Untouchable: a Fred Weasley fanfiction

The Knight and the Jester

On Monday, I'm already sitting in my seat for Defense, idly doodling sketches on a scrap of parchment when Fred sits down beside me.

"Hey," he says, sliding his bookbag off.

I look up. "Howdy."

"'Howdy'?" he scoffs. "What in the world is that?"

I shrug, "I'm changing it up. A more American-style greeting. Something wrong with that?"

"No," he says, grinning. "Nothing wrong at all."

I look at him, grinning back. "I'm glad."

Then a hand comes to press on my desk in front of me with a boy leaning over, grinning too, but at me.

"Well, well, well," Tommy says. "Look who it is."

I look up, laughing a little. "What do you mean, 'look who it is'? I've always been in this class. It's November."

He holds his hands up in defense. "Whoah, there. Did I deserve such a bite this morning?"

I smirk, crossing my arms.

"I guess I'm just noticing now," he shrugs. "I was in the front last round of seats. Now I'm stuck in the back."

"Did you want to be in the front?" I scoff. "You don't seem like the type."

"Oh, because I'm a bad boy or something?" he challenges. "I'll have you know, Carter, that I'm actually quite behaved."

"Gross." I roll my eyes, making him laugh.

"Hi, Tommy," Fred suddenly says.

Oh. I sort of forgot he was here.

Tommy looks over, holding his hand out to have Fred slap it while replying with a casual, "hiya, Weasley."

"Fred mentioned that you two already know each other," I comment.

"Sure do," Tommy replies. "Brilliant match on Saturday, mate. Even though, well..."

He shrugs awkwardly.

Fred looks away. "Yeah, thanks. S'alright."

"Well, anyway." Tommy turns back to me. "I can bother you now that we're acquainted, huh, Jo?"

"Lucky me," I joke.

"I sure hope so," he says with a wink.

I feel my cheeks warm and look at my doodles, fiddling with my quill. He chuckles and straightens back up from leaning over my desk. Fred is looking between Tommy and me.

"Well, back to the slums," Tommy says, walking past my desk to head to the back of the room, but adding on the way, "Jo, meet me after class?"

I perk up, something flipping in my stomach. This bloke wants to meet me after class?

Fred is staring at me as I reply with an awkward, "uh, yeah, sure- sure, yeah."

He chuckles again and shoots a finger gun, heading towards the back right after with a saunter in his step. I look forward, fighting a surprised smile.

"Wow," Fred says, turning forward like me and shifting in his seat.

"What?" I say.

He shakes his head, shrugging it off. "Nothing. I just- nothing. Whatever."

I laugh awkwardly, confused, but am too busy trying to cool down the heat in my cheeks and the pulling at my lips to care all that much. My hand tightens around my quill and I feel stupid and silly when I think about if Tommy in the back is looking at me in the front the whole class.