Episkey (Fred Weasley Story)

A Peck

Fred's POV

"Freeed!" My sister called from upstairs for me. George and I were living at the shop's second floor mostly now, but we were stopping at home for few days every week.
"Yeees?" I asked the same long way she pronounced my name. Her quick steps hit the stairs and when she came in the kitchen she was holding a book in her hands.
"Paige, forgot to take it back. Will you go and give it to her." She handed me the book while I looked at her with raised eyebrows. She was acting very odd since a week. Everything I was doing or talking about, she was adding something about Daniels. I feared that my little sister had a crush on her, but since she was talking about Dean Thomas the other part of the time I gave up on that idea.
"Why don't you give it back to her? Or just send Errol?"
"Because..." I smirked at her goof expression. "Because you can apparate and I can't. And second, it's Paige we are talking about here. If something happens to her book she will kill Errol."Fair point. I thought to myself.
"Alright." I closed my eyes and pictured her house and the next second I was in front of her front door.
I pressed the doorbell and when the door opened a whole bunch of people were in the corridor, looking at me with shocked expressions.
"Uhmm... Hello, I am looking for Paige Daniels." I searched with my eyes for her and then from the kitchen her mother showed up.
"Owh... Hello, Fred." I calmed down after hearing her say my name.
"Hello, Mrs. Daniels."
"Call me, Sybil." I smiled at her and the awkwardness followed. "Are you looking for Paige?"
"Uhm... yes. She forgot her book at my sister."
"Paige! Paige, honey! Come down already." Sybil called out and in few seconds, steps were heard from the second floor and there she was, looking... looking... different.
"I told you to give me few minutes mum, I still-" And then her eyes met mine and she stared at me wide eyed. She was wearing a lovely dress and was something that I could stare all day. "Fred? What are you doing here?"
"Paige?!" Her mother called from behind shocked at how she greeted me.
"You forgot your book." I handed it to her and she blinked few times before smiling. How much I missed her smile.
"Thank you." We stared awkwardly at one another.
"You've cut your hair." She still looked good even if it wasn't long anymore.
"Yeah..." Her cheeks turned slight pink and I couldn't help but smirk at her.
"You look good."
"You really think so?" Her eyes sparkled with joy and made me chuckle.
"Yhes."
"Thank you." The way she bit her lip made me want to kiss her in front of her whole family.
"Would you like to stay for dinner, Fred? We are celebrating Paige's graduation." I moved my eyes from her, to her mother.
"Thank you, Mrs. Daniels, but I don't want to stand in your way of celebrating."
"None sense! Come in and shut the door already!" She waved her hand for me to come in and I did as she said.
In an hour we all gathered at the table and soon I started to know a bit for every member of her family. I haven't enjoyed a dinner like that in a long time and from Paige's expression I could assume she did feel the same way.
"Do you want to go outside?" She whispered to me and I looked around the table before nodding. "Let's go." She took my hand and quickly grabbed something to put on her shoulders. "Mum we are going for a walk!" She shouted and shut the door as we walked outside.
It was a lovely night and the street she decided to take looked familiar. In few minutes I found out why. She led us to the bakery shop, from which I stopped her during the winter vacation.
"Two chocolate cupcakes, please." I loved the way she looked at the sweets, probably the same way I looked at pranking candies.
We were back at the street after she took the cupcakes. She handed the one to me and I won't deny, it was delicious. She asked me how Ginny was and about the shop, I told her everything and I was trying to joke every minute just to hear her laughter. But then her happy eyes turned to sad ones.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"It's just that... I have no idea what to do with my life right now." She stopped and looked at the ground ashamed. I stopped as well and turned towards her. I wasn't sure how she will react, but I placed my finger under her chin and made her look up at me.
"It doesn't matter..." I whispered and removed my finger. " Whatever you decide to do, you will succeed in it, I am sure of it." Her lips parted and when nothing came out, I leaned my head to her while she closed her eyes. She quickly pecked my lips before pulling away and I won't deny it, I got confused.
"I should get back home..." She whispered and looked away.
"I'll walk you back." I offered, but she quickly refused and said she wanted to walk alone. We said our goodnights and I watched how she was walking away. I felt weird... she did take the move towards me, but yet didn't dare to come back to me. I did mean it when I said I loved her, but she never replied. I started to question myself if she felt the same way, but her actions weren't giving me any hints. I knew from Ginny that she and William Dawson got very close the last year and I did feel jealous of it, but there was nothing I could do to stop her if she chooses him. I just hoped she won't.