Before you (Fred Weasley)

CHAPTER 12

"Merry Christmas!" I was woken up by the shrill voice of Amelie calling out to me. She shook me hard, trying to wake me up.

"What the fuck Amelie?" I groaned, covering my head with a pillow.

"Shut up, it's Christmas!"

"How did you get in?"

"Cedric let all of us in. Hermione, Ron, the twins, Harry, they're all downstairs, hurry up!"

Amelie ran down the stairs. I got out off bed, grabbed the presents I had bought for everyone and followed Amelie, not caring about the fact that I was dressed in nightclothes.

"Merry Christmas sleepyhead" George yelled, sitting amongst a pile of presents.

"Merry Christmas" I smiled at everyone. Soon the exchange of presents began.

I handed everyone their presents and they gave me mine in return.

From Hermione, I got an empty journal I could write in. Harry and Ron gave me chocolates, Cedric got me a book titled 'The secrets of Arithmancy'. George handed me a green woollen sweater with the letter 'A' on it.

"I have to admit, I forgot to buy you a present so I asked mum to knit this for you" He said, scratching the back of his neck.

"It's lovely" I laughed.

Amelie gifted me a bracelet that could turn into a necklace if I tapped it thrice with my wand.

Finally, Fred handed me his present. I took it from him, feeling slightly awkward after yesterday's encounter. I turned the box around in my hand, letting a chuckle escape my lips.

"Why've you got your face printed all over the wrapping paper?"

"So that you never forget how beautiful I really am" He said dramatically, fluttering his eyelashes and flipping his hair.

I shook my head and unwrapped the present. It was a potted plant, Aster flowers.

"These are..Asters"

"Yea, like your middle name"

"Fred it's..lovely"

"Aster's your middle name? That sounds so familiar.." Ron said, his face stuffed with chocolates.

I nervously turned my attention away from Ron and towards the purple flower that stood tall and proud in the pot.

"And it's enchanted to never wilt, so you don't have to water it everyday" Fred added.

I gently kept the potted plant next to me, along with all the other presents I had received.

"Did you open the one I got for you?" I asked him.

Fred looked around him and then picked up my present, ripping off the paper like a little child.

From the paper fell a navy blue beanie and I saw the note peeking out from the corner.

He picked up the beanie and removed the note from it, unfolding it and reading it. As his eyes travelled over the words on the piece of parchment, a grin broke out on his face. He brushed his hair with his fingers before putting the beanie on.

'Now I've got one of your old clothes and you've got one of mine' was what I had written on the note.

He looked up at me and and his grin grew even bigger. He pointed at me,

"Hey, you're wearing my t-shirt"

I looked down, I had completely forgotten to change out of his t-shirt, embarrassed, I laughed nervously before saying,