Cynical | Fred Weasley - REWRITE

9. Going With The Flow

"You know what I'm thinkin', see it in your eyes
You hate that you want me, hate it when you cry."
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Things were back to normal a week later. No one was talking about the party anymore, George suspected nothing, and Fred was falling deeper in love with Joey from afar. Millie was still hinting to Fred that he should accept her help, but Fred ignored her. If he forced it, it was going to break. Millie's "help" would be forcing, and Fred didn't want to lose Joey anymore than he already had. Things had to happen naturally, even if those things didn't work out in Fred's favor each time. Sometimes they would, other times they wouldn't. He had to accept that. The world didn't revolve around him, but that didn't mean all hope was lost.

It was a Sunday morning and everyone was still asleep when Fred woke up. He cruised around the castle, admiring the 1st years' art work on the walls, laughing at a few of the more ridiculous ones. He could remember simpler times when he and his peers were doing art work in some of their classes. In charms, they had to charm a paint brush to do the movements for them. That was one of his best memories at Hogwarts. Joey had been standing in front of him, painting the moon and the stars of course, and Fred was painting a frog, while George painted a toad next to him. Fred thought it would be funny if he messed with Joey and used the paint brush to mess up the corner of her painting. Joey therefore deemed it necessary to splash an entire can of paint on him. His face was tinted dark blue for days.

The fact that Joey reiterated was probably why he liked targeting her so much, and why George did too. She never let them get away with their pranks, but still knew how to laugh about them.

Fred eventually made his way out to the quidditch pitch, and sat down in the stands. The grass and dirt was damp from rain, the skies were cloudy, and everything was quiet. Fred never really liked quiet, unless it involved Joey. He could sit with her in complete silence, and never get bored. But with anyone else, he just wanted to talk, and be talked to. He wanted that with Joey too.

A few feet away, Fred heard clambering, and turned toward the noise. Joey and Joseph had climbed the stands and were talking while find somewhere to sit. They hadn't noticed Fred yet. "I wasn't mad at you, Joey. Just concerned for you. I know you love George and I know he loves you," Joseph said.

"But you acted like I was a... a slut or something," Joey replied. They weren't arguing, but they clearly weren't agreeing.

"No! I'm sorry, I know I overreacted. You're not a slut at all," Joseph put an arm around his sister. "Just a loser."

Joey rolled her eyes and grinned. "Okay, Seph."

"I know I promised to play rugby with you, but I also promised Rachel a date. And one is going to get me some, and the other is not."

"You're gross, go away," Joey pushed him off her and laughed. Joseph left and Joey sat there alone, with a rugby ball spinning in her hands.

"Teach me a few tricks?" Fred called over to her.

Joey flinched and slapped her hand over her mouth. "Fred, you scared me! When did you get here?" she asked him.

Fred stood up and made his way through the stands to her. "I've been here for about 30 or so minutes."

She glanced down at the rugby ball, then back to Fred. "You ever play?"

He shook his head. "Never. Don't even know how to throw."

Joey's mouth fell open and she smiled. "Well, we have a lot to cover then!"

Her first order was to teach Fred how to properly handle the ball. He was a fast learner so it didn't take too long to catch on. Then Joey taught him how to throw. She passed it softly a few times, demonstrating so he could follow along. Fred copied her movements when she would throw, making sure to follow through. She emphasized that following through was important. He agreed, as a beater who followed through every time he hit the bludger. After that, she had him throw. It surprised Fred that even when he threw it as hard as he could, the ball didn't go as far as when Joey threw it. He also found it incredibly attractive.