The Little Things

Elise stood in front of the home she’d grown up in. Her mother smiled. “Still as beautiful as it was before.”

Their home was modest. It was a two story country home with a beautiful garden. Elise stepped through the picket fence, and shivered. It was strange, not having the Delacours next door, but it was thrilling to be back at home. She ran inside the house, and went into the room that had been hers as a child. It was still the same familiar shade of light blue, and it still had the same white cotton curtains hanging. The wrought iron bed was awfully small, she thought.

“No problem, dear.” Mr. Seymour said. “Engorgio.” The bed got bigger, and finally it was as big as a king sized bed. He whisked away the grime and dust, and the room was clean. Elise started putting her things away. “Oh dear, I might remind you that the Weasleys have invited us for dinner.” He said. Elise grinned, but then stopped. Her parents didn’t know about her and Fred…

“Dad! Mum! I have something to tell you!” she yelled.

*~*~*~*

Georgine! It has been too long!” Mrs. Weasley said, throwing her arms at Mrs. Seymour. Mrs. Seymour returned the hug. “Ah, Molly, you are too right.” She said. Mr. Weasley was hugging Elise’s dad, and the rest of the Weasley clan was standing behind them. Elise stood there shyly; Bill and Charlie were there. She had always been shy around Bill as a child; she did remember sending him a valentine that turned out as a howler.

“Ah, and you remember my little Elise; she is not so little anymore!” Georgine said. Elise laughed nervously. “I see Percy, Fred, and George aren’t here?” she asked curiously. At the moment, Elise wanted to jab her finger into her mother’s side. Mrs. Weasley caught her breath. “Well, Percy has a new job at the ministry, he’s moved out to a flat closer.” She said. “Fred and George are upstairs getting ready.”

Robert Seymour let out a bark of laughter. “Well, I’d like to see the dashing fellow that’s dating my daughter.” Suddenly, two figures apparated right next to Mrs. Weasley. “Right here, sir.” Fred said, shaking his hand firmly. He winked at Elise.

Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes. “Oh, do you boys always have to apparate down?” she asked. Fred and George laughed. “Yes, otherwise the fun of apparating is gone.”

She sighed. “Well then, let’s go outside. Arthur, Bill, and Charlie have already set up the tables.” She said.

*~*~*~*

Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Seymour, and Mr. Seymour were talking at the end of the table. Elise was forced by her mother to be on her best behavior. Fred sat next to her, and under the table, they held hands.

Ginny smiled. “Took you long enough to move.” She joked. Elise rolled her eyes. “Oh, I know. My mum was having a hard time letting go of the place. She and Fleur’s mum spent the entire time crying. I must say though, I’m gonna miss Fleur being my neighbor.” She said.

Ron laughed. “You might be seeing her around though, Bill’s been going out with her for two weeks.” He said. Bill put down his napkin. “Ron, I’d like you not to share my love life with everyone round the table. I didn’t want mum to know yet; I don’t really want our parents to be fussing about when we’re not even official.” He snorted.

Charlie laughed too. “Oh, you just might make Elise jealous; remember that howler of a valentine she sent to you at Hogwarts?” Elise blushed and retreated into her seat while the rest of the Weasley children laughed. “Oh God, that was so funny! We were sitting down for breakfast when this tiny red envelope came. Bill opened it, and it screams ‘HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! LOVE-your neighbor Elise’ and it blows up with smoke shaped like a heart!”

Everyone around the table roared except Bill and Elise. “As embarrassing as it was, that was a good bit of magic for her to create at the age of six.” Bill added. Elise giggled. “Thank you, Bill. So you are seeing Fleur? What’s she doing in London?” she asked.

Bill flushed. “She’s working part time at Gringotts, to work on her English.” He said. Elise shook her head at that; Fleur spoke English fine to her, but that must be because Elise could see past her thick French accent. She shrugged. “Do you like her?” she asked teasingly. Bill turned red, almost as red as his hair.

“Well…uh. You see-she’s younger, but…um…alright, yeah I do.” He said hotly. His siblings burst out laughing. Bill looked at Fred. “Wouldn’t be talking Mr. I-had-a-secret-girlfriend-at-school-and-I-didn’t-tell-my-own-mum-and-dad-until-the-end-of-the-year!” he said, looking at Fred. Fred shut up.

*~*~*~*

“Delicious custard, Molly.” Georgine said, licking the spoon. She and Molly were eating dessert in the kitchen while Arthur and Robert were in the sitting room chatting about the ministry. “Fudge’s gone mad, I suppose. Still, it was a higher paying position than mine in France, so I took the opportunity.” Robert said. Arthur looked at him, pained.

“But Robert, after what happened last year, it was foolish to bring your family back in the country. Molly and I would’ve evacuated the whole family by now if we weren’t so big.” He said. “You must get Georgine and Elise out of the country before it’s too late.” He warned. Robert laughed. “Arthur, my good man, there is nothing to worry about.”

Fred was leading Elise upstairs. It was the only time they had actually been upstairs alone with him. They’d always had George in the room with them too. He brought her to the room she’d known as a child. She coughed. “It smells like smoke in here.” She said. Fred laughed. “You’ll find out why.”

And soon enough, they were kissing each other. It wasn’t out of need; it was their passion for one another. She felt his hands running through her hair. She pulled hers up and down his sides. They both sat down on the bed and kissed more intensely.

“Oi! Break it up!” Ron yelled. Both of them pulled apart, blushing. Bill, Charlie, George, Ron, and Ginny were standing in the room, laughing at them. Fred groaned. “Do you always feel the need to interrupt other peoples’ love lives?” he asked.

Ron nodded. “It’s a talent of mine.”