Scratches (Fred Weasley)

(72) War of Hearts

"You have to say something," Florence demanded the next day at breakfast. She couldn't believe that it took nearly twenty four hours for Nicolai to even consider telling her about the events of the previous day. Alexander was still holed up in his room, and now Nicolai had suddenly gone mute. Could these holidays get any worse?

"Nicolai!" Florence half yelled, this time, yanking the silver spoon from her friend's hand, peas cluttering down onto the table, "Tell me what happened, dammit. I gave you space—now you need to say something or I'll go insane."

The brunette simply stared back at her, not a peep coming out from her mouth, before she reached out and grabbed another spoon from beside her. Florence's frustration grew, knocking the spoon out of her hand.

"Really, Flo? There are twenty other spoons that I can use if you keep doing that."

She crossed her arms, brows drawing together, "Well I'm going to have to knock every single one out and smash your breakfast plate if that's what's going to get you to talk."

Nicolai shrugged, "Have it your way, then."

Florence got up, plucking every single unused spoon from the Ravenclaw table, dumping them into a nearby garbage can. She trudged back to the table. only to see Nicolai struggling to eat her peas with a fork.

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Woah, easy there tiger," said Fred, who had just so happened to pass by. The furious look on his girlfriend's face and the calm, collected look on Nicolai's made his brows go up, "Okay, what's going on here?"

"Yeah," George chimed in, "You two seemed to have switched...personalities."

"Dunno why she's making a big deal out of nothing," Nicolai shrugged, resuming her meal as Florence continued to glare at her, "It is a big deal. She disappeared for the whole day yesterday after talking to Jillian, and she won't tell me why."

George's expression changed, "You talked to Jillian? About what?"

"I thought we've established the bit about me refusing to speak about it?" Nicolai murmured, "Ask me something I actually want to answer."

"Why are you eating peas with a fork?"

"Better question, Fred. You see, your dear love here threw away all the spoons. And I'm hungry. Nothing can stop me from eating."

He turned to Florence, "Why'd you throw away all the spoons?"

"Because she was annoying me!"

"Okay!" George cut off, before Florence flipped out even more, "Nicolai, come on, talk to me about it." he said, sinking down onto the bench. Nicolai looked at him, remembering the night they shared on the astronomy rooftop. George was the only one who knew of her feelings for Jillian.

"Okay," she said, after a few moments of silence. Florence sat their indignantly as Nicolai got up to talk to George outside. She turned to Fred, who had the same baffled look on his face, "Are you seeing this?"

"Better believe I am, love." said Fred, rubbing Florence's shoulder in a futile attempt to calm her down, "Come on. While they talk, why don't we exchange presents?" he suggested.