10Basking in the sunshine, Larna breathed a sigh of relief that her owls were over. Finally, she could have a break from revision and think about other things; friends, boys... Just one boy. As if by magic - she laughed at her own joke - Fred trotted over to the tree Larna was under and sat down beside her.
'No George today then?,' she asked.
'No, he's too busy snogging the face off Angelina.'
Suits me fine, Larna thought. The conversation lapsed and a period of silence fell. It wasn't uncomfortable, just mutual.
'Do you..?,' Larna started after a while.
'How about..?,' Fred began, at the same time. The pair giggled, then Fred continued;
'How about we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks next weekend in Hogsmeade?,' he asked, adding nervously, 'Only if you want to, of course.' Larna smiled and gently brushed his ginger hair from his face.
'Do you know how long I've waited for you to ask?' He returned her smile and, lifting her hand from his face, held on tightly.
'Then it's a date.'
Walking down the stairs from the Ravenclaw common room, Larna brushed down her dress. 'Is it too much?' she thought. 'Will he notice?' She reached the bottom and caught sight of Fred's ginger locks, shining in the sunlight. She called his name softly, and he turned, stopping in his tracks as he caught sight of her, taking note of the longer lashes, plumper lips, curlier, silkier hair and more visible legs.
'You look... stunning!,' he gasped, and the corners of his mouth almost reached his ears. Smiling softly, she giggled.
'Thanks.' When she reached him, he took her arm in his and they began walking towards Filch.
'Shall we?' he whispered into her ear.
'Of course.' And so they began to cross the courtyard on their way to Hogsmeade.
This weekend in particular was gloriously beautiful, and both Fred and Larna thought it showed off each other's best features. In Larna's expert view, Fred's best feature was of course his long, soft, red hair; she was mesmerised by the way the sun's rays bounced off it into the air. She longed to touch it, to feel its silky smoothness in her fingers...
As she thought about this, Fred was also daydreaming. Her eyes, her perfect sapphirescent eyes. The way they lit up when she saw him, the way they twinkled when he told a joke, and the way they sparkled in the sun; that was something he could - and wanted - to get used to.
The pair spent the entire walk to Hogsmeade in this manner; neither of them saying a word, each enjoying the other's company. They occasionally shared a soft smile and both were glowing inside.
The spell was broken with the sound of footsteps behind them. Larna's heart dropped - who could be intruding in their peace? Larna glanced towards Fred, who hadn't heard the footsteps. Then she turned around and her worst fear was realised. Malfoy. Of course; who else would want to interrupt and spoil their happiness?
'Price and Weasley! That's one I never thought I'd hear,' he snarled.
'Leave us alone.' Fred's tone was serious, something Larna had never heard before.
'Isn't she a bit - well dressed - for you Weasley?' Draco continued in his arrogant, drawling voice. 'After all, you've never seen new clothes, have you?'
That was it. Something in Larna snapped, and she had to do something to defend the boy she loved.
'How dare you!' she shouted at him. In an instant she pulled out her wand and chose her hex - 'Fernunculus!'
Immediately Larna knew her spell had worked; she had cast it with such anger 'boiling' in her blood that within seconds Malfoy's once pale face was now covered in angry red blisters. Larna smiled contentedly and walked away with Fred, leaving Draco standing there in the middle of the road, shouting insults she couldn't hear.
'Thanks,' Fred said, looking at her with a mixture of awe and gratefulness. 'No one's ever defended me like that before.'
Larna giggled slightly and squeezed his hand tighter.
'Well I've never defended someone like that before, but... you're different. You're kind, and funny, and sweet, but most of all, you're mine.'
In that split second, Fred decided he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Larna; after her declaration, there was nowhere else he'd rather be than by her side. 'Best not tell her that yet though,' he thought, grinning to himself. 'We've not known each other long; it might freak her out a bit.' So instead he stopped in the road, outside Madame Puddifoot's, and gazed into her eyes.
'I love you,' he whispered, barely audible. But it was enough. Suddenly Larna knew she wanted this never to end; her lips were on his, and they kissed. Euphoria was dominant in both of them and then they let go, each looking at the other and dreaming, believing in their future. There were a few moments then, when Larna was unsure what should happen next. But as usual, Fred's sense of humour broke the ice. Gesturing towards the tea shop, he asked casually,
'Want a cuppa?,' and Larna burst into laughter.