Before you (Fred Weasley)

CHAPTER 33

I woke up feeling rather disoriented, I checked the clock to see that it was 7 AM. I had slept for thirteen hours. I pushed myself off the bed and walked lazily to the showers. As I stood under the hot water, I thought of last evening, when I had seen Fred kiss Jenna. How could have I been so stupid? I trusted Fred, I didn't say anything every time he was with Jenna because I knew that he was only her friend. How wrong I was.

I dried myself and put my robes on, getting ready to head to breakfast. When I reached The Great Hall, it was already full. I realised that today was a Monday and I had Arithmancy in half an hour. I sat at the Hufflepuff table along with Ernie and Zach.

"Hey Alice, you alright?" Ernie asked, chewing on a piece of toast.

He was probably referring to yesterday. Both Ernie and Zach had also received detention last night. I could see the scars on their hands.

"I'm fine" I sighed. I wasn't fine, I was dreading the day that lay ahead of me. I really did not want to come across Fred, I wasn't interested in talking to him.

"Alice?" Hermione said, sitting next to me. She placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a concerned look.

"I heard about what happened last evening" She said.

"Great, I bet everyone has" I said.

"What? we haven't, what is it?" Asked Zach.

"It's nothing" I snapped.

"I'm so sorry Alice, for what it's worth, I've known Fred for five years and when he's telling the truth he always means it" Hermione whispered to me.

I knew that, it was hard to tell when he was lying but when he told the truth, you could tell almost instantly.

"Thanks Hermione"

I picked up my books and bade her goodbye so that I could head for Arithmancy. When I was walking towards Professor Vector's classroom, I heard Fred call out to me,

"Alice!"

I picked up the pace and walked faster, hoping to avoid him but Fred jogged up to me and caught up with me in a matter of seconds.

"Alice! Please! You have to listen to me!"

"Not now Fred"

I looked up at him to see that he looked tired, as if he hadn't slept all night. It didn't suit him, I hated seeing Fred anything other than his happy, jokey self.

"Then when?" he asked.

I had to give him a chance to explain himself, it was only fair.

"Lunch" I said, turning on my heel and walking away as fast as I could.

I wasn't able to focus during class, twice Professor Vector had called me and both times I had failed to hear him.

As much as I didn't want to, I kept thinking of Fred. I kept thinking of how even if we got back together, Fred was going to leave Hogwarts and I was going to be here for two more years. What would we do then? He'd have a whole new life, he may even meet someone else...

As upset as I was with Fred, I couldn't help thinking how miserable I would be if the both of us were to separate and I hated that. I hated that I depended on him, I wasn't going to let myself continue that way.

I made a decision in my head, and I was going to stick with it.

The rest of the day went by rather slowly and by the time lunch rolled around, I was exhausted from classes. I huffed as I sat down at the Hufflepuff Table, not noticing who I was sitting with.

I started ladling food on to my plate when I heard the voice of the last person I wanted to see that day.

"Hey Alice!"

"Jenna, what do you want? Why aren't you with the Gryffindors?"

"Nothing, just being nice" she shrugged.

The nerve.

"Being nice? That's a first" I spat.

"Well it's not you fault your boyfriend wanted to kiss me, you just weren't good enough for him" she smirked.

"That's the biggest lie I've ever heard"

I looked up to see Fred standing there, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed, looking at Jenna.

"Oh Fre-"

"Jenna I really, really do not want to talk to your right now" said Fred.

That shut Jenna up. She picked up her plate and stomped off to the other end of the table. Fred took her place, he looked nervous.

"Whatever it is, just get it over with quickly please" I said, wiping my mouth with a napkin and pushing my plate away.

"Al, you have to believe me when I say that Jenna was the one who kissed me, I was only on my way to look for you to see if you were okay"

Fred's brown eyes bore into mine and for some reason, I felt as if he was telling the truth. He sensed my hesitation and placed his large hands on mine,

"Al, you are the only girl I want to be with. I don't care about anyone else, I was stupid to not see what Jenna was trying to do this whole time" Fred reasoned.

It was only Fred I wanted to be with, I didn't have eyes for anyone else. Which is why I couldn't believe the words that came out of my mouth next.

"I think we should take a break"

Fred's eyes widened in shock, he pulled his hands away.

"What?"

"A break"

"W-why?"

"It's just, I don't know you're going to be leaving Hogwarts soon, we're going to be so far away from each other and you're going to be living a whole new life. You're going to get a job, find someone else and I'll still be at Hogwarts" I trailed off, I didn't want to do this but the stubborn part of my mind wanted me to be able to live independently. I just wasn't sure if this was the right way to achieve that.

"So that's it?" he said, his voice breaking.

I didn't reply.

"Fine"

I snapped my head up, I hadn't expected him to give in so easily.

"Really?"

He nodded, not making eye contact with me.

"If that's what you want"

And with that, Fred got up from his seat, glancing at me one last time before walking out of the Great Hall.