SPARKS FLY | fred weasley x oc |

chapter 17 - the world cup

"You're not ready yet?" My eyes burst open to see Hermione standing over me with a candle in her hand.
"What the hell? What time is it?" I grumble.
"Almost seven." Ginny yawns from her bed.
"Shit." I mumble as I peel my blanket off myself. "I'm up." I stand so fast it makes me dizzy, but I quickly shake it off as I change clothes and haphazardly shove my things back in my duffle. "Are the boys up?"
"I'm about to go check on Harry and Ron. The twins were already downstairs when I arrived."
"Okay, I'll meet you down there." She hurriedly left as Ginny and I trudged down the stairs with our gear.
"Morning, girls." My mom yawned as we slouched at the table.
"Mmm." It was all I could manage as I stretched, reaching for the kettle. "Coffee?" I looked at her pleadingly. She rolled her eyes before handing me a small jar of coffee grounds. I quickly dumped it into my mug and stirred.
"What's that?" Ginny asked as she picked at a muffin.
"Instant coffee." I inhaled the stale smell. "We only ever use it when we go camping. I made my parents bring it with us."
"It looks like sludge." She turned up her nose.
"I know, it's the best." I smile to myself.
"Ah, you're alive." George shouts as he and Fred reenter the house.
"Why are you yelling?" Ginny winces. "It's too early for that."
"It's never too early to be excited about quidditch." Fred argues. "Right, Mel?" I slowly nod my head as sits down beside me. "You okay?"
"I haven't had enough coffee to try and argue with you. But she's right, shh." My hand reaches out to shush him, but suddenly his teeth bite the air mere inches from my finger and I recoil. "You have way too much energy right now."
"No, you're just not a morning person." He bumps his shoulder into mine, almost sloshing my mug of coffee into my mother's lap. "Sorry. I'll let you finish that."
"Gee thanks." I sneer before downing the rest. "Is dad ready?"
"I should hope so." My mom snorts.
"Him and Arthur were the first ones awake. I came down to see them sitting at the table, full packs, studying a map intently." Molly fills us in as she butters herself a piece of toast.
"Morning everyone!" Arthur booms as he and my dad enter the kitchen.
"Let's get this show on the road." My dad smiles widely at me. It's contagious and I can't help but bite back my own smile. We all start pulling our backpacks on as Arthur takes a headcount.
"Where's Ron?"
"Right here." He yawned as he slowly made his way down the stairs.
"You'll have to take breakfast with you." Molly shakes her head as she hands him some toast and an apple, placing a kiss on his cheek.
"This is hardly breakfast." He grumbles.
"Alright, better be off." Arthur ushered us out into the garden. "Can't be late, Amos will never let me hear the end of it."
"Who?" I look to my dad.
"Amos Diggory. He and his son are meeting us at the portkey."
"I didn't know Cedric was coming. He didn't say anything in his last letter." My mind flitted back to his last letter. He was so dry on paper, never including details.
"Melanie!" Ginny called as they walked ahead.
"Sorry." I jogged to meet them. "Distracted myself."
"Daydreaming about something?" She asked. "Someone?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Who's Melanie daydreaming about now?" Hermione asked as she joined us.
"Nobody." I protested.
"Sure." Hermione smiled. "Don't think I haven't forgotten. Olivia even sent me a letter about it."
"About what?" Ginny asked.
"Olivia and Jessica seem to think that Fred...likes me." I sigh. "And Hermione is also in on it." She just smiled at me.
"Bloody hell! How did I not notice that before."
"Shhh!" I cover her mouth and Hermione brings a finger to her own.
"Am I wrong?" Hermione asks smugly.
"Yes."
"No!" Ginny squeals. "It's true, he acts differently around you."
"I thought I would at least get a few more days into the trip before we brought this up again."
"Why are you upset about this? You've complained to me at least twice about wanting someone to show interest or ask you out." Ginny asked as we turned down a tree lined path.
"It's weird. We're all friends, he's yours and Ron's brother. I also just don't think I see him that way."
"It's not weird, it's normal." Hermione shook her head. "How many times have I told you that you're the only girl that won't admit that he's attractive?"
"This is true." Ginny agrees. "Most of the school only knows my name because I'm his sister. And that's all I ever hear is how much people like him or think he's fit. Or how good of a quidditch player he is."
"I can't exactly argue with the last one." I smile.
"Don't even start with me." She warns. "I'm going to talk to him."
"Absolutely not!" I say through clenched teeth.
"We need to confirm our theory. That's the only way to know."
"We don't need to know anything." I roll my eyes. "Can we please just leave it alone?"
"Leave what alone?" We all jump as the mystery voice speaks from behind us.
"God, Cedric!" I yell as I whip around to see him. "You scared the piss out of me!"
"Yeah, and it was hilarious!" He chuckles as he points to the twins, who are also laughing. "George, I think that counts. You owe me a galleon."
"What exactly were you betting on?" I asked with narrowed eyes.
"That I could scare you." Cedric answered, his eyes doing the same.
"Good morning, Amos." My dad greeted him with a firm handshake.
"Nice to see you again, David." Amos returned. "You know my boy, Cedric."
"Yes, of course. Can't wait to hear his thoughts on the game. Melanie just keeps spouting different player statistics at random."
"Ah, another thing they have in common." Amos chuckled. "Is that her?"
"Melanie." My dad waved me over, Cedric following. "I want you to meet Amos Diggory."
"Nice to meet you, sir." I held out a hand. He smiled as he shook it.
"You as well, dear. Between your father and my Cedric I feel like I already know you. I've heard you are quite impressive on the pitch yourself." He raised an eyebrow, making my cheeks heat up.
"I'm decent, I guess." I mumble.
"Decent?" I hear Cedric scoff from beside me. "You're the youngest Keeper in Hufflepuff history. I think that's a little better than decent."
"Why didn't you tell us that?" My dad asked, surprised.
"I honestly didn't know." I shook my head. "I mean, a lot of people did point out that I was only a third year, but I just thought it wasn't very common."
"Come on, kids." Arthur called from the top of a small hill. "We don't want to miss it." We all quickly joined him, circling around a worn out boot.
"Why are they standing around that manky old boot?" Harry asked Ron as we reached the top of the hill.
"That's not just any manky old boot." Fred said as he passed him and crouched beside me.
"It's a portkey." George finished.
"Ready?" My dad asked as we both reached out to touch the boot.
"Three, two..." Amos started counting.
"Harry, grab on!" Arthur shouted.
"One!" Suddenly, the ground fell out from underneath us and we spun in the air, everyone gripping the boot tightly. I looked over to Harry and Hermione, both of them bewildered as the wind whipped around us.
"Let go!" Arthur shouted over the swirling air.
"What?!" Hermione shrieked in my ear.
"Just let go!" I yelled as I let the boot slip from my fingers. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself as we all flailed, the ground getting closer every second. I quickly repositioned myself to try and land on my feet, and it would've worked if Fred had not knocked into me and sent us both rolling on the grass. "Fred, you big oaf!" I shoved his legs off my torso. "I almost landed that."
"But it's so much more fun my way." He sneered before offering to help me up. I looked over to see my dad, Arthur, and the Diggory's all land effortlessly.
"I promise it gets easier over time." My dad chuckled as we brushed grass from our clothes and readjusted our packs.
"This way everyone." It was only a short walk before we reached the top of another hill. There were tents as far as I could see. As we entered the large crowd I instinctively grabbed Ginny's hand and she grabbed Hermione's.
"Fred, wait!" I called as a crossing group cut us off. He paused for a moment as we caught up.
"Keep up, would you?" He asked sarcastically and took my hand, pulling us along. I turned back to see both girls' eyes wide and giggling silently. I shot them a look and then rolled my eyes.
"We're this way, Arthur." Amos Diggory pointed the opposite direction as we stopped at an intersection on the path.
"We'll see you at the match." Dad heartily shaking his hand.
"Bye, Cedric." I waved as he followed his dad.
"See you later." We watched as they melted into the mass of bodies before my dad and Arthur urged us along.
"Just up on the left." Arthur jogged ahead to point us to the tent. The Weasley's filed in, but Harry, my dad, and I all stopped. The tent was so small. Harry and I exchanged a confused look.
"In we go!" Dad stepped around us. I shrugged my shoulders and followed him, my jaw instantly dropping. The inside was much larger, resembling a small house rather than a ruddy, old tent. In the center there was a small wood burning stove surrounded by a few small stools and a round table only big enough for two chairs on an elevated landing opposite the doorway. To the left was a simple kitchen and two cots tucked away.
"I love magic!" Harry whispered beside me and we smiled at each other.
"We're off to the left, David." Arthur pointed as he helped Ginny lay out blankets along the cots to the right.
"Melanie, here." Hermione called. "The twins took the other bunk, but you pick."
"Thanks, I guess I'll go up top." I huffed as my pack slid off my shoulder and I heaved it onto the raised cot. There were two sets of stacked beds on one side of the section and three side by side on the other.
"You're really going to leave me over here with them?" Ginny pouted as she sat on her cot across from mine and Hermione's.
"Blame Hermione, I was just doing what I was told." I bat my eyes at her.
"Oh, so now you're going to start listening to me?" She sassed from below me. I quickly unpacked my bedding and laid out my sweater and hat for the match later.
"I still can't believe you're actually going to wear this." Fred scoffed as he took my Bulgaria baseball cap and put it on his head, a grimace on his face.
"Because your hat is so much better?" I leaned over and picked up his oversized green and white top hat.
"Exactly my point." He mocked. "This is so underwhelming it's just silly." I did have to admit, he looked pretty foolish in the baseball cap. I never thought of them being an American thing until now. Back home I wouldn't have thought anything of it. It was common for students to wear them, representing their own houses during quidditch games, and they were very popular amongst all other sporting events. Seeing his red hair poking out the back made it clear that it was one of the many cultural divides.
"You've made your point, hand it over." I held out a hand, but he just stared at it. "You're really going to wear the Bulgarian colors in public?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Ew, you're right." He spat as he threw the hat in my face, snatching his Ireland hat from my head.
"You guys should eat something, we have to leave soon." My dad called from the opposite end of the tent.
"What do we even have?" I asked as I climbed down from my bunk and walked to the kitchen.
"Not much." He sighed. "Granola bars, sandwiches, I think I saw a few apples in the cooler."
"I'll just have a sandwich. What about you guys?"
"Sandwich sounds fine." Ginny agreed as she, Hermione, and Harry sat at the small table. I quickly passed them around and we all ate.
"Aren't you guys going to eat anything?" I asked the twins as they played cards by the wood stove in the center.
"We've been eating all day." George muttered as he held up a small bag, wrappers crinkling inside.
"Why am I not surprised?" Hermione shook her head as she bit into an apple.
"We should get ready." Harry said as he swallowed.
"Yeah, I saw some people starting to walk towards the stadium a few minutes ago." Fred echoed.
"Dad said we're pretty high up, it might take us a while." George nodded as we all began donning our team's gear. Hermione and Ginny weren't nearly as excited as the rest of us and didn't have anything specific to one team. The rest of us, however, were more festive than the players themselves.