Stumble - A Fred Weasley Fanfiction

Chapter 34: 172 Days Before

Addie struggled to gain consciousness. Her head felt as if it were filled with fog, her eyes unwilling to open. She lay in the blackness, trying to sort through her muddled thoughts, trying to remember where she was and how she got there. When the memories finally resurfaced, it was like a shock to her system, and her eyes finally flew open. The first thing they landed on was a light above her, one that looked awfully familiar.

And now that she thought about it, the bed felt quite familiar too. And so did the view out of the large window in the bedroom wall. Addie tried to push herself up, to get a better look, but collapsed immediately. The Sleeping Potion Thomas had given her was still somewhat in effect. She turned her head to the side and, just as she expected, caught sight of the box of owl treats she had bought for Trixie, right where she left them on her dresser.

She was back in her apartment.

She finally found the strength to sit up, looking out the window at the familiar view of the office buildings across the street. "Thomas?" she called out in a croaky voice. No answer. She managed to swing her feet over the bed to the floor, standing up on shaky legs. Step by careful step, she made her way out of her room and into the living room, where Thomas was sitting on her couch, flipping through one of her books.

He peeked up at her as she entered the room, removing his legs from the couch so there was space beside him to sit. She kept an eye on him as she sat beside him, not sure what to expect.

"You're awake," he commented casually, setting the book down. "I was wondering when the effects would wear off."

Addie eyed him uneasily. "Everyone else is okay?" she asked. "Charlotte, George, and Fred? You let them leave safely after I drank the potion?"

"They're all fine. A deal is a deal. Are you hungry?"

The question caught Addie off guard. "Am I what?"

"Hungry. You know, when your stomach growls and you crave food? Ever have the feeling?" He shot her a wry smile. "I'll grab you something." He walked to her kitchen, opening her cupboards, and pulling out a few things. "I have yogurt, apples, a frozen pizza, or I can order in if you want." When Addie didn't respond, he raised an eyebrow at her. "So what do you want?"

"What's wrong with you?" she asked instead.

He ignored her. "I'm craving pizza," he said, pointing his wand at the stove and firing it up. With his wand, he levitated the pizza onto a pan and put it in the oven. "If you want something else, let me know."

He was too casual about all of this, as if he hadn't blackmailed her into this, as if they were still best friends. Her head was still too muddled from the potion to try and figure out why he was acting this way so she stayed silent. When the pizza was done, he passed her a plate with a large piece on it. She had to admit, she was starving. She wasn't sure how long she had been under the potion, but her stomach seemed to think it had been a while.

She made sure Thomas took a bite first, although after all this trouble to get her here she didn't think he'd poison her. She bit into the pizza, and the taste of warm cheese filled her mouth.

Thomas chuckled as he watched her dig in greedily. "I knew you'd be starving. Sleeping Potions tend to have that affect."

She stared at him. "Seriously, what's wrong with you?"

He seemed genuinely confused at her statement. "What do you mean?"

"You're being..." she waved in the general direction of him. "You."

"Am I supposed to be someone else?"

"That's not what I meant. I mean, you're being the old you. The Thomas that isn't a Death Eater."