because i liked a boy • fred weasley

Chapter 9 - Tuesday, September 24th

Talia and I are in our regular seats in the Great Hall, munching on the assortments of muffins and juice that is settled in front of us.

My eyes are slightly bloodshot, and my body feels weak from the lack of nutrients it received yesterday. I have an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion right now, but it's a new day and life carries on whether we want to take a break or not. I'm glad I'm able to stomach food today because this morning I woke up with a huge stomach cramp that made me feel like I was going to be sick.

"How was class yesterday?" I ask Talia between my bites of blueberry muffin.

"They were all good, you didn't miss much in Potions. We were just reviewing ingredients," Talia fills me in on the one class we have together on Monday. I'd have to see what happened in DADA and Divinations from someone else.

She graciously takes out her notes and lets me read over the things emphasized, but all of it was pretty basic information that I didn't have to copy down for myself.

"Incoming," Talia hides behind a cough. "Oh, and before he gets here, he kept asking Nathan what was going on with you, but he didn't say anything obviously."

I try to understand Talia's super-fast paced sentence, and I had no time to ask who she was talking about before Fred plops down on the bench next to me.

"Ellie, hi," Fred flicks his hair out of his eyes. "Can we talk?"

Talia excuses herself so that Fred and I are alone – I watch her walk over to where Nathan's sitting.

"What's up?" I keep my eyes focused on the glass in my hand.

I can hear his knuckle knocking on the table nervously. "I didn't ask how you were last night, but what was that about? I didn't think you were dating anyone, and it kept me up all night knowing that you were that broken up over something, and-"

I reach over and steady his hand against the table. "Fred, I was just dealing with some family stuff, okay? Nothing that a cigarette and some heavy crying won't solve."

"That doesn't seem like a healthy way to deal with family issues. Your sister is Luna right? You guys don't talk things out?" Fred continues questioning.

I shake my head, "Luna's not the issue."

"Well if your dad is making you cry like that-"

"Fred, please," I cut him off, finally looking at his face. "It's not my dad either."

Fred's face almost flashes with regret. I can tell that the realization hit him like a truck. He stops pushing instantly.

"I have to go to my room before Dark Arts. Let Talia know I left," I offer Fred a small smile and begin walking towards the exit of the Hall. I don't get very far though.

Alicia Spinnet, Angelina's best friend, moves in front of me and stops me in my tracks in the middle of the doorway.

"Excuse me," I try to walk around her, but she matches my steps and continues to be a roadblock.

"Ellie," Alicia looks me up and down. "You know my friend Angelina, right?"

"Obviously," I furrow my brows. What the hell is this about?

"And I'm assuming you know that her and Fred have been together for a while now, right?" Alicia asks innocently.

"What's your point, Alicia?" I grow aggravated. My body feels more fatigued every second that passes in her presence.

"My point is," Alicia takes a half step closer to me, "you need to learn to stop going after a taken man."

I scoff, "What are you on about, Alicia? I'm not after Fred – we're just friends."

I look at the Gryffindor table and see Angelina watching our interaction intensely. Once she sees me staring at her, her eyes wander the room as if she was looking for someone else.

"You followed him to the Astronomy Tower last night," Alicia tuts at me.

"Okay, so first of all, I go to the Astronomy Tower quite frequently to smoke," I hold up one finger, then hold up the second. "And two, I was up there before Fred even got up there, so how did I follow him?"

Alicia's glare deepens as I disprove her accusation. She lowers her voice this time when she speaks, "We all know that you went up there for Fred's pity, you know, about mummy?"

The blood in my veins turn to ice, and I feel my face turning pink.

"You're pathetic," Alicia looks down on me. "Using your dead mother as an excuse to seduce Fred."

I shake my head in disgust and shove past Alicia, throwing my shoulder into hers as I pass. She calls me a bitch as I make my way into the hallway. By the time I get to my room, I have little time before class starts. So much for giving myself time alone for some peace.

Eventually, DADA finishes, and after lunch it's time for Divinations. I spend my free period catching up on notes from yesterday so time goes by quickly. We're continuing our lessons on Phyllomancy because of course I need to see my future in tea leaves.

We're reading our partners tea leaves today. Devin, my partner, has wealth coming at some point. Good for Devin.

"Madam? I need help," I hear Devin say as he stares into my cup. "I don't know what her future looks like."

That makes two of us, Devin.