Invisible String | A Harry Potter FanFiction

The Yule Ball (Fred's POV)

Fancy dress robs, a date around my arm, and promises of a good night, but all I could think about was a different girl. And it wasn't the girl I had around my arm. It was Winnifred Benson, who until this year seemed invisible to guys. But not now. She's all I could think about as she walked down with Cedric Diggory.

Cedric Diggory, never really liked him. When they showed up together that day before the Quidditch world cup I wanted to strangle him. But I couldn't, cause his dad was there. I didn't even know Winnie knew Ced, nor knew that they were not a thing, and item. My Winnie! The girl that for the longest time I kept the closest to my heart, waiting for the right chance to tell her. But now it was too late, now Cedric saw her. I was thinking the horrors of these events when Angelina reminded me where I was.

"Winnies gorgeous!"

"She is..." I accidentally blurt out.

"When do you think they'll have us dancing?" She asked, obviously not hearing my words beforehand, phew.

"I don't know, I think the first dance goes to the champions and their partners."

Partners, that's what Cedric and Winnie were. She was his treasure in the black lake. She was the girl he asked to go to the ball with. She was his bloody girlfriend. I cursed at myself for being to late, I cursed at my stupidity and naivety. Of course she wasn't going to be there single for her whole life. I took my sweet old time and now I was too late.

I watched the two of them dance, seemingly intranced with eachother. I had to compose myself, because even though I wanted to leave I wasn't that much of a jerk. This was as much Angelina's night too. I couldn't just leave her. So we danced. I put on a strong face, and even though I wanted to go up to Winnifred, pull her away from her date and tell her how I felt, I knew it was wrong. And I knew she wouldn't do what I want her to. Because she can't read my mind.

It all started this year I guess. I mean of course it wasn't just this year, but it was solidified this summer, when Winnie showed up to the quidditch World Cup with Cedric.

I mean it was different. She had always been my mums friend's pretty daughter, but now she was more. I've always had a thing for her but I thought it was just childish, plus we hadn't had the chance to hang out during school. But now she's around more, with another guy, made me furious.

They danced on the floor, other couples started to join in but I was still stopped dead in my feet. Angelina tapped me on the arm.

"Let's go!"

She ran us up to the floor as we danced around. My hand was on her waist and hers around my neck. I didn't know how to dance but I faked it as much as I could.

I remember when we were four, Winnie would try and waltz with me. I was five so I knew how silly it was but it still tried to act like I knew what I was doing. I remember Winnie was smiling and laughing the whole time, not letting go of me.

When the slow dance stop as The Weird Sisters came onstage. I can already tell Ginny is jumping up and down. Neville did her a solid coming with her to let her experience it.

After a bit of dancing and goofing around George came up to me.

"Fred!" He yelled, "Did you hear the rumor?"

"What rumor?"

"Word has it a certain Slytherin spiked the punch, it's spreading everywhere."

I had just noticed that I had excused myself to get me and Angelina some punch, but after this knowledge I poured it all back.

"Do you see how empty the punch bowl is? I think it's gotten around quite nicely."

"It wasn't you was it brother?"

He smirked, "Nah but it wish it was. Let's be honest if one of us was gonna do something like that it'd be you!"

I laughed, "you're right, enjoy Katie!"

George had gone with Katie Bell, while I was stuck with Angelina. She was kinda a last minute decision because I procrastinated asking someone till the last minute. It wasn't that I was unhappy with Angelina, but when you could've had a beautiful girl like Winnie, you have to be.

More time went by and I was growing bored. The dance didn't end till an hour but now me and my brother were leaning against a wall, watching the ladies laugh. Angelina and Katie were with a group of their friends, giggling their asses off. Me and George were slumped, but they looked like they had a lot more partying to do.

"Do you reckon they'll talk for the next hour and I'll be able to slip out?" I asked.

"Doubt it, plus that's like really low, leaving a girl at the dance."

"That's what fucking Diggorys doing!" I snap back, pointing to him with Cho Chang.

"Wait what does Cedric have anything do with this?" He asked.

"He came with Winnie!"

He looked puzzled for a moment and then his eyebrows shot up, "Oh!"

I chuckled a bit, but in a second that joy vanished. Cedric was kissing Cho. I spotted Winnie, laughing with Lily on their way back, drinks in their hands. I adjusted myself on the wall and watched. Winnie turned her head to Cedric and noticed what he was doing. Right as she did that Cedric seemed to notice, pulling Cho away from him.

"Winnie."

The music was slow so there wasn't a lot of things to get in the way of me hearing it.

"It's not what it looks like...okay it is what it looks like but I can explain it's not what you think!"

Winnie turned her back and dropped the drinks. Cedric came chasing after her and that's when I ran off from the wall. Everything my brother had said about me leaving my date would be rude left immediately. I rushed towards them and when I turned out the door I spot Winnie hunched down on the floor, Lily trying to keep her up. Cedric is yelling for her but I don't hesitate to push him. He turns around to look at me. 

"Why don't you just shove off mate!" I said, my eyes piercing his. I look over at Winnie whose completely passed out at this point. 

"Make me Weasley." he says, pumping his chest at me. He's making himselve look bigger trying to size me up. I chuckle.

"She wouldn't want you here Diggory, now piss off."

Cedric looked back at me and scoffed, he walked off completely as I noticed that Angelina was here too. She had ran over after me and once she saw what was going on she came to help. She was helping Winnie up. I followed them out and to the hospital wing. They laid her on the bed and I took a seat next to the bed. I loosened my tie and caught my breath. 

"I gotta go, I didn't tell my girlfriends where I was going." Angelina said, looking at me. 

"You can go Fred, you already did enough, I'll be sure to tell her about what you did." Lily said. 

"No it's good, Angie you go ahead, I was getting bored anyways." 

"Oh um...okay." She turned out and walked back to the Great Hall. 

I could tell she wanted to go back with me, but I couldn't leave Winnie alone. Lily looked faint, I could tell her had her fair share of booze. She went back to her dorm as I stared at Winnie. I got up and made her comfortable, taking off her heels, getting the hair out of her face, and covering her with some blankets. 

I sat back down, just admiring her from afar. She'll wake up with a massive headache, I'm sure of it. And it was at this moment I knew, I was in love with Winnifred. Now how silly is this? She's blackout drunk, makeup messy and her hair all matted and tangled and I realized how much I truly cared for her. She meant everything. She's more than just a childhood friend at this point, she's more. 

Because it was at this moment I remember that she's always been there for me through my hardships. She's been there for everything. I have to repay her somehow. I get up and sit down right on her bedside and almost reach for her hand. A piece of her hair fell down. My eyebrows furled as I tucked it back into place. I just sat there, admiring her sleepen figure. From afar I probably look like such a creep, but from the inside, it was even more than you could've known.