Except For You ~ {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 34

What the actual hell? Is the first thing that pops into my mind when I see what is going on outside.
Then I remember I have the best girlfriend known to man. I grab her hand, but she doesn't seem to notice. Her eyes are on the poor muggles in the air. Her eyes fire up and go dark at the same time. Is that possible?
y/n dashes forward to them, dodging fires in her path. I'm too stunned to move. Dad and Bill scream for her to stop. She doesn't listen. Bill and Percy run after her as Dad turns to us.
"Fred, George. Take the others into the forest." I seem to regain my senses because Dad has to stop me from running after her. "Fred! Stop!"
"That's my girlfriend!"
"You won't do her any favours by dying! Take your siblings, Harry and Hermione and get back to the portkey! Go!" Ginny tugs at my hand and I tear my eyes away from y/n, running with my siblings and friends back to the forest.
I knew my girlfriend could handle herself. But I didn't want her to have to. I wanted to get her out of trouble, not into it. I could only hope that she didn't do anything that would lead me to killing someone.

y/n's pov:

What the hell am I doing? I ask myself as I run after the men in black cloaks and silver masks.
I am a muggle born. They probably want to do the same thing to me that they are to the innocent muggles.
Some fire started inside me when I saw them in the air. I was just like them, only with a magical advantage.
I approach from behind them. I step on a twig. Well, there goes the element of surprise. I think to myself. My fingers tighten around my wand as the wizards whip around to face me. I scowl, trying hard not to show the fear in my face as I raise my wand.
"You can't use magic, little mudblood," said the distorted voice of one of the wizards behind the obvious leader. It sounds eerily familiar.
"I can in life or death situations," I answer fearlessly.
"Well, then. Hit me with your best shot," another voice says, gurgling in laughter, as does his company. I use the moment to dash forward and grab the wizard's wand. I lower the muggles carefully but quickly, before snapping the wizard's wand. He screams in fury.
"You!" The wizard spits. I raise an eyebrow. In a fraction of a second, multiple stunning spells are shot at me. Before I can raise my wand to shield myself, someone else does. I glance behind me to see Bill, Percy and Mr Weasley, as well as Mr Diggory and other wizards from the ministry.
"y/n, get back to the portkey!" Mr Weasley shouts as he starts firing curses.
"Nah!" I shout back, shielding myself from a stunning curse. He shakes his head.
"Fine! Help the muggles then!"
I nod, grinning, dashing to where the muggles lay. I stir them and shield them from any spells heading their way, accidental and otherwise. I use a spell to clear their heads and help them up, rushing them to a place out of the way of the battle. I let them sit just inside the forest, knowing that they can't get too far in their condition.
"Wh..." The man rubs his head. "What?"
"I'll explain later. But you and your family need to get further into the forest. I would help but I need to get back."
The man nods and I rush back down to the battle. I put fires out as I pass them, not really caring about the biggest law we have. Life or death situation, who cares really?
I return to the battle and start shooting hexes at wizards, dashing behind the few intact tents. Bill rushes to crouch beside me.
"What the hell were you thinking?" He whispers harshly, shooting a curse from behind the tent.
"I wasn't." I shrug calmly, firing a curse as well. "Well, I kinda was? I would have felt guilty if I didn't help those muggles."
"Well, you did! So get the portkey!"
"Run into the forest alone? Where these wizards can hide and pop out from nowhere? Are you crazy?" I shoot a hex, hitting a wizard with a mask square in the face. "At least here I can help!"
"Fred's gonna kill me," he mutters, dashing to another tent. I roll my eyes, firing a curse and following Bill.
"At least I won't see it."
"Why?" Bill asks, not looking away from the ensuing battle.
"Because he'll kill me first."

Fred's pov:

"I'm gonna kill her," I mutter as I drag Ginny back through the forest. If not for the danger at the camping grounds, I would have thought the night beautiful. But I can't get the images of fires flashing and the muggles in the air out of my head.
"No! I like her!"
"I like her too! Which is why I'm gonna kill her!"
"You make no sense," Ginny mumbles. She stays quiet for a moment. "Do you think... You'll even get the chance to pretend to kill her?" She asks weakly. I squeeze Ginny's hand.
"Let's not think about that. She's fine. I know her too well for that."

After about half an hour, I let myself guide Ginny back to the tents. I just wanted to see my girlfriend. I just wanted to know if she was okay.
I break out of the forest and scan the camp. Small fires poked out here and there, and a few tents were still intact. The ones that are have been slightly charred, but aren't that bad. I spot ours. It's completely fine, and so is the Diggory's. I let go of Ginny's hand and step forward, scanning the grounds.
A group of wizards stand in front of a kneeling y/n. Her hair is messy and her clothes are slightly burnt and smoking. But I don't care.
I feel my legs step into a run, and in no time I'm kneeling by her side. Tears silently fall onto a little girl's face, her eyes closed and expression peaceful. I search for signs of life. Soft breaths escaping her mouth, her chest rising and falling.
I realise, dread filling my entire body. "Merlin..." I mumble.
y/n turns to me and sniffles, burying her face into my chest. I pull her close to me and let her cry.
"I didn't even notice!" She wails, clawing to get a good grip on my back. "She was just left on the ground while I got the rest of them out! She was so young!"
I rock y/n back and forth, cradling her and rubbing circles into her back. Her tears soak my shirt, her arms hugging my middle tighter than even Mom has ever hugged me before.
"It's not your fault. You did everything you could."
"It wasn't enough!" She wails, then proceeds to scream into my chest. I kiss her head, bringing her closer to me.
"It's alright. That's alright."

It took y/n twenty minutes to stop crying, but I didn't mind. Once she stood up and wiped her eyes, her face turned blank. A permanent scowl rested on her face. She let Cedric apparate her back. She didn't talk to anyone but me, but even then it was only a few words.
I hated that. She was pushing me out. She was closing into her self and not letting anyone in. That's what I hate. When she won't let me help.
I went back with Bill and Harry. Hermione didn't want Harry out of her sight after the incident with the Dark Mark, but she let me go back with him instead of herself.
When y/n heard that the wizards they were fighting were death eaters, she had simply nodded. Her scowl increased and she stopped talking to even me after that.

Mom's shouts of surprise jog me from my train of thought and I let her hug me, a fake smile on my face.
"I'm going to bed. Long night." I nod at everyone, making my way into the house. I glance at the clock. Dad's, Ginny's and George's hands move from 'Mortal Peril' to 'Home'. I grimace as I realise that Mom had probably been watching that clock wondering why we were all about to die.
My feet drag me up the stairs and to my room. I flop onto my bed. Scenes from the night flash through my mind, but the one of the little girl in y/n's arms as her tears soaked into her face stays at the front.
y/n felt like she hadn't done enough in the battle because someone died. I wonder how much she felt like that. Like she wasn't enough.

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I know I don't usually switch up the povs in one chapter, but I felt like you needed to see into y/n's mind for this chapter.
Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read this :)