Don't fall in love with me- Fred weasley

3

A familiar figure drops into the seat next to me at the empty library table. I glance up to see Fred with a wide grin on his face

"You finished being grumpy?" I question, looking back to my Herbology essay

"I would hardly say I was grumpy," he protests with a roll of his eyes "you are almost as dramatic as your dad," he adds with a smirk

"What are you doing here anyway? I'm surprised you even know where the library is," I smirk making him laugh

"Course I do. It's where you come to hide out and get your work done,"

"Well you and Georgie are pretty distracting,"

"Pretty is right," he grins

"And there he goes with the distracting," the conversation is quick almost like we can tell what the other is going to say before they even say it

"I need a favour," he announces. I can't help the groan as I put my quill down and look up at him, "be my fake girlfriend?" He questions.

My heart literally stops and I choke on the air in my lungs. Why the fuck would he ever need that?

"What? Why?"

"Look, mum is breathing down my neck about getting a girlfriend. Things with Angelina are slow, I figure if she sees someone else wants me maybe she will too. Plus you're with us for the Christmas holidays anyway so it'll get mum off my back," he explains nonchalantly

"Fred that's insane,"

"No. No it makes perfect sense," he argues

"What happens when we break up and I can never see your mother again cause she thinks I broke your heart?"

"Doesn't need to be a big breakup, it can just be a we decided we were better as friends thing. No one would question it," he shrugs.

"Fred, it just feels so stupid to put us at risk-"

"Are you crazy? You mean the world to me I would never do anything to put our friendship at risk? If anything all of this will just make us closer," he explains

"Why don't you get Katie or Alice? I mean they'd do it for the laugh-"

"No it has to be you. You're the only one who knows me well enough that we could pull it off," he groans. His eyes are desperate and his hands are grabbing mine. "Please, I need you," he begs with a glimmer of hope behind his eyes.

I'm so fucking in love with this boy and I know there's no way that I'm saying no. I can never say no to him. No matter how bad it ends up hurting me.

"There's rules involved," I announce

"You'll do it?" He shouts excitedly, earning a scowl from Madame Pince

"Yes I'll do it, but we need to set up some rules," I nod, already regretting my answer.

"Okay great. Number one- no one knows it's fake," he suggests

"I'm telling George,"

"That's the last person you should tell. He won't be able to keep it a secret to our families, no one knows alright?"

"Okay fine," I agree, immediately full of guilt for lying to George "No kissing on the lips," I announce

"Why are you taking all the fun out of this?" He groans exasperated, flopping his head on the table

"I'm not. It would just be weird and make it hard to be friends again after,"

"Don't say again and after like we aren't going to be friends throughout this," he protests. "Fine, I'll agree to the no kissing," he adds

"Okay. So when do we tell people-"

"No time like the present. I would say let them walk in on us kissing so it spreads but I guess we just tell them,"

"No. No that's the most awkward conversation ever and they'll all know it's fake. Just start acting like we are a couple from now and when they question it admit it like we were trying to keep it a secret," I suggest. He nods in agreement. "We need a cover story,"

"We just say we liked each other for ages and finally admitted it," Fred shrugs like it's easy. I can't help but wonder if he's reading my mind.I nod, not really sure how to from an actual sentence in that moment. "I've gotta go, I am meeting Lee in five minutes. See you at quidditch practice?" He questions, standing up. I nod faintly and he presses a kiss to my cheek.

"Hey one last rule for you," he whispers, his characteristic smirk on his face, drawing away from my ear "don't fall in love with me," he winks before turning and walking out of the library.

**

"Surely a girlfriend would wait for a boyfriend," Fred's voice speaks directly into my ear as he falls into step beside me on the way back up to the castle after quidditch practice. His arm wrapping round my waist to pull me towards himself.

"You smell and you're sweaty," I groan freeing myself from his tight hold. This only makes him laugh as he wraps me in a bear hug, his laugh louder as I let out a squeal trying to free myself from his grip.

"You suck," I complain when he eventually lets me free. I take his hand in mine to which he sends me a genuine smile before continuing to walk back in the direction of the castle.

"So, good day?" He asks gently

"Actually very draining, this friend of mine needs a massive favour that's going to occupy my life for who knows how long," I smirk

"I'm sure this friend is eternally grateful for you and all your help," he smiles back with an out of character serious tone.

"He better be," I smile, my mind distracted questioning wether or not he's aware his thumb is stroking the back of my hand while we walk. Is it subconscious? Is it to try and sell the charade of a couple? Is he thinking about how well our hands fit together too?

Fred had began babbling on excitedly about the upcoming quidditch match but I'm finding it hard to follow what he's saying. Too distracted to keep up with his quick words. Instead focusing on the feel of his hand in mine and the way our shoulders brush together as we walk. It feels so easy and natural.

Feeling eyes burning into us I turn around to see George and Oliver who are talking together, George's eyes staring at Fred and I as we walk. Lingering on the way our hands link together. He raises his eyebrows to me in question to which I send him a smile and wink before turning back around.

George is all too aware of my crush on Fred, having spent many a late night with me talking about it and crying to him about how Fred never quite seems to see me. It's shit to know I'm lying to George, he's a good friend and right now he's probably ecstatic for me only for this to all be an act. I can hear his voice already telling me how stupid I am being to agree to this and although I know I agree, when I look back to see Fred already looking at me with a small smile I know I can't turn back.