying to look for Fred Weasley and ask him out for the upcoming Yule Ball as a date.

Vega casually talked about Fred's status from Angelina Johnson – on the pretence that the entire Quidditch team seems not to have a date yet – and found out, much to Vega's eternal relief and happiness, that Fred had not been asked out, and that he had not asked anyone else out, either.

All that Vega needed to do anymore was look for him somewhere they could be on their own – she was not in the mood to ask him in front of others in case he really did not feel the same about her.

What if he still thinks of me as his little brother's friend?
No! I have shown him other sides to myself!
Besides, it is better to ask than regret not giving it a try.

On the third day since her resolution, Vega finally found the opportunity to talk to Fred – finding him away from George and Lee Jordan for once – in a Seventh-Floor corridor. She jogged down to him.

"Fred!" Vega called out, reaching him and moving around to appear in front of his face before he even had the chance to turn around and face her. "There you are!"

Fred was himself stunned at Vega's assertiveness – something he had not seen for her in a very long time. That look of fiery determination in her eyes rarely appeared in those grey eyes – given just how sweet she was normally – and something told him that he needed to be careful with her.

"What's going on, Vega?" Fred asked, a bit concerned. "Are you okay? Do you need help?"

It was a stupid question because Vega looked like there was nothing in the world she could ever ask for help with. He leaned against the wall, staring at the dark-maned female right in front of him.

"Do you want to go to the Yule Ball with me, Fred?" Vega asked, and she watched as Fred stared at her as he slowly processed what she had just asked of him but she remained patient.

"Me?" Fred asked finally, keeping his unblinking brown eyes trained on her face – Vega would've normally blushed to smithereens at that gaze but now was not the time.

"Yes, you," Vega responded. "Do you want to go to the Yule Ball with me? Everyone's been asking me out – some of them several times – but you haven't. So, I decided to do it myself,"

"You were waiting for me?" Fred asked, stunned and Vega nodded. "What? I thought... that you were just rejecting everyone because you wanted to go on your own, like you usually do..."

"No, I was rejecting them because I don't like any of them," Vega admitted, not caring that the rush of adrenaline was making her say all sorts of things. "But I want to go with you because I like you,"

For a moment, Fred was silent, and Vega was starting to come down from her high.

"You like me," Fred said rather than asking her, and Vega couldn't see why he was so surprised when she had made it so obvious at times – or so she thought. "I thought you didn't like me and I didn't want to risk ruining the friendship that we had – even if I had to keep those feelings to myself,"

"You like me, too?" Vega repeated and she knew from Fred's face that he had expected her to know it well by now. "Oh... dear, I'm so stupid," She grabbed her head, shaking it in annoyance at herself.

"Yes," Fred replied, and Vega looked up at him to see that he was starting to grin now. "Not to say that you're stupid," He pulled at her nose lightly. "I'm saying yes to going to the Yule Ball with you,"