Petals & Thorns | Fred Weasley (UNDER REVISION)

eight

SONG OF THE CHAPTER: see you again • tyler, the creator

Weeks passed, and although they had their share of sneaky visits and longing glances, nobody had a clue about the relationship steadily blossoming between Fred Weasley and Adalinda Malfoy. This included her brother and her boyfriend, the two people which she feared would be the first to catch on. Fred had also found a way to hide it from his partner in crime, George, which was a struggle in itself since the two usually did everything together. His sudden disappearances caused a bit of concern, but not yet enough to raise any serious questions.

Though Addy held some form of guilt about her secret love with the forbidden boy, it dissipated greatly as Adrian's actions grew angrier and more harsh towards her. Now, when he walked in the room, she cowered away, avoiding him at all costs and taking extra care so not to anger him. When his temper got too bad, he usually took it out on her, which was no different than normal. Now, he was a lot looser with his tongue, much rougher when he touched her, and no more loving than her father had been to her when she was young. She tried not to let it phase her, but it was wearing down her psyche the longer it continued.

The snow was beginning to stick to the ground as Adalinda made her way to Hogsmeade. November was drawing to a close, and Christmas and the Yule Ball were quickly approaching. Adalinda was surrounded by her group of boys, who couldn't seem to leave her alone even if their life depended upon it. They followed her closely as she walked, noticing the distance physically and mentally between her and Adrian. They walked in time, but yards apart and never seemed to spare each other a glance. None of them dared to bring it up, knowing whatever was going on between them would be settled eventually. They went through this often, and always seemed to stay by each other's side no matter how discontent they seemed with their company.

The whole school seemed to be on their way to the village, happy to take a break from their normal routine and hopefully even get some Christmas shopping done before they ran out of time. The group of six stuck close to the front, just as eager to have some excitement in their lives since Quidditch had been cancelled and they were not involved in the tournament. Addy had changed into boots, retiring her statement shoes for the wintertime with a little sadness in her heart. She pulled her jacket closer to her body as she walked, trying to keep out the cold winter air swirling around her.

As the heart of the village came into view, they picked up their pace, relieved at the thought of the warmth of a fireplace inside of one of the shops. Soon, the entrance of the village was littered with students, all headed towards their destinations with the same thought in mind. Adalinda made her way to The Three Broomsticks, smiling at the thought of her favourite place. The warm whoosh of air hit them strong in the face as they entered. It was a relief to be out of the harsh cold, making Addy let out a sign of content as she kicked off the snow from her boots in the doorway.

The group retired into the wooden seats of a booth after ordering a butterbeer. They made mindless chatter as they sipped on their glasses, enjoying their break from the castle but not necessarily enjoying their company. In a couple booths in front of them, Addy noticed Fred Weasley sitting with his brother and Lee Jordan. He gave her a barely noticeable smile when he caught her eyes, seemingly waiting for her to notice him. She felt her stomach give a nervous flutter, trying her best to keep a straight face so nobody else noticed her sudden excitement.

Time passed, and the crowd around the Slytherin girl slowly diminished, some returning to the castle and some taking some time to visit the other shops. It left with her and Adrian on their lonesome, the pair pitiful as they tried to feign happiness at being alone together. They barely spoke, only looking at each other when they accidentally caught eyes. The liquid in the girls cup was dwindling as the day progressed.