Unbreakable - Fred Weasley

Daft

"You're brilliant. Who'd have thought?" Roger said, staring at Olivia in awe. She rolled her eyes as they made their way back up into the castle. The Ravenclaw Quidditch tryout had finished and Olivia had flown exceptionally well— she had decided it would be best to at least try out, she had brought Cedric's broom after all.
"Cool it Davies, you're drooling." She sighed before sizing him up with narrowed eyes, "and what do you mean 'who'd have thought?'— my bloody brother is Oliver Wood!"
"I guess that's true..." Roger stated thoughtfully, stroking his chin.
"So I've made the team then?" She asked,
"Yes, of course! First practice will be Monday night."
"That's alright," she said, they were in the castle now, standing in front of the entrance.
"I reckon you know most of the team, Cho Chang, Michael Corner— you know, he's seeing Ginny Weasley? It'll be hard when we play Gryffindor, but—" before he could finish his sentence, they both saw a blur of red hair, crimson robes, and a girl who was bleeding profusely. "Oi, Wood, isn't that your—" but she was gone before Roger could finish his sentence.
Olivia rushed over, trying to make sense of the situation before her. Fred and George were supporting Katie between them, her nose leaking blood—seemingly uncontrollably. Fred's quidditch gear was covered in scarlet, and Olivia was uncertain as to whether or not he was injured in some way too. Katie was ghostly pale, looking as if she was going to pass out at any moment.
"Merlin's beard— is she alright!?" Olivia asked once she'd reached them,
"It seems—we may, have, er, slipped her a blood blisterpod by mistake." Fred said wearily, George looked at Olivia and nodded his head. She fell in step beside them, poking her head around George to keep an eye on Katie, who looked at her weakly.
"That's so irresponsible! Pay more attention to what you give people! You're going to kill someone one day!" Olivia reprimanded them, continuing to scold them until they'd reached the Hospital Wing.
"My word!" Madame Pomfrey gasped when she saw them, Olivia had given Katie—who by now was nonsensical— her jumper to catch the bleeding. The twins were covered in blood as well. Madame Pomfrey whisked Katie away swiftly and left the three at the entrance hall. Olivia turned to the boys, her eyes narrowed into a harsh glare.
"It was an accident, love!"
"Really, Olive, we thought it would help!"
"We really-"
"Didn't mean for it-"
"To get worse!" Fred cried.
"It's Olivia!" She shouted, exasperated, "and you dunces had better figure out a way to make it up to her."
"But-" George started,
"No buts!" She said, with a harsh finality that quieted both of them. "Now go, you're both covered in blood and look awful! I'll stay and look in on her."
George left immediately, leaving Fred lingering behind. They had seen each other the past evening, but had left things very undetermined between themselves. Fred reached for her hands, but she pulled them away— clasping them behind her back quickly,
"Are you hurt?" She whispered, looking at the blood that covered his quidditch robes. He shook his head,
"No, m'alright." He mumbled,
"Right, well, go change."
"Can we talk?"
"We can talk later."
"Alright," He reluctantly agreed, crossing his arms across his chest and marching away.
—
Olivia was looking out the window, carelessly twirling her wand about in her hands when she heard Katie's voice softly ask,
"That's Cedric's wand, isn't it?" Madame Pomfrey had left them both, happy with Katie's recovery.
Olivia looked up at Katie who watched her with a sad glimmer in her eyes,
"Yes. It is."
"You must miss him." Katie said, it hadn't been posed as a question, but Olivia felt compelled to reply.
"Terribly."
"I'm sorry for your loss... I knew something had to be wrong when I saw you, at the Third Task." Katie spoke very slowly, as if she was reliving the events in her mind. "You looked... mad. Like you'd lost it."
"I-yea." Olivia didn't read too far into what Katie was saying, she must have looked mad, she was hysterical— even more so when Harry had come back. She tried to push her thoughts away, the very last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of Katie.
"You and Fred are... dating?" She asked suddenly, catching Olivia off-guard with the sudden change in topic.
"Er— I don't know." Olivia answered awkwardly, sitting up straighter and brushing non-existent dust off of her lap.
"You don't?"
Olivia nodded in response, clearing her throat in the hopes that the conversation would end there.
"What does that mean? You're obviously in love with one another, and just... the two of you together look... perfect." The last word had a hint of resentment in it, although there was nothing but sincerity in her eyes.
Olivia stared at Katie, the very sweet girl in front of her, and suddenly felt insurmountable guilt.
"I'm sorry you two broke up, and, well... it was only for him to be sort of with someone." Olivia's tone was apologetic and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat under Katie's gaze. She wanted anything but to explain to Katie how Cedric had always been her one person. How she didn't know how to be with anyone else— or what that even meant. How she had nearly thrown herself onto his casket as they buried it because the thought of walking on the earth without him was more than she could bear. How she didn't know how she and Fred could possibly figure anything out, given the fact that Cedric had only been gone for less than three short months.
"You're daft." Katie told her, a cool edge in her voice.
"I've been told." Olivia replied hotly. She gave Katie a curt nod, got up, and strode out of the hospital wing. Tears stung the edges of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
———
Olivia shivered as the wind swept her hair and robes around her, she stared out at the black water. Remembering sitting against Cedric for the Second Task she smiled grimly, watching the water sway in and out. She stayed out for hours, letting the cold seep through her, she was sure she'd get sick. But nothing seemed to make her want to go back inside, she wanted to remember the Second Task, she wanted to remember Cedric laying his head on hers and staring out— waiting for Harry to surface.
It was dark by the time she made it in to her dormitory, everyone was asleep. She kicked off her shoes and stumbled into her bed, nothing could console her—the pain of losing Cedric overcoming her again. She closed her eyes, willing sleep to wash over her and take away her thoughts.
———
Cho Chang was deeply worried about Olivia, she had drawn the curtains on her bed and not answered to anything or anyone. Fred hadn't come to the Ravenclaw tower again, but Cho saw him scouring the Great Hall for any sign of Olivia.
Come Monday morning however, Olivia was up, disheveled looking as ever—no shoes, and a unkempt knot at the top of her head. She didn't go to breakfast, nor did she have any meals over the next couple of days. Quidditch had gone well on the Monday evening, but Olivia hadn't spoken at all throughout the entire practice. She'd only nod when Roger said anything, and he was so happy to have a "star team" that he didn't notice anything was off about her.
"Liv?" Cho asked. It was Friday night now, and Olivia had just walked into their dormitory, she glanced up at her friend, "can I get you some food... or something?"
Olivia shook her head no, looking exhausted she fell onto her bed, rolling on her side immediately and casting a spell to close the drapes.
———
Sometime in the night Olivia heard a laugh, such a familiar laugh. It was a laugh that had often been accompanied by a smile, an infectious—wonderful, smile. She sat up abruptly, only to find herself surrounded by yellow couches, drapes, and walls. She wiped her eyes, figuring her grogginess was playing tricks on her, but realized that she was in fact— sitting on a couch in the Hufflepuff Common Room.
There was a silver glow in the corner of her eye and she turned, only to catch a glimpse of it as it disappeared. Quietly, she swung her legs off of the couch and tiptoed across the room—taking extra care not to wake any Hufflepuff and have to explain herself. She heard the laugh again, and turned quickly trying to see where it was coming from, silver at the corner of her eye was all she could see—slipping out of the common room.
Once she had gotten out to the hallway she quickened her pace, looking behind her to see if she could see the silver anymore. She looked straight ahead again, but not before she knocked into Fred Weasley, who had gone down the corridor for a late night snack.
"Wood," he said breathlessly,
"Fred. What—what are you doing here?" She stammered, he looked her over and furrowed his brow,
"I could ask you the same thing, love." He said, helping her up to her feet.
"I just, well, I don't know actually. I woke up in the Hufflepuff dormitories, it was the strangest thing..." she said pensively. He nodded and watched her try to decipher how she'd gotten there,
"I was just getting a snack." He told her, she looked at him curiously,
"A snack?"
"Yes,"
"From where?"
"Oh Wood, you have so much to learn." He leaned over to the painting beside them, tickling the pear in it.
"What are you—?" She asked, before the wall shifted in front of her, unveiling a kitchen full of house elves. She walked into the kitchen with Fred and saw all sorts of food and sweets scattered about. "Woah."
"You look a bit peaky, love. We ought to find you something to eat." He nodded, picking up a plate,
"I'm fine," she said, her stomach rumbling in defiance. Fred furrowed his brows together and shook his head,
"No, you're eating." He insisted, before giving her a side-eye, "and I haven't forgotten you said we could talk."
"R-right." She said sitting down. Fred brought her over a bowl of soup and a fresh dinner bun.
"Is there anything that Sir or Madame would like in addition to that?" A meek voice asked, Olivia turned to see a house elf wearing basketball shorts, a large jumper, and two mis-matched socks.
"Er, no, but thank you kindly. Mr?" Olivia didn't know what to call the house elf,
"Not a mister, Madame, you grace me with your words. My name's Dobby."
"Harry Potter's friend Dobby?" She asked, remembering him mention the house elf a few times in the years prior.
"Madame knows Harry Potter!" Dobby gasped,
"Olivia, please." She interrupted, not wishing to be called Madame any longer, "I'll tell him that you say hello, if you wish."
"Yes, yes, please, take these!" Dobby squeaked graciously, handing Olivia an entire chocolate cake.
"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly—" Olivia started,
"Shush love, pass it here!" Fred chided playfully, Olivia stared at him wide-eyed before shaking her head and passing it over to her. She waited until he took a very big bite before speaking,
"Now look, I know I've said we'd talk, and I haven't and it's been nearly a week. The fact of the matter is that, well, I don't know. You didn't trust me, and I just wish you had," at this point Fred made a sort of choking sound—trying to swallow the cake and speak in defence, "now, now— none of that Fred. Listen, I just mean to say that, it's been an especially hard week. I don't know how to be myself anymore, I don't know who I am without him."
"Love—" he began, finally finished his cake, she placed her finger over his mouth,
"Look, can't we just... maybe, date? Like regular people. Just, we'll walk to class together and eat lunch sometimes, and... it's not so serious all at once?"
"Of course." He was nodded enthusiastically. She held his face in her right hand and smiled,
"I... I just don't want to rush into anything so soon... after..."
"I know, and I don't want to rush you."
"Well, then we're in agreement."
"It looks as though we are."
"Right then."
"Let me take you on a date." He said suddenly,
"S-sure." She replied.
—————
Okay, kind of a shorter chapter :)
I wanted more interactions between her and Fred, more specifically just casual interactions— they are SO intense most of the time lol

So, hopefully you enjoyed it! :) next chapter should be up faaairly soon.

Hope you're all staying safe and being cautious!