Safe With Me ~ Fred Weasley

Missing

Fred had been right about Molly's cooking. It was phenomenal. After everyone had eaten their fill and the food had been put away with the flick of a wand, we all regrouped in the living room. The windows were all propped open, letting the cool night's breeze flow through the house. Mr. Weasley flipped eagerly through a book titled 'Muggle inventions of the 80's,' while Ginny and Ron were sat on the ground playing a loud game of wizarding chess, which up until now I had never seen Ron lose at. George had spent the last half hour trying to convince Fred to head up to their room, no doubt to plot their first pranks of the summer or talk through some new idea for a sickening sweet. Fred had brushed him off each time, but had eventually caved, following his twin up the stairs with soft grumbles including 'idiot' and 'impatient git.'

Not long after the twins had gone upstairs, Ginny had officially beaten Ron at their game and I watched her pieces smash the few remaining on Ron's side of the board as she grinned at her brother.

"I've missed playing you!" She joked, ignoring the sour look on his face.

"I can't say the same." He said, getting to his feet. "I'm heading to bed too. Night Dad, night Cassidy."

"Night Ron." The two of us returned, Mr. Weasley seeming too deep into his book to be paying much attention to the rest of the room. The only other person I had ever seen turn pages that fast was Hermione.

"You wanna play Cass?" Ginny offered, although her eyes were already looking heavy from the long day of travel.

"Maybe another night, Ginny. I've never actually played, and I'm guessing it's hard to learn." I offered her a smile.

"You'll pick up on it quickly. You must have seen about a hundred games, it's all Ron and Harry do at school since I know they don't focus on their studies."

I laughed and nodded in agreement as Mr. Weasley shut his book, setting it on the pile I had noticed earlier on the bookshelf.

"Ladies, don't stay up too late now. I'm off to bed."

"Me too. You coming Cassidy?" Ginny glanced my way as she stood up to follow her father.

"In a bit. Goodnight, Mr. Weasley."

"You can call me Arthur, Cassidy. Molly too. You're family now." He nodded, seeming as if that was common knowledge.

"Okay. Thank you." I gave him a small smile as the two headed from the room, pulling my legs up to my chest and taking a deep breath, trying to distract myself with all of the random objects littering the busy room.

Fred

George reached for the drawings splayed out on the floor in between us as we heard the knock at the door, crumpling them slightly as he rushed to hide them behind his back.

"Boys?" He looked around the room, shooting us a knowing look. "I don't want to know what's behind your back George. I just popped in to say goodnight. I'm glad you're home."

"Glad to be home, dad." George offered him his best smile and I nodded in agreement.

"Oh, and your friend is still up. You might want to see if she needs anything before bed, she's downstairs."

"On it. Night Dad." I replied, standing from my spot on the floor and stretching slightly.

"You want some company?" George asked, already knowing the answer.

"I think I'm good, actually."

"Alright, but Fred." He stepped in front of me, blocking the door. "Will you just admit you're in love with her already?"