Serpentine ; Fred Weasley

Thirteen

The air was comfortable as we stepped outside.

The sun was out, shining down on us and I could hear a bird in the distance.

I had been forced outside, Fred insisting that he, George and Lee had something that could help with the current anger I felt.

"Where are we going?" I asked for the fifth time, my hands pushed into my pockets.

"The Quidditch pitch." Fred grinned, slowing down so that he could walk next to me.

"Wha— no." I shook my head and tried to turn back but Fred grabbed onto my wrist and started dragging me with him while George and Lee watched the interaction. "I am not going to spend the afternoon on the Quidditch team with two beaters and a fucking commentator!"

"Oi!" Lee exclaimed. "Don't say that like it's a bad thing! I enjoy commenting on the games!"

I glared at him, then at Fred who just wouldn't let go of my wrist no matter how hard I fought back.

"You don't even know what we're doing on the pitch." George said as I tried slapping Fred's hand to get him to let go.

"Probably something Quidditch related." I laughed through the panic. "Let go of me Fred!"

He looked at his friend and brother a certain way and they set up the pace while Fred stopped, turning towards me, his hand still holding my wrist.

"Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Do you?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at me.

I sighed and looked back at the castle, then at him again.

"My boyfriend cheated on me and you're going to drag me down to the pitch where probably the entire team is?" I asked. "I'm not in the mood for this! I'm gonna go and I'm gonna sneak into the kitchen, get some ice cream and cry my fucking eyes out because that's what I feel like doing."

I went to turn around but he didn't let go of my wrist and I looked at him with a warning in my eyes.

"Sneaking into the kitchen this time a day is a bad idea." He said. "But I can get you ice cream."

I stared at him without saying anything.

"What's your favourite flavour?" He asked.

"I... the raspberry sorbet is pretty good." I said. "I've loved it since I was a child."

Fred smiled.

"I'll meet you in our spot in fifteen minutes."

He walked off towards the castle and I looked after him before I looked towards the pitch.

I didn't want to go down there but abandoning his brother and his friends?

After I stood there for a moment, looking dumb, I walked back inside and up to the Serpentine corridor where I waited for him in the cupboard.

He did end up showing up after ten minutes of when I got there, smiling at me while carrying a tub of ice cream and two spoons.

"You know, you don't have to spend time with me just because I got cheated on." I said as he slid down to sit next to me, removing the lid from the tub.

"I want to." He handed me a spoon. "I hope you don't mind sharing."

"I don't." I said softly, eating a spoonful of ice cream while leaning my head back against the wall. "You've had sex with Martha, haven't you?"

Fred chuckled against the spoon, nodding.

"I have. Why?"

"Was she good?" I asked, causing him to freeze and turn his head to look at me. "I need to know if she's good. I mean... obviously she is since everyone wants to fuck her, including my own boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend is shit." He said. "He doesn't deserve you."

I closed my eyes as they teared up.

"Who does deserve me then?" I asked. "I've spent a year with that arsehole. He was my best friend and we started our relationship on a fucking lie. He said he liked me, that he wanted to be with me but after a few weeks, he already jumped into bed with the other person in our friend group!"

Fred listened to me rant and I started crying, not being able to hold it back anymore.

"He's the only one who's ever wanted me." I sobbed. "Everyone wants Martha. Even my fucking brother. I don't even care that she fucked my brother and I absolutely love that she feels comfortable enough to have random sex, but my boyfriend?!"

I ate some more ice cream while Fred looked at me.

"I mean... I've wanted to fuck you for a while." He said. "But I didn't want to make a move knowing you had a boyfriend so what you think isn't true. A lot of guys would want you."

I turned my head to look at him before I rested my head on his shoulder.

"You didn't need my help studying these past weeks, did you?" I asked. "It was just an excuse to spend time with me..."

Fred chuckled.

"Yeah..." he said. "Well, I did need help. I didn't want it because I don't give two shits about school, but I do need it."

I ate another spoonful of ice cream, the tears silently rolling down my cheeks.

"Hey—" Fred nudged me with his elbow. "...I'm here if you ever need comfort sex. I'm great at aftercare."

***

"Kai, c'mon."

I ignored Martha as I got dressed the very next morning.

"Please talk to me." She begged. "I didn't know you were together. If I knew, I wouldn't have done it."

You still never told me.

I pulled my jumper over my shirt, then grabbed my robes and put them on.

"Kai?" Angelina showed up in the doorway after having left the room a few minutes ago. "Walk with me to the Great Hall? I need to have a word with you."

I looked at her, confused but decided I'd rather talk to Angelina right now than Martha, even if Angelina and I never really got along.

I pocketed my wand before following her out of the dorm.

"You're welcome." She said with a small smile as we walked down the hallway. "I just helped you out of a very aggravating conversation."

I looked at her.

"What're you up to?"

"What I'm up to?" she frowned and looked at me, our eyes meeting for a short second. "Godric's sake, Kai Brooks. Can't I just be nice to be nice? I know Larch cheated on you and I know he did it with Martha. You need a friend and if your best friend can't be that, your other roommates can."

At the end of the stairs, Alicia and Katie waited.

"Hey!" Alicia smiled when she saw us, her eyes focused on me. "You okay?"

"Uh... yeah."

This was weird. I had never really been on the nice side of their friend group.

Angelina and I had been competing against each other in everything since we were eleven and now she and her friends were all being nice towards me.

"Good." Alicia smiled. "You can sit with us for breakfast. You've already grown quite close with Fred so I know he and the boys won't mind."

I inhaled sharply.

What the hell was happening?