Love In The Shadows | Fred Weasley x OC

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Detention Partners

Adhara Malfoy walked briskly to the classroom where detention was held, her mood as dark as the storm clouds brewing outside. She'd ended up in detention after a prank aimed at outsmarting Draco had gone terribly wrong. The charm she'd cast on her robes had backfired spectacularly, leaving her glittering from head to toe—a sight that had caught McGonagall's attention immediately.

She pushed open the door, only to stop dead in her tracks. There, slouched in a chair with an insufferably casual grin, was none other than Fred Weasley.

"Well, well, well," he drawled, his tone light and teasing as he gave her a playful salute. "Fancy seeing you here, Addy."

"Don't call me that," she snapped automatically, though she'd long since accepted that Fred seemed immune to her protests. He'd called her Addy since the beginning of term, and no matter how many times she'd shot him a glare or a scoff in response, the nickname seemed to have stuck.

Fred leaned back, crossing his arms with a smirk. "Sorry, Miss Malfoy," he replied with an exaggeratedly formal tone. "But I think you're secretly getting used to it."

She scoffed, taking the seat farthest from him. "Hardly. I just... tolerate it."

"Tolerating me? Now that's practically a compliment," Fred joked, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

Adhara gave him a withering look. "Don't flatter yourself. I don't exactly have much choice with you always around, do I?"

Fred put a hand to his chest in mock hurt. "Ouch. And here I thought we were bonding." He glanced around the classroom and gave a low chuckle. "Not exactly the most romantic setting for our reunion, but hey, I'll take what I can get."

Adhara rolled her eyes. "This is detention, not a date, Weasley. What exactly did you do to land yourself here, anyway?"

"Oh, just a harmless prank on Filch," he said, shrugging as if it were no big deal. "He didn't seem to appreciate the dozen frogs I left in his office. But they were for a good cause. Thought he could use the company."

She fought the urge to laugh, biting the inside of her cheek instead. "Typical."

"What about you, Addy? What disaster struck your path this time?" Fred asked, his gaze flicking over the faint sparkle still clinging to her robes.

Adhara scowled. "My idiot brother decided to retaliate on a little harmless spell I cast, and somehow I ended up looking like a disco ball. Naturally, McGonagall didn't approve."

Fred raised an eyebrow, visibly impressed. "You and Draco pranking each other? That's new. Guess that means we're more alike than you want to admit."

"Don't even start," Adhara retorted, crossing her arms. "We are nothing alike. He's just a nuisance who thinks he's smarter than he is."

Fred chuckled, eyes twinkling. "I dunno. Seems to me like you might be the smart one in the family."

She blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected compliment. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged, leaning forward as if he were letting her in on a secret. "You're... different. Not in the way Draco is. You don't care about all that pureblood nonsense, do you?"

Adhara shifted uncomfortably, uncertain how to respond. She'd always kept her thoughts on blood purity to herself, knowing the weight her family placed on such ideals. Yet, hearing Fred acknowledge it so casually felt strange, as though he'd seen right through the mask she wore.

"That's none of your business," she muttered, avoiding his gaze.

Fred didn't push, but he seemed to soften, his usual mischievous spark replaced by something gentler. "Fair enough," he said quietly. "But just so you know, not everyone at Hogwarts judges people by their family. I mean... I don't."

There was a brief silence as his words hung between them. Adhara found herself caught off guard, unsure of how to navigate this side of Fred—the side that wasn't all jokes and bravado. She'd always thought of him as an insufferable Gryffindor who never took anything seriously. But now... now he felt a little more real.

"I wouldn't have guessed," she replied finally, her tone softer than before.

Fred grinned, clearly relieved to see a flicker of warmth in her. "See? There's a lot you don't know about me, Addy."

She narrowed her eyes. "Still not calling you by your first name."

"Can't blame a guy for trying," he said with a wink.

Before she could reply, Professor Snape entered the room, his gaze sharp as it landed on the two of them. "Since you both have enough energy to chatter away," he sneered, "I assume you'll have no trouble completing the task I've prepared."

Adhara and Fred exchanged glances, the light-heartedness of the moment slipping away under Snape's piercing stare. He handed each of them a quill and several sheets of parchment, giving them strict instructions to copy lines—magically charmed so that any stray marks or errors would appear in bold for everyone to see.

For the next hour, the two sat in silence, diligently working through the punishment. Every so often, Adhara would glance up and catch Fred staring at her, a mischievous glint still lingering in his eyes. She'd quickly look away, pretending not to notice, but she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

When Snape finally dismissed them, Fred let out a relieved sigh, stretching his arms. "Well, that was fun."

"Speak for yourself," Adhara muttered, rolling her shoulders to relieve the stiffness from sitting so long.

Fred walked beside her as they made their way back toward the common rooms. "Hey, Addy," he said, his tone uncharacteristically earnest.

"What?" she asked, turning to look at him.

"Thanks... for, you know, not hexing me in there."

She snorted. "Don't get too comfortable, Weasley. Next time, I might."

Fred laughed, a sound that echoed down the empty corridor. "I'll be looking forward to it." And with a wink, he turned on his heel, leaving her standing alone, her heart beating just a little faster than before.

By the end of detention, Adhara couldn't help but feel like she'd seen a glimpse of something unexpected in Fred. Maybe he wasn't entirely insufferable after all.