𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, fred weasley

˗ˋ 24

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY TAKE A WALK

. . .

"Why didn't George come with us?" Elodie asked, her and Fred walking towards the owlery, down the slightly chilly Hogwart's corridors. 

"For a champion in the Triwizard Tournament, you're rather slow." Fred said, and Elodie rolled her eyes. "Go on, tell me why do you think George didn't come with us."

The ginger boy looked pointedly down at their intertwined hands, before meeting her eyes. "Go on, tell me." He said, voice low - something that made a shiver run down Elodie's spine.

"Not like that, you idiot." Elodie said, shaking her head, shiving slightly as they stepped out of the corridors and onto the path carved into the snow, leading from the castle and up onto the rocks where the owlery tower was.

"How then?" Fred teased, noticing the girl shuddered and pulled her closer with not really any movement at all, just tugging her hand slightly towards him.

"I mean like.. it was something you were both doing, writing the letter, I mean. I would've just assumed you would send stuff like that together." Elodie shrugged, a blush blazing her cheeks for no apparent reason, just a feeling of embarassment rushing through her body.

"I see." Fred said, not saying anything more. It seemed he was dropping the subject, however when Elodie glanced at him, she saw a smirk on his face that suggested something else. 

"Come on, the school owls are kept up at the top." Fred said, as they climbed up the steps set in rock, stopping in front of the large main doors to the owlery. 

It was dimly lit by lanters, and the steps glittered in the orange glow. One step on them suggested that they were icy, and so, Fred clutched to Elodie out of fear for her falling as they climbed to the top.

This also helped keep them warm, or in Elodie's case, create a feeling of warmth within the pit of stomach that had nothing to do with the temperature around her, but rather the feeling of Fred's torso against her back, his arm around her waist keeping her from falling off of the steps.

"Oh wow." She exclaimed, her words coming out in rushes of mist, the cold turning her breaths into clouds of condensation. They had finally reached the top of the steps, having not fallen off of the steps. 

Fred had pulled her into the barely visible owlery tower, muttering lumos under his breath, his wand creating a light that revealled just how many owls were in there. 

It was certainly a spectacle, and Elodie's jaw dropped, turning around slowly, taking in the scene. There must have been hundreds of owls in there, all huddled into arches that kept them from the cold. 

She took it all in, Fred calling down one of the school owls, holding out his arm for it to land on. Elodie saw the rather large wings flap out of the corner of her eyes, turning around on her heel, watching as Fred tied the letter to it's foot.

"Do they mind if you touch them?" Elodie asked, and Fred glanced her way, shrugging and turning slightly so that the owl was closer to her. Hesitantly, Elodie stepped forward and held out her arm, hand reaching gently until it landed on the soft, round head of feathers.

"There." She smiled happily to herself, only stroking the owl a couple more times before stepping away, not really wanting to get pecked by the rather menacing looking beak. 

She walked over to the archway that seperated the owlery to the staircases, leaning against the frame. Arms folded around her body, trying to keep her warm.

The owl flew off, letter tied around it's ankle. Fred turned to the door frame, walking over and settling beside the girl. The champion's eyes seemed to be fixated on the view - the castle and the surrounding landscape far too beautiful to tear her eyes away from.

"Wonder why I didn't ask him?" Fred asked, his voice appearing low and quiet in Elodie's ear. The shiver than ran through her body that time had nothing to do with the cold. 

Elodie took a deep breath, turning to look up at the Weasley boy, and was rather surprised to find her nose practically brushing against his. He chuckled, and stepped back slightly, Elodie instinctively doing the same, her back hitting the solid stone. 

She looked up at him, trying not to blush as Fred resumed his rather close position, hand placed on the stone behind Elodie's head, leaning over her. He smirked as he noticed the pink blush rising on her cheeks. 

"Why?" Fred asked, but it seemed more like a instruction than a question. Elodie swallowed, unable to meet his eyes, and her gaze focused on his shoulder instead. "No.." Fred trailed off, and a single, slender finger lifted her chin. "Why didn't I ask him to come with us?" He repeated.

 Elodie licked her lips unconciously, Fred smirking as he watched her. She swallowed again, beginning to stammering out an answer. "Take your time." He said, voice low, but encouraging.

Elodie swallowed, taking a moment before attempting to answer. Her throat was unecessarily dry, breath catching every time she met his eyes. "Because.. because you wanted to spend time with me." She managed to get out. 

"Clever girl." Fred's voice was no more than a whisper, but the quiet words seemed to echo around them. He tilted her head slightly upwards, and she could feel his warm breath over her lips as he leaned towards her. 

But just as suddenly as he had appeared beside her, he was twisting away, stepping out into the night, glancing back at her. "Coming?" He asked, a slightly more joking smirk on his face.

Elodie blinked, swallowing and shaking her head. "You.. tease!" She exclaimed, stepping out from under the arch. A chuckle could be heard, and Elodie met Fred's eyes once again. 

And he winked.

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