Dealing with Ourselves : Fred Weasley

22

     The next two days have been the busiest for us here at number 12 Grimmauld Place. Mrs Weasley is very worried and stressed over Harry and his situation. Her solution is to distract herself by cleaning. That means that we have been cleaning. 
     My legs and back hurt from all the cleaning. Since I am one of the shortest I do most of the low down cleaning. So for me, there is a lot of bending, standing, crouching, and standing on my knees. I always start off with my hair down like normal, but I always end up too sweaty and hot and end up tying it up on my head the best I can. When I do so it gets dirt, chemicals, sweat, and other nasty stuff on me in my hair. 
     Apparently, there is a big betting tonight though, so we get to stop early. Fred called the shower first. Then George. After him Ginny. Then Reno. After Reno Hermione. And before me, Ron. So meaning I get the last shower I spend a lot of time sitting and waiting.
     I go and sit in the twins and Reno's room with George. Reno went to go clean Larry's cage. I sit on Fred's bed and try to stretch and pop my back. I don't get any luck. "Want me to pop your back for you?" George asks. I lightly laugh. "No thanks. I don't trust you that much." He lightly laughs and sits on his bed. 
     "Have you given any thought to moving into the flat with Fred and me?" George asks. I shake my head. "Not really yet."  "Well, how hard of a decision is it really?" He asks. "A pretty hard one."  "How so? It's just Fred and me. You are living with us now." 
     "It's different. I would be living with my boyfriend. That is a big step. Right now it isn't just us three. There are a lot more people. The flat would be just us three. That is scary. I don't know how responsible you two are. It is a lot of work to live on your own," I try to explain without sounding offensive or anything. 
     He lightly nods. "I guess I get it. If it helps this is something that we take very seriously. This is our dream. We aren't going to neglect important stuff or mess around all the time." I slightly smile at him. "It helps." He smiles. "Fred is also really hoping you will. He never shuts up about you," George says with a fake annoyed voice. 
     I turn a light red and roll my eyes. "I'm sure that isn't true."  "Whatever. He is always going on about how he worries about you. About how pretty you are. All the things he loves about you. His dreams about you. Just you. It is a little disturbing sometimes," He laughs and then gives a fake shutter. I laugh too and turn very red. 
     Is he serious? Does Fred really talk about me? And does he really talk about me that much? Who else does he talk about me too? Is it just George? What all has he told Georg? Does he really dream about me? I have had a few dreams about him. Most of the time those are good dreams. 
     "Does he only talk to you about me?" I ask curiously. I hope he is the only one. "I'm not sure. I mean, Reno is around sometimes when he is talking about you. There have been a few times that Bill, Ron, and Ginny might have been around and he would say something to me. I don't think he goes into detail about you t anyone else though." 
     I lightly nod. "He talks about his regrets a lot," George adds while sitting so his back is to the wall but is still facing me. "Regrets? What do you mean?"  "Well, he regrets not asking you to the ball. That is a big one for him. He also regrets not telling you how he felt sooner. Oh, another really big one is giving you that gum and not writing to you before you got here." 
     "The ball isn't only his fault. It is partly mine. And the gum isn't his fault. I was being stupid," I say feeling bad that he regrets and thinks about this stuff a lot. Maybe there is something I can do or say to make him feel better. Would he get mad at George for telling me this? I don't want to cause issues with him and George. 
     "George I had an amazing idea for the floor lay out- oh, hey Charlie. I didn't think you'd be in here," Fred says while walking in with just sweet pants on. His hair is messy and wet. I turn a bright red. "Yea Charlie and I are friends too. I think you forget that sometimes," George says with a light laugh. He gets up, his turn to shower is here. 
     Fred lightly laughs. "I do not." He walks over and sits next to me on the bed. "We can talk about your idea later. Be good kids," George says before walking out of the room. "What were you and George talking about?" Fred asks curiously. I stretch my arms while talking. "Oh, you know. Just stuff. Shouldn't you maybe put on a shirt?" 
     "Why? Am I distracting?" he asks with a smirk. I turn a lighter shade of red. "No. People just might get the wrong idea if they see us alone in your room without a shirt," I say trying to sound convincing. Truthfully he is a little bit distracting.
     He looks really good right now. I push my hair in front of my face a bit to hide my embarrassment. I know that I look like complete rubbish right now. I didn't really dress well today. I just have some leggings and an oversized shirt on. And I didn't brush my hair, I just combed it with my fingers then stuck my glasses on. Not to mention all the dirt, dust, and sweat that is covering me from cleaning. 
     Fred lightly laughs before getting up and walks over to a pile of clothes and picking up a red shirt and sliding it on. Once he does he walks back over and sits down. "You are very red," He says with a smirk. I look down and push a bit more hair in my face before looking up with a small smile. 
     He reaches over and gently pushes my messy hair gently out of my eyes. I turn slightly more red. He smiles at me, I can't help but smile back. He leans in and lightly kisses me. I close my eyes and lightly kiss him back, my smile staying in place. 
     We pull apart when there is a knock o the door. We look over to see Tonks standing in the doorway with a bag in her hand and a smile on her face. "Wotcha Charlie, Fred." I turn lightly red and smile at her. "Hey, Tonks." "Hey," Fred says with the same look. 
     She holds up the bag. "I noticed your hair is getting kinda faded. I got some stuff to fix it if you want," She says to me with a smile. I smile more. "Really? Thank you."  "You're welcome. I can do it for you now if you want," she offers. "I've been cleaning all day and my hair is really nasty." 
     "That's fine. By the time you would need to wash it out you will be able to get a shower," she seems unphased by me pointing out I'm dirty. I look at Fred then her and stand. "Alright, thank you." 

     Tonks and I laugh quite a lot as she does my hair. And after she is halfway in she tells me she has never actually dyed anyone hair before so she hopes she is doing this right. She also tells me that she is hurting because she has somewhere important to be. That worries me a little, but if something goes wrong I'm sure we can find a way to fix it. 
     She tells me stories of when she was in school. Like the time she got detention for making herself look like Snape and went around giving Hufflepuff tons of house points. The hair dye has a strong smell that burns my nose and tickles my scalp. I try to ignore it. After a bit, some members of the order come to tell her she needs to go so Sirius comes to help with my hair. 
     He tells me that he used to wait to dye his hair but he never has because he was always worried he would ruin its beauty. He then tells me some of his school stories with my father, Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. He tells me about the map that created to see where everyone in Hogwarts was. He says Harry now has it.
     I tell him a few stories about Cedric, Reno and me. Like the day that Cedric taught me how to play Quidditch. I also tell him about the day Fred and George gave Reno bunny ears and called him 'Buno'.
     When Sirius helps me wash the dye out of my hair I stand over the counter with my head dipped over the sink as he soaks me while attempting to wash it out. I don't really care that I get soaked, I am going to shower soon anyway. And the water rinsing the product out of my hair feels nice. How did I do this by myself last time while under the influence? 
      Once it is out I go to the room where I sit by myself so I can write to Cedric. It feels like it has been a while since I have written to him, though I know I did not long ago.
     When I get done I go see if I can shower and to my delight, it is finally my turn. It has been several hours by this point. I take my time in the shower. After all, everyone else seemed to. 
     "Sometimes you picture me, I'm walking too far ahead. You're calling to me, I can't hear what you've said. Then you say, "go slow". And I fall behind. The second hand unwinds. If you're lost you can look and you will find me," I quietly sing.
     "Time after time. If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting. Time after time. If you're lost, you can look and you will find me. Time after time. If you fall, I will catch you, I will be waiting," I pause and listen. I thought I heard someone yelling.
     I shrug it off and continue. "Time after time. After my picture fades and darkness has turned to gray. Watching through windows. You're wondering if I'm okay," I stop singing and let out a shocked yell when I hear a loud crack in the room. 
     That sounded like someone apparated in here. I stand still and listen with my arms crossed tightly over my chest. "Sorry to scare you, love," Fred says from the other side of the shower curtain. I peek my head out to look at him. "Fred? What the hell are you doing? I am in the shower!" He has a wide smile on his face. 
     "I know. The door was locked," He says while crossing his arms. "Yes, because I am showering and I am trying to keep people out," I say while turning red. "Oh well, I have news that I thought you would want," He says while sitting on the counter. "What I want is to you to leave so I can finish showering," I say pulling my head back and closing the curtain.
     He tilts his head. "Don't you want the news?"  "It can wait I'm sure." He shrugs then hops down. "If you say so. It would only take a moment to tell you though." I sigh. "Okay, Fred. What is this oh so important news that you must interrupt my shower for?" 
     "Oh, nothing that important. I suppose. Just that Harry is here. But you are right love, it can wait," he jokingly says. I whip my beach quickly back out of the curtain. "Are you joking? Is he really here?" He lightly laughs. "Did you not hear him yelling? Yes, he is here," Fred says with a grin. I stick my arm out. "Hand me my towel!" 
     He laughs. "What happened to you want me to get out?"  "Hang me my towel or get out!" He laughs again before handing my towel to me. I go back behind the curtain and wrap the towel around myself tightly. When I open the curtain he is still standing there, he smirks at me. I turn red and ignore him. 
     I open the door and hurry to the room I stay in and close the door so I can get dressed. I quickly dry off and throw on a bra and Cedric's shirt and then some black sweat pants. I wrap the towel around my head and quickly and violently rub it around in an attempt to dry my hair. When it is no longer dripping I put on my glasses and make my way to Ron's room.