[on hold] 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓&𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 → 𝑓. 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

xxxiii . sweet revenge

chapter thirty three
SWEET REVENGE

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   WITH AN overwhelming satisfaction, Ruby watched Fred's face drop, though her heart was beating in breakdowns. His chocolate brown eyes darkened like Ruby had just blown out a candle, while behind Ruby's bright blue eyes a war was going on.

   She had soaked up every word he'd spoken, her heart overfilled, she could feel every tumb against her throat. Fred Weasley. Goddamn Fred Weasley.

   Her gaze traced his lips, it pouted slightly, and Ruby had such an urge to kiss them, to bite them, to press her body against his. But most of it all she wanted to see him suffer, bleed for all those years, bleed for his stupidity, and for all the mean things he'd done to her in the past, even those just minutes ago.

   "You don't believe me, huh?", he said, tilting his head like a little puppy, and Ruby's heart painfully skipped a beat.

   She did believe him. No doubt she did.

   "I do", she therefore replied, her voice sounding so different from the one she knew. "I believe you."

   There was this spark in his glint now, a little flame enlightening the darkness.

   "But you don't want me?", he again asked, the spark flickering like a defect light bulb, living or dying with Ruby's answer.

   Her own eyes examined his face for longer than it would usually take to find an answer for this question. But Ruby didn't need to search for the right words. Nevertheless she took her time to watch his nose twitch in excitement, admiring his perfect shaped face, those warm brown eyes, the clear-out cheekbones, the straight nose, the lips she knew were soft like nothing she ever felt before.

   "I do", she finally whispered, and Fred's whole face brightened up, his smile was back — not the mischievous grin she was used to, but one a little boy would show if you'd surprise him with a bucket full of his favourite ice cream. The corners of Ruby's mouth lifted as well, but her eyes lowered sheepishly towards the ground. "I do for a while now. Maybe a little while longer than I ever admitted to myself. Somehow you caught me off guard ..." Slowly her eyes wandered back upwards, over his toned chest, the curve of his neck, where she wished to rest her head.

   "So —", he cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "So do you — will you — what are we now?"

   "Nothing", Ruby replied and watched the smile on his adorable face melt once more.

   "Wait, so you like me, do you?", he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

   "I do."

   "And you've heard and do believe, what I've told you?"

   "I do."

   "Then ... then ... why? Why don't you want to be with me?", Fred asked, almost pleading.

   "But I do", Ruby laughed quietly, and Fred looked at her dazzled. "Fred, you put me through a lot of uncomfortable and awfully hurting stuff those last months, you know that? It's not even half an hour ago that Jasmine's tongue was shoved half down your throat, and even if you don't wanted this, you can't deny that you used her to make me jealous." He opened his mouth, but Ruby gave him no room to talk. "I hoped a whole month for you to ask me to the damn Yule Ball, but you chose an other girl. Ever since last June you drove me in a rollercoaster of emotions. And now you think I would fall into your arms and everything is fine?"

   "I hoped for it, but the way you counted all of this stuff I did, it leaves me doubting", Fred snorted, running his fingers through his hair, before he crossed his arms with a crooked smile. "So what do you want, Perks?"

   "A date." Her voice was firm, though her cheeks heated up, but she didn't care. "A real date. No Firewhiskey, no salt and lemons. Take me on a proper date, make me fall for you."

   "But you've already fallen for me", he chugged in all his perfect self-confidence.

   "Make me fall harder", Ruby said, stepping forward, so she looked up at him from below. "Show me this is worth it. I'm not your toy, Fred. I won't be a number on your list. Show me you mean it. Win me."

   "Ruby Rose Perks, who'd have thought you're such a fiery one?", Fred said in a husky voice, leaning forward, so once more his breath was tingling on her longing lips, and it really was nothing but this breath between them.

   Without thinking, her hand jerked forward, balling the cloth of his shirt in her fist, a sense of demanding desire crushing over her. Just a second later, Ruby's burning face was cupped between his hands, as he kissed her again and again, hungryly, a greater growing urgency with every second. Her heart was beating against his, her skin tingling at every spot his hands graced. She ran her own fingers through his hair, while his curious hands ran down the curve of her neck, her shoulders, around her waist, leaving her wondering how she could have lived without his touch for so long. It was like the moment the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle was placed down on the right spot, and the bigger picture relieved, bringing clarity and a feeling of completion.

   Ruby moved her shaking hands to his face, their warmth mixing with its searing cheeks, and ran her thumbs timidly along his cheekbones. Fred's hands moved to clasp hers. Ruby's eyes fluttered open in surprise, and Fred stared back at her, his eyes vibrant. Nervously she chuckled against his lips in an attempt to pull her hands down, their fingers intertwined.

   "You know", he spoke, his voice deep and seductive, "we could find us a quiet place and —"

   "Pick me up here at six", she whispered, "next Saturday. I want a date to blow me out of my socks."

   "But that's almost a full week!", he groaned, pulling Ruby closer against his chest. "Why do you want to let me suffer for so long?"

   Ruby laughed quietly, pushing against his chest until he let go. She turned around wordless, tapping her wand against the barrel in the well known way until the door appeared. She turned around one last time, smirking.

   "Let's call it revenge", she chuckled, before leaving him standing in the hallway.

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you are so down to earth
& I'm up in the stars ...