Marooned - Fred Weasley

Chapter 15: Fearless

Saturday afternoon came, technically it was this afternoon, and Sarah did her best not to let her nerves get to her. It all felt a bit surreal, and she kept replaying her interactions with Wood throughout the years. She thought he was all nervous and awkward around everyone, but it was just around her, and it was sweet.

Her girl friends gushed over it for the rest of the week, and gladly debated with her on what outfit she should wear. She had several thoughts of her mother, how sweet it could've been to write her a letter about her first date. Remus had joked that her father would have hunted Wood down, Lyana would have pressed a kiss on her forehead and sent her off with the instruction to be told everything afterwards. Remus made sure to assert his authority during his DADA class with the seventh years and told her to have cautious fun. She smiled, knowing he awkwardly condensed every restriction to that particular expression.

She tied her hair into a slicked back low ponytail and heard her name being called out in a screech and she recognized the screech from years spent with the Weasleys and Fred and George pulling pranks on Ginny.

She ran down and found Ginny being held up by a friend of hers and Hermione, "What happened!?" Sarah frowned in horror at Ginny's ears that sprung out some kind of plant. Fred and George also ran down, because they knew the high pitched sound as well, and were worried, because it wasn't caused by them.

"Leek jinx, it ricocheted from some fourth years and hit her when she passed them," said Ginny's friend. "We don't know the counter-jinx."

Sarah got out her wand, and performed a counter-jinx that she figured should do in the situation and slowly the leeks disappeared from Ginny's ears, leaving her shaking and red-faced. Sarah kneeled down in front of her, took her hand in hers, Fred and George joined her.

"You okay, there, sis?" asked Fred.

Ginny breathed in and out slowly and nodded.  "You sure?" she glanced at her watch, she was late to meet Wood. "Dammit, that must have been horrifying," she gently set her hands over her ears. "Want me to stay with you? I have Honeyduke's upstairs."

"No, are you crazy? You have your date," said Ginny, shaking her head and got up. "I'm great."

"I've got her," said George, putting an arm around her and sitting back down. Sarah pressed a kiss on her forehead and turned to walk away when she locked eyes with Fred.

She stopped, then, for some reason and glanced down at her pair of jeans, "I figured he'd make me fly on a broom. It's too casual, isn't it?" She tightened a bit the hair tie, and adjusted the collar of her leather blazer.

Fred shook his head, taken aback because he realized this was the first time she spoke to him since last week, and he looked at her intently, "No, not at all, you're-Uh-"

"You look beautiful," said George. "Now leave!"

She glanced at her watch again. "Shit. Yes, okay. Bye!" She ran out of the common room, his gaze following her.

"You need to apologize," cautioned Ginny.

"You also need to stop staring," mumbled George, and Fred picked up a pillow, hit them over the head with it, "And you two need to shut up."

Sarah ran to the courtyard, saw Oliver leaning against a tree, making some leaves levitate.

"I'm so sorry, I had a situation with Ginny. Leek jinx," said Sarah, out of breath, hand clutching her side.

He flashed her a bright smile, "It's okay. Figured you'd tell me if you cancelled."

"Of course, but," she breathed in and out heavily. "Sorry, I'm not very physical, I just sprinted here." She took off her jacket, it wasn't warm outside so that helped a lot. "So, where are we going?"