☽Harry Potter Preferences And One Shots ☽

Fred Weasley one shot

"Oh my god! Oh my god! NO!" I sobbed and fell to the floor, "He can't be dead! You're lying! He can't be!"

"Chloe, I'm so, so sorry," said Hermione, bending over and pulling me into a hug. "You'll be okay. It'll be alright."

I looked up at her with tears in my eyes. "How can it be alright?" I asked hollowly. "How can it be alright if Fred is gone?"

And with that, I cried. I didn't know what I was going to do. Fred and I had been dating for two years. He was in most of my classes. He was so nice, and so funny. I loved him. How could he be dead?

xxxx

I took a deep breath and walked up to the podium. It was a week after May 2nd, a week after Fred died. I was at his funeral, preparing to speak.

I turned to face the crowd full of familiar faces. I saw George, looking like he wanted to throw up. I saw Ron and Hermione, clinging to each other, and Mrs. Weasley sobbing in her husband's arms. Luna was there, murmuring some kind of prayer to her weird necklace, and Neville sat in the back, upset. Lee Jordan, who was always smiling, was frowning. The rest of the room was full - of Hogwarts students, of joke-shop customers, of Ministry employees, of Fred's friends.

"Hi," I said nervously, "I'm Chloe, Fred's girlfriend."

I took another deep breath and looked around at the audience. Mrs. Weasley gave me an encouraging smile, which I tried to return.

"When I first met Fred, he was the annoying kid sitting in the back of the classroom, cracking jokes with his brother and somehow always charming his way out of punishment. But I quickly learned that he was so much more. Fred was not only one of the best Beaters at the school, but a fierce companion, a loyal friend, and someone always willing to do what was right, no matter the cost." I guess that was obvious, considering his fate.

"When I first realized that I was in love with Fred, we were in Potions, and he had blown up his cauldron. I glanced back at him, and he was covered in this green goop," I couldn't help but smile at the memory, "and he was turning blue in the places where it touched him, but he made a face at me. He made a face at me! Later, he told me that the potions mishap was actually quite painful, but he wanted to see me smile."

"It was little things like that that I'll remember him for. A smile, a wink, his laugh, memories of him. And something else, too." I took a deep breath, nervously clutching the podium. Could I really tell them like this?

"I am pregnant with Fred's child." I heard several muffled gasps rise up from the audience. Mrs. Weasley looked like she wanted to faint. Fred was probably laughing in heaven.

"A part of Fred will always be with me," I said, "I will never forget him. Years from now, I will tell our child the stories you all know - the joke-shop, the escape from Umbridge with George, and so many more. I hope that he will be remembered, in this way, for all the good that he has done."

"I wish I'd gotten the chance to tell him that I loved him, one more time. I wish I'd gotten the chance to say goodbye. But I didn't."

"I found a muggle quote, 'the good die young.' I think it's supposed to be about how the good are ready to move on to a better place. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but for Fred's sake, I hope it is. Fred will be loved and missed, and remembered."

"Thank you."

I gulped, holding back tears, and stepped down from the podium and to my seat, between Mrs. Weasley and George. Fred's brother pulled me into a hug and I cringed, it was almost as if he was taunting me with his appearance, although I know he didn't mean it that way.

The rest of the funeral passed in a blur. I listened without hearing to the other speeches, instead, thinking of Fred. I remembered when he first talked to me. When he let me borrow his Weasley sweater because I was cold. Our first date. Our first kiss.

God, I missed him so much.

xxxx - Fifteen Years Later - xxxx

I stood at the train station, watching my two sons get ready to board the Hogwarts Express for their fourth year of school. Fred, named for his father, was already talking to his friends from the Quidditch team. I smiled. He was so much like the Fred I remembered.

Teddy, meanwhile, was chatting with Harry, his godfather. I had decided to adopt him after his parents, Lupin and Tonks, died in the Battle of Hogwarts, the same battle that had taken Fred away from me.

I hadn't gotten married, nor was I planning to. I was perfectly happy on my own, although I kept in close contact with Hermione, who was still my best friend. I usually visited the Burrow at least once a month; that was where my sons and I celebrated the holidays.

I worked as a Healer at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, but I had taken the day off to send my kids to school.

The train whistle blew, and the kids started crowding aboard. I looked for Fred and Teddy, who made their way over towards me. I pulled them each in for a tight hug and kiss.

"I love you. Write to me if there are any problems. Don't stay up too late. Don't do anything stupid. I love you!"

The boys rolled their eyes and in unison responded, "Yes, mum."

"Love you too!" called Fred, grabbing his stuff and boarding the train. Teddy hugged me again, and then followed him.

"Goodbye!" I called, although they probably couldn't hear me.

I stood on the platform until the train pulled away. Sometimes I got lonely without my sons at home, but I had friends close by. Hermione was always there when I needed her. I could count on George if I was sad about Fred and wanted someone to talk to. And I could always contact Neville, who was now the Herbology professor at Hogwarts, to see if my sons were behaving.

After the train disappeared around the corner, I met up with the Weasley family (all of them - Hermione and Harry, too). We were going out for breakfast.