Fred Weasley x Reader (slow and Steady)

Ch 18: Fumbling Feelings

After the champions had been introduced, Nikolaus and I eagerly made our way into the room. My attention had been on the room, I had expected something grand for this room, but this was on another scale; I was not expecting to see it decorated like this. Looking around I noticed the teachers off in the back dressed in elegant dress-robes and suits, Hagrid standing beside some of the teachers nervously as he looked at Madam Maxime with adoration. It was cute seeing him like that and made me happy to know he was happy.

"This place is absolutely stunning" I noted, a wide grin on my face.

Nikolaus grinned as well nodding in agreement "They really did. I had heard whispers of what everyone else was thinking it would look like, but this is entirely different than what either I or the others had been thinking."

We stood and waited off to the side while the champions began dancing as they were the opener for tonight. Looking down at me Nikolaus smiled and spoke "alright, so we're going to have a lot of fun tonight, just as friends, we don't have to talk about Fred how does that sound?"

I sighed and scanned the crowd again; I had been subconsciously looking for either of them, I looked up at Nikolaus "Yeah, let's have some fun, don't worry about anything else" I smiled.

And he was right, we had just come here as friends, nothing more, at least on my end; and I was completely ok with that. I wanted to come here and have fun; I wasn't going to let any confusing emotions get in the way of that.

After the first song had ended and the Champions finished their introduction dance, we looked towards each other grinning. He held his arm up once more, bending his hand against his chest at the elbow. I grabbed the bend of his elbow with both of my hands, and we ran forward.

Grabbing my hand, he gently placed his hand on my waist while I put my other on his shoulder. We looked at each other and began the dance we had been practicing these past couple months. Nikolaus had been the first to take the lead as the music suddenly started, it was light and bounding, a fast beat tempo.

Swiftly circling around, Nikolaus twirled me. I had been so nervous that I would step on his feet that I had been focusing intently on the steps; but as soon as the twirl happened all seriousness went away and I began to laugh, closing my eyes I grinned as an exhilarating feeling flooded my chest. Nikolaus laughed and twirled me several times in a row, my hair and dress twirling around along with me.

After he twirled me, releasing my hand he gently placed both hands on either sides of my waist and suddenly hoists me up in the air before turning and setting me down again. Laughing, I brace myself on his shoulders as we begin to twirl around faster; moving along to the steps of the crowd.

For a large portion of the song, Nikolaus twirled me around numerous times until the song began to store down from it's upbeat original song to a store paced and melodic song. Returning to our original position looking down Nikolaus began the lead.

"You're so focused when you dance, do you not do it often?" He asks me, his voice thick with his Germanic accent.

Laughing nervously "no I do not, I spend a majority of my time with animals not dancing. This is the first time I've ever danced. Is this your first time?"

Chuckling, he grips my hands and leads me into another twirl but one more slower, the edges of my dress wrapping around my legs "no, my mother was rather adamant that for a future marriage if It ever canned into three table that I learn a plethora of skills; dancing being one of them"

I blinked in surprise "your mother sounds very serious about marriage for you"

Nikolaus nods as he leads me forward "there are many wizarding families where I'm from, are very adamant about either uniting specific houses for specific benefits or to just ensure the bloodline stays pure. Not a lot of families are too find off those with muggleborn families" he finished his last sentence with an apologetic look on his face.