The Chaser : A Fred Weasley Fan Fic

Fifty Six: Date

Fred had picked the bar so I was apprehensive as I stepped out from the tube station. We were going to a muggle bar so taking the normal form of transport seemed fitting.

I took a deep breath and looked down at the address he'd scrawled on a piece of paper for me. It was just along here. According to Fred, it was quaint so there was less chance of being spotted but it'd had a sparkling review in The Guardian. It had shocked me that Fred even knew about muggle newspapers.

I'd gotten ready slowly, taking my time as I'd planned every detail. I wore my dark hair down and I'd charmed it into soft waves, just how I knew he liked it. I wore heels, which was rare and they were not so high that our heights were similar, because it was hardly possible and besides, I knew he always enjoyed looking down at me. I donned a silk black dress that hung to my body with thin delicate straps, but the star of the show was the relic I'd pulled from the attic.

Around my neck I wore the necklace he'd given me that a Christmas so long ago. The moment I put it on it felt warm and it seemed to vibrate with each stop on the tube as I drew closer to meeting Fred.

My hands shook as pushed into the bar and scanned the room for him. My mind reeled trying to find a time when we'd ever done something so formal. We'd been on plenty of dates, yes, but we'd lived together and usually went together. Meeting him out in public, having to approach him, it all felt like a bizarre performance.

His shoulder length red hair caught my attention first. It moved with him as he laughed, cracking a joke with the man behind the bar. He was sat up on a stool, one hand on a short glass filled with amber liquid and the other waving about as he animatedly continued with his story.

It felt like seeing him for the first time and I couldn't help but feel my cheeks get warm. It felt so silly when we'd done this all before, but I was just excited about him as I had been when we'd started everything up at Hogwarts.

"Hello" I said, uncertainly, giving him a gentle nudge on the shoulder.

Fred's eye scanned me and I suddenly felt as though I was in a glass cabinet. His eyes twinkled and his marvellous grin spread across his face.

"Wilde, don't you scrub up well" he laughed, giving me a wink. He pulled out the stool next to him and held my back as I position myself on it. His fixed on my chest as he noticed the necklace and his grin spread even wider

"I supposed I could say the same about you" I smiled. Casting an eye over the teal suit he was wearing with a white collared shirt underneath. I could just see a paisley patterned waistcoat peeking from underneath his buttoned blazer.

"What will the lady be drinking?" the bar man smiled.

"Glass of dry white wine" Fred answered before I could open my mouth.

"I'd be annoyed that you spoke for me if that wasn't exactly what I was going to order" I sighed. I was so predictable.

"Here, if you don't want me to not know every move you'll make, pretend to me someone else" Fred whispered, bringing his mouth close to my ear.

"Pardon?" I laughed, furrowing my brow at him.

"It would be fun, don't you think? Let's pretend we've just met" Fred grinned, nodding to the barman, "he doesn't know who we are"

I nodded in agreement and took a sip of the glass that had just been placed in front of me.

"I can't believe I finally got you out of the office" Fred sighed loudly, looking from to the barman, "I've been trying to get her to go on a date with me for months"

The barman chuckled to himself as he tidied away glasses. I understood the game.

"Well, if you'd just outright asked me then maybe I would have said yes" I quipped, "How was I supposed to know after you sent me anonymous flowers?"