15HEY ALL! WELCOME BACK! Welcome to all you who've been following Blayne and Fred, and welcome to all of you newbies who are just joining us. It means a lot to me, guys. Thank you so much for all your continued support.
As always, typical disclaimers apply. Also, please don't hesitate to comment with requests or (gentle) critiques (I do have to worry about my poor ego, you know).
Ie: so I know Tonks is a little out of character for this part of the book (she's supposed to be really upset and mousy) but I just can't see Tonks being like that for so long and all the time. I think she had her moments, yes, but I think she was, of course, trying to put on a brave face at other times. Like these times.
Also what do you guys think about Verity? I know J.K. Rowling said that George ends up with Angelina, and I wanted to know if you appreciate the creative liberty or if I should evolve the story line!
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
I tilted my head up, the corner of my lip turned upwards as the sunlight bathed the street in golden heat. My body was warm where the rays touched my bare skin. It was a beautiful day. Fall was coming, and I was determined to make the most of the few summer days that we had left.
I was in Muggle London for the afternoon, picking up bits and pieces for the apartment. We needed a new set of dishes, as Fred and I had knocked down the drying rack one morning during an accidental but vigorous snogging session. We were out of bread, and milk… and chocolate. Because I was the only one that did shopping in the house. Of course. I had to buy some new panties, too, because mine seemed to be running away. I had serious suspicions about what Fred held in his nightstand.
But, you know, aside from a lot of shagging, Fred and I were actually trying to take it slow. We didn't want to mess it up like we did last time, and we thought that maybe if we avoided the huge commitment, crazy-romantic, 'our love will last a lifetime' thing than we might be better off. We had both grown a lot in our time apart, and we both now realized that we had had false and childishly naïve thoughts about how love and relationships worked. It was time to be more practical. So, yes. Slow.
That's not to say that I didn't sometimes wish he could do the gentlemanly thing and get the groceries every once in a while.
It didn't really surprise me when I came home and found Tonks in my kitchen, pacing back and forth and muttering to herself angrily. Her hands tore at her short locks, tugging them and ignoring their ever-changing colors. So, emotionally distraught sister who let herself into my house. Not a problem at all.
Trying not to pant from the trudge up the steep staircase, I dropped the bags by the door and shut it behind me. Tonks nearly jumped out of her skin and turned to me, her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Wotcher, Blayne! There you are. Where have you been?"
Right. So this was my fault. Of course.
"Had to run some errands. What's wrong Nymph?" I motioned for her to sit at the table and walked to the kettle, flicking some water into the pot with a swish of my wrist and turning the boiler on. "Tea?" She made a noncommittal noise in my direction. I shouldn't have even asked her. I was making her a cuppa anyways.
Tea, it solved everything.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" I looked over my shoulder to see her slump down in the chair, her eyes frantic. "Nothing's wrong, that's the problem!"
I had to actively stop myself from sighing. Only Tonks. Setting the mugs down on the table, I turned to my sister with a raised eyebrow. "Nothing's wrong? Care to explain yourself?"
"I'm going on a date tonight."
As if that solved everything. That's it. That was her explanation. I resisted the urge to rub my forehead in exasperation. I also resisted the urge to think about how that was a habit I had gotten from Fred. Because, you know, trying to take it slow and everything. Right.
The water started to boil, making little angry hissing sounds, so I grabbed the mugs and put tea bags in. "And that's a bad thing, why?" I kept my back to her, half-listening to her response and half-focused on dumping in just the right amount of sugar for her tea. I skipped the milk for hers and slipped more than enough into mine, smiling as I did so.
"Want a little tea with your milk and sugar, ey babe?"
I tuned back into Tonks' monologue at just the right moment, missing the part about clothes and something random about interracial children. "- and Remus just walked up to me, like I hadn't been trying to get him to ask me out for ages, and he's all, 'Tonks, might you want to go to dinner with me tonight?' Just like that. All perfect teeth and charmingly disarming smile, like he was trying to convince me! Like I haven't been hanging all over him for months and practically begging him to just take me-"
And okay, her impression might be a little lacking, but I think I could pick up the gist of what she was saying, and my hand stopped abruptly from where it had been mindlessly stirring the spoon in ym tea. "Woah there girl! I don't really want to think about you shagging some bloke! Wait, did you say Remus? As in Remus Lupin? As in," I had to set my cuppa down in order to better make flailing hand-motions, "my-former-DADA-teacher-Remus Lupin? As in slightly-furry-problem, twice-your-age, Sirius's-best-mate Remus Lupin?"
"Yes, the very same romantically challenged arsehead."
Should she look that proud/frustrated when confirming that her date for the night could be, out of context, classified as a masochistic pedophile?
Should I be worried that I nearly squealed with joy?
"Oh brilliant Nymph! I'm so happy for you two! You make a lovely couple." I grabbed my mug, one of the U-No-Poo ones from downstairs, and sat down next to her to kiss her on the cheek. "So what's the problem then?"
"Well, blimey, haven't you been listening, you numpty? First off, what the bloody hell am I supposed to wear? What does 'dinner' even mean? Fancy restaurant, or dinner at his house, or is that some sort of old-time euphemism for shagging, like 'playing Parcheesi'? By the way, what even is Parcheesi? Is that a Muggle thing? But then what it it's awkward, and we don't have anything to talk about? What if he talks about the war or his old friends, or what if he suddenly realizes that he's too old for me and just freaks the fuck out?" She was barely even stopping to breath. When she took a sip of her tea, she just barreled right through, drinking while talking. "What if he realizes just how bonkers I am and that I'm too messed up after… after June, and what if he just dumps me in the middle of it and never wants to talk to me again? That would be awfully awkward for Order meetings. And what do I even say to him when he figures out that I'm a nutter? 'I'm sorry, I should have made it more obvious?' How much more obviously mazed can I be? What if-"
"What if's will get you nowhere. Calm down and drink your tea." I took a sip of mine as if to illustrate the point. "Now, he wouldn't have asked you out if he didn't like you, nutter and all. So you can just stop that train of thought right now. And the age difference isn't that big of a deal; it's only a few years, and you're blowing it way out of proportion. You know that June had nothing to do with you, and it's natural to be upset about it. He understands that. He's seen enough death to understand that. And no, darling, 'dinner' means just that. Dinner."
I grabbed her cup and mine and went to go wash them out. When I turned around, Tonks had her head in her hands. "But that still doesn't answer the most important question!" she moaned into her palms, her voice muffled.
"And what is that?" I asked carefully, calmly. Not at all sarcastically. I secretly clapped myself on the back.
She let out a low groan of agony. "What am I going to wear?"
I couldn't help it. I burst into laughter, nearly tripping over myself and a chair while clutching at my stomach. It didn't take long for her to start laughing too. I mean really, it's true what they say. Laughter is infectious.
When we had calmed down enough, I told her to wear her dark blue jeans and that cute black top that she sometimes wore to special events, like Harry's birthday party. She got really enthusiastic and mentioned something about a jean jacket, and with a kiss on my forehead and an exclamation about how wicked I was, she was out the door. I shouted 'good luck' through the wood.
I wasn't surprised when she bounded through my door two days later and shouted at the top of her lungs about the wonders of werewolf stamina.
Not surprised does not mean I wanted to hear about my former teacher and one of my favorite old men shagging my sister. No. So I shoved my fingers in my ear, told her I was happy for the two of them, and shoved her out of the flat two minutes later.
A week later it was time for Harry and the others to go back to Hogwarts. I wrote and formalized my letter to Dumbledore saying that I would not be returning to school that year, and sent it without regret. Dumbledore knew I wouldn't go back, because I had told him almost immediately after I had made the decision, but it was still a procedure I had to go through in order to legally have left school.
I wasn't concerned about it. I knew I was making the best choice for myself. My parents just didn't agree. And you know… Fred.
Fred and I actually got into a minor disagreement/borderline argument about it one night over takeout from a Muggle pizza restaurant. Fred didn't want me to leave, but he also wanted me to 'stay true to myself' and 'get the education I always dreamed of' and 'make something of myself' and some shit about 'not selling myself short'.
What he didn't get was that I was doing what I wanted. For the first time in my life, I was taking things into my own hands and living the life I wanted to live. I had a purpose now, a goal greater than getting an A on my History of Magic paper. I was a part of something bigger. The Order made me feel needed and important far more than Charms ever could.
Fred seemed to understand after I explained to him. And although he was still a little worried that I was giving up because I was afraid, or because of the war, or because of him, he never brought it up again. Besides little hidden looks or that glint he got in his eye sometimes, you would have never known. He seemed to understand that right now I needed someone to support me.
So it was all and our Orderly duty that brought us to King's Cross Station on the first of September, sixth year Golden Trio and fifth year Ginny in tow. As part of the Order brigade, the twins and I were 'protecting' them on their way to the train. Verity, as a non-official member and more of an Order aid, was not there and was instead manning the shop.
Fleur had been at the Burrow when we picked them up, unfortunately. Tonks wasn't with us, doubly unfortunately. Of course Phlegm had spent extra attention to the twins, fawning over them and brushing them with her hand just enough to make me jealous and the twins uncomfortable. Uncomfortably aroused or uncomfortably bad-touched I couldn't decipher, but either way it made me want to rip her shiny white eyeballs out of her head and grind them into pig shite.
I balled my hands in fists when she kissed Fred on the cheek, her lips lingering longer than necessary. I had to repeat 'be the better woman' on a soundtrack in my head to keep from tearing out her shiny blonde hair. Fred just flicked my nose and told me I was cute when I was jealous. Stupid bastard.
Molly had looked on fondly and hugged me a little longer than usual. Obviously she approved. That was enough to rid me of my bad mood and cheerfully see the little group off. The whole program had become much more strict and sterilized because of the ever-present danger, and it was putting a damper on everyone's moods, so I tried to at least be as upbeat as I could for them.
Ginny hugged me and then petulantly folded her arms across her developing chest. She was upset that I wasn't going back to Hogwarts. "What will I do without you?" she had cried when I told her. "Who will listen to all my drama and kick boys' arses for me?" Now, she just kissed me on the cheek and made me promise to write her at least once a week. I told her she would be fine and made her promise to tell me the name and address of any bloke who pissed her off.
I told Harry, Ron, and Hermione to try and be careful this year. I wished them luck, because I knew they would need it, and made them promise to owl me if they needed anything. I hugged each of them and told them how proud I was of them. "If any of you get your stupid arse's killed, I'm going to bloody murder you! And yes, I realize that, thank you Ron. I just… take care of yourselves, yeah? I need you three in one piece so you can teach my bloody kids to stand up for themselves."
Then they were gone. I found myself getting a little teary-eyed and crossed my arms again, cursing my female hormones.
About two weeks into September, on a nippy and windy Wednesday night, Tonks, Bill, and I were patrolling for the Order on the outskirts of Diagon Alley. I bundled my jacket closer to me, lifting my wand a little higher, as Tonks droned on about how lovely Lupin was. At least he seemed to be lifting her spirits lately. I much preferred dopey-eyed Nymphadora to depressed-eyed Tonks.
Said love-struck eyes bemoaned to me how utterly perfect her 'we're-not-labeling-it-but-we-really-are-dating' boyfriend was. "He took me to a picnic. A picnic! In a park! And then, the next morning when I left his house, I found a note in my pocket. Of course. He said, 'Had a wonderful time. Lovely to see you out of work. You are truly gorgeous.' I mean, how can I compete with that?"
I didn't even notice that I had involuntarily smiled at her ridiculousness. I was about to respond when Bill launched into a long tirade about Fleur's eyebrows. I rolled my eyes at the two of them and did a quick sweep of the area to avoid their near-sickening theatrics. Tonks and Lupin I could handle. Phlegm and Bill I could not. If you asked me, he deserved so much better.
When I got back, Bill was in the middle of detailing every meal Fleur had ever made him. My sister looked like she had starting zoning out to Lupin-land, and he latched onto my arrival with zeal. "Blayne! Do you think you could help my darling angel pick out napkins for the wedding? She's getting so upset about it. It would be wicked if you could help her out and take some of her stress away. She's starting to talk about it when I'm licking-"
"Woah! Thank you very much Bill, but I'd rather not have to bleach my brain this evening. I'll see if I have any free time. You know, with the shop and-"
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
I sucked in my breath and lifted my wand, adjusting my stance to prepare for the threat. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Tonks drop down to her fighting stance and Bill clutch his wand tighter. I scanned the darkness anxiously for any movement. A beat later, two billowing figures appeared out of the inky night with sneers on their faces. They were tall, taller than me but at least a head, and their ornate silver masks hid their identity. Death Eaters. Great.
It became apparent that these Death Eaters were both men, because they didn't waste any time with idle chitchat or attempts at snide threats. I narrowly avoided a cruciatus curse and parried with my own disarming spell, hitting too high. I hissed as a cutting curse scratched deep into my eyebrow and heard Bill groan beside me. I adjusted my feet and shouted out a blasting curse.
The battle was short and the two crawled away nursing broken bones. I groaned, irritated, and slowly rose from the ground, dusting off my butt as I went. We quickly did an injury inventory- Tonks had a broken nose and a burn on her left leg (she complained more about the singe on her trousers than anything), Bill's cheek had a bloody gash on it, and my eyebrow and arm were cut up pretty bad. I could practically feel the bruise blossoming on my tailbone.
We patrolled more vigorously for the rest of our patrol, which thankfully was only about another hour. Bodies aching and exhausted, we reported back to Dumbledore via the fireplace at Bill's flat, and then went our separate ways with promises to meet up for tea time in the afternoon.
When I finally stumbled through the bedroom door, I found Fred laying in bed reading some giant mystery thriller novel. And he was wearing reading glasses. I flopped onto the bed, groaning. It was nearly three in the morning, and I was way too tired to get aroused by that. When I looked up, Fred was looking at me over the tops of his glasses. I groaned again and sat up to cuddle into his side.
He put his book away and curled an arm around me, surrounding me in comforting heat. "Hey baby. You okay? What happened?" He kissed the top of my head and I mumbled something about Death Eaters and bloody gits and bone-crushing exhaustion. I felt, more than heard, his chuckle; it reverberated through my skull and made my back bounce against his chest. He gently pushed me away and leaned to his nightstand to pull out a healing ointment that we were trying out for the shop.
Gently, his fingers feeling like heaven, he rubbed the cooling cream into my cuts. The second of pain was definitely worth it when the blissful freshness kicked in. When he finished with my arm, he gently brushed his index finger over my split eyebrow and softly kissed it. I smiled drowsily.
He undressed me slowly, and I would have said something grouchy about being treated like a china doll but I was so tired that I didn't have enough energy to complain. When he found the developing, ugly blue bruise on my lower back, he gritted his teeth. I smiled around the sound. Protectiveness was coming off of him in waves. He rubbed the cream into my skin and I moaned around the sensation. The sensitivity sent shock waves up through my body and made me shiver.
Fred shucked his clothes and slid into bed beside me, pulling the covers up over us. Slowly, he touched his lips to mine, a kiss that was little more than sharing each other's breath. His nose brushed against my cheek, his tongue licked at the roof of my mouth, and his hands slid sensuously up and down my sides.
He shook me apart with his fingers and rebuilt me with his kisses, his touch a tender burning against my skin. He was a warm and comforting weight atop me, so sweet it was almost dream-like.
Afterwards, I fell asleep in his arms and he kissed the top of my head. He murmured random tidbits about his day and complained about Fleur. I slid into unconsciousness with a bruised body but a healed soul.
You put on your armour
You put up defenses
What are you on to?
Cause I'm here to protect you
So take it easy
I make it so easy
You can lay your head down
And we'll leave it 'til tomorrow
-Armour Love by La Roux
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