Love In The Shadows | Fred Weasley x OC

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Library Encounters

The soft glow of candlelight flickered against the walls of the Hogwarts library, casting long shadows among the towering shelves filled with ancient tomes and crumbling parchments. Adhara sat alone at a secluded table, surrounded by a fortress of books on advanced potions, spell theory, and arcane magical law. Her final exams loomed just months away, and she was determined to get ahead in her studies. Still, the weight of her family's expectations settled heavily on her shoulders tonight, making the already dense text seem like it was pressing down on her.

"Honestly, how do they expect us to learn all of this?" she muttered, rubbing her temples and glaring at a page cluttered with impossibly intricate diagrams. Her mind buzzed with the countless demands waiting for her outside the walls of Hogwarts, and she had little patience for distractions.

At this hour, the library was usually deserted, with only the faintest sounds disturbing the silence—the soft rustling of pages and the occasional creak of the castle settling into the night. Adhara found comfort in the solitude, away from the ceaseless noise of her housemates and the ongoing bickering between Slytherin and Gryffindor.

But as she flipped through another thick book, she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoing down the long aisles. She glanced up, ready to shoo away anyone who dared to interrupt her, but she was taken aback to see Fred Weasley strolling down the aisle toward her. His familiar red hair was tousled, his eyes bright with an unsettling hint of mischief.

"Addy," he greeted her, his voice lower than usual, as he reached her table. "Mind if I join you?"

"What are you doing here, Weasley?" she asked, irritation slipping into her voice. "This is a library, not your personal playground."

He raised his hands defensively, though the smile on his face remained. "I know that," he replied, his tone mock-serious. "But I actually came here to study. Shocking, I know."

Adhara raised a skeptical eyebrow, folding her arms. "You? Study? This I have to see."

With a soft chuckle, Fred pulled out the chair opposite her and settled in. "Just because I'm a bit of a prankster doesn't mean I can't hit the books now and then. Got a reputation to uphold, after all."

To her surprise, Fred actually opened a book and began reading with an uncharacteristic look of focus. Adhara shook her head and tried to return to her work, but she found herself glancing at him, curious. There was no joking commentary, no cheeky remarks; he simply seemed... focused. It threw her off.

"Are you really studying?" she finally asked, unable to keep her disbelief in check. "What's the occasion?"

Fred looked up, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Just trying to keep my grades up. If I fail, mum will have my head."

Adhara snorted, imagining his mother scolding him. "Right, because being part of the Weasley family means you can't afford to be the underachiever."

"Exactly," he replied, nodding in faux seriousness. "It's a tough life being a Weasley."

For a while, they fell into an oddly comfortable silence. Adhara resumed her reading but kept catching herself glancing over at him, trying to make sense of this quieter side. She noticed how he furrowed his brow in concentration, his usual lightheartedness absent. It intrigued her, though she wasn't quite sure why.

Then, Fred broke the silence, his voice softer than before. "You know, I've always admired how dedicated you are to your studies, Addy."

She froze, her quill hovering above her parchment. "What?"

"I mean it," he continued, his tone surprisingly earnest. "Most people are out there enjoying their last year at Hogwarts, but here you are, working yourself to the bone. It's... impressive."

Her cheeks flushed, and she scowled to mask her embarrassment. "That's not exactly a compliment, Fred. It just means I have responsibilities."

"I think it shows that you care," he said, leaning back in his chair, a hint of a grin on his face. "But you could lighten up, you know. Life isn't all about books and grades."

She shot him an annoyed look. "And what would you know about it? You're the king of distractions, always prancing around with your jokes and pranks."

He shrugged, undeterred. "True. But just because I don't bury myself in textbooks doesn't mean I don't see the value in hard work. I just think you could give yourself a break sometimes. You're allowed to have fun too."

Her irritation flared. "You're not exactly the poster child for hard work, Weasley. You have no idea what it's like to be constantly judged, constantly expected to excel."

For a moment, Fred's expression softened, and she thought she saw a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. "I know pressure, Addy. I really do. But you can't let it consume you. There's more to life than just being perfect."

"Maybe I don't want to hear lessons from you," she retorted, feeling her control slipping. Abruptly, she pushed back her chair and stood. "I don't need your unsolicited advice."

"Hey, I was just trying to—"

"Save it, Weasley," she interrupted, hurriedly gathering her books and shoving them into her bag. Her hands shook, and she hated herself for it. "I don't need some... some lecture from someone who never takes anything seriously."

As she turned to leave, Fred's voice called after her. "Addy, wait! I didn't mean to—"

But she was already out of the aisle, her heart hammering with a mixture of frustration, embarrassment, and something else she couldn't quite name. She stormed through the rows of bookshelves, desperate to escape the feelings his words had stirred.

Outside the library, she paused in the dimly lit corridor, clutching her bag to her chest as she tried to calm her racing heart. She was furious, but she wasn't entirely sure why. What did he know about responsibility or pressure? And yet... something about his words gnawed at her.

Why did Fred Weasley, with his infuriating charm and maddening confidence, have to push his way into her world and make her question things she'd taken for granted? She had spent years building walls around herself, her goals, and her sense of duty. But now... now she couldn't help feeling as if a small crack had formed, one she was afraid to peer into.

She exhaled sharply, steeling herself before heading back to the Slytherin common room. As she walked, she tried to shake off the conversation, but her mind kept wandering back to Fred's face, to that strange flicker of understanding she'd glimpsed.

Adhara knew Fred Weasley would be at the center of the turmoil she hadn't quite prepared for.