Love In The Shadows | Fred Weasley x OC

Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Official

Adhara finally pulled away from the kiss, breathing heavily, her eyes locked with Fred's in a look of surprise mixed with an undeniable warmth. She hadn't expected this evening to end this way, but as she looked into his mischievous, earnest gaze, she felt an unexpected sense of ease settle over her. The smile that tugged at her lips felt impossible to hold back, and for once, she didn't care if anyone saw her like this—with Fred Weasley, of all people.

Fred was still looking at her with that dazed, delighted expression, as if he'd just been hit with a stunning spell. "That was... something," he finally managed, his voice laced with both amusement and awe.

Adhara laughed, a sound that came out lighter than she expected. "I don't know what came over me," she admitted, not regretting a thing. "Maybe we just argue too well together."

Fred chuckled, scratching the back of his neck, that trademark mischievous spark in his eyes. "Well, I've gotta admit, fighting with you has never been more interesting."

Adhara rolled her eyes, but the warmth in her cheeks betrayed her. "You're enjoying this way too much, Weasley."

"Can you blame me?" he shot back with a grin, taking a step closer. "Not everyone could argue with me and then... well, you know." His voice softened as his grin widened, his gaze meeting hers with an openness she hadn't seen before.

Her heart pounded as she met his look, feeling that same thrill bubbling inside her. She took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. She was Adhara Malfoy—bold and determined. She could do this. "Fred..." she started, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah?" He was closer now, so close that his scent—a mix of pine and faint smoke, probably from one of his experiments—filled her senses.

Adhara hesitated, then squared her shoulders and met his gaze steadily. "Would you... you know, want to go out with me?"

Fred blinked, taken aback for a moment. But as her words registered, a slow, genuine smile spread across his face. "You're asking me to be your boyfriend, Addy?"

Hearing him say it so openly felt surprisingly right, and she nodded with a shy smile. "Yeah. I am."

Fred's expression softened, a look of pure sincerity replacing his usual smirk. "Then my answer is absolutely yes."

A grin broke across her face, and she felt her heart swell with joy. "Really?"

"Really," he replied, his voice full of warmth. "Id
be honored to be your boyfriend."

"Good," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, a small, satisfied smile on her lips. "Because I wasn't going to take no for an answer."

Fred laughed, unable to help himself. "I wouldn't dream of it," he replied, pulling her close once more.

She looked up at him and realized that she didn't care who saw them anymore. She didn't care if people found out or whispered about her dating a Weasley. For once, she was ready to ignore the expectations everyone else had of her.

Fred's eyes softened, his expression caught between surprise and admiration as he studied her. "You know... we'd have to keep this quiet, right?"

Adhara shook her head, her voice unwavering as she cut him off. "No more hiding, Fred. Let them gossip, let them wonder—I don't care anymore. I'm done pretending to care about what anyone else thinks." She held his gaze, a fierce determination lighting up her eyes.

Fred's smile grew wider, his gaze full of admiration. "I knew you had it in you, Malfoy." He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles, making her heart skip a beat.

"Oh, don't get all sappy on me now," she said with a grin, trying to mask the giddy feeling bubbling up inside her. But there was no denying it—she was absolutely thrilled.

He let out a low, playful chuckle, his arm wrapping firmly around her waist as he drew her close, his gaze dancing with mischief. "Can't promise I'll be able to control myself around you," he murmured, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Especially now."

She laughed, rolling her eyes, but she felt a warmth in her chest that hadn't been there before. "Fine by me. Just don't think I'll stop calling you out when you're being a prat."

Fred grinned, eyes glinting. "Oh, I wouldn't expect anything less. In fact, I'm counting on it."

They fell into an easy silence, standing there by the lake with the moonlight casting silver shadows across the water. She didn't feel the need to say anything else. For once, everything felt right—no doubts, no second-guessing. This was real, and she wanted it to last.

"So," Fred said after a while, breaking the stillness. "Does this mean I'm allowed to argue with you even more now?"

Adhara laughed, nudging his shoulder playfully. "Only if you're prepared to lose every time."

"Oh, I'm always ready," he shot back with a smirk. "Just don't expect me to back down. It's part of my charm."

"Right," she replied, but despite herself, she leaned against him, feeling the warmth of his arm around her.

They stood together, wrapped up in each other and the quiet of the night, as the reality of their new relationship settled in. They didn't need anyone else's approval, didn't need to explain themselves. For once, Adhara was just... happy.

Fred looked down at her, his eyes warm and steady. "You know, I think this is going to be an adventure."

She smiled, a thrill running through her at the thought. "I think so too."

And as he leaned in to kiss her again under the stars, Adhara knew that whatever the future held, she was ready for it.

Fred's grin was almost impossibly wide as he looked at her, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Thank you for asking me to be your boyfriend, Addy. I didn't think you'd have it in you."

Adhara felt the warmth flood her cheeks, but she gave a small, defiant shrug. "Well, someone had to do it. Besides," she tilted her head with a smirk, "I didn't want to leave it up to your so-called 'charm' to figure things out."

"I'll make sure not to disappoint," he said with a grin, pulling her closer still, their faces only inches apart.

Her gaze softened, and for a moment, her smirk faded into something warmer. "I'm counting on it, Fred."