Darling • Fred Weasley x reader

Chapter fifty nine

It was odd being on the Hogwarts Express and only taking up two compartments in total, leaving the third vacant for any other students to occupy. There was an unsettling silence throughout the train although there were voices bustling throughout. Maybe it was something only I noticed, but the hush, I assumed, had to do with the twins' absence this year.

I'd arrived at the platform with Narcissa and Draco, not really saying much aside from the older woman giving us hopeful looks as she tried to conceal the sadness in her aged expression. The platinum blonde boy hadn't spoken to me since everything happened and I haven't gone out of my way to seek him out either.

I managed to not dwell on it too much knowing we both occasionally just go completely mute when something is bothering us and fortunately, there was no need to talk about it since we already knew what the issue at hand was.

We went our separate ways as we had before summer and that was that; no questioning from either of us. He took his place by Pansy and Blaise who waves to me cheerfully. I only issue an exhausted smile in return and quickly find my way to my brother and the other Gryffindors. "Y/n!" Hermione squeals and hops up from her seat beside Ron in a flash.

The ginger boy makes a face as he chases down a chocolate frog that had gone rouge and began traveling up the window.

"How was your summer, you've got to tell us everything!" Ginny peeks into our compartment after hearing the excitement in the curly haired girl's voice. Hermione eyes me wearily, but takes her seat quickly as to not make the scene suspicious.

"It was quiet; nice." I nod vaguely and I catch Harry glaring down at my arm.

"That's it?" She asks with a grin, but I quickly change the subject.

"That's it." I let out an airy laugh, feeling the guilt settle in as I proceed to lie to her. "How was summer for you lot? Enjoyable, I reckon?"

"Of course, Fred and George got their shop up and running, finally. They've been chasing me mad around the burrow with they're prototypes for months like I'm their bloody guinea pig." Ron laughs.

"And your mum and dad are well?" I ask hopefully.

"Just fine, although mum really wished you had been there for it. Says it going to be hard to have a time like that again with everything going on." He shrugs with a hint of gloom.

I realize Harry's focus hasn't moved from my arm and I nonchalantly tuck it under my other, causing his eyes to flicker up to me with a stern look. For the rest of the ride I caught up with everyone, Belle, Maddie, Rowan, Enzo and anyone else who chose to say hello.

I hadn't seen Rowan's blue curious eyes in what felt like half a year and as he rattled on about what he'd done over break, I realized I'd missed out on so much more than I thought.

"Besides Hermione saw it with her own eyes." I hear Harry say from their compartment as I sit with the Beauxbaton transfers.

"What's wrong?" Maddie whispers from beside me and Belle sends me a worried look.

"Nothing, I'll be back. I just have to speak to Harry about something."

"I told you I don't know what I saw." Hermione retorts sharply, her words muffled behind the door. I slide it open and coincidentally Harry is standing up after grabbing something.

"I need some air." He states and brushes past me as if I weren't there. I knew he had suspicion but not this bad, he's incapable of even looking me in the eye. I subconsciously wrap my hand around my arm and sit beside Hermione who stares at the floor in silence.

"What's he on about?" I ask,

"Eh, nothin'." Ron replies blankly, glancing to the girl beside me for assistance.