Except For You ~ {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 36

As soon as we get into the kitchen, Mom pulls y/n into a hug.
"Oh dear... I'm so sorry." y/n hugs her back, shooting me a confused expression. "But it wasn't your fault." Realization dawns on us and y/n pulls back with a sad smile.
"Thank you Molly."
I guide my girlfriend to a seat and sit beside her. Everyone starts piling food onto their plates.
"Wait, why do we have time for this?" Ron asks as he enters the kitchen. His eyes land on y/n. Harry walks in after him.
"Oh. Hey y/n. Used to the chaos already, huh?"
"I have a big family too." She shrugs and grabs my plate, piling pancakes and fruit onto it.
"You do?" Harry asks as he sits down with Ron in tow.
"Yeah. I have four siblings." She bites a slice of banana. Harry almost chokes and stares at her in shock.
"You have four siblings? But you seem so, so-"
"Quiet? Yeah. I hate fighting, so I was the quiet one in my family." She stabs a strawberry. "Besides, I grew up in Australia. It's pretty chaotic down there." Everyone but me and George turn to her in shock.
"How on earth did you get invited to Hogwarts if you lived all the way down there?"
y/n shrugs again. "We had an elementary school for magic kids, so I went there to learn basic stuff as well as being in control of my magic." Everyone watches her, intrigued by the information.
"This is the first I'm hearing of any magic elementary school," I say, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, and why doesn't England have one?" Ron's pipes up. y/n shrugs again.
"I don't know. We were taught about the biggest wizarding schools, I was obsessed with Hogwarts, and I always wanted to live in Britain. So I applied and got in. Del did the same apparently."
"You just... Applied?" I ask, looking at my girlfriend with shock and awe. "Are you even allowed to do that?" She shrugs, smiling. "Once again, only my girlfriend." I chuckle, shaking my head with a laugh.
"Mr Weasley-" y/n started, turning to him.
"Arthur please."
"Arthur, Fred's told me about your unique interest in muggles."
"Well, some call it an obsession." He chuckles. y/n shrugs.
"Obsessions are normal occurrences. But, I was just thinking, and why don't you suggest the prospect of an elementary school here? That way, kids don't have to get homeschooled. I know I would have hated it if my only friends were my siblings..." She glances at me, but I shrug.
"We aren't offended."
"Okay. Also, I hated knowing that I would have to leave all my friends back in Australia when I went to Hogwarts. Having a magic elementary school would eliminate that, because your friends would go to Hogwarts with you."
Dad ponders on this while y/n watches him with hopeful eyes, subconsciously biting her lower lip. Percy pipes up.
"Also, it could help kids when they start Hogwarts to not feel so overwhelmed with the work. I wasn't, but other kids were."
"It could help them learn how to read and write as well!"
Dad sighs then chuckles. "I'll definitely bring it up with the ministry board. Dumbledore would definitely approve, as would many colleagues. I think this is a fantastic idea y/n."
She flushes and looks at her plate, grinning. I lean down and whisper to her, "You know, I wish my girlfriend was like you."
"Shut up." She mumbles.
"Oh wait, you are my girlfriend!" I continue, making her blush even more.
"Alright, we leave in five minutes!" Mom announces, waving her wand and sending everything to the sink. There was a chorus of scraping chairs as everyone rushed to get their stuff. y/n calmly stood, tucking her chair in then everyone else's.
"I know you're leaving in twenty," she tells Mom. "Good tactic. I'd better be off. It was great meeting you, and thanks for having me."
Mom and y/n exchange goodbyes, and I quickly rush up the stairs once I hear the door shut. That girl is the smartest woman alive, no matter how modest she is.

Mom rushes us through the platform boundary. Somehow, we were still late. What is our family?
I scan the platform for my girlfriend, and spot her talking with Del. I don't disturb them. They hadn't seen each other much this summer, and a lot has happened when y/n was in England.
I climb on board and spot her trunk in a compartment, sliding into it and tucking my trunk up in the racks above. I slip back off board to say my goodbyes.
"Be safe! Don't get into trouble! Take care of your siblings!" Mom lists as she fusses over me and George.
"But where's the fun in being good?" George chuckles.
"I'm so lucky your girlfriends are good influences." She sighs, hugging me then George.
"We're very lucky men," I whisper, kissing Mom on the head. "Goodbye Dad, Percy, Bill. Wish you could have been here longer."
"Don't be too eager to get rid of me Fred. You'll be seeing me again soon."
"What? Why?"
"Ooh, I almost forgot about that," Dad chuckles.
"Why are you being so vague? Tell us!" George urges.
"You'll know soon enough."
"Stay out of trouble!" Mom reminds us, pushing us onto the train. "Especially with what's going on this year."
"What's going on?" Ron asks.
"It'll be explained soon," Percy responds.
"What aren't you telling us?" Ginny shouts as the train starts leaving the station. Our family simply waves with smiles. We all grumble as we move down the train to find our compartments. Hermione and Harry look even more confused than I feel. I start down the train, back to the compartment where I saw y/n's luggage.
I slide open the door and my beautiful girlfriend turns to me with a dark look, petting Esperos.
"I've been expecting you," she says in a low tone, obviously faking her act. I grin at her and sit down beside her, George beside Del who's on the other side of the compartment.
Lee slides open our door and steps in with Angelina behind him. y/n smiles sweetly at her, but her eyes tell my poor friend to sit next to George instead of her. Lee plops into the seat beside me.
"How about the World Cup, huh?" He says, closing the door with his foot. "One heck of a match, and afterwards was crazy, wasn't it."
George, y/n and I stay silent as Del and Angelina look at each other confused.
"You didn't tell Del about the World Cup?" I whisper so only y/n can hear.
"I couldn't bring myself to say it. Maybe without so many people..." y/n's voice and gaze wanders off.
"What happened at the World Cup?" Angelina asks.
"Um... Well..." I glance at y/n and she blinks with a blank stare. I nod. Then I dive into the story, telling Angelina and Del everything except for the little girl, pausing only when the trolley came by. At the end, Del tries to catch y/n's eye.
"y/n?" She finally asks. She glances up from her fiddling hands. "Come on. I need to talk to you." Del stands and holds her hands out for y/n. After a moment, she takes them and they both step out of the compartment and close the door.
Leaving Lee, George, Angelina and I in a very awkward silence.