Brontide

Chapter Fifteen

You could imagine that things became awkward between me and Fred after that, and I avoided him like the plague. Anytime we ended up in the same room I tried to make a speedy exit. I hadn't told Rae about my rendezvous with Fred in the kitchen because I preferred to pretend that it hadn't almost happened. I knew she realized something weird was going on between us though because nearly every day I was being questioned about my strange behavior. 

In truth, I was completely terrified and confused. I didn't know what I was supposed to think or feel. I didn't want to hear what everyone else thought I should feel; instead, I wanted to come to a conclusion on my own accord, but that was proving very hard to do. I yearned for simpler times of fairytale storybooks and planting flowers with my grandmother, rather than have to reconsider my feelings for my best friend.

September crept by into October, which dragged on into November. The weather was steadily getting colder and wetter and business was slow. Some nights we closed the shop early because the day had been so slow and it wasn't worth it to stand around for nothing. I'd become well-adjusted to my new life of living with the twins and Rae, but I did miss my parents and my brother. 

One day in October I went with Remus and Kingsley to go see my parents, as I promised I would. The place they were staying at looked like a very shabby and run down apartment building from the outside, and it was off in the middle of the woods with many protective spells around it. On the inside it looked much nicer and more home-like; my parents had their own room and there were about ten other residents living there too. They shared a large kitchen and there was a sitting room with a few sofas in it and a telly. The basement housed a billiards table and a wide assortment of books, magazines, board games and art supplies. I worked hard to convince myself that it really wasn't too bad. My parents seemed a bit tired and run down but overall they were happy to see me and looked forward to seeing everyone during Christmastime.

It was a Sunday, which meant the shop would be closed, and I desperately needed to get Nestor more food. Rae and George were spending time in George's room, and they could be heard laughing about Merlin-knows-what. Not wanting to interrupt a snogging session, nor did I feel like enduring an awkward trip with Fred, I determined that I would go by myself. So I grabbed my red peacoat, put it on along with my scarf, hat and gloves and started for the door, trying to be as quiet about it as I could. Unfortunately for me, none other than Fred Weasley appeared out of the kitchen at this time upon hearing the door open.

"Where are you going?" he asked, wand in hand.

"Out," I said thinly.

"Not by yourself, you're not. Remember what we all agreed on?"

I rolled my eyes, folding my arms over my chest. "Yes I bloody well remember what we agreed on, but honestly Fred, we're in the middle of broad daylight. I'm only going to Eeylops' to pick up Nestor's owl nuts, which is literally across the street."

Fred didn't answer but instead went into his room and came out a minute later, ready in his coat, scarf, and gloves. I pinched the bridge of my nose and followed him down the spiral staircase, choosing to pick my arguments.

It was very cold out and the wind whipped across my face the moment I stepped foot outside the shop. I hurried across the street to Eeylops' Owl Emporium, not saying anything to Fred and wishing he'd just stayed behind. The inside of the store was fairly dark and the owls in the window were asleep, whereas the ones that were awake screeched and flapped their wings at our presence. I walked over to the back of the store to get the owl nuts, Fred following close behind.

"I needed to get out of the flat for a bit," he muttered, looking at a small screech owl as it hopped all about its cage, "I wasn't sure how much more I could take listening to them."