Invitation Only ~ Fred Weasley

THIRTYFIVE

They landed on firm ground. Fred looked down at Viola as she immediately released her grip from his arm. She didn't look at him, but started walking towards the house. But she didn't make it far, before the door was slammed open and Scott came running out. He ran to his sister and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. He was yelling and whimpering. Fred stood still and watched them as he felt an ache of jealousy. He would've given anything in the world to get that kind of hug from her.

"Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me?!" Scott yelled while tears was streaming down his face. He held out Viola in his arms and looked at her. "What the hell happened to your eye?"

"Hippogriffs." Viola answered and ran a hand through her, now, red hair.

"This is over, Vi, do you understand? Don't run away, don't do that to me!" Scott whimpered and pulled her close again. Fred put his hands in his pockets and walked shamefully by them and into the house. When he entered the house, he saw George looking at him with a questioning look. Fred shook his head and George shoulders sunk. George knew what it meant. She had still not forgiven them.

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Viola stayed, to everyone's surprise. She stayed for the day and for the night, sleeping in Bill's old room with her things, leaving Fred to sleep with George in their old room. It was utter torture. Knowing that she was in the house, she was merely metres away, and he couldn't go up and explain himself. He couldn't hold her or kiss her. He couldn't even take a piece of her clothing and sleep with. But at least she was there. She was safe. She was home.

That night, Fred put on his warm cloak and walked downstairs after George was sound asleep. He walked outside to the field he and Viola had looked at stars at. He placed himself in the ground and looked up to the sky. Cloudfree with stars painted all over the night sky. He took it as a taunt. A punishment for the mistakes he made.

Right then and there, Fred made a promise to himself. He knew that the love he felt for Viola was never going to fade away. So instead of giving up, he vowed to make it up to her. To make her fall in love with him all over again. Just like he had done once before.

Steps behind him made Fred turn around. He saw the very person he had least expected to see. Viola.

"I can leave?" He said carefully, but Viola didn't reply. She looked at him with that studying look she always had whenever she tried to figure out her next move. Mostly she wore that face when they were in bed together.

"You think... you can walk in and out of my life like I'm some sort of fucking bus station and then you expect me to just take you in with open arms and legs spread wide for you?" She finally said and Fred got up from his seat.

"You didn't even give me a goodbye!" She shouted and poked him hard in his chest with her index finger. "You didn't care enough to give me a goodbye or some sort of closure!"

Fred sighed and looked down, while he was building up the courage to utter the manuscript he had gone over again and again for the past 6 months.

"After all we've been through, I can't believe that you left it like that."

"Do you really think I didn't give you a goodbye, because I didn't care?" Fred asked. That was not something he had prepared or rehearsed. Everything came from the depths of his heart.

"Because if I had told you, then we would've acted like one of was on the verge of death! You wouldn't have been focused on school and I didn't want to sabotage your career!" Fred shouted, his voice finally roaring out of him.

"It was too damn hard, Vi!" He added and looked at her. She was panting, but listening.

"I can't even begin to explain how much I've missed you. How much I've longed for you. My..." Fred stopped as he saw Viola's eyebrows rising.

"Knowing you were out there, and the way things was left between us... Do you even have the slightest idea how scared I was? If you had died out there and never knowing...!"

"Never knowing what?" She asked.

"That I love you!"  Fred finally yelled out. A huge weight was immediately lifted off his shoulders when he finally uttered the words to the person they were meant for. Viola parted her mouth slightly and took a step back.

"I love you. And I have for a long time."

"Why didn't you tell me before it was too late?" Viola asked, her voice shaking all of a sudden. Her words scared Fred to death.

"Too late?"

"It's too late, Fred." She said firmly, her voice still shaking a bit. "I'm not gonna run away again, but it's done. We're done."

Fred couldn't utter another word. Her words were like knives to his heart. And he had just confessed his love for her. Viola turned around l, but didn't walk away just yet.

"I loved you too, you know." She said quietly and then walked away. Back to the house. Fred couldn't move, he stood still in place where Viola had left him. Heartbroken and defeated.

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The next morning, Viola and Scott bid the Weasley's and Harry goodbye. They were going back to Grimmauld Place to live there together. Scott would come by and fetch his things from Fred and George one of the following days. Fred stood in the far back of the lot and Scott walked over to him first.

"Thank you for finding her." He said and reached out his hand. But Fred pulled Scott in for a brotherly hug. "Sorry I broke my promise to you, mate."

"All forgiven." Scott replied when he quickly returned the hug and went to bid the others goodbye. Fred's eyes wandered to Viola and something caught his attention. She was wearing the Weasley jumper, mum had made her. But it hung incredibly loose over her body. Knowing her body as well as he did, something was wrong. She was incredibly thin. The jumper hung loose over her shoulders and they briefly revealed her sharp collarbone. It was clearer than ever and the sight was disturbing. Mum had obviously noticed it as well, because she shoved a big bag of food in Scott's arms and instructed him to contact her if they needed more and that they were always welcome for dinner.

Viola turned to Fred and they stood a few feet apart. To his utter surprise, Viola snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him close. By pure instinct, Fred wrapped his arms around her tugged her tightly into him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered in his ear and Fred sighed. Too son, she pulled away. "I'm sorry too, Vi." Fred said and forced himself to sent her a little smile.

"Me too, Vi." George said as he had walked towards them reaching his arms out to get a hug as well. Viola gave him what he wanted and hugged him. "It's all good now." She said and pulled away from George. She looked up at both of them and then walked away to meet Scott by the door.

"And happy birthday." Fred yelled to Viola and she gave him a little smile and fiddled with the locket hanging from her neck. And then they were gone.

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This marks the end of the Halfblood Prince period.