First Love, Last Love (Fred Weasley)

Chapter 19 and 3 quarters | Hogsmeade

Flashback to Christmas break

Fred's POV

"Oi, Mom, George and I are going to go look in this store," I called from across the street.

Mom took us all to Hogmeade for a nice treat, but we decided to stay longer for that.

Besides, I had to get a gift of some kind to woo (Y/N). Maybe I'll give it to her and she'll be so seduced she'll kiss me right then and there.

Or maybe I'll wait to give it as a wedding gift for her and her lucky man.

Nah, she's sooo into me.

George agrees. He suggested we go look in Honeyduke's. What girl doesn't love sweets and candies?

There were so many choices to go through.

"Hey, Fred, does she like taffy? These ones stretch up to 20 feet!"

"I don't know, George!" I called back, frustrated at my own lack of knowledge of what candies the girl likes.

We looked through chocolates, fudges, hard candies, peanut barks, peppermint barks, candy canes, pumpkin pastries, everything!

What if I got something she didn't like?

The thought worried me so much. It's not like I could buy everything there, even though I really wanted to.

Surely, she can't be that picky, right?

Right?

"Hey, George, do you know what she likes?" I asked.

He shrugged. He was concentrating on the people making fudge. So many different kinds... Chocolate, peanut butter, caramel... Mmm.

He looked up. "You're trying to court this girl and you don't even know the sweets she likes."

I frowned, all puppy like.

He rolled his eyes. "Go find something in that claw machine!"

"Claw machine?"

It was perfect. I raced up to the machine and slobbered over its glory. I put my hands on the glass and stared inside.

Surely whatever I find in there, she'll like. The claw knows. The claw knows everything. How can I doubt it?

"Perfect, George! You're absolutely brilliant!" I looked at the money slot and fished three sickles from my pocket.

"Three chances, baby, I'll get you- Oh my sweet Merlin, what is that?"

I peered inside. Plastic. Gray. Dinosaur. Ring. In a beautiful box. Perfect.

I practically squealed in excitement.

"Three chances!"

I put a sickle in. I quickly maneuvered the claw over the dinosaur ring and pressed the button, jumping up and down.

There it went. Up. Up. Up! And down. It missed the slot. I screamed out a not so nice word and quickly apologized to the workers.

"Okay, not so great, but I've got two more chances."

I tried again. Didn't even grab the box. I cursed, quietly.

"One more baby. I got you."

It caught the box. Dropped it as soon as it moved to the opening.

"Stupid! Claw! Machine!" I yelled at it. "I thought you were the answers to my prayers!"

I huffed. I looked over my shoulder. George was enjoying a lollipop.

"Hey, George?" I said.

"Yeah, Fred?" He sucked on the pop, flicking his eyes up to me.

"Got a sickle?"

He rolled his eyes and searched through his pockets. "One. I've got one." He put it on the table and I grasped it, determined to get the dinosaur ring.

I grinned, thanked him, and started going over to the machine, when I slipped and fell, the sickle falling out of my grasp.

I groaned and looked up to see the sickle rolling. It was going to go straight under the machine!

"Noooo!"

Luckily, a young, real chubby boy grabbed it.

I got up and went over to him. "Oh my gosh, you saved my life, thank you so much!" You held out your hand.

"What?" The boy said.

"Uhm, that's mine."

"Finders keepers, losers weepers."

"You give me that sickle right now! I am going to use it on that machine and get my soon to be girlfriend that dinosaur ring and if you get in the way, I WILL FIND YOU AND I WILL-"

I stopped, looking at the workers. They were staring at me, trying to warn me to shut up.

The boy was shocked. Before he could say a word, I snatched the sickle from his hand and went to the machine. He followed me.

"So, you're using this on your girlfriend, what a waste."

"Hush, let me concentrate."

"How many times have you lost this?"

I froze, my hand mid-way from the coin slot. "A few."

"Let me try, I'm the master at the claw."

I sighed and realized this boy was my only hope. I put in the sickle and let him at it.

"Dinosaur ring? Gray box?"

"Yep."

He easily won it. I gasped in shock and squeezed the boy in a very tight embrace. "I love you!"

"Yeah, yeah, save it for your girlfriend."

I beamed, cuddling the box.

"Sooo," the boy continued. "You gonna pay me or what?"

"For?"

"For winning you that darn plastic ring!"

"Uh." You stared at him. "I've got nothing, kid."

He tapped his chin, pretending to be deep in thought.

"Give me a piggyback ride all the way around Hogsmeade."

I glanced at his figure and gulped. Shouldn't he be the one to give me a piggyback ride? Not to be rude... But this boy's real heavy.

"I'm good."

"The ring it is," he said, holding out his hand.

"No!" I hugged it closer. "Fine! I'll give you a damn piggyback ride!"

I gave the ring to George to hold and he decided to trail behind us, laughing as I squirmed uncomfortably under the boy.

While I panted and heaved, the boy was squealing and laughing, all joyful and fun.

At the end, he got off me, and I collapsed on the ground, George laughing his arse off and giving the kid a high-five.

"Haha, real funny." I panted and George gave me the ring. I smiled.

Anything was worth getting this to
(Y/N).

"Hey, Fred, George, what are doing over there, twiddling your thumbs?" Percy asked from beside the boy. "We've got places to be."

George helped me up and we said farewell to the kid, me not so much.

At the end of the day, I was smiling in bed. I'd gotten the best gift in the world for (Y/N) and one day, I knew I'd give it to her as a wooing surprise.

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Published 2-17-20

Fun little "chapter" I thought I'd let you all enjoy.