The corridors had finally quieted.
Most students had settled into their compartments, the distant rumble of the train blending with scattered laughter and the occasional shout from somewhere farther down the carriage.
Fred nudged Calli's shoulder.
"Walk with me?"
She smiled.
"I thought you'd never ask."
They wandered without any destination, shoulder brushing shoulder as the countryside rolled past outside the windows. Every few steps another student greeted them; some congratulating Calli on becoming Head Girl, others waving at Fred before continuing on.
Neither of them minded the interruptions.
They had months ahead of them now.
Eventually they reached the last carriage where the corridor was almost deserted.
Fred tried a compartment door.
Empty.
"Perfect."
He held it open with an exaggerated bow.
"My lady."
Calli rolled her eyes as she stepped inside.
"You really don't know when to stop."
"I do."
"When?"
"When it stops making you smile."
She tried to hide it.
Failed.
The compartment felt strangely peaceful compared to the rest of the train. The muffled clatter of the tracks beneath them filled the comfortable silence as they settled opposite each other.
Neither spoke immediately.
Fred was the first to break it.
"I missed this."
"The train?" Calli joked.
"You."
The answer came so quickly Calli couldn't help laughing softly.
"I kept thinking." Fred admitted more quietly, tracing circles against the worn fabric of the seat beside him. "I hated not knowing if you were alright."
Calli looked out of the window.
"I wasn't."
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Fred didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he moved across the compartment until he was sitting beside her.
Close.
Not crowding her.
Just there.
"You don't have to tell me everything today." He said quietly. "But you don't have to carry it by yourself anymore either."
Calli rested her head against his shoulder.
Outside, fields blurred into gold and green.
"I forgot what being peaceful felt like." She admitted after a while.
Fred turned slightly toward her.
"You'll remember."
She looked up.
He brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his hand lingering only for a moment before letting it fall away again.
"You look exhausted."
YOU ARE READING
Callidora ☆ Fred Weasley
FanfictionCallidora Nott has always known exactly what is expected of her. As the daughter of one of Britain's oldest pure-blood families, her future has already been carefully planned; alliances, power, and a life shaped by tradition she never chose. At home...
