SPARKS FLY | fred weasley x oc |

chapter 22 - midnight chess

Cedric and I had been spending most afternoons studying together, as well as most evenings in the common room over a game of chess. He was still convinced that I was cheating after winning the fourth game late one Saturday night. Jess and Liv were drifting in and out of sleep on the couch, Fred in the armchair with a tin of candy in his lap. Part of me felt bad that I hadn't spent as much time with Fred since classes started, but he and George were so busy with their business that most nights they were holed up in an empty classroom trying to not blow each other up. So when he said he wanted to hang out with us tonight in Hufflepuff we were happy to have him, even if he was only awake for the first hour.

"I think that's my sign to just give up." Cedric sighed as my queen shattered his last knight, ending the game in another checkmate.

"Took you four games to realize that?" I chortled as I waved my hand over the board and the pieces clattered back together before closing in on itself. I set the now smaller box on the coffee table and looked around the room. It was late and quiet. I don't know why but nobody else ever seemed to use the common room. It was very different in Gryffindor, everyone was always fighting over the couches near the hearth and it was rarely a quiet place, but down here it was only us. "At least she's a quiet sleeper." I mused as I watched Liv's chest rise and fall with her deep, even breaths.

"Unlike some people." Cedric nodded his head toward Fred. He was sitting sideways in the armchair, his head tilted back and a strangled snore escaping every few minutes. The chair was clearly too small for his lanky frame and his legs hung awkwardly off the side with one arm out, his hand resting on the floor.

"He's going to be stiff in the morning if he stays like that." I stood and tiptoed over to him. I gently placed a hand on the back of his head and tried to sit him up. "He's really out, no way am I moving him alone."

"Okay." He stood and joined me, placing both hands on Fred's shoulders. "Push." We both did our best to keep him in the chair, but Cedric's hand slipped on Fred's jumper and all his weight fell on me. I was able to avoid being crushed by him, but he slumped over onto the floor.

"This is ridiculous." I sighed and bent down to his ear. "Weasley, wake up."

"Huh?" He grunted loudly. "What time is it?" I tried to shush him, but the girls were already awake.

"Really, Fred?" Jess rubbed her eyes.

"I was in the middle of a perfect dream." Liv huffed and marched herself to her bed.

"Sorry, guys." I cringed. "It's almost three, we should all get to bed."

"Is it really that late? I just got here." Fred yawned.

"That was, like, five hours ago. You fell asleep almost immediately." Cedric corrected. "We even tried to wake you to see if you wanted to play a round. You sleep like a rock."

"Are you okay, Freddie? You seem more tired than normal." I asked as he pulled on his sweater.

"George and I have been up late working on some new products. We were doing it between classes and dinner, but Filch caught us and threatened to give us detention for the rest of term if he found us again. We've had to sneak into empty classrooms so late that we're up working until two most nights." He rubbed his eyes. "I can't function with less than ten hours of sleep, it's been awful."

"I'm too tired to have sympathy for you." Jess grunted as she stood trudged down the tunnel to her room.

"Night guys." Cedric whispered. "Fred, are you alright to get back on your own?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. See you guys tomorrow." We both watched as he made his way out of the barrel. I stifled another yawn and turned toward my tunnel.

"Melanie." Cedric said softly.