Traitor : Fred Weasley, Draco Malfoy & OC Fanfic

Chapter 1 - First Day Back

I could hardly contain how nervous I was. The day had finally come, I was starting my fifth year at Hogwarts. My trunk was packed and ready to go by the door but I couldn't stop staring at myself in mirror. I felt different than I had before the summer holidays, I looked different too. My skin had a subtle, even tan and my hair was longer & lighter than it's usual deep brown shade. Most likely from spending the majority of my summer outside with the Weasleys. I had always looked younger than my friends, but now I was growing in to myself and looking more like my mother everyday. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting the calm ripple over me and ease my nerves.

"Celeste! Are you ready?" My father called from downstairs. He would be seeing me off at King's Cross on his own this year as my mother was out of the country for work, sourcing new and rare materials for wand makers. I had always been close with my father so nothing felt out of the ordinary.

"Yes! One second" I called back, breaking from my own gaze in the mirror and going to collect my trunk. I hurried back to the mirror one last time to smooth down my skirt and readjust my jumper. I was as ready as I could ever be.

The bustle at King's Cross was overwhelming. London was always a busy place but our concealed Platform felt especially packed as hundreds of excited students tried to make their way on to one train at the same time. My father helped load my trunk and began to search for the friends I always sat with on the 1st September.

Though being sorted into Slytherin, I was particularly close with a family of Gryffindors, due to the close proximity our houses while we were growing up. The Burrow was a short 2 miles from our house and my parents had always been close with Molly & Arthur, having attended Hogwarts at the same time and aiding in the downfall of the Dark Lord during the first Wizarding War. I couldn't have been prouder to have parents who had stood up for others and gone against their families' views, despite being Slytherins themselves.

Of course I had friends in my own house but it was tradition that I sat with the Weasleys, just as I had done on my very first trip to Hogwarts. We always sat in a rather loud and lively compartment to ourselves, with some of the sibling's friends joining here and there. I had grown up not very close to my older brother, so welcomed the chaos of their big family.

This year I felt somewhat on edge about sitting with them. I tried to push it to the back of my mind but I knew why these butterflies suddenly filled my stomach. Some things had transpired over summer that I thought might change my relationship to the family, despite us trying to insist they wouldn't. As I saw fiery red hair and complimenting jumpers in the distance my throat suddenly became unbearably dry.

His face lit up as soon as he caught my eye and an instant sigh of relief escaped from my lips. He was happy to see me, this wasn't going to be weird. My father spotted them too and braced my shoulders, guiding me towards the family.

"Molly!" My father called, embracing the Weasley matriarch in a tight hug. They quickly became lost in their own conversation, leaving the rest of us to catch up. The other Weasleys crowded around me, saying hello and exchanging hugs, as if I hadn't seen them only a few short days ago.

"Long time no see" Fred teased, as he swung his arm around my shoulder and gave me a cheerful grin. This action raised no suspicion amongst the others as we were all like this. It wasn't strange for us to be this close, it's how it had always been. If you hadn't of known what happened between us, you wouldn't read into it much further.

Feeling my body ease, I let out a small laugh and smiled back up at him, getting lost in his hazel eyes for a moment, before my attention was drawn to someone staring at us a little further down the platform.

It was an icy haired boy I recognised as being in my house. We had never spoken directly to one another, despite having a few friends in common but it was only because it seemed like whenever he was around I became invisible. I had always been interrupted or dismissed entirely by him.

I stared back and it made him grow visibly uncomfortable. The boy quickly looked away, grabbing his things to embark on the train with fellow Slytherins.

Strange, I thought to myself, before snapping back into the conversation with the others. I noticed Fred's arm was still around me, and it appeared Ginny had too as she gave me a puzzled look. Hurriedly, I squirmed out of Fred's hold.

"Sorry I forgot you were there for a second" Fred laughed sheepishly, but I assured him everything was fine. I looked back at Ginny to see she was no longer peering at us, too busy in a frenzied conversation with Ron about something to do with Quidditch. I think we got away with it.

"Right on the train then kids!" Molly gestured towards the door and began to herd us on. I turned quickly to give my dad one last hug before attempting to climb the train steps myself.

Fred hung back behind the others, noticing that I was struggling and outstretched a large hand to help lift me on. As we approached the same level I forgot how much he towered over me, making my chest feel tight for a moment.

He winked at me, which lead to my own automatic eye roll, as we went to join the others.

How was I going to survive a year of this?