Finding Acceptance | Fred Weasley

Chapter 12: Feelings & Teasing

~* Chapter 12 *~

~* Feelings & Teasing *~

The Great Hall was buzzing with excitement as the students sat at their house tables for the opening feast after the sorting ceremony. Fred sat at the Gryffindor table and could not help it when he watched Cordelia at the Hufflepuff table, who was laughing and joking with her friends as she ate her dinner.

They had grown older since they met during their first year, and they both seemed to mature over the summer. New feelings were forming and Fred was noticing more things about Cordelia. Fred always thought she was pretty, but he thought she grew even prettier over the summer. There was something about her that he couldn't take his eyes off of. He watched her lips move as she spoke, and admired how she gave her full attention to those speaking to her, and how her eyes sparkled when she thought something was interesting. Fred stared seemingly into space as he was lost in his own thoughts until he felt an elbow jab into his side.

"You should take a picture. It'll last longer," said George, snickering at his twin.

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Fred, not looking away from the blonde girl at the Hufflepuff table.

"It means you're staring. It's creepy. She's going to see you and it's going to scare her off," explained George.

"Who is he staring at?" asked Alicia Spinnet from across the table. She and Angelina Johnson were sitting across from the twins at the table, their backs turned to what was going on around them, and they were curious about who their friend was staring at.

At that moment, Cordelia happened to look towards the Gryffindor table and saw Fred looking at her. She smiled and waved, and he did the same, causing the Gryffindor girls to take a glance behind them to see the girl.

They only looked at Cordelia's direction for a split second before they started to giggle when they turned back around. Thinking they were laughing at her, Cordelia's smile turned into a frown and she turned her attention back to her friends, trying to ignore the sniggers and giggles coming from the Gryffindor table.

"Oh, Cordelia Malfoy," confirmed Angelina with a smile. "She's pretty, and you two obviously have a thing for each other."

"You should ask her out," said Alicia. "Just start simple: a trip to Hogsmeade, maybe."

"We don't have a thing for each other. I don't see her that way," said Fred, looking to the left as he lied to his classmates.

"Whatever you say, brother. I see the way you two look at each other," said George, rolling his eyes at his twin. "Well, she's not looking like that anymore. She looks a little upset, actually."

Fred looked back towards the girl and saw that she was frowning and her eyes had darkened, but still gave her attention to her friends who were now looking in his direction. Fred wondered what they were talking about, what had caused the girl to go from happy to angry so quickly.

"Well, if you don't want to go out with her, you won't mind if I do," said Lee, smiling mischievously as he stood from the Gryffindor table and walked over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Lee! No, don't!" Fred whisper-shouted. Lee either ignored him or didn't hear him, not even glancing back as he walked over to the Hufflepuffs.

The Gryffindors watched as Lee spoke to Cordelia, his body leaning forward to the table, his head bent down to her level. Her frown turned into a scowl when she looked away from Lee and toward the Gryffindor table.

The Gryffindors watched as Cordelia said something to Lee before standing up and storming out of the Great Hall with Cedric rushing after her. Lee walked back to the table as if he had seen something horrific, his eyes wide and his lips pursed.