Falling Slowly (A Hogwarts Lovestory) - Fred Weasley Fanfiction

12 | Make You Better

The following days Fred acted like nothing had happened and I decided to stay out of his way.
Ron was hiding from his brother as well, I found him sitting in the only shady place you could possibly find outside the Burrow - under a large oak in the middle of the yard - because Fred teased him to transform any more of his Quidditch figures into spiders.

"Perhaps Errol this old fool of an owl is the problem", I heard him mutter. He sat on the ground in front of a quill and a parchment envelope that said To Harry Potter, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey on it.
"Still no sign from Harry, eh?", I said and sat down next to him.
"No. Bet that's all Errol's fault. He doesn't even get the newspaper delivery right. Forgets the Daily Prophet nearly everytime."
I remembered how hard it's been for me to contact somebody with an owl in the muggle world.
"Maybe there's more to it", I said. "Didn't he say his aunt and uncle weren't that... kind?"
"You could be right", Ron said slowly. "Maybe I should pay him a visit. It's his birthday tomorrow, did you knew? No one should be alone on his birthday."
"I did know that, Ronald, it's my birthday too, you know", I laughed and he turned red, he had obviously forgotten about it.
"I-", he began but I wouldn't let him speak.
"Don't blame yourself, Ron, I haven't told anyone yet. It's never been my favourite day of the year."
I changed the subject. "We have more important things to discuss, don't you think? I mean, how do you plan to get from Ottery St. Catchpole to Little Whinging tomorrow? You obviously can't travel by floo powder and I don't think your parents own a car. So-"
Ron interrupted. "They DO own a car", he said. "Or at least, dad does. It can fly, but I have never driven it before. And I bet mum wouldn't allow me to anyway."
"Well", I said and winked at him. "Then don't ask. I happen to know two guys who would love to help you steal that car and drive it down to Surrey, don't you too?"
Ron looked at me surprisingly. "Blimey, Julie, now I get why Fred and George like you so much. You are just as diabolic and mischievous as they are. But it's a great idea, though, I will go and ask them right away."

I was right about Harry. He had been held hostage in his room by the Dursley's and Fred, George and Ron had to break the fence that was build in front of Harry's window to free him.

We celebrated Harry's birthday all together after they all arrived safely back at the Burrow. Ginny didn't say much and she blushed every time Harry tried to speak to her. Mrs Weasley still complained about how terrible her sons had behaved and apologised many times to me for the manners of her children. But Fred and George just winked at me meaningfully from the other side of the table, I reckoned Ron had told them it was my idea to safe Harry. Fred eye's seemed to be searching mine quite often during the feast, but I probably only imagined it.

After the birthday party was over, I wished everybody a good night and went off to my room. I changed from the blue summer dress I had worn into my nightgown and was just about to go to bed when someone knocked on my door.
It was Fred (how on earth did he manage to make my heart pound in such an abnormal frequence everytime his hazel eyes met mine?) and he let himself inside my room. He looked around in what used to be his old room.
"You have it quite cozy here, Daniels", he said.
"Julie", I corrected him kindly.
"Forgive me. You have it quite cozy here, Julie", he smirked. Then he he turned his face towards me and inspected me from head to toe. "Elegant nightgown", he said sarcastically. "I liked that blue dress better."
"Did you only come in here to make fun of my look?", I asked him angrily. I was upset. He barely even talked to me during the last weeks since our secret meeting downstairs.
"I'd never make fun of your look", Fred replied and smiled charmingly at me. "In fact, I like the way you look very much." He winked. Was that a compliment?
"Anyway", he continued and made him self comfortable on my bed, "I wanted to give you something." He handed me a small package, untidily wrapped in what seemed to be a napkin.
"Happy Birthday", he said and pecked me softly on my hair. "Ron told us."
I gave my best to ignore my stupid heart that was pounding loudly in my ears, opened the little package and pulled out a record. I gasped.
"Fred Weasley", I shouted happily, "where did you get that?"
It was Springsteen's Ghost of Tom Joad EP. I absolutely adored his music.
"A man has his secrets", Fred grinned. His smile was unbelievable charming. "Do you like it?"
"I love it!", I shouted and gave him a long hug. "Thank you so much! But honestly, Fred, how did you get it? This is Muggle music!"
But he still wouldn't tell me.
"A man has his secrets", he repeated his former answer. "I bet you have your own source for such things, I mean, you somehow managed to get that other record while you were at Hogwarts and that was also Muggle music."
"That was different, I almost stumbled about it in the place where everything is hidden, you know, the Room of Requirement?"
"The Room of WHAT?", Fred asked.
I was surpised. "Did you not know about it?", I teased him a little bit. "You were always so confident you knew all the hidden passageways and rooms in the castle and now I find out those were all empty words." I laughed.
"You will tell me immediately where to find that room, Julie!", Fred demanded. This really seemed to freak him out, but I wasn't willing to give up on this advantage so easily.
"Or what?", I grinned, now that I had the upper hand.
"Or", he said quietly and came a little closer to me. His hands touched mine and he pressed me softly onto my bed. His face came closer to mine and his lips almost touched my ear-
-BOOM-
A loud noise came out of the twins room.
"Damn it", Fred sweared and moved back. "What's George doing over there?"
I cleared my throat and searched for any words I could say but they propably got all stuck somewhere.
Fred stood up and walked to the door. He turned around one last time before he left. "This is not over, Daniels", he said. "I still want to know where that room is you were talking about."
"How about a deal, Weasley?", I said as confident as possible. "I trade my information for some of yours. You want to know where to find the Room of Requirement? Fine. I want to know where to find the hidden entrance to the school's kitchen. Do we have a deal?"
Fred thought about that for a moment.
"Nah, Daniels", he said after a short while. "I bet I'll find another way to get that secret out of you."
He smirked at me one last time, my heart made a giant leap and he closed the door behind him.

What was this guy doing to me? I was still shivering when I closed my eyes and sighed.
It would be a long time, I reckoned, until I'd be able to serve myself Hogwarts' best cinnamon buns whenever I wanted.

I'll love you in springtime
I lost you when summer came
And when you pulled backwards
I wanted to, I needed to
To make me better
- The Decemberists