Playing It Safe {Fred Weasley x Reader}

{17}

-- Edited --

The rest of the night passed in a blissful blur. After our rendezvous out in the garden, Fred and I headed back in to spend the rest of the ball together. After a few songs of waltzing, the songs slow down and the lights dim. A lot of people have left for the night, either to bed or snogging in their dorms, but there were still a fair amount of couples swaying back and forth to the music.

One of my hands was placed on Fred's shoulder, while the other was intertwined with his own. His other arm supported my waist, his hand gently pressed on the small of my back. Like he was afraid if he touched me too hard, I would break. Or run away. Which sounded more like me. We danced in silence, the music and chatter from around the room filling the quietness between us.

After a minute or so, I rested my head against his chest. His arm tightened around me, and I knew that this was where I was supposed to be. Being with Fred felt effortless. We didn't have to talk, or look at each other to know how the other was feeling. We just...knew. His lips pressed the top of my head and I smiled to myself. Everything was perfect. It almost made me forget about the pounding in the back of my head and ringing in my ears.

"Y/N?" His voice brought me out of my dream-like state.

"Hmm?" 

His fingers slipped out of mine and he gently grabbed my chin, making me look up at him. And oh my, the sight was absolutely stunning. The dim candlelight mixed with the icy glow of the decor glowed on his skin. His brown eyes looked almost black in the barely lit room. They looked deeper, layered with secrets and jokes and mischief as per usual. A small smirk appeared on his face, bringing me out of my trance yet again.

"Like what you see, Love?" He chuckles.

I shake my head and roll my eyes with a smile, my cheeks warming a little. 

"I just wanted to say...that I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. I feel that things have changed between us this year, and not just our feelings for each other."

My eyebrows knit together in confusion, but my smile stays present. 

"What do you mean Fred? You have been here for me. I was the one who tried to push you away. Which...I'm still so sorry about."

His smile fades. 

"But I haven't been here for you Y/N. I haven't. I let you run off with Oliver. I let you pull away from me. I didn't notice that you were clearly going through something-"

He cuts off when he feels me freeze under his touch. I swallow hard, my smile also fading. 

"Y/N... I'm sorry I wasn't there. I wish that I was...maybe then you would trust me enough to tell me what's wrong."

His tone is concerned, slightly pleading even.

"Fred stop." I take a deep breath, and try to put a smile back on. "I'm fine. Everything is fine. I'm with you now."

He shakes his head and lets go of me, taking my hands in his.

"Y/N, I know that's not true."