Except For You ~ {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 25

I finish my patrol, a smile on my face as I hug my book tight.
Two first years run up to me and ask me about Sirius Black. I smile softly at them and crouch down, even though I'm basically their height.
"The professors have it all under control. Professor Dumbledore says he isn't in the castle anymore, and that we don't have to worry." They exhale in relief and wave at me, running back off to their friends to tell them the good news.
After everyone is up, we're allowed to go back to our dorms and get ready for the day. Luckily, Professor Dumbledore called off Monday lessons, so we were allowed to do whatever we wanted like a weekend day.
I get dressed into some jeans, a black singlet, and Fred's jersey. I guess I can start calling him Fred now, but, I'll address him by Mr Trouble. For old times sake.

I'm reading in my spot on a particularly hot Saturday, when a house elf comes up holding a glass of iced tea. I smile down at Janey, taking the glass from her, and setting it on a coaster next to me. I return my focus to my book when I feel a small tug on my jersey sleeve.
Looking down at Janey, she hands me a letter, then rushes off like I've seen her do so many times before.
When I flip the letter over, there's no name to suggest who it's from. I slip my finger beneath the red wax seal, breaking the image of a muggle and Australia twenty-cent coin. Noticing that, I assume it's from Del.
But it's not.
'Dear Miss Salty.
It is now apparent that I have made it up to you.'
I feel a grin creeping across my face as I read.
'So I would like to cordially invite you to be my friend.
I have no doubt you know what a friend is, and I would like you to know that I intend to be as good a friend as Miss Del Aadil.
Yours truly, Mr Trouble.'
I laugh lightly at his posh words, then turn in my arm chair. My hair hangs down on either side of my face as I fumble with my book bag under my chair, extracting a spare piece of parchment. Dipping my quill into the ink well on the table beside me and leaning the parchment on my book, I write,
'Dear Mr Trouble,
I accept your invitation.
I hope to hear back from you as to when we can plan a meet. Perhaps a picnic with your brother and my previously mentioned friend, Miss Aadil, down by the Black Lake, in the shade of the overhangs?
Write me, so I may be able to schedule an appropriate time and we can discuss the details.
Your beloved, Miss Salty.'
I reread my letter, then fold it. As soon as I call for Janey, she appears next to me with a loud crack. She materialises a few envelopes, wax in a metal spout thing and a stamp for me.
I tuck the letter into the envelope, then hold the wax in it's spout over a candle until it melts. Pouring the wax onto the envelope, I stamp it to seal shut.
The stamp I used was the same pattern of a galleon, wanting him to know I noticed his effort to make my seal appropriate to where I am from.
I tell Janey who to take the letter to, and watch her rush off, hearing a crack in the distance. I smile after her, then tuck my fringe behind my ear.

Five minutes later and Janey is back with another letter.
I take it with a smile, wasting no time to open and read it.
'Dear Miss Salty,
I would be ecstatic to meet with you. What time are you able to come?
I can go as early as thirty minutes from your response.
I shall inform my brother, and I hope you will inform Miss Aadil as well.
Yours truly, Mr Trouble.'
I chuckle, pulling more parchment out of my bag and pressing my quill to the page.
'Dear Mr Trouble,
I would love to meet in about an hour, under the hanging hemlocks on the far side of the lake.
I advise you to bring some sugar or honey, and your swimmers.
See you there,
Your beloved, Miss Salty.'
I bite my bottom lip in concentration as I tuck the folded parchment into the envelope, pouring more wax on and stamping it. I call for Janey again and she apparates nearby, rushing up to me. I hand her the letter and tell her who to take it to, then she apparates away again.

As I'm packing my things away, Janey comes back with another letter.
I smile and whisper, "Sorry for making you run around."
"No, no! Janey doesn't mind, honest Janey doesn't!" I grin and break the seal, tugging the letter from the envelope and unfolding it.
'Dear Miss Salty,
I am delighted with this arrangement. Do be sure to tell Miss Aadil. I shall see you there.

May I ask what the sugar is for?
Yours truly, Mr Trouble.'
I laugh lightly and quickly write another, much shorter letter.
'Dear Mr Trouble,
I am glad you are excited, as I am also. I will see you there.

I am afraid you can't ask at this point.
Your beloved, Miss Salty.'
I send the letter off with Janey, throwing my bag over my shoulder and starting for my dorm, making sure to stop by the Great Hall to tell Del.
When I spot Del I rush over and quickly tell her the plan.
"Ooh, so like a double date?" She teases. I feel my face flush.
"No!" I hiss back. "It's a meet! Be sure to wear your swimmers, okay?"
"You know, I still can't get over how you call them 'swimmers'." She laughs out. I whack her arm and walk off, shooting glares at her over my shoulder.
Before I head to my dorm to get ready, I stop by into the kitchens. I brush my fingers over the pear, then climb through the exposed tunnel. When I step into the large and cramped room, house elves swarm my ankles and I laugh.
"Hey! I have a request! Can you make up a picnic basket? And, make sure you put a few jars of honey in there too." They all nod excitedly, dashing off and starting to make the basket. "I'll be back soon to collect it." I wave at them as they squeak out 'Okay!'s and 'It will be ready for you when you come back!'

I pull shorts over my swimmers; a black, long sleeved, one piece that had a high neckline and some bike shorts over them as well. As I pull my hair into a high ponytail, I spot Fred's jersey lying on my bed. Grabbing and throwing it on on my way out, I rush down the stairs, skipping the last one.
I duck into the kitchens, picking up the basket and thanking half the elves by name.
As I near the spot me and Fred had agreed on, I can't see anyone there yet. I must be early.
I wave the picnic blanket out, putting something heavy on each corner to keep it there. I'm standing back, looking at it all, when I feel a hand clap over my mouth and another wrap around my waist, pulling me close to someone from behind.
"You did all this for me?" Someone breathes into my ear, and I calm down when I realise who it is. I remove their hand.
"That's not very gentlemen-like, Mr Trouble." I whisper back, trying to ignore the hand on my waist, and the butterflies in my stomach because of the hand's placement.
He laughs, then releases me.
"I'm sorry, I seem to have lost my manners." He says, sitting down on the blanket.
"I'm not sure you had them in the first place." I sit down across from him, then look behind my shoulder when I hear George and Del approach.

Everyone is now sitting down, in a perfect square, and I can feel every time Fred glances over at me. I make sure not to look at him when he does, talking and laughing and eating with the others.
Finally, Fred brings the sugar and or honey up.
"Wait, why do we even need this stuff?" He laughs, holding up his small bag of sugar.
I laugh too, digging through the basket and bringing out two jars of honey, passing one to Del. "Come on, I'll show you." I shrug off the jersey, then step out of my shorts. "You might want to take off your shirt." I add, noticing how Fred hasn't moved since I took off the jersey. He smirks.
"Oh, can the Miss not wait to see me shirtless?" I flush, but whack him in the arm.
"Just do it!" He chuckles, then starts unbuttoning his patterned Hawaiian shirt. I look away and start to unscrew the honey, glaring daggers at Del's very smug and knowing look.
Fred's now shirtless and I try to stop imagining what might happen if George and Del weren't here. I clear my throat and tip my head, gesturing for Fred to follow me, turning and heading to the edge of the Black Lake.
I tip the honey jar upside down and wait for it to pour down, glad to have heated it up in the sun to make it thinner. The honey drops into the lake, and is quickly snatched up by a large tentacle. I nod to Fred's sugar bag and he opens it, pouring the little white grains into the lake. Another tentacle grabs at them.
When my jar is empty and so is Fred's bag, the giant squid splashes us lightly, and I giggle.
"We can go in now." I say, grinning at Fred.
"Then what are you waiting for woman?" He shoots back. I chuckle, and before I can even step forward, Fred has pushed me in.
I turn and grab his hands as I fall backwards, yanking hard. When I splash into the cold water I let go of Fred, swimming quickly out of his way. We both break the surface and start laughing.
"Mr Trouble!" I squeal, and he swims up to me.
"You called?" He grins crookedly, making me laugh.
"You pushed." I shoot back. He laughs with me. I swim with my legs and arms, trying to keep myself afloat. Then I straighten and place my feet on the bottom of the lake, my soles sliding over the smooth pebbles.
Fred is towering over me right now, and I take a deep breath in, before turning and calling to Del.
"Come in! It's really refreshing!"
"Yeah, yeah, coming!" She calls back, standing up and pulling off her over clothes until she's in a nice, black and white striped one piece with a hole in the back.
George pulls his t-shirt off and stands, grabbing his own bag of sugar as Del unscrews her honey jar.