Catch Me, I'm Falling | Fred Weasley

Chapter 33

Olivia's blow hurt even more than George's punch. Fred was in agony. He'd had no idea she'd had these doubts. It had all been real for him, every second. And he was just coming to terms with the fact that he'd fallen for his best friend.

From the very moment he'd met her, his world had orbited around Olivia. His sun, his stars, his everything. Not a moment went by that she didn't light up his world and he could no longer imagine a world in darkness without her. In his heart, he knew that there was only one person that could help. Fred only hoped that he could make amends with his better half.

"I need your help." Fred stood before his twin. George looked up from his lap and blinked.

Fred ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to do, George," he told his brother. George gave him a knowing look, shaking his head a little.

"I should have seen this coming," he muttered to himself, then addressed Fred. "Be honest. Tell her the truth. Tell her how you feel."

Fred gave a humorless laugh. "You say it like it's easy."

"I never said it was going to be easy." George smiled.

"You'll help me, then?" Fred asked, hope rising in his chest.

"Yes, but if you mess this up, I will personally hunt you down. She's a good one, don't break her heart."

-

Olivia's thoughts of Fred were still swirling. At first, she had been angry with Fred. Now, she was only angry at herself. How could she have been so stupid? He obviously didn't care about her like that. He didn't owe her anything, not at all. He'd been nothing but a friend to her. She'd been a fool to think there had been anything more between them.

Olivia felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" someone asked in a low voice. Olivia turned around to see George's sturdy figure, a tentative smile pulling and his lips.

Olivia clutched her books to her chest and nodded.

"I'm sorry I acted like I did, Olivia. It was an overreaction," George said.

Olivia stopped him with a hand. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, George. You don't owe me anything. It's fine, really."

George raised her eyebrows and leaned against the wall. "It most definitely isn't fine. I punched your boyfriend."

That word again. Olivia gritted her teeth. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Isn't he? It sure seems like it," George commented. Usually, this would have been him baiting her, but now, there was no jest on his face.

Olivia frowned, frustrated with her friend. "Whatever was between us is over. It's not like it meant anything," she mumbled.

George said, "I'm not blind, Olivia. You fancy him and he fancies you."

Olivia smiled sadly and shook her head, "No, you must have it wrong. I'm just- just another one of the girls he brings along. He doesn't actually care," she nearly choked on the words, lip trembling again. Not now. Please don't let me cry in front of him.

George stepped closer and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Is that what you keep telling yourself?" The words hit her, hard. They shared a look full of meaning, meaning she wasn't sure she was ready to face. "Olivia, you obviously like him. You can stop lying to yourself already. It's not one-sided. He likes you back... has for a while." George paused as Olivia gave him a half-hearted look of incredulity.

George immediately called her out on it. "Don't look at me like that. I see the way he looks at you. I know Fred. Better than anyone. After what you said to him in the hospital wing, he was devastated. He hasn't been the same since. I've never seen him like this. When Fred mopes, it's all firewhisky and forgetting. But now, he's a ghost. Even I can't cheer him up. Honestly, I'm starting to get worried about him."

Hearing about Fred like this stabbed Olivia's heart. Was she the one hurting him? It sparked a bit of hope, which was immediately extinguished by a wave of anger. "Why, then? Why didn't he ask me to the Yule Ball?" Even then, she'd wanted him. Merlin, she'd liked him for a while.

George chuckled at an unsaid jest and leaned in conspiratorially. "Because sometimes, Olivia, Fred's an idiot. You make him nervous. Really, I should have seen this coming. He fancied you from the moment he met you. It was painfully obvious, too. Why do you think everyone asked if you two were together? I thought his crush had passed, but apparently not."

Olivia did a double-take. "He fancied me?" She'd had no idea. Not a clue.

George nodded and rested his head against the wall. "He thought he didn't have a chance with you. He was happy to have you as a friend, we all did. Not too long ago he started acting differently. He was happier, smiled more. We all suspected that he'd met someone. I just never realized it was you. I should have known." a laugh. "A Ravenclaw. Blimey. I always thought he'd end up with a Slytherin, you know? He always came back to the common room with that stupid grin. Looked right mad."

Olivia frowned, "I had no idea. W-why didn't he just come up and explain it all to me?"

George rolled his eyes. "I could ask you the same. You've been avoiding him. He's trying to talk to you. Why do you think he sent me?"

Olivia blushed and looked down at her shoes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into George's eyes.

"Go talk to him," he urged before grabbing his bag and strolling out of sight.

Olivia stood there for a moment, staring after him. She sighed, playing with the hem of her jumper. She was about to head down the hall when a rough voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Olivia,"

She turned only to see Fred, his face framed by shadows, standing like a broken angel before her.