Love In The Shadows | Fred Weasley x OC

Chapter 8

Chapter 8: A Not-So-Secret Date

The morning after her "low-key" date with Fred, Adhara walked into the Great Hall with a sense of relief, hoping to blend back into the crowd. But as soon as she entered, she felt the prickle of eyes on her. Every table seemed to hold at least a few students who looked her way, some whispering and others smirking. Her heart sank. It didn't take much to figure out that her date hadn't been as low-key as she'd hoped.

Adhara's mind whirred, replaying every moment from the night before. They had gone to the lake, kept to themselves, and only passed a few people on their way back. Yet, somehow, the whole school seemed to know. As she reached the Slytherin table, her best friend Vera looked up, her eyes twinkling with barely-concealed amusement.

"So, how was the low-key date?" Vera asked, grinning as she moved over to make room for her.

Adhara dropped into her seat with a huff, shooting her friend a glare. "Do not start with me."

"Oh, come on," Vera teased, leaning in close. "The whole school is talking about it. I thought you wanted to keep things quiet?" She smirked, reaching for her goblet. "It's almost like you wanted everyone to know."

Adhara shot her a fierce look. "Please. Do you think I'd want anyone to know I went out with him? That's the last thing I need."

"Really?" Vera raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Because word around the castle is that you two had a lovely night under the stars." She took a sip of pumpkin juice, clearly enjoying every second of Adhara's discomfort. "Apparently, someone saw you by the lake, laughing together and looking very cozy."

Adhara felt her cheeks heat up. "That's absurd! We were just... eating snacks and talking."

"Talking, huh?" Vera chuckled, leaning her chin on her hand. "I'm just saying, the way you looked when you walked back last night... didn't exactly scream indifference."

"Oh, please," Adhara scoffed, poking at her breakfast with her fork. "You know me, Vera. I could never be interested in Fred Weasley. He's—he's Fred Weasley! A Gryffindor prankster with zero respect for personal space."

Vera raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "And yet, you didn't seem to mind last night. Come on, Adhara. You can admit if you actually enjoyed yourself."

Adhara glared, though she couldn't quite deny her friend's words. The night had been surprisingly pleasant, but there was no way she'd ever tell Vera that. "I tolerated it, that's all. And I don't see why it's such a big deal. It was one date, forced by a ridiculous bet, and now it's over."

"You say that, but you keep bringing him up," Vera pointed out, smirking. "Don't think I haven't noticed. Anytime he's around, your gaze follows him. And last night, you were practically glowing when you came back."

"Glowing?" Adhara laughed, dismissing the idea. "You're imagining things, Vera."

Vera only chuckled knowingly. "Oh, am I? Alright, Addy. But if you're truly not interested, maybe you could try not looking so irritated every time you hear his name. You're starting to give yourself away."

Adhara scowled, though she couldn't deny that her friend had a point. Fred had this infuriating ability to get under her skin, and it didn't help that half the school seemed to be aware of his constant pursuit of her. She felt her shoulders tense as she glanced over at the Gryffindor table, where Fred was laughing with his friends, completely at ease. George leaned over, whispering something in his ear, and Fred's gaze shifted toward her, his grin widening when their eyes met.

Her pulse quickened, but she quickly looked away, determined not to give him the satisfaction of catching her staring.

"Oh, he saw that," Vera whispered, her voice filled with mischief. "He definitely saw that."

"Vera, I swear..." Adhara warned, though the half-smile tugging at her lips betrayed her frustration. She didn't understand why this was all so difficult. Normally, ignoring people was easy, but Fred had a way of making himself impossible to ignore.

The day passed slowly, with whispers and glances following her wherever she went. In Potions, she caught several students glancing her way, snickering whenever Fred walked by. By the time lunch rolled around, she was ready to hex the next person who mentioned Fred's name.

But then, Vera's words started to haunt her. Was she giving herself away? She prided herself on being composed, unflappable, and indifferent to Gryffindors—especially a Weasley. But lately, she felt herself unraveling in ways that were as exhilarating as they were unsettling.

Later that evening, as they studied together in the common room, Vera shot her a knowing look. "You know, Adhrara, if you wanted to shut everyone up, you could just admit that you had a good time."

Adhara rolled her eyes. "Why would I want anyone thinking I enjoyed a date with Fred Weasley? That's like admitting I lost some... internal battle."

"Maybe you're looking at it the wrong way," Vera said. "Maybe it's not about winning or losing. Maybe it's just about enjoying someone's company."

Adhara considered this, her gaze softening as she remembered Fred's laughter, his easy charm, and the unexpected warmth he'd shown the night before. It had been... nice. But she wouldn't say that out loud.

"Oh, please," Adhara said, finally breaking the silence with a forced scoff. "If you're suggesting that I've suddenly developed a crush, you can stop right there. I can't stand him."

Vera leaned back, her smirk widening. "You keep saying that, but I'm not convinced."

"Well, believe what you want," Adhara said, her tone firmer. "I'm done talking about him." She returned to her books, hoping that would end the conversation.

But the next morning, as she walked into the Great Hall for breakfast, she felt that familiar prickle of attention again. This time, it was Fred himself who approached her, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Good morning, Addy," he said, falling into step beside her.

"Don't call me that," she replied, though her tone lacked its usual bite.

"Noted." He held up his hands, still grinning. "Though, I'm surprised. Didn't expect you to be such a chatterbox after our date."

Adhara's cheeks heated as she shot him a glare. "Excuse me?"

"You know," he said, leaning in conspiratorially, "the whole school knows about us by now. I didn't say a word, but you seemed to have a lot to say about our little night out."

"That's ridiculous. I only told Vera—"

"And apparently a dozen other people overheard," he teased, chuckling. "I'm flattered, really. If I didn't know better, I'd think you wanted people to know."

Adhara pursed her lips, crossing her arms. "Don't get too confident, Weasley. You're still an insufferable Gryffindor."

Fred shrugged, unbothered. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Malfoy." He winked before sauntering back to his table, leaving Adhara fuming.

As she settled down next to Vera, her friend stifled a laugh. "So, still think you don't care?"

Adhara clenched her jaw, trying to ignore the thrill in her stomach. "You're impossible."

Vera just grinned. "So are you, Addy. So are you."