Falling (asleep) | Fred Weasley fanfic

The Proposal

Soon it was time for Ginny to leave for Hogwarts. Since You-Know-Who had taken over the ministry, assistance had become mandatory. It was all an act to find Harry and they were really daft if they believed he would just be sitting on the Hogwarts Express. Working at the Ministry had gotten really weird as well. People were being questioned about their blood-status. Half-bloods, like me, and pure-bloods, like the Weasleys, were safe because only Muggle-borns were being targeted under the pretence that they had stolen someone else's ‚magic'. It was horrible watching people being dragged around the halls by the so-called Snatchers.
„Thank Merlin, they think your dad's dead," Mr. Weasley had said to me one time before we left for the Ministry like every morning. It was really hard pretending to be neutral to this whole situation. I had skipped the first year of Auror training since I had been too advanced thanks to Uncle Moody. That had been his plan, to have me finish a three-year programme in less than 1 and a half year's time, which meant I was almost done.
„Only four more months to go," I told myself that morning as I entered the classroom where my seminar was being held.
It was obvious that You-Know-Who's followers were controlling our training now, even if they hadn't made it public. The lessons had become darker and darker. We witnessed kinds of magic I can't even begin to describe. We were basically being trained to be a more advanced version of those stupid Snatchers. One of the courses had been completely dedicated to how Muggle-borns and Muggles are inferior to wizards and how we should use every method available to us to get rid of them.
„It's just too awful," I told Fred one night after dinner. „I don't wanna go back anymore"
„Shh, babe... I know... It's okay," he whispered in my ear as he held me in his arms.
Fred and George participated from time to time on this radio programme called Potterwatch. They used it to communicate good and bad news to those who weren't on You-Know-Who's side. They often talked about Harry, wishing him the best of luck, in case he was listening. Molly and I listened to it every time it was on, we had to know... I was mostly concerned about Dora and Remus, the latter living undercover among werewolves... Trying either to convince them to join our side or to find out useful information.

Four horrible and tense months went by in the blink of an eye and soon it was Christmas Eve and the day of the end of my Auror training, if you could still call it that... There was no ceremony, I was just given a title that said I was now an official Auror working for the Ministry... „Ministry my ass," I thought as I shook the director of the programme's hand. After that, I went back to The Burrow. A meeting of the Order was supposed to be taking place that evening. I was looking forward to seeing Dora, who was four months pregnant! The moment she told me I was so excited that I realized I hadn't felt happy in many months...
„Hi, Molly! I'm home", I spoke as I entered the house. Everything was dark. „Weird," I thought and drew my wand. But suddenly, one candle next to me was lit. The other, then another... After a minute, a pathway of candles had formed in front of me, guiding me to the backyard. I followed, still sceptical and with my wand in hand.
„What on earth is this, Fred?" I asked in surprise. He was standing at the end of the candle pathway, dressed in beautiful black dress robes I had bought for him for his last birthday, I believe.
„Come here, lower your wand and don't dare read my mind," he said warningly but with a big smile on his face. I walked a few steps and was now standing right in front of him, I put my wand back in the front pocket of my jeans.
„What's going on, Fred? Where's everyone else?" I asked.
„First of all, congratulations on officially becoming an Auror. Second of all, turn around." Behind me, right in the entrance from the yard to the house were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who waved at me and I waved back. Molly was drying her tears with a handkerchief. Next to her stood Ginny, George, Remus and Dora, who was holding Remus's hand. Her belly wasn't showing yet. Behind them were Kingsley, Charlie, Bill and Fleur. Everyone was looking at me in awe. I turned back around to face Fred, who was now down on one knee, holding a little blue box in his hand. He opened the box and I saw the most beautiful diamond ring ever. The band was clearly made out of gold and the diamond was an oval cut.
„Arcadia Tonks," Fred began, „will you marry me?"
„I — I — YES," I said and Fred put the ring on my finger. He stood up and I threw my hands around his neck. I could hear everyone behind us cheering and chanting. I turned around to look at them and soon they were all running towards us, hugging me and shaking Fred's hand.
„I'm — I'm — so happy — for you," cried Molly as she hugged me and Fred.
„Congratulations, Pancake! You're engaged and most importantly an Auror!" said Dora and kissed me on the forehead. „I'm sorry Mum and Dad couldn't be here. It was just too risky. But they're really happy for you," she looked over at Fred who was being lifted by his three brothers
„Sirius would have been really happy for you, as would Mad-Eye," said Remus, putting an arm around Dora. „By the way, we want you to be the baby's godmother." I had said absolutely nothing since I told Fred ‚Yes', not because I didn't want to or wasn't happy, but because I was so happy, that I had no words.
„I'll take that silence as a yes," said Dora and I nodded with tears of joy in my eyes.
„Where's our future sister-in-law?" said two voices in unison.
„Here I a— NO! BILL, CHARLIE, LET ME DOWN." The brothers had lifted me and were spinning me round and round, while Fred hugged George and then both laughed at me.
„Congratulations, Weasley," I heard Kingsley say and shake Fred's hand.
„Boys, let my future daughter-in-law down so I can hug her!" demanded Mr. Weasley.
„I hope you and Andrew are next," I whispered to Charlie as he was putting me down.
„Maybe, now that the others know..." he answered and winked at me.
„They do? That's great!" I said in surprise and he nodded, smiling. I felt so happy and relieved for Charlie because I knew the Weasleys loved every single one of their kids no matter what, even Percy, who had been so horrible to them.
„I'm so happy for you! I can't wait for you to officially be a part of this family," said Mr. Weasley. He pulled me into a hug a second after my feet touched the ground.
And then it hit me like a bludger to the head. We were surrounded by almost all the people we held dear. Of course, Ron, Hermione, Harry, my grandparents and my parents couldn't be here, it was too risky. It would have been a nice opportunity for Charlie to introduce us to Andrew. We had no idea if we were going to have another chance like this where we could all be together again. We had already lost Sirius, Dumbledore and Uncle Moody. We didn't know who was going to die next...
„Why wait?" I said as I pulled away from Mr. Weasley's embrace, who looked surprised. „Fred!"
Fred, who was being kissed all over the face by his mother, pulled away and looked at me.
„What's up?" he asked. „Muuuuum, get ooooofffff"
„Let's get married now."