More Than That

Chapter 16

Their homework was completed fairly quickly, not at all with the help of Fred. He had attempted to help her, had tried to offer input on the write-ups that they were supposed to write together, and had even tried to write one, but he had been pushed away from the work after he had apparently 'not done it right'. He really didn't mind, it wasn't like he was itching to write about the different plants that the wizarding world had to offer. He was completely content to lean his chin on the palm of his hand and watch Sage as she worked.

They had been tucked into the far corner of the nearly empty library, countless papers spread all across the expanse of the wooden table. They were sitting near a window that looked out over the beautiful landscape and a beam of afternoon sun had illuminated Sage as she scrawled across her paper with the cutest of frowns on her face.

Fred didn't do anything else other than sit and watch her, just following her quill making marks on the paper as her dainty fingers guided it along. He had just sat and stared at the shadow her long eyelashes created while fanned across her cheeks, the steep slope of her nose, the sharpness of her cheekbones. He smiled every time she blew that one pesky strand of hair away from her face or pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose, no matter how many times each fell down again.

One would think that by the time she had finished their work he would have had his fill of Sage, just having spent an hour studying every single detail that he could of her, but he wanted nothing more than to follow her back to wherever she was going as she left the library.

"Are we going back to yours?" he asked as walked with her, making sure to keep up with every one of her steps to ensure that they didn't separate.

"No, I'm pretty sure 'Mione's in. Is George?".

"No, I don't think so. And even if he is, it doesn't really matter. I don't mind if he's there."

Sage looked up at him with an unamused look as they began to climb up a set of stairs. "Fred, we've talked about this. I don't want other people knowing about us," she said and gestured between their bodies. "Whatever this is."

He rolled his eyes and turned to walk up another set of steps. "Why not? George wouldn't tell anybody. I don't get why you're so adamant on people not knowing."

Sage shook her head and continued to walk as they approached the Gryffindor rooms. "We're not having this conversation right now. Is George in or not?".

"No, I don't think so." He was quiet for a moment after Sage nodded before asking, "So does that mean that we'll have this conversation later then?".

Sage groaned, electing not to answer and instead sped up her steps until she reached his room. She waited for Fred to catch up and open the door, just in case George was in there.

Fred rolled his eyes, knowing why she was waiting for him and unlocked and opened the door.

"See?" he said as he walked in. "An empty room. Not that it matters."

Sage rolled her eyes. "You're pissing me off today, you know," she said and flopped on her bed.

"Why, because I want to tell people about us? Because I don't want to have to sneak around every day just to see you? Because I want to be able to be honest with our friends?".

"Yes, that's exactly why you're pissing me off," she said flatly.

Fred smirked and moved to lay down next to her on the bed. "Does this mean no getting into your pants then?" he asked as he trailed his fingers up her side and underneath her shirt.

"No," she said with a pout (that Fred absolutely did not find adorable) and smacked his hand away from him.

Fred wasn't offended by her rejection, he just chuckled and laid on his back fully on the bed, one arm crooked to rest beneath his head.