Something Magical

Chapter 14

Out of Line

Winter was Millie's favorite season of the year. She loved the comfy sweaters and thick clothes, playing in the snow, enjoying hot chocolate at the appropriate time of year- Uncle Remus may enjoy it year-round but Millie was a little more particular than him. Millie simply felt so at peace when she could look outside and the world looked utterly peaceful, like it was wrapped in a white blanket. Usually she would be spending her winter break at the Burrow, causing trouble with Fred and George but their present situation just made Millie even happier that she was still at Hogwarts with her other friends: making Harry and Ron take walks in the snow with her, reading books by the fire in the common room with Hermione, sneaking to the kitchens with Ginny to ask the house elves for Christmas treats. She spent some time with Cedric as well, listening to him gush about Cho Chang and about the tournament.

Millie had even spent some time with Marko, finding that he was really interesting to talk to because he had a large family constantly writing to him from different corners of the world. He had a sister working in the Magical Congress of America for an exchange program within their Department for Confiscated Items, a brother in New Zealand studying magical creatures in that area, another sister was doing a tour around the wizarding world with several of her friends to observe the customs of many different wizarding governments, a cousin working with dragons in Japan at a small nursery-he had recently lost a finger to a particularly nasty baby dragon- and his parents were both retired from their jobs within the Bulgarian ministry of magic so they often traveled to visit their children and relatives, staying for lengthy periods of time.

It was two days before the Yule Ball and Millie was wandering the corridors after hanging out with Cedric for a couple of hours. Since deciding to be friends, their relationship was much more easy going and Cedric was actually great at giving advice on her situation with the twins- even though she had yet to take any of it. Millie was trying to decide whether she wanted to go find Ginny or the trio when she heard what sounded like a crash down the next hall. Suspecting that it was Peeves, Millie was turning around when she saw a certain red-headed twin running out of the room at full speed, looking suspiciously guilty. She realized why when, a few moments later, Filch came running after Fred, shouting at him.

Fred made it to Millie, grabbing her arm and forcing her to run with him. She tried to protest and twist her arm out of his grasp but he had a strong grip. She seethed as they ran down several more corridors, taking as many turns as possible to lose Filch. Finally, the sound of Filch's footsteps receded and Fred pulled Millie into an empty classroom, breathing heavily.

"Bloody hell, I think we lost him." Fred grinned, peeking into the corridor again to check.

"We? We lost him? I wasn't involved until you took upon yourself to try to get me caught for something I took no part in!" Millie shouted at him, making his smile slip off his face.

It was almost as if Fred had forgotten everything that happened between them this term for a moment and they were back to their days of pulling pranks and causing mischief together. He was struck by the truth as he took in Millie's defensive stance and angry demeanor.

"Er..." Fred muttered as he and Millie just awkwardly stood there for long moments, staring at each other.

"If that'll be all then..." Millie turned to leave, wanting to escape as soon as possible.

"Wait!" Fred practically shouted as Millie made it to the door of the classroom.

"What, Fred? What could you possibly want to say to me after ignoring me for months on end?"

"I just...I miss you. Me and George both do. We've never not talked for this long."

"That is not my fault."