The Queen of Vipers || Fred Weasley

III.XV

Electra leaned her back against a flat piece of the giant orrery, giving her feet a bit of respite, as she waited not so patiently.

October had rolled in with all of autumn's chill and unpredictable weather, making her usual spot along the edge of the Astronomy Tower out of the question as she very much fancied staying dry. The rain, that had only just picked up that evening, battered the turret's roof with a deafening sound over her head. But it still wasn't loud enough to drown out Electra's racing thoughts.

Their note had sounded urgent. And they had seemed on edge with every glance she spared at them throughout the day. Perhaps something had gone wrong at their meeting in Hog's Head Saturday? She (along with the rest of the school) had seen the notice Umbridge posted in her common room; Education Decree number twenty-four, the disbandment of all student organizations. Adrian was fuming for the (what was it, two hours?) Slytherin's Quidditch team had been dissolved before getting their okay from Umbridge to reconvene again.

"Don't you feel a bit stupid now?" she had asked Adrian, after Montague had relayed the good news, in a mix of teasing and annoyance for having to endure his dramatics.

Adrian had just shook his stubborn head. "If anything, I think I took it in stride." She had clicked her tongue annoyingly at him for that, which only made him grin in self satisfaction.

Electra rested the back of her head against the cool metal of the orrery, her eyes trained on the top of the stairwell. She'd been waiting over twenty minutes since the last bell rang. They were due any time now.

Her heart suddenly stumbled at the thought of seeing him.

Ever since that day a few weeks ago, right here on the Astronomy Tower, something had changed. There was a new feeling, or reaction that stirred within her. Well okay, perhaps this 'new' feeling had always been there, but where it was at a four previously was now dialed up to eleven. She was in dangerous territory now.

As if being summoned, a dark copper head rose from the stairwell. She trained her face into one of indifference and tried very hard not to think about the tingling feeling she'd just gotten in her toes at the sight of him.

Oh Salazar she was in trouble.

"About time," Electra huffed, pushing herself off the orrery. "I have things to do this evening. I am Head Girl, you—" But her voice fell short at the look on Fred's face. His eyes, locked on her, practically glowed in ire, his jaw clenched and lips forming a thin straight line.

Fred didn't break his steady stride towards her nor his eye contact, not even to spare a glance at his bag when he discarded it without a second thought. She had to admit, with his height, bulk and the look on his sinfully handsome face, he was one extremely intimidating force as he barreled towards her. Any sane person would be scared.

Hot.

"Show me your hand."

Electra's eyes flew wide in surprise, that fluttering feeling in her core turning swiftly into a sinking one. "What?"

"Your hand," he demanded again. He reached her, standing so close that she had to raise her chin to look into his face. He must have just come from Herbology by the smear of dirt across his forehead and jaw. Electra's mouth pressed together as she presented her hand between them. Fred hardly looked at it. "Your left."

Her heart fumbled. "Why?"

"Show it to me."

"What's this abou—" she began to argue, but cut herself off with a small gasp when Fred lunged sideways, reaching for her with hands covered in dried fertilizer. She managed to wiggle her wrist out of his grasp and crossed her arms behind her back firmly. "Don't think you're touching me with those dragon dung caked hands," she said in disgust, her lip curling.