Falling For

It was the day before the second task and I was sitting in the court yard, all rugged up to save myself from the cold breeze. I had a faux flame in the middle of the table, all by my lonesome due to the twins' invention time, the Gryffindor girls talking extensively about the lack of quidditch, and the Hufflepuff's inability to leave the castle. I didn't mind due to the fact that it was the first time in a while that I had been allowed to be alone. It was nice to be able to hear my own thoughts clearly and without the cheeky jolt of new friendships.

Skimming my eyes over a lovely, hand-written letter sent by my mother, I couldn't keep the irritated grin off of my face.

Mignon Fidere! Why on Merlin's frozen scalp did you not tell me of your boyfriend! I just got an OWL from your FATHER letting me know! I can't believe that you have told him before me because we all know that he get's so damn smug once he gets a hold of information like that!

It went on for a while like that before she finally scribbled her name down the bottom. Now, I hadn't told anyone in my family about my new acquisition, due to the fact that I had been a wreck the last time I had obtained a boyfriend from Hogwarts. The fact that my father had found out puzzled me, but not to the point that it seriously worried me.

My father worked in the Ministry of Magic. He was a part of the Wizengamont, second in command. It was his wish for me to follow in his footsteps, for him and I had about the same personality; both blank-faced and slightly inclined to humour which no one else understood. His wish for me to follow him up was shown when he sent me that Wizarding Law book for Christmas. I was never really one for his kind of conflict, and it always stung a little when the next book arrived.

My mother, however, was a novelist. She wrote red novels for the old bachelorette witches that have nothing better to do with their time. How her and my father got together is beyond me, but their marriage lasted until I was about five - so that really explains it.

Grimacing into the letter, I started to think of excuses for my lack of mother-daughter bonding. It had only been a few weeks since George and I had decided to make it official, and knowing my nosey old gal, she would want to meet and greet the poor lad until he grew sick of her teasings. I found no answers, staring blankly at the nicely penned letter with round eyes.

A warm body slipped down beside me and I looked up to see the face of my boyfriend - a small, hesitant smile on his face while he rubbed his hands together in his gloves. I brightened and let a very cheesy grin slide onto my face.

"Hey Min." He greeted. The voice that came out was not his, causing my face to burn red as I realised it was his brother. I inched away a little, nodding at him with a confused frown on my face. "What's up?"

"Just thinking." I smiled at him a little awkwardly, confused as to why Fred was there when it was not him I was dating. I was edgy, due to the fact that he had a look on his face that told me he wanted to ask me something. Fred never seemed to have a problem with anything, and the troubled gaze that he had set upon me left me worried. "Mum sent me an owl this morning and it was just a little weird is all."

"Yeah mum's always sending us letters not to blow up the school toilets and what not." He waved his hand dismissively in a manner that belonged to George. I was so curious as to what it would be like to be a twin. It looked so intricate and smart that I was absurdly jealous.

"Ah well, considering I spend far too much time studying rather than destroying lavatories, my mother doesn't feel the need." I put in gently with a touch of humour, looking back up at him. "I don't mean to be rude, but what do you want exactly?"

He wasn't even taken aback, leaning on the table casually to stare back at me. Every inch of his face was identical to his brothers and I could have sworn that they were the same person that time.

"I just wanted to know what's going on exactly between you and my brother." He said simply, so rehearsed and so easy that it made me scowl at him.

"What?"

"Well…"

"Fred, we've been seeing each other for at least two months now and you're only asking me this today?" A little close to livid, I leant back in my seat; horribly offended that he would doubt me at all. "I don't know what you're trying to put out there, but I really do like George."

"It was just a question." He replied, seeming a little hostile. I continued to scowl and edged further away from him. "He's my brother. I just want to make sure that you're not just going to get rid of him one day for no reason."

"Ah, is he going to say the exact same thing to Angelina then?" I snapped, horribly irritated by the whole concept. He blinked at me and sent me that frown again, like I had offended him.

"But we've known Angelina our whole schooling lives." He mumbled and shook his head. "It's different."

"Yes, of course it is; just because I'm a little Hufflepuff girl that doesn't bother to talk to people makes me a date-and-ditcher does it?" I huffed loudly, folding my arms.

"No, no I don't mean it like that." He started to back-track at the raise in my voice. "It's just… we know about Pucey is all, and it seems to be bothering him."

"Him as in Pucey or him as in George?" The light from the fire brightened at the dulling of my voice, lighting up his face with the ball of my sudden anger. Now it felt serious, as I was completely sure that no one really knew much about Pucey and I.

I had mentioned Pucey a while back to everyone when I introduced him as the big-headed Slytherin boy that held me up about my Cedric badge. I didn't go too far into our relationship because I was sure that no one really wanted to be thrown into such a thick plot right when they opened their eyes. But, as I mentioned, my response to his taunts was a little rigid and rude because of the previous emotions that we had both shattered with heavy footing the year prior.

In short, my Charms class was always filled with Slytherins and one thing led to another and I found myself wooed by the lure of a 'dangerous' boy. It was public for a while but after I started coming to terms with his horrible teasing of others, I ended it regardless of the fact that we did, in fact, like each other very much.

But feelings die.

"Him as in George." Fred continued, breaking me from my inner-monologue. I squinted and sighed, not really wanting to get into an argument with the brother of my lover. So I thought for a second, scanning the boys face before tugging my lips into a grimace.

"I don't know what you've heard about Pucey and I, but I want you to assure George that he and that prat are nothing alike; and the only way that George and I will be separating is if he does it first because I find nothing wrong with him at all. If you're going to judge me on the whole 'dating-a-Slytherin' thing, I suggest you look into the whole matter. Adrian is probably the only one on their quidditch team that hasn't attempted to kill anyone as of late and I'm sure the worst he's ever done is called someone the 'M' word, which is initially why I ended the relationship in the first place.

So," I continued, trying to free my voice of shakes, "if you want to know whether I'm going to get rid of your brother any time soon, the answer is no. Now before I tear shreds off you for being an utmost ponce, I'm going to have to go back to my dorm. Tell George I'll see him tonight." I scowled at him once more before extinguishing the flame and standing haughtily, quick-footing it out of there. He remained seated, in some sort of shock.

Fleeing down the hallway, I spotted my boyfriend pacing quickly towards me.

"Hey Min!" He said in that same uncharacteristic voice that I had confused him with before. I skidded to a stop and frowned at him, blood still boiling from my recent conversation. "Have you see George? He said he went to the bathroom and he never came back. Bloody prat's never done that before, figured he must be going to see you or something."

"What?" I could barely recognise his words. "Wha--... Weren't you just outside?"

"… No?" He reeled back at my words. "I've been in the common room for a while now."

I blinked.

"So, I was just talking to George?" I clarified with that same confusion written all over my face. Fred scoffed at me ridiculously.

"You're not a very good girlfriend if you can't tell us apart, Min." He laughed at me. "Of course you were. We're not that identical."

"Your voices." I nodded, piecing things together. "So you're Fred."

"The one and only." His voice fell stoic and he stared at me. "Wait, what's wrong?" His voice faltered in thought. I blinked again, shaking my head.

"Nothing major." Shakily, I slipped my wand into my pocket before letting out a very frustrated groan. He jumped a little in response. "I'm going to my dorms. I may see you tonight."

"Maybe." He nodded, watching my back as I began to walk again. Flexing my fingers in immediate anger at the sudden betrayal I had found myself wallowing in, I stormed back towards the kitchens to go find solace in my muddled pillow.