Cynical | Fred Weasley - REWRITE

2. Reflection

"I've dreamt about you nearly every night this week."
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"You're tall as ever," Joey commented on Fred's tall physique.

He laughed gently and nodded, keeping his eyes on the ground. Joey wondered why he always did that around her. She hoped she didn't make him uncomfortable. It seemed that every time she was near him, he couldn't hold eye contact and lost his words. It also seemed like he just wanted to get away from her.

"Oh, Josephine!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed happily, knocking Fred into George and throwing her arms around Joey. "It's lovely to see you again, dear!"

"You'd think she'd be nicer to us, seeing as she won't see us until Christmas," Fred said loudly to George, rubbing his shoulder.

Mrs. Weasley tutted them and released Joey from the warm, motherly hug. "It's great to see you too, Mrs. Weasley."

Joey watched as Fred smiled at her and George searched his pockets urgently for something. He held up a finger, signaling for her to wait a moment. "Almost got... no... fuc-I mean dang," he muttered to himself.

Mrs. Weasley bit her tongue and turned her attention back to her younger children. Joey beamed at George. It had been almost the entire summer since she'd seen her boyfriend and she was ready to smother him for as long as she could. "Miss me?" she asked stupidly.

George snorted, pulling something she couldn't see out of his pocket. "What? No. Why would I miss my girlfriend? What a ridiculous idea."

Fred walked away, passing by Joey. Her eyes followed him, and she was reminded that she did indeed not come here alone. Her two brothers were goofing off behind them. Joseph, her older brother, had shaggy brown hair, brown eyes, and was a bundle of trouble. Josiah, her younger brother, had short brown hair, was about only 2 inches taller than she was, and was a squib. Fred divulged into a conversation with them, his back turned coldly to Joey and George. She shrugged it off and proceeded to give George her full, undivided attention.

"Et voilà," George produced a tiny purple tulip from his hands and held it out for Joey to take.

She pinched it between her fingers and raised it to her nose. Smelled just like a tulip. What was the punchline? She wondered. There must've been a hidden agenda, this was George Weasley she was dating. "How oddly sweet of you."

George was pink in the cheeks and his mouth twitched. "Yeah, I know," he said through a questionably playful giggle.

Fred, Joseph, and Josiah joined them casually. Joseph stared at Joey weirdly, eyes crossing at her face. Josiah scratched his nose and greeted George awkwardly. Fred started laughing. "What?" Joey frowned.

Nobody said anything. Fred cleared his throat and shook his head. "So, when were you planning on telling George and me that your little brother is joining us at Hogwarts this year?" He raised his eyebrow at Joey inquisitively.

It wouldn't have been very important to mention had Josiah been 11 years old. But he was 15. A squib wouldn't usually be allowed in Hogwarts, because there would be no point. However, Josiah had gotten a brand new, shiny opportunity to be part of the fun and become assistant caretaker. It wasn't very glamorous. Filch was a cranky nut job. But Josiah was happy that he'd finally be with Joey and Joseph year-round. She refused to crush his dreams and would instead allow him to make his own opinions.

"We better get on if we want good seats," Joseph told everyone in their little circle, and put his arm around Josiah, leading him off toward the Hogwarts Express.