Gunpowder & Cinnamon {Fred Weasley}

Chapter Seventy Nine

Eleanor could still smell the cinnamon in the air, it wasn't overpowering, it was just right, setting her at ease, as she sat outside on the step of the Burrow. While it was cold, her knitted quilt kept her more than warm. The party was still going on and she was sure there was at least another three hours before people would even begin to feel tired.

"So, what did you think?" Fred asked after he came outside from the Burrow. He sat down beside her and looked up at the night sky.

"It was amazing!" she told him, offering half of the quilt, but Fred improvised by moving her to his lap and wrapping it around the two of them. "Where did you even find the time for something like this?"

"Well, there were nights where I waited until you were asleep in bed, or while you were out with someone, I was working on it. I wanted them to be ready in time for the wedding."

"It was fantastic, did you hear everyone? They were all so excited and it was pretty interesting to hear what they smelled."

"What did you smell?" Fred said with a knowing grin.

'Oh the usual..apple pie and ice cream." she said.

"Wait, what?"

She laughed. "What did you think I smelled? I smelled cinnamon..and gunpowder, but I can't be sure if the last part was part of the firework or the potion itself."

"Perhaps a bit of both."

"Now out of curiosity.." Eleanor began, "what do you smell when it comes to the Amortentia potion?" she asked him.

Fred only continued smiling. "That's for me to know and for you to never find out."

"Why?!"

"Because it's a secret."

"B-but ...Fred Weasley you and I have only been married for a few hours now and already you're keeping secrets from me?"

"Yes..but just this one." he said.

"I don't understand why it has to be a secret."

"Because the smells are very precious to me as is the face you make when you want to know something but don't get your way."

"This is incredibly unfair." Eleanor huffed, her hot breath could be seen in the cold air before she folded her arms over her chest.

Fred laughed and held her close into him. "Sorry, Love."

Eleanor just rolled her eyes.

Fred rested his chin on her shoulder looking to the tent party that was still going on. Through the open flap, he could see his parents dancing, along with plenty of the other guests in attendance. Eleanor was humming to the music playing, and while he would offer her to dance again, he could tell that she was tired, not that she would admit it.

The knitted quilt kept them quiet warm, and the scent of it reminded him of the earlier conversation they were having. There was something that Eleanor did to her yarn, or perhaps it was yarn that she bought, but it had an amazing smell. It was a smell that he couldn't really describe or compare to other things. But it was a smell that he had smelled the entire time he had brewed the Amortentia potion for the firework project. Along with the smell of bamboo, which he learned was the material that made up Eleanor's knitting needles. He had also learned the difference when it came to the different materials to make knitting needles and how they worked with yarn in different ways. In many ways, Fred knew way too much about knitting. More than he cared to admit, especially in front of his mother.

He knew he could tell her, but he really did enjoy the little annoyed faces she made when she didn't get the answer she was hoping for. He heard Eleanor yawn, before she leaned back against him.

"Oh is my poor Ellie Bellie tired?"

"Ellie Bellie..." she laughed. "No, I'm fine."

"Oh really? So if I were to rub the top of your head, you wouldn't fall asleep, right?"

He smirked as he began running his fingers through her hair, she let out a slight groan before she yawned again.

"Dammit, Fred! Knock it off!"

"I'm not doing anything. I'm just saying that if you were to take a nap no one would be judging you. You've been up since early this morning and I know you're tired."

"I'm not tired!" she said and yawned again.

Fred went to argue with her when suddenly the two were approached by the last person they were expecting from the party to come talk to them.

Eleanor swallowed as Aunt Muriel stood in front of them. Eleanor didn't have very pleasant memories with the older woman, as she loved to insult anyone she had the chance with. She was fully prepared to hide under the quilt with Fred to escape any of the woman's scrutiny but it was too late, they had been spotted and she was already in front of them.

"I am heading home, because it is far too loud in there especially with the horrendous music selection the younger crowd has chosen. It's a shame your generation has no idea what good music is."

Eleanor felt Fred hold onto her slightly tighter but the two of them said nothing.

"That being said, I also wanted to congratulate the two of you on your marriage and I wish you many happy years ahead."

Eleanor instantly wondered if she had fallen asleep before and found herself in a dream. Was Muriel actually being nice to them?

"It was a very...unique ceremony though. Although, should either one of you get married again, I would skip out on the hijinks and stick to a more traditional ceremony. It's less tacky that way."

With nothing else to say, the old woman left, leaving Fred and Eleanor to sit in silence for a moment before the two burst into giggles.

"She gets nicer and nicer every time I see with her." Eleanor said.

"Really?" Fred said looking at her as she turned to face him. " She only gets older and older every time I see her. That woman is going to live forever."