Unbreakable - Fred Weasley

Easter Shake-Up

Olivia had been madly studying for days, not only did it worry Tim—who'd been her study partner day in and day out—but Fred, who worried that she may be throwing herself into her studies in order to distract herself from his leaving. It wasn't that he thought she wanted him to stay, it was the opposite, any time his and George's exit was mentioned she smiled genuinely before a melancholic expression fell on her face. She hid it well, but not well enough. Tim, on the other hand, having no idea that Fred would be leaving soon, thought that the brunette girl may be having some sort of mental break to do with her deteriorating friendships with Cho and Marietta. He broached the subject one evening when she was quietly scribbling onto a piece of parchment, hair carelessly tucked behind her ear, and a splatter of ink on her nose. Tim was enchanted by the sight of her, so pensive, so calm and terribly beautiful. He shook his head quickly, as if trying to shake any inappropriate emotion for her out, and cleared his throat.
Olivia's head snapped up, startled by the sudden disruption in the silence,
"Did you need help with anything, Tim?" She asked, her voice melodic.
"I just wondered if maybe you needed a break." He replied, trying to keep his voice even. She scrunched her nose in thought,
"I don't reckon I do."
"You just seem..." Tim trailed off, unsure of how to approach the subject, "stressed."
Olivia eyed him suspiciously,
"Did Fred put you up to this?"
"Fred? No—I—well, I just thought that—" Tim stumbled over his words,
"Because I'm really alright." She looked back down at her paper, but Tim noticed the change in her tone. He reached for her and cupped his hand over hers, not meaning anything by it, simply trying to comfort her.
Olivia felt his hand close overtop of hers and pulled away, crossing her arms tightly and meeting his gaze—his expression seemed hurt as he brought his hand back to his lap.
"You don't sound alright." Was all he said, looking down at his textbooks and picking up his quill again. Olivia pursed her lips and sighed,
"Look, I'm sorry. You may be right, I reckon I might be a tad stressed."
"Then let's go do something." He said. Olivia looked up at him, a warm smile on his face. It might've been because she felt bad for hurting his feelings, or perhaps because she needed some sort—or any kind—of distraction. She found herself nodding, and they were both packed up in less than a minute.
"What should we do? It's quite late, and Umbridge—" she began,
"I know a place." He told her, walking ahead. Olivia scurried behind him, trying to keep pace, which was difficult as he had much longer legs than she did.
It was nearly eleven o'clock and the two quietly made their way up staircases, the moonlight shining through windows occasionally and lighting their path. Tim led her to the Astronomy Tower, where she'd been so many times before, and they both sat down in front of the large window, a telescope sitting and collecting dust on her right.
"It's my favourite place." Tim said, breaking the silence. "Alice, Teddy, and I used to come here all the time."
Olivia nodded pensively,
"Why did you stop?"
"'Dunno. Guess we got busy." He shrugged his shoulders.
"Yea," Olivia sighed, "that happens... things change."
Tim looked over at her, her mind taking her elsewhere, far away from where they were.
"What do you mean, 'things change'?"
"It's just that... things are normal, but then, they have to change eventually. There's a new normal, to get used to, I reckon." She replied, still looking out the window.
"You mean, about Cedric?" Tim asked, Olivia shook her head,
"I'm not talking about Cedric... but I suppose that yes, I have a new normal now... in regards to having him with me."
"Then, Fred? How might things be changing with him?"
"It doesn't matter." She said, voice monotone, as she started to stand up.
"There's obviously something wrong Olivia, and you don't have anyone else to talk to about—" Tim started, standing up to match her.
"I don't have anyone else? What does that mean?" She asked belligerently, eyes darkening.
"That's not what I meant!" Tim tried to backtrack,
"Look, it's not your job to try and pry information about Fred out of me. And just because Cedric is gone, doesn't mean that I don't have anyone else—" her voice broke, a tears sprung into her eyes,
"But you're not talking to Cho or Marietta either," Tim interrupted her, she looked as if she would strike him down right then and there when he mentioned Marietta.
"Fine! Then I'm alone! And come the end of Easter vacations, I'll be even more alone! Is that what you need me to say? What you'd like to hear? Cho and Marietta aren't my friends, Cedric is dead, and Fred—" she'd worked herself into a frenzy, sniffling, and tears falling unapologetically down her face as she spoke, Tim saw only one option. He kissed her.
—
It wasn't the worst kiss Olivia had ever gotten, but it felt so irregular, so alien to her that it took her a moment to realize what was even happening. She'd gotten emotional, yes. She'd cried, yes. But, as far as she knew, she hadn't given any signal that anyone should be kissing her—or at least, she thought she hadn't. She wondered what she might've done to warrant such a deep emotional response from the Slytherin boy who had his lips on hers, and his hands on her shoulders—pulling her, gently, into him. The kiss had lasted only a few seconds, even with all her wonderments and confusion, before she pushed him off of her, stood there with a shocked expression, touched her fingertips to her lips lightly, and ran away.
Tim watched her go, mortified, and slumped into a corner. His hands were on his face, and he wondered how he could ever have been so stupid.
—
Olivia wasn't sure where she was going, but she crept through the castle quickly and silently, making her way as far away from the Astronomy Tower, and Slytherin house, as possible. A familiar face appeared before her,
"Harry?" She asked, "what in Merlin's beard are you doing out here, so late?"
"O-occlumency, with Snape." He stammered, Olivia raised her eyebrows.
"We're nowhere near his office."
"R-right. I just needed some air." He spoke quickly, Olivia grew even more suspicious, but decided to let it go.
"I'll get some air with you. Then we can go to the common room." She told the fifth year, who nodded in agreement. The two walked slowly through the castle, each with their own inner battles to fight. They walked towards the boathouse, the brisk air nipping at their faces. Olivia couldn't help but notice that Harry looked more distraught than she'd ever seen him, or rather, in a different way than she'd ever seen him.
"D'you reckon Snape was the way he is now, when he was our age?" Harry asked her. The question was certainly a strange one, but she bit her lip and thought about it.
"I don't think he was... as awful. But, he couldn't have been a pleasant person to be around. He was a Deatheater, so he must've been terrible to deal with, particularly if you weren't pureblood."
"Right." Harry said while nodding his head. Olivia threw him a tight-lipped smile and sighed,
"Tim kissed me."
Harry stopped in his tracks, his eyes widened,
"Does Fred know?"
Olivia shook her head, "it only just happened."
"I don't reckon he'll be pleased about it. Did you kiss him back?" Harry asked, eyeing her carefully.
"Of course not. I pushed him away from me and ran away." Olivia scowled, offended that Harry would even ask.
"You ran away?"
"What else was I supposed to do?" She shot back. Harry shrugged.
"We ought to get back, Filch will be out scouring the halls for us if we're here any longer."
Olivia nodded and response and they both made their way back to the Gryffindor Common room, she was not looking forward to the conversation to come.
—
"HE WHAT!?" Fred boomed, Olivia clenched her teeth, her ears unprepared for the loud sound. "That git! I'm going to find him right—"
"Fred—wait, Fred—no, stop, Fred, no—WAIT!" Olivia shouted, trying to pull him back onto the bed as he'd leapt off of it.
"He can't just kiss you and—"
"—and what? Get away with it? Fred, please. I pushed him off of me, I ran away, and I reckon he's humiliated enough as is. Even so, remember that I can take care of myself. I just wanted to make sure you knew." She explained, speaking quickly, as if doing so would calm the redhead down.
"But—" he interjected,
"—but what? What's done is done, I don't think he meant anything by it. I think he was trying to comfort me, and he read things wrong, acted rashly, and well, here we are. Now come back to bed, it's late, and I'm sure you've nearly woken everyone in the dormitory up—my silencing charm can't be that good."
She watched as Fred struggled with himself internally, she knew he still wanted to traipse into the Slytherin house and hex Tim, but she also knew that none of the Slytherins would take kindly to that. Finally, she saw him sigh in defeat, saunter over to her, and lay in bed.
"See, now was that so hard Weasley?" She cooed, he scowled at her before a smirk made its way across his lips,
"Who's a better snog?" Fred asked coyly, Olivia rolled her eyes.
"We didn't snog, he kissed me. That's all."
"Ah, I see, then love, who's a better kiss?" He asked, accentuating the last word.
"You're a pest." She replied, pulling the sheets over her tightly.
"That's not an answer." He laughed,
"Fine." She furrowed her eyebrows, and shot him a thoughtful expression, "I'm really not sure..."
Fred frowned, not wanting to play the game that he had started suddenly,
"Oh really?" He asked slyly,
"I reckon you'll have to kiss me now, while it's still fresh in my mind, and then I can make an informed and educated decis—"
Freds lips were on hers hungrily before she could get the rest of her words out, she smiled under his familiar lips. She pulled away,
"Hmm, now, can I get back to you in two to four business days? I think I really need the time to weigh who—"
"—you're a pest." He echoed her words from earlier, sealing his lips onto hers again. They moved in sync with one another, every movement igniting a fire within her. If his lips never left hers, she knew she'd live happily for the rest of her life.
———
"You really buggered that up, didn't you?" Teddy said, looking over at the Gryffindor table where Olivia was chewing happily on a bun, while Fred and George stared daggers at Tim from across the hall.
"Please," Tim groaned, "don't remind me."
"In what world did you think it would possibly be okay to kiss her?" Alice chided venomously,
"She was upset." Tim stated.
"And that's the excuse you're sticking with?" Alice badgered,
"What Alice? She was upset, I didn't know what to do, I'm in love with her, and wanted her to be okay. What do you want me to say?" Tim retorted angrily. Teddy was the only one to notice Alice's face fall in a strange way when Tim had said "love."
Alice slammed her glass down on the table, shot up out of her seat, and stomped out of the Great Hall. Tim glared after her, meeting Teddy's eyes. "What?"
"You're quite daft, my friend." Teddy remarked,
"I know that, she'll never speak to me again." Tim lamented, putting his face in his hands again. Teddy watched his best friend, who was oblivious to the fact that their other best friend, was in love with him. Teddy knew that all Tim could think, feel, and see, was Olivia. He'd never know how Alice felt.
"She might. But certainly not while Weasley is around. Can you blame them?"
"No, that's just it. I can't." Tim kept looking down at the untouched food on his plate, "I ought to let him hex me."
"I wouldn't go that far," Teddy had to stifle a laugh, "he and his brother know some real doozies."
"Then she can."
"She nearly killed Finnegan! I reckon you're best leaving them both alone for the time being."
"I reckon you're right." Tim said, finally looking up at his friend.
———
The rest of the Easter break was most uneventful for Olivia. She studied in the Gryffindor dormitories most often, not wanting to risk seeing Tim in the library. She and Fred were nearly inseparable, together every second of every day. He would sit with her while she studied, they'd work on products for the shop together, and any unease in concern to "the kiss" dissipated quickly and easily. Everything was as it should be, as it had always been. That's, perhaps, why it caught her off guard when he told her the night before Easter vacations were over, that he'd be leaving the very next day.
She'd been nibbling on the gigantic egg that Mrs. Weasley had sent her, and dropped it onto the floor in surprise. It shattered on impact, but she hardly noticed it.
"T-tomorrow?" She whispered, Fred looked at her glumly.
"We're creating a diversion for Harry, and well, you know..."
"I know." She nodded, trying to smile despite the tears she could feel burning at the corners of her eyes. She leapt into his arms and he held her for a moment before setting her down.
"George and I have some things to figure out, but I'll be back in a few hours. And you'll have me for the entire night."
Olivia nodded, keeping a calm smile on her face, knowing that if she spoke, her voice would give her away. Fred gave her a sad smile back, and she watched as he left the room.
Everything was still, quiet, just as it was. The only thing that would give anything away was the chocolate egg pieces, littering the floor. Olivia looked down at the broken egg, and couldn't help but feel a connection to it. Her heart was pulling at her, she felt as if she'd been torn into a million pieces.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she stared at the mess for—what seemed like hours—before standing up, brushing herself off, and reciting a cleaning charm under her breath. The egg was in one piece again, save for a few nibble marks, and she stared at it absentmindedly. Gingerly, she put it down and sat at the foot of Freds bed, the crimson drapery hanging all around her.
—
By the time Fred got back, it was past ten, and Olivia was lightly sleeping on top of the comforter. Fred crawled into the bed, closed the drapes, and wrapped his arms around her, stirring her from her sleep.
"Freddie?" She yawned, he loved the sound of his name in her mouth.
"Yes, love?" He asked,
"I love you." She whispered,
"And I love you." He replied wholeheartedly. Her lips found his, and made their way down his neck, leaving a trail of gentle kisses to his collarbone. She started on his buttons, his skin exposed to the heat radiating from her body.
They explored each other, as if it was the first time, slow and deliberate movements. She was sure she'd never felt quite as good as she did in that moment, fitting with him perfectly. The most precise puzzle ever made, and it was the two of them.
His kisses sending her into another plane of existence, she was sure that they made her drunk. By the end, they were both exhausted, clumsily kissing, missing each others faces more often than not. Sweat beading across her forehead, they held each other until they drifted off to sleep, Olivia falling away before him.
Fred watched her go, eyes fluttering shut, and breathing growing steady. He felt an unusual aversion to his business, to his pranks, to everything that was taking him away from the perfect girl in his arms.
"Olivia," he whispered, "I've been thinking..."
"You're not staying here, Fred. Not for me." She told him, her voice soft and eyes still shut.
He smiled, she knew everything. Exactly what he was thinking, at any given time.
"Okay." He agreed, kissing her gently on the head.
—————
Hey all! Hope you liked this one!!

It is KIND OF a filler chapter, but also, super important to the story. So not a TON goes on, but, it be like that. The next chapter will be fiiiiire, heaps happening :)

Let me know what you think, or give it a vote! Thanks so much!!!

Stay safe! Especially if you're affected by any of those big fires right now!