𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄-𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐒

home sweet home (f.w)

Long days at work follow Fred as you crave a touch that feels like home.

Warnings: tooth-rotting fluff

Word Count: 793

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Fred Weasley sighed, rubbing the sleep that itched at his eyes.  A stack of parchment lay before him, each sheet waiting to be signed and packaged for the following day.  He stared at his quill, wishing it would vanish and give him a reason to crawl back into bed.  But it remained, calling his name before it was grasped and dipped in ink.

One by one, he read through each form, filling their names and desired products in an organized list for George.  Sure, running a business sounded like fun while at Hogwarts — still only a teenager with a knack for fun.  But even when the shop had closed its doors, he was up working.  And paperwork was undoubtedly Fred's least favourite part of the job.

He yawned, rubbing at his eyes once more before letting out a hum.  It wasn't common for Fred to work in silence.  He found the quiet to be lonely.  With a family of 7 red-headed siblings, he practically lived in the light of the noise.  So, he hummed to himself as he worked, finding that the time passed by faster when he wasn't counting down the minutes.

Feet padded from outside the room, descending the hall until coming to a stop by the door.  Fred smiled tiredly at the turning of the doorknob, continuing with his quill when its hinges squeaked open.

"Freddie?" you called, your voice laced with sleep. 

Fred's stomach fluttered, his tense shoulders relaxing at the gentle noise.  He turned in his swivle chair, eyes filled with love at the sight that he found.

"Hey there, m'love," he mumbled, dragging the chair's wheels across the floor until he met with you by the entrance.  "I thought you were asleep?"

You shrugged, beginning to fiddle with his fingers.  He adored when you did so.

"I couldn't sleep without you," you yawned, coaxing one to fall from Fred's lips as well.  You giggled when his eyes peeled back open.

Fred brought your hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss to your knuckles.

"You can sit with me until I'm done," he offered, patting the spot on his lap that you found yourself resting on after long shifts at work.  You found solace in those arms — a home.  And you knew Fred did too.

With a tired hum, you inched towards him, resting your legs across his own as you cuddled into his warm chest.  He was quick to draw you in closer, enjoying the feeling of your back slumped against him.  Pressing a kiss to your forehead, he smoothed down your hair before rolling his chair back towards the piles of paperwork — being careful not to hit your knees as he tucked himself into his desk.

"You warm?" Fred mumbled, peppering your head with kisses as you snuggled into his chest.  You watched as he pulled on the buttons of his flannel before it was wrapped around you, enveloping you in his scent even further. 

"Thank you," you breathed.  Your arms tugged him just that little bit closer, finding their spot around his torso.  He only chuckled, feeling his eyes droop slightly before focussing back on his work.

You made quiet conversation from there, talking about the mundane things of life.  It was all sleepy — incoherent at times — but it brought comfort.  It pushed Fred through the ungodly hour, the sight of your drowsy figure only encouraging him to finish so he could join you in bed.

"Minerva McGonagall?" you gasped, eyeing one parchment curiously as you skimmed its contents.  The witch had ordered a rather alarming amount of self-writing quills.

You felt the laughter bubble in Fred's chest.

"She orders a new batch every month," Fred chuckled, his left hand now splayed beneath your shirt while tracing gentle shapes.  His right hand, however, worked on filling her form before it was added to the completed pile.

Silence fell over the room once more.  Fred watched as you grew comfortable, nestling your head further into his collar while stretching your limbs.  Goosebumps were pulled from his skin the moment your breath fanned over his neck.

So, Fred continued with his tune from earlier, beginning to hum once more as he rushed to fill the last few documents of the night.

Slowly but surely, your eyes fell shut, basking in the warmth that is Fred and the home you found in his heart.

The feeling of his lips pressing to the corner of yours was faint, your body lifting before it was carried down the hall and wrapped in the comfort of your beloved duvet.

It was a moment before Fred joined you, pulling a soft smile from your lips before you had completely dozed off. 

"Home sweet home," Fred mumbled, hugging your figure to his chest while brushing through your hair.

And as his muscles relaxed from a tiring day, he was glad to be back where he belonged.

With you.