Chapter Text
The last week of August was filled with eternal anticipation as Y/N sat on the edge of her bed waiting each day for her owl to arrive with a piece of parchment filled with a list of supplies to purchase from Diagon Alley. A plethora of reasons for her excitement awaited Y/N at Hogwarts ranging from new classes, seeing her friends, and the idea of seeing her boyfriend, Elias Wilkins, for the first time in three months. On the second to last day of break, her owl Cheeks had arrived with a scroll and letter bundled up between her talons. With the utmost elation, Y/N rushed over to greet Cheeks and grab the gifts. Her hands automatically open the scroll and she glances over her new schedule in addition to the list of supplies, however, her mind wanders to who the sender of the letter could be. In a cautious manner, her fingers flip the letter over to reveal the family name "Weasley" in bold. She smiles assuming her friends Ron or Ginny must have sent the letter. Quickly, she tears the letter open and begins reading.
"Dear Y/N,
I hope this letter finds you well and that you had a great summer. Mum told us that someone should let you know that Harry and Hermione are meeting up with us tomorrow to buy school supplies. We were wondering if you'd like to come as well. If you are then floo to our house by tonight. See you whether it's tonight or at school.
From,
Fred"
The name Fred Weasley repeated in her head like an enchantment. Out of all the people she knows, Fred sent her a letter? Not once this summer had Elias, her very own boyfriend written to her and instead one of her best friend's older brother decided to write to her. Before continuing her spiraling thoughts as to why her boyfriend hadn't written her all summer long, she questioned why Ron or Ginny didn't write the information to her instead. Despite her brain being in a conflict, her smile betrays her feelings and Y/N snatches a quill along with a parchment. She begins drafting her response for Fred saying that she'll see indeed see him tonight. She folds the parchment carefully into an envelope and secures it shut whilst writing her name in cursive slowly on the back of the envelope. She walks over to Cheeks and tights it to her talons. "Give this to the Weasleys..." Y/N sighs and says in a lower voice with a hint of happiness gleaming in her voice, "Well, specifically Fred." With that being said, Cheeks flies away into the blaring sun of August leaving Y/N alone to herself as her parents run errands.
Two hours pass and the clock strikes five pm. Her parents arrive home from the supermarket and Y/N who had originally thrown a pair of jeans as well as a buttoned up shirt she bought from a muggle store named Brandy Melville decided to saunter downstairs. She struggled to carry her trunk filled with her robes, clothes, and essentials. Most importantly, her wand remained in her back pocket. As soon as she made eye contact with both her parents they realized the inevitable and summerly goodbye. The only con of Hogwarts other than the danger that Harry Potter presents every year due to his relation to You-Know-Who is not being able to see family members for months. Between hugs being embraced and tears streaming, Y/N explains that she will be heading to the Weasley's to then go shopping for supplies tomorrow. After accepting fate, her parents let go of her hands and she steps into the fireplace with her trunk in one hand. In one swift motion, she throws the powder and confidently says "The Weasley's House!"
In a split second she sensed the warm aroma of the fields that the Burrow resided in. In the next second, she steps out of the fireplace and is welcomed by the warm arms of Ginny Weasley. A smile plastered across Ginny's face converts into an exclamation, "Y/N!" Unsurprisingly, Molly Weasley enters the living room. "Y/N, dear, I'm so glad you could make it." She rushes over and gives her a hug. "I'm going to go prepare dinner quickly." She hurriedly rushes off into the kitchen and Ginny screams facing the stairs, "Ron, come down, Y/N's here!" Ron rushes down the stairs and into the living room to greet her. "Blimey, you came!" As a response Y/N nods, "Couldn't miss out on seeing you lot before classes begin." He chuckles and comments "Not much to miss out on when 'Mione's pestering around." She lightly nudges him "Don't bad mouth her like that!"
Arthur Weasley opens the door arriving home from work. He glances over at Y/N and smiles. "Glad to see you Y/N, any new muggle inventions I must know?" She ponders. "Erm...nothing new that I can think of. All the same so far. How is work going?" He grows excited "Very good! We recently disco-" Molly shouts from the kitchen "Arthur, don't bother her with your obsession on muggle objects!" Arthur sighs with a defeated a smile "I'll leave you all alone. I'll be in the kitchen with Molly." Collectively, Ron, Ginny, and Y/N nod. Y/N takes a plop on the comfortable sofa to which Ron and Ginny follow her lead. Y/N proposes the question "And where is Fr- the twins?" Ron shrugs "I dunno. Probably some prank." Ginny shakes her head no. "They're both in their room but Fred's taking some extra time getting ready." She giggles as she adds emphasis onto the word extra. This intrigues Y/N leading her to ask "Is that so? Why extra?" Ginny giggles even harder. "Well you know, he has to look good, obviously. But also the fact that he's ner-"
Ginny's speech is interrupted by someone clearing his throat trailed by two pairs of quickened footsteps. The voice then forms a sentence. "That's enough Ginny! You can scram now." She scoffs, rolls her eyes, and remains seated in act of defiance. Two pairs of bodies reveal themselves. Both pairs of eyes scan the room, however, one set of eyes linger on Y/N. George Weasley waves and smiles in a friendly manner "Happy to see you made it in one piece to our humble abode!" Y/N laughs while George elbows the boy next to him to speak up. The tall red-headed and unusually nonchalant boy opens his mouth "Hey Y/N."
In Y/N's peripheral vision she sees Ginny palm her face. Y/N nods at him, "Hey Fred." Molly once again calls out from the kitchen "Dinner's ready!" Within a heartbeat, Y/N rushes over to the dinner table while the Weasley siblings stay behind a bit. Ron whispers to Fred, "Why are you so...like this, mate?" Ginny scoffs. "It's obvious, he fancies her." Fred's eyes widen and places his hand over her mouth. "Never mention that again. And I do not! If you say another word Ginny I swear I will hex y-" Molly shouts again. "I said dinner is ready!" They quickly scurry to grab a seat at the table.
With Arthur, Molly, and Y/N already seated, the siblings grab seats with no mercy. Fred reacted the slowest as he was still shaken by Ginny's accusations. To his greatest fear, the only seat left was the one next to Y/N and so he hesitantly walked over and sat down. With butterflies fluttering fighting against his anxiety bubbling in his acidic stomach, he faced Y/N for a mere second to catch a glimpse of what he hadn't seen for three months. She felt his eyes and sent a smile his way. That entire action sent him into a repeating question turmoiling in his head: "How will I be able to survive this upcoming school year?" And so the Weasleys as well with Y/N ate while they conversed and most importantly, the teenagers faced their innermost worries for the first school day. Y/N's deep in thought about how it'll be to see her boyfriend for the first time in months tomorrow and much to Fred's dismay although he does not acknowledge the fact that his mind practically belongs to Y/N.
A simple "Hey" would never suffice to break the ice; for their friendship has been in hibernation since the final day of school last June. With an eagerly disguised glance, Fred watches her look at her food as she eats. As he gulps his food down with a strong effort in attempt to ignore her suffocating perfume flooding the room, Molly begins her interrogation.
"Y/N, dear, how's your boyfriend? You haven't spoken much about him to us yet."
Fred can't help but notice the minuscule smile lingering on her face. "Good, I presume. We haven't really spoken much all summer."
Fred's face lights up and with no control over his impulsivity he questions, "And why's that?" She shrugs. "Oh, I'm not sure. Just haven't gotten a chance to write each other letters." His only answer being a nod restrains him from blurting out that he's been busy all summer yet he found a pocket of time to write her. His thoughts regarding Y/N have been conflicting ones lately and he's not entirely sure why. It's a continuous battle in his mind where he's consistently convincing himself his feelings are an illusion due to her being attractive however George opposes this idea and claims he's in a stage of denial. He likes to say otherwise.
Y/N turns to him with a radiant smile like always. "And you Fred? Any luck with girls?" George snorts at the question. "Closest he'll ever get to one is Mum." Fred rolls his eyes, "Shove it George." She lightly giggles but looks at him with expectancy in her eyes as if she doesn't believe him. He shakes his head no. "Nah, just waiting for the right one, I guess." She hums as if in approval yet continues while the rest of the dinner table talks amongst themselves, "I'm surprised." His eyebrows raise. "How come?" She shrugs, "Dunno, just shocked you haven't had a girlfriend yet." He chuckles whilst sarcastically questioning her answer, "Are you saying I'm attractive?" A tint of pink flushes across her cheeks. "You know what I mean Fred." He leans slightly forward, "No, I don't, enlighten me Y/N." She sighs as if collecting her words. "You're very authentic, that's all." Authentic. The word echoes in Fred's head as if it were a broken vinyl on repeat. Never in his life would he have guessed Y/N would describe him as authentic. Especially when his most recent interactions with her have been all but authentic.
Once Molly begins collecting everyone's plates, they all leave the table and rush off to their designated bedrooms. Fred sees Y/N go off with Hermione and Ginny as if they were a school of fish always headed in the same direction. George and Fred walk behind while Harry and Ron follow their trail. Ginny opens her bedroom door to allow Hermione and Y/N in right as Fred says "Goodnight ladies." The three of them saying goodnight but the one voice that singles them out is Y/N's with a straightforward "Goodnight Fred." He walks into his bedroom shared with George with a smile on his face while Harry and Ron plop onto their beds. Harry sighs yet there's content in his voice, "I can't believe we start classes in two days." Ron adds on, "I know." Fred hums, "Do you two know how Elias Wilkins is?" Ron ponders out loud. "Uhhhh, House Ravenclaw. He's a bit snobby. Stacked on money too." Fred nods and distaste drips down his throat. Harry thinks as well "He's in my divinations class. Professor Trelawney claims he has a grim future." Fred scoffs and mutters under his breath, "Yea, grim if he stays with her." George sits on his bed questioning what Fred said. "What'd you say mate?" Fred shakes his head in slight embarrassment. "Nothing."
Within two grand steps Fred faces his drawer and pulls out his pajamas as the others talk in the background. He murmurs to himself, "Elias Wilkins." As he's taking my shirt off, he sharply turns his head around to look at his brothers, well, including Harry according to the Weasleys. "Quick warning, I'm about to change into my jammies. You lot can look or not, I don't really care." They shrug and continue talking as he changes followed by his stroll towards his bed. He tucks himself underneath his quilt as the others do the same. A string of goodnights are said and the lights go out.
The moonlight spills past the curtains and onto the wood floor. Fred stares at the blank ceiling as his arms are crossed over his chest. The breeze whispers through the tall grass outside as his heart silently hums to the giggles that escape her mouth echoing through the hall. Her laughter is a constant reminder of her existence that he'll never be able to contain, let alone share with the infamous Elias Wilkins. Every second Fred looks into her eyes he prays that his attraction is ephemeral and is experiencing a common teenage boy hormonal crisis.
A singular glance out the window presenting the vibrant hues of green on the tree unable to blend with the dark sky consuming everything is the only answer Fred needs. At the end of the day, when the sun sets, the Earth unveils its true colors; he is in constant need of standing out in a crowd because he doesn't have anything truly going for him while Y/N is the form of joy itself. Regardless of his feelings, Fred believes he should never pursue her because he'd be stripping her of the opportunities to blossom while he'll expand yet remain static. With a final flutter of shutting his eyes, the void in which he sees past his eyelids carry the final statement that she'll be better off with Elias compared to him.