Safe With Me ~ Fred Weasley

Departure

I sat at the same couch that Fred and I had spoken on at my first ever Gryffindor party, nursing a cup of juice as everyone else worked through the leftover fire-whiskey and butterbeer from the twins birthday. We had school tomorrow, but no one seemed to care. In fact, I was beginning to think people were trying to outlast the Weasley's fireworks which could still be heard outside of the windows in the tower.

I had watched Harry, Ron and Hermione grinning all night for what felt like the first time in forever, even as Hermione snuck away after the first hour to work on some homework in the corner. I had watched George and Angelina refill each other's drinks every half hour, both of them nearly staggering now, leading the common room in songs and chants and telling jokes. I had noticed all of this, even as my brain had been swirling around those words from hours ago.

You haven't told her yet.

And now here we were, hours into a party where I had barely seen him. He and George had admittedly spent a good chunk of the night selling out their entire collection of products to the Gryffindors, their pockets likely weighed down with all kinds of gold. But now, now I could see him again. And I could see the dark haired seventh year pressed much too close to him, laughing much too hard at something he had said, her hand resting on his upper arm.

I lunged from the couch, leaving my cup perched on the side table. I was at his side in an instant.

"Fred." I said, plainly, my eyes not leaving the girls smiling ones.

"Cassy!" He grinned, a bit too easily, his eyes looking a bit heavy. They'd all been drinking all night. "Where have you been?" He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me in for a kiss which I let go on for a few seconds before pulling away, the dark haired girl rejoining her friends near the fireplace.

"I'm going to head down for bed." I said, watching his face fall at once.

"What?" He shook his head dramatically. "No, no, you're sleeping here."

"No, I want to go to my dorm. You can finish your party though-"

"Cassy." He interrupted, his finger tucking beneath my shirt and rubbing slightly against my hip. "Please stay with me."

I glanced around the room, watching everyone dancing and laughing, watching another firework fly past the window.

"We can go to bed right now if you stay." He begged, jutting out his bottom lip in a pout and I let out a small laugh, nodding and letting him lead us eagerly towards the stairs.

Finally in his dorm, the door shut behind us, I could hear again. The noise from downstairs was still there, but muffled, and you could hear the fireworks every few minutes outside from the cracked window. Fred stepped tipsily towards his dresser, rummaging for some mismatched clothing before falling onto the bed.

"What did George mean earlier?" I blurted, not being able to wait any longer. I watched his eyes flash to mine, panic beneath them.

"You're gonna have to be more specific, love-"

"You haven't told her?" I cut him off. "Told me what?"

I watched him mess with the blankets for a few seconds, not meeting my eyes before he sighed, his shoulders slumping a bit.

"Cassy,"

"You can tell me." My entire body felt cold, goosebumps lining my skin. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"What?" He jumped from the bed, crossing to me, his hands pulling at mine, and I reluctantly let myself be pulled towards him. "Breaking- what, I would never- Cass." His mouth froze into a thin line. "I will never break up with you. If you want to get rid of me, you'll have to do it yourself. And even then, I'm not sure it would work."