Except For You ~ {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 12

I was waiting all night for eleven to come. At about ten-fifty, I slipped out of the common room and down to the Kitchen for snacks. I check my watch. Eleven exactly. I'm constantly checking the map so I don't get caught, and after about ten minutes, I finally get there. She had already started reading. She glances up at me. “Took you long enough.” She whispers, reading her book.
“I was getting food.”
“Hm, okay.” She responds, not looking up from her book.
“Whatcha reading?”
“Letters to the lost.” She answers.
“What’s it about?” I ask, sitting down next to her. She hands me the book and gets out another.
I read the blurb and front page silently. I hand it back to her. “Sounds cool.”
“Read it, I already have three times.” I take it back and continue reading it. She sits there, reading another book while I read the one she gave me.
I liked reading it. It was a cool book with great plot and characters, and I couldn't put it down. Best of all, it was Miss Salty's. She let me read this book. I was mentally grinning the entire time.

She looks up from her book and checks her watch. I glance over, and look at my own watch. It’s four. She stands up and walks over to the balcony, leaving me alone with my thoughts. She was looking at the view, but I was looking at her. Her hair was moving slightly, sticking to her lip gloss because of the early morning breeze. The stars looked like they were flicked onto a canvas. I stand up and slowly walk over next to her. She has her arms on the railing, looking at the view. You can see Hagrid's hut from here.
“This was probably a shit idea.”
“Because I’m here?” I ask, expecting a simple yes.
“Yes, and the fact that there's a huge monster running around the castle ready to strike.”
“I forgot about that.” I whisper, smiling at her playful sarcasm.
“Hm, well if I’m about to get attacked, you can heroically save me from harm's way.”
“I’m not the one who can produce a shield charm.” I tease.
“I’m not the one with a map that shows everyone in Hogwarts and where they are at all times.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“The Marauder's Map?” She asks slyly.
“How do you know about that?” I ask, worried. She just laughs.
“I have my ways. Also George fell asleep with it while it was still unlocked.”.
“That idiot!” I exclaim under my breath.
“Speaking of shield charms.” She whispers, walking back over to the corner and pulling out her wand. She stares in front of her. “Protego Horribilis.” Nothing happens. “Protego Horribilis.” Again, nothing happens. She shakes her arms and tries again. “Protego Horribilis!” A small shield produces from the end of her wand. It stays there for a minute until I come over and kick it.
“Really?” She asks.
“Not that protective, is it?” I ask back.
“I didn’t see you producing the shield charm in class.”
“True, true. Do it again.” She rolls her eyes and repeats the charm. She keeps doing it for ten minutes. The entire time I'm watching her in awe.

She grabs a spare bit of parchment and writes something down.
“This is what I mean by talented.” I whisper when I look over her shoulder at her homework. She shrugs. I move and sit down next to her.
“We could probably read some more before we go down.” Miss Salty says, checking her watch.
“When do you reckon we can go down?” I ask.
“Five at earliest.” I look at her, stunned. That was quick. I think to myself. She huffs impatiently. “We’re right above the Ravenclaw tower, did you know that? The earliest I’ve ever seen someone go down is five, which tends to become five-fifteen because they walk too slow reading.”
“You’re that someone, aren’t you?” I ask, failing to hide a smirk.
“I don’t read while I walk, it’s annoying and slow.” She remarks. “But… sometimes I do go down at five, yes.” I laugh. She whacks my arm. “But not for food! It’s to meet Del." She adds shyly. I laugh again.
“You’re cute when you curl up like that.” I point out. She had curled with her chin on her knees and her arms around her legs. She flushes.
“It’s comfortable.” She mumbles. I curl up as well and sit like that for a long moment.
“You’re right.” I finally mutter. I unfold into a cross-legged position and grab the book She gave me. I start reading it as I push her book towards her. She picks it up and reads.

Her watch beeps. “We could probably go down now.” She whispers into the long silence that was only filled with birds chirping and the flipping of pages. A voice disrupting it sounds wrong.
“Mhm.” I respond.
“Do you want to go down then?” She asks.
“Uh uh.”
“You sound like a child.”
“I wanna stay here.” I pout.
“I stand corrected. You are a child.” I laugh.
“Okay, let’s go.” I whisper, standing up. “Oh, by the way, the book’s really good.”
“I know, it’s my favourite for a reason.” She answers, also standing up and brushing herself off. “Did you finish it?” She adds.
“Um, no.” I mutter quickly. I didn't want to finish it really. This was her favourite book, I wanted to know why.
“Keep until you do. Tell me what you think of the ending.” She instructs.
“You left your bookmark in here.”
“I know. You use it, I have another one.” I tuck it into the book and she grabs her bag. I grab the snacks I brought up and we quietly walk down the staircase. We reach an intersection, one that must head down to the Ravenclaw tower and one that’s the main entrance to get to the Astronomy tower.
“You go down that one and let your brother know you're alright.” She directs.
“What about you?”
“I’m gonna slip into the stream of Ravenclaws that come down at this time. I’ll be fine. Go!” She explains, shooing me away. I run silently down the hallway, winking at her at the corner before disappearing.
I whisper the words, “Seeya soon, Miss Salty."

"So you didn't get petrified."
"Nope. I think Harry likes me." I add cheekily.
"He likes me more." He turns to Harry. "Oi, Harry, do you like me or Fred more?" George shouts across the common room.
"Ron!" He shouts back. I chuckle.
"So, George?" I ask.
"Sure!"
"Try not to petrify me, will ya?" I add. He laughs.
"Damn it, gotta take you off my list! You were next after Malfoy!"
"Make sure Crabbe and Goyle are next then!" I respond. He salutes, and George and I climb out of the common room. We jog down to the Great Hall and I quickly find Miss Salty. George glances at me. He rolls his eyes.
“Just because you’re in love with her does not mean you have to be with her twenty-four seven.” He says.
“I’m not in love with her!” I look at him. He rolls his eyes and shoos me away.
“Go! Go! I don’t care.” I run up to her and sit down across from her. “Hey.” I whisper.
“Hi.” She responds blankly, turning the page of her book.
“What do you have next?”
“Reading, more reading, eating, then more reading and some more reading.” She answers, not looking up from her book. “Now, I strongly advise that you leave me alone.” She adds.
“ ‘Kay. Seeya Miss Salty.” I stand up then sit back down and lean in. “Don’t almost get petrified or else I’ll have to save you and I don’t really want to do that.”
“I swear I won’t go and annoy Harry so I’m next on his victim list.” She responds. She finally looks up and smirks playfully. “Maybe I will, it’ll get you off my back.” I chuckle.
“You do that, you do that.” I leave and wave the same elegant way she does.
“Do you have to copy everything I do?” She calls after me. My hand changes from a wave into a thumbs up and I stuff my fist into my pocket. I always left her smiling my face off. I couldn’t help it. She just… had that effect.