because i liked a boy • fred weasley

Chapter 6 - Friday, September 13th

I can immediately feel the layer of sweat on my body when we walk into the Slytherin common room. The music is pounding in my ears, but I feel myself loosen up and vibe with the energy around me.

Ellie and Nathan lead the way to the drink table, but stop when they see the twins standing a few feet away. I've seen them more in the past two weeks than I've ever seen them in the past seven years. Not sure how that's at all possible.

I wave at them, but decide to grab a drink before I go over and talk to them. While I'm pouring some liquid in a cup, I glance back and can't help but notice that Angelina is not attached to Fred's hip at this moment.

I pour Talia and Nathan a cup as well and make my way over to the group.

"Hey, El," Fred notices me walking up first. He leans over and gives me a hug.

"Hey, Freddie," I smile as I hug him back. When I let go I hand Talia and Nathan their cups.

I step towards the other brother and hug him, "Georgie."

It's almost too quiet for me to hear over the pumping bass, but I know for a fact that I heard "Juliet" come from George's lips. But I pretend I didn't.

"George, isn't that the girl you hooked up with last year?" Nathan asks, jutting his head across the room.

George looks over at whatever girl they were talking about and nods, "Yeah, I'll be right back." He disappears in that direction behind the abyss of bodies.

Without asking if I want to dance, Talia pulls me towards the group of people that are moving along with the beat. She pulls me close to her and sways with me.

We dance for a couple of songs together, the liquor in my cup almost gone persuades me to leave and get some more. Nathan takes my place a millisecond after I step away.

"Want one?" Fred asks, making me realize that he hasn't left his previous spot. He holds a cigarette out to me.

"Of course," I walk towards him. He brings the cig up to his lips and lights it for me, handing it back to me once the end is glowing red.

I inhale once and then offer it back to him. He takes a hit and gives it back.

"Where's Angelina?" I can't help but ask, even though I spotted her with her friends in the opposite corner of the common room. Fred shrugs and then says something that I can't make out. Did the music just jump 50 notches?

"Sorry?"

Fred moves so that he's right next to me and leans down to whisper in my ear, "I said I didn't know. I haven't seen her today."

My cheeks flush from the proximity of his lips to my ear. I turn so that I can speak in his ear, "And why is that?"

Fred pauses for a moment, staring out into the crowd. "Needed a day without getting bitched at, I guess."

I bite my lip to stop the grin from making its way onto my face. I inhale the smoke again before offering it to Fred. His face seems to be contemplating something, I just have no idea what.

"So, are you ready for this quidditch season?" I try to make small talk, needing to get my mind off of him needing a break from his girlfriend.

"Definitely, it's gonna be wicked," Fred smirks to himself. "You gonna come to any games?"

He passes me the almost burnt-out cigarette, "Of course. I come to most games, especially Gryffindor matches. Talia's been dragging me to them ever since she had her eyes on Nathan."

"Don't tell me that," Fred nudges his shoulder into mine. "My ego's going to bruise."

"And why is that?"

"I wanted you to come to the matches because you wanted to see me, not because Talia drags you," Fred says in my ear.

Tingles spread throughout my whole body. It almost feels like he's – is he flirting? Fuck, I need to stop. I'm crushing on a man with a girlfriend.

"I didn't-"

I get interrupted by my name being said. I look in the direction that it came from and see Cormac coming towards me.

"Cormac?" I ask, unsure if it was him that said it.

"Dance with me, Ellie," Cormac slurs his words, and grabs my hand to pull me back towards where Talia is.

I look back at Fred and see his face puzzled. I mouth a sorry to him and give my attention back to Cormac.

I shouldn't have let Cormac pull me here. On one hand, this is my extremely intoxicated ex-boyfriend who treated me poorly most of the time. On the other hand, Fred is a taken man that I have a crush on.

Cormac is the safer option at this moment. Although his hands are already wandering very south very quickly, at least I wouldn't be the other woman in a tragic love story.

I can't help myself from stealing glances in Fred's direction every minute – or 15 seconds. Around the 18th time that I look in his general direction, I see Angelina shoving a finger in his face. Cormac decides that this is the moment he wants me to spin around so my ass is on his groin. I try to maneuver us so I can see what's going on, but by the time I succeed, Fred is standing alone smoking a newly lit cigarette and staring in my general direction.

When I say general direction, I mean he's staring directly at Cormac's hands on my waist.

I lose my breath when his eyes dart to mine, catching me staring at him staring at me.