Always // Fred Weasley

04.

Time quickly went by, As it was the fourth week of September already. Sidney had noticed Fred not interacting with her as much as he used to, but George was there and he made sure Sidney did not feel alone when she was on her own. He made witty jokes that always cheered her up and pulled silly pranks that landed him detention. George could sense the tension between Fred and Sidney, and he didn't want to take any sides, considering that there was nothing to fight about, and he simply just didn't want to choose between the two people who meant the world to him.

"Where is Fred anyway?" Sidney asks, picking on her breakfast, as she bites her lip in frustration. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Of course you didn't, sweetheart," George replied. "You could never do anything wrong to Fred and I." He gives her a reassuring smile, which didn't really reassure Sidney at all, but she appreciated his efforts to.

"Besides," George says, "He's probably just on his period."

-

The day passed by quickly, and Sidney was had a vacant period, being the outcast that she was, she walked along the corridors quietly, humming a tune while she walked. She was lost in thought, wondering if she'd done anything stupid to Fred that day, or if she's said something wrong. Fred's never gotten mad at her before, not like that anyway.

To her surprise, she bumps into a tall figure. she lets out a small oomf as she looks up to see that she had bumped to Cedric Diggory. He lets his hands support Sidney's frame, so she wouldn't fall.

"You really gotta watch where you're going, Sid." Cedric lets out a smile, scratching the nape of his neck. 

Sidney's cheeks redden, realizing that she had bumped into Cedric Diggory again. This boy seemed to coincidentally show up every time she was stressed out, and she didn't know how to feel about it.

"Ced," she says, her voice close to quiet, she was nervous, considering she doesn't really know much about Cedric Diggory and they aren't the closest of friends. "Sorry, I was lost in thought." she bites her bottom lip, looking down, feeling Cedric's eyes fixed on hers.

"Why are you alone?" he asks, "I'll walk with you." 

she nods her head as they start walking around the campus, feeling as if all eyes were on her.

"Ced, is there something on my face? Why are people looking at me?" she asks, making Cedric let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.

"I don't know, Sid," he replies, burying his hands on his pockets, "I don't know."

 But Cedric did know. At least he thought that he knew. He thought it was because of how pretty she was, or how kindhearted she was. It had to be one of those things. Or so he thought.

Cedric and Sidney found themselves sitting by the lake, taking in the view as the sun set. She looked at the trees softly dancing with the wind, making her smile to herself. 

"How pretty," she says, mostly to herself, as she continues to appreciate the scenery.

"Breathtaking." Cedric replies, looking at her, biting his lip as he appreciated the beauty in front of him.

-

"Fred, mate, just tell me the truth. Why are you avoiding Sidney?" George asks his twin, who was resting his head on the table.

"I don't even know, George. I don't know why I'm reacting like she's done me any bad." Fred sighs, ruffling his hair aggressively.

"Well, I'm here to tell you to get your shit together alright?" George says, patting his brother's head. 

"How?" Fred asked, finally making contact with his twin brother, who was grinning at him.

"First," George says, "Let's acknowledge that you may actually like her more than just a friend."

Fred opens his mouth to say something, to convince his brother that he doesn't like their best friend, but when he realizes that he can't think of anything to convince George, he realized that he won't be able to convince himself as well.

"But-"

"No but's Freddikins!" George buts in, "Besides, don't you think I would have known by now?"

Fred sighed, When Sidney stayed the night and slept next to him, Fred thought that it was strange to feel his heart beat rapidly at the sight of his best friend asleep next to him. He couldn't help but realize how beautiful she actually was, but it had to be normal, or at least a one-time thing to be attracted to the girl he grew up with? But of course, she had to wear one of his shirts when he came to visit her. Of course, she had to be so breathtaking when she talked, or smile, or bite her lip when she started wandering away with her thoughts. And when he finally had gotten her out of his mind like that, he sees her with pretty boy Diggory, and it pissed him off. it pissed him off that it wasn't him that she was with. But who could blame him? He was new to this, actually feeling deeply for someone. He didn't know it would be this hard.

Fred sighs, knowing that his brother was right. 

"Are you going to do something about it?" George asks, making Fred groan in frustration.

"I don't know, George. What if she doesn't like me like that? what if I actually don't like her like that too? I mean, I don't want to start something I'm not sure of, and I don't want to throw our friendship down in the drain if it all comes to shit." Fred replies truthfully, even more frustrated at the possibility of a broken friendship with Sidney.

"Well, you better fix your friendship with her right now or there's not any best friend to come back to, mate."

-

Fred found himself looking for Sidney, asking people if they knew where she was, only to see her in the halls, painting.  His feet quickly took him to the table where she was and sat across her. Sidney Heathen doesn't seem to notice this, as she continues to hum a mellow tune and paint on the parchment she had laid on the table.

He looks down at the parchment to see a painting of a scenery. It was the lake on the campus, with the sun setting and the trees leaves swaying. 

"That looks beautiful," he says, making Sidney jump on her seat, Why did the twins have to be so sneaky? Why can't they just greet people like instead of sneaking up on people?

"Fred!" Sidney scrunched her face in annoyance, "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

she sits back down, relieved that she had Fred to accompany her. "Why did you avoid me for weeks?" she frowns, looking at him. "Did I do something wrong?"

Fred frowns at the sight of her frowning. he squeezes her hand and gives her a smile, "Wanna go on an adventure with me?"