Fred Weasley was never supposed to get under her skin. He was loud where Effie Whitcombe was quiet. Reckless where she was careful. Chaotic in all the ways she spent years trying not to be. At Hogwarts, they learned how to argue before they learned how to understand each other. What started as irritation slowly became something far more complicated...hidden somewhere between unfinished conversations, years of nevers, and the strange aftermath of surviving a war that left neither of them entirely untouched. Some people find their way into your life slowly. Others are there before you realize you've been looking for them. A slow burn enemies(ish)-to-lovers Fred Weasley x OC story spanning from Hogwarts to after the war. Some distances are impossible to keep.

Harry goes to Hogwarts one last time, but the war has changed him. He doesn't have to be forced to do work, doesn't really eat or talk to anyone, and is always on edge. Everyone thinks he should be happy, but the thoughts that intrude his mind tell him otherwise. He and some other students are plagued with nightmares, but Headmistress McGonagall has a solution. She also puts all eighth years in one dorm. Will Ron and Hermione be able to figure out what's wrong with Harry, or will he confide in someone else?

Harry returns to Hogwarts after defeating the Dark Lord just to have to fight again. Only this time it's a fight against heritage, instinct, and nature. Who will win?