With Stars in Their Eyes

"It's just Valentine's Day," I smiled with a small shrug. "Not a big deal."

"But you deserve to go on a real date! You must be getting bored of being out all night in the towers." Fred reasoned.

I shook my head, "We go other places."

"Not outside of the castle."

I pursed my lips together, unsure of how to respond. Even though I tried desperately to avoid the topic, Fred was persistent on wanting to come forth with our relationship. The secret smiles and adrenaline was fun at first, but constantly looking over our shoulders grew tiresome fast; I could hardly blame him.

"You're embarrassed of me." Fred sighed.

His words swam through my ears because he said the same thing half a dozen times before. If only it were that simple.

If only I didn't have other purebloods breathing down my neck, and the eerie feeling my brother's ever present eye was somehow watching me even from so far away. Fred thought I was exaggerating when I said Niko would kill him if he ever found out about us.

If only that were true.

Fred read me like a book, and before I could respond, he cupped my face in his hands and stared at me with wide eyes. "One day, Sophie, please." Fred begged. "I'll meet you at Honeydukes, we'll get sweets and then sneak off… maybe to some table in the way back at the Three Broomstick's — okay, fine the Hog's Head."

His hopeful eyes were more than enough to convince me, but he snuck in a kiss for good measure.

"Alright," I finally smiled. "It's a date."


The next day, Fred and I snuck peeks at one another over eggs and goblets of pumpkin juice. The Gryffindor and Slytherin table never seemed farther apart.

I was chewing on a blueberry muffin, trying my hardest not to laugh at the strange faces Fred kept flashing at me, when owls swooped in and letters began to fall like rain.

A clean white piece of folded parchment landed next to my plate. I noticed the Travers seal pressed with wax and immediately picked up the letter:

Sophia,
I've ordered a package from Honeydukes for a girl I'm seeing, but I can't make it by to pick it up. Could you stop this afternoon and owl it to me? I'd appreciate it.
Mum and Dad send their best.
- Nikolai

A letter from Nikolai with no trace of Caelum's name. Maybe he was finally getting the hint! In any case, I was happy to retrieve the box of sweets for the poor girl my brother was trying to woo.

I decided to leave earlier than Fred and I planned so I could get the package. He was busy amusing his Gryffindor chums when I slipped out of the Great Hall.

The walk to Hogsmeade was shorter than usual because I felt as if I were floating on air. Fred and I had a real date. In all my years, I never went on an actual date with someone I was looking forward to spending time with. It might be, Merlin forbid, fun.

The little bells above the doors of Honeydukes chimed as I walked through with a big smile on my face. I wandered through the crowd and to the register when the bubble I was floating on popped.

"Sophia!"

The wind left my lungs, and the smile was slapped off of my face. The last person I wanted to see just minutes before my date with Fred was standing in front of me, armed with roses and chocolates.

"Caelum…" I choked out a smile. "Hello."

"You look lovely," He smirked, his eyes running up and down my sheer tights and flowery dress. "Did Niko give away the surprise?"

Damn.

I should have realized it was a trick. My brother never went out of his way to impress a girl.

"No, no… He, uh, he fooled me." I laughed breathily.

Caelum chuckled, his stormy grey eyes never leaving mine. "Well, these are for you." He handed me the flowers and chocolates before I could protest. "And I've got a table over at Madam Puddifoot's reserved. Be my date?"

Before I could respond, the little bells chimed once more and a small group of students trickled in. Cassius and his friends were first, the whole lot laughing sinisterly for some terrible, I'm sure, reason. Once inside, Cassius and Caelum exchanged a friendly tilt of the head. Next were a few Hufflepuffs with bright scarves wrapped around their necks, followed by the three Chasers from the Gryffindor Quidditch team and the snarky yet likeable commentator with dreadlocks… and lastly, Fred and George.

"Um…"

My voice trailed off as my eyes wandered towards Fred. With angry eyes, he was looking back and forth from me and Caelum, and the giant bouquet of roses and chocolates between us. I never told Fred about Caelum, but then again, I never imagined him coming all this way for a date with a silly schoolgirl like me.

"Come on, Sophia, I came all this way." Caelum insisted with persistent eyes.

As if he already knew my answer and refused to accept it, he tangled his arm with my own and began to drag me out of the shop. Unable to stop myself, I glanced over my shoulder at Fred. He was staring back with the angriest face I'd ever seen him make, and there was nothing I could do.

Caelum tugged me along to Madam Puddifoot's. Even from the outside looking in, it seemed terrifying. The entire shop looked like cupid went around spewing lacy doilies and pink glitter on all of the furnishings.

After pulling out my chair and gently shoving me into my seat, Caelum took his own place across from me. Our table was right in the middle of the room, and I felt as if there was literally no escape.

"It's so great seeing you again," Caelum grinned toothily. Why did his smiles always look so menacing? "I was really excited when your brother came up with the plan to surprise you."

"How clever of him," I replied as kindly as I could, "and it is so nice of you to come out to see me."

"It's my pleasure," Caelum assured me. "I wanted to spend Valentine's Day with my future bride." The word made me shiver, and Caelum frowned. "Is it too cold in here?"

"No," I smiled, "it was just a chill."

As if on cue, the door swung open and let in a burst of chilly air. I turned my head, praying for some sort of miracle to rescue me. Instead, I was sent a fiery vengeance.

Fred's eye shot daggers at Caelum, and he wouldn't even look at me. The rest of his group walked over to a table in the back, laughing all the while at some inside joke.

Caelum frowned bitterly at them and then looked at me. "I'm sorry," He apologized, "I was hoping this would be a quiet date." He threw another glare at them. "I could ask them to leave if they're bothering you."

"No, no!" I quickly replied. "There's no need. I don't mind." Caelum shrugged in response. "Actually, I think I'm going to go see if they serve butterbeer here. I'm not really one for tea."

Caelum smiled and began to stand, "I'd be happy to get it for you — "

"No, let me." I insisted. "You've already done so much."

I went over towards the counter and waited for an employee to come out from the back. As I waited, Fred slowly wandered next to me. I threw a quick peek over my shoulder and saw nothing but the back of Caelum's head.

"When I said you deserved to go on a real date," Fred hissed lowly, "I was kind of hoping it'd be with me, your boyfriend."

"I'm sorry!" I murmured in a hushed plea.

"Who is that guy anyway?"

I grimaced, "He's, uh… the… My parents are trying to arrange my marriage with him."

"What!?" Fred growled a little too loudly. "Get rid of him, Sophie!"

"It's not that easy!" I insisted desperately.

"It is that easy!" Fred retorted sharply, just barely managing to keep his voice low. "It's me or him."

"Is there a problem over here?" Caelum's voice was suddenly behind us.

"No." Fred and I replied together.

Fred shot me a dirty look and then grumbled, "We were just leaving anyway." Fred gestured for his friends, and they all too happily jumped from their seats and sprinted for the door.

"You don't have to go." I said evenly, trying not to sound desperate.

"We're not wanted here." Fred snapped.

Once they were out of the shop, Caelum grinned widely at me. "Nice job getting rid of them," He chuckled in amusement. "Anyway, our food's just arrived, so we should — "

"Caelum," I cut him off. My boldness obviously took him by surprise because he pursed his lips together and stared down at me with hard eyes. "I'm sorry, I just… I have to be honest with you." He didn't say anything, so I continued, "I'm not ready to get married. I'm too young to even wrap my head around the idea… so I'm going to have to tell you no. Thank you for coming out here and all, but — "

As I began to tug my arms through the sleeves of my coat, more than ready to leave, Caelum caught my wrist and held it tightly.

"Sophia," He murmured calmly, like the calm before a storm, "you might want to carefully rethink this."

"I have," I said without hesitation after ripping my arm away from his. "I'm not interested in getting married, and I'm sorry, but I'm just not that interested in you either."

"You're making a big mistake." Caelum whispered darkly.

"Maybe." I replied curtly. "But it's my choice."

And with that, I walked out of the horrible pink shop. My pace quickened as I went to find Fred. I would search every last alley of Hogsmeade until I found him.

The blood was pumping in my veins, and I had never felt more alive. I didn't realize before, but I never made any real choices for myself or my life… this was the first one, and I couldn't have been happier.

I began to walk past a dark alley when someone pulled me into the shadows. A rough hand covered my mouth, but when I looked up, I only saw a pair of warm brown eyes.

"Did you break it off with him? For good?" Fred asked anxiously.

Unable to speak, I nodded my head in response.

Fred let out an audible sigh before releasing my mouth only to capture it once more with his lips.

I would pay my family's wrath for breaking off a promising marriage, but at the moment, I could only focus on Fred and the sinfully sweet taste of his lips moving against mine.

"No more arranged marriages," Fred growled into my neck, his lips tracing along my jawline. "No more random guys crashing our dates."

"I swear," I moaned quietly as he nibbled on my ear.

"Good," Fred whispered, his warm breath tingling my ear. He then placed a final kiss on my lips. "Now let's go back to the towers for our real date."