Serpentine ; Fred Weasley

Sixty-eight

I had used Reducio on Myeong's crib when I picked him up at my parents house.

Now I had used Engorgio to return it to its original size. The crib stood in our room and right now, my baby brother was fast asleep on his back.

I leaned against the doorframe, looking at him while overthinking this entire thing.

Of course I wanted to help my parents out and I was the one who suggested they take some time to themselves but I was terrified that I was going to mess something up.

I sighed.

We were going to a wedding in a few days.

Bill was marrying Fleur Delacour and we were obviously going to be there. They had already given permission for me to bring my brother, seeing as I had to watch him for these couple of weeks.

I felt a couple of arms wrap around my waist from behind and I laughed while I was dragged back and out into the hallway.

Fred reached over and pulled the door shut before he spun me around and pressed my back up against it.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, running a hand along his neck while the other rested on his chest.

"I can hear your worries." He said and ducked his head, catching my lips with his.

I brushed my fingers into the small hairs of his neck, noticing that they honestly weren't that small anymore.

His hair had grown quite a lot.

I pulled back to look up at his hair, brushing my hand through the front of it.

Fred sighed.

"I know... it's getting long." He said. "I need a haircut."

I chuckled and tugged gently at his hair.

"Do you want a haircut?"

Fred shrugged in response.

"I don't want to fight with my mum about it." He said. "Especially not now with the war and everything."

He walked away, towards the kitchen and I followed him.

"She can't choose the way you have your hair!" I said. "Do you see Bill cutting his hair just because his mum says so?"

"That's not the same."

"No?" I asked. "How isn't it the same?"

Fred sighed and turned towards me.

"Bill is one of mum's favourites. He's lived up to all of her expectations so him standing his ground about his hair isn't that big of a deal." He said. "But George and I? She's already disappointed enough so I don't really care what my hair looks like. If she wants me to cut it, I'll cut it."

I placed a hand against the kitchen island and tilted my head.

"Fred, you're nineteen years old. You can't live your entire life doing exactly what she wants."

"I'm not!" He argued. "Just until the war is won. She's under enough stress as it is—"

"We all are!" I exclaimed. "What— are you going to start doing everything I tell you to? Everything George tells you to? Just because she's your mother, doesn't mean you owe her anything."

"Kai, enough!" He yelled, slamming his hand down against the island, and I winced, taking a step back.

"Don't yell at me when I'm only trying to stand up for you."

"I don't need you to stand up for me!"

I stared at him for a moment before nodding, letting out a laugh.

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yes, fine." I nodded. "I won't stand up for you anymore. You can handle yourself, right?"

I heard a snicker and then I turned around to see George who had just walked through the front door.

"No, no. Keep fighting. Pretend I'm not here." He grinned, shutting the door behind him.

"Shut up." Fred spoke, scoffing at his brother before he looked down at me. "It's just hair."

"Your hair isn't the point!" I laughed. "It's her thinking she has the right to make any sort of decisions about your appearance! You're nineteen years old, Freddie!"

He laughed while leaning back against the kitchen island.

"You're one to talk."

Raising my eyebrows, I placed my hand on my hip.

"Excuse me?"

"Your mother is at least as controlling as mine." He said. "My mum doesn't like you either but at least I still bring you around. Can't say the same about you though."

"I bring you around!"

"Yeah, when your mum isn't home." He said, looking at me. "But we always have to leave the second she gets home because you know she doesn't like me."

"I don't want you to get upset about something she might say!" I said. "Is it so wrong for me to want to protect you from that?!"

"I don't need your protection!" He yelled. "I can handle your mother throwing a few words at me but I don't want to be left out! I've already made it perfectly clear that you are a part of my family, but not once have you made me feel like I'm part of yours."

"This is getting intense." George laughed, causing us both to turn and look at him.

"Shut up!" We yelled in unison, and then I turned to Fred again. "Not part of my family?! You went to a quidditch game with my dad and my brother! He's gone to love you so my mum will too!"

Fred laughed while clapping his hands together.

"You are still trying to hide me from your mother even though she knows we're together and we have been for twenty months!"

Silence...

And then cries coming from our bedroom.

"Great. You woke him up." I sighed and spun around, marching into the bedroom.

Myeong stood in his crib, holding onto the edge of it while crying, his face all red and wet with tears.

"I know." I sighed, picking him up. "I'm sorry. We didn't mean to yell and wake you up."

I ran my hand over his hair as I walked back and forth in the room, trying to make him go back to sleep.

"What a sister I am, huh? Can't even let you sleep without waking you up." I breathed, running my hand up and down his back.

After a while, he calmed down against my shoulder and I carefully put him back in his crib.

I brushed my hand over his forehead and he looked up at me before he slowly fell asleep.

I sighed.

He was asleep and now I just needed to not wake him up again.

"Kai."

I looked towards the door where Fred stood, looking at me with a soft expression.

"Not in here." I shook my head and walked towards him.

I pushed him out of the room, stepped out myself and then shut the door behind me.

"I don't want to fight." He said. "Can we just forget what just happened and go eat dinner?"

I stared up at him and casually shrugged.

"Okay."