A Weasley Twin

17.

I had spent the last 2 hours getting ready for the impending event. My hands were shaky as I could feel myself approaching the stairs leading down to the great hall. I could hear so many cheerful voices and excessive compliments, some sincere, some not so much.

I took a deep breath and turned the corner, now standing alone at the top of the steps, my eyes quickly identifying Harry standing at the bottom. A familiar face, thank goodness. 

I proceeded down the steps, eyes fixed on where Harry was. The fear of losing any sense of familiarity in such an unfamiliar situation growing rapidly. Before I could reach Harry, I was confronted by Viktor, wearing extravagant robes, confidence marking every inch of him. 

"You look perfect," he smiled flawlessy.

We had been made to enter the ball last to begin the event along with the other Triwizard champions and their dates. The four couples began the dance before everyone else joined in and Viktor was such a gentleman that I momentarily forgot about Fred entirely. My moment of bliss ended when Viktor left to get me a drink and I was confronted by Fred. 

"Hi," he grinned.

"Hello," I replied, trying to keep my cool.

"I didn't want to interrupt you and Viktor but, Granger, you look beautiful," he said sincerely. My cheeks flushed red as Fred continued, "I think I forget how grown up you are. Granger, you're so beautiful."

"Thank you, Fred. Do you ever think-" I was cut short as Viktor returned with my drink.

"Hi, sorry mate, I'll leave you two be," Fred beamed at Viktor.

How was he so okay with everything? How could he say something like that to me and then just- just stop? I was determined not to let it ruin my night and I let all thoughts of Fred slip my mind as the dancing picked up and Viktor and I just had fun.

I was enjoying myself so much but went over to Ron and Harry at the side of the dance floor to take a breather. 

"Hey, why don't you guys join me and Viktor?" I giggled, still so content with the evening.

"No, we don't want to join you and Viktor. He's a Durmstrang, you're fraternising with the enemy," Ron snapped at me.

"The enemy? Just last week you were worshipping him!" I exclaimed. "The ball is about joining together and making friends!"

"He's got more than friendship on his mind, he's using you, Hermione!" Ron argued.

Every emotion I had felt leading up to this night rose up inside me. The anxiety, the conflict, the anger, the humiliation.

"Ron, you ruin everything! Why couldn't you let me have this one thing?" I screamed at him, tears streaming down my face as I stormed out of the hall.

I collapsed in tears on the stairs outside of the great hall. The same stairs I'd felt so beautiful on, I'd felt so prepared. I was so wrong to be excited for this night. 

The doors to the great hall fell open as Fred and Angelina stumbled out, laughing as he pressed his lips against hers. A sob escaped my mouth as I was already so fragile, this just topped it off.

Fred turned at the sound, their laughing stopped and he mumbled to her, "hey, I'm sorry I better go see what's up."

Angelina did a small nod before disappearing up the stairs. 

Fred approached me softly and slowly, sitting down next to me and putting his arm around my shoulder, hugging me into his chest.

"Gonna fill me in on what's going on, Granger? Who do I need to kill?" he teased in a way I would usually find charming but I now felt somewhat repulsed by. 

"Your mindless brother," I muttered, my face still nuzzled into his chest.

"Gonna have to narrow that one down, love."

I moved away from him. "Ronald is just so- he knows exactly how to push my buttons. He doesn't understand that there are decent men out there, unlike him. Decent men like Viktor..." I paused slightly, "like you."

He looked down at me, his eyes soft, "me?" 

"As if you don't know how perfect you are with your puppy dog eyes and perfect hair and your teasing," I rolled my eyes and he tilted my chin up with his hand, leaning in towards me.

"Don't," I pulled away from him and stood up. "Don't you fucking dare, Fred. Don't you dare kiss her and then come over here and try to kiss me. I may be a mess, I may be fragile and desperate but you do not get to take advantage of that. Don't you dare."

He looked startled and quite frankly hurt.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think, I never think. I just- you make me feel crazy. I don't know how I should act or feel, I care so deeply about you and I hate seeing you with that bastard Krum and I hate that I hate it. You're- you're Granger. I shouldn't feel anything like this towards you but I do," he stopped himself from saying anymore.

"You kissed her," I half whispered. "You asked her, you kissed her, you don't want me, if you did you'd know about it."

"Hermione, what was I meant to do. You've been flirting with Viktor for weeks. I can't wait around for my brother's friend to pay some attention to me. You're too young."

"Right so a minute ago you could kiss me but now I'm too young for you?" I argued. I was looking for any reason to argue, to be mad at him, to avoid getting hurt.

"No, I-" he started.

"Leave it," I replied, running up the stairs not turning around or stopping despite him repeatedly calling my name. All I wanted was to sob and sleep and never speak to him again. He's too much, too confusing.