Till Death Do Us Part
New Beginnings
The next morning, Clara woke up still in Fred's arms. She smiled and took a deep breath. She breathed in his scent. He smelled of cologne and butter beer. Two scents she had grown to love over the years. Fred has always smelled this way. And being able to breath them in without feeling awkward was a very refreshing feeling. Clara just lied there not wanting to disturb him. She lied there for a few moments until he started to stir.
"Good morning." she said sitting up.
"Morning." He said rubbing his eyes. He sat up slowly stretching a little. "Where we here all night?"
"I guess so. But there's nothing wrong with that." Clara said smiling a little. Fred smiled and looked at his watch.
"Merlin's Beard!" He shouted. "We've got to get back before they do head count or we are in big trouble!" They both sot up and darted toward the already formed door. The Room of Requirement must have know they needed it before they did. They ran toward the common room with just seconds to spare. In Gryffindor, if you are not present for head count in the morning the house gets points taken away. And whoever was marked up got detention. Neither of which Fred or Clara wanted.
"Last but not least, Fred and Clara." Neville said looking around for them. "Ahh, there you are. Ok, everyone is here, return to your business." Clara looked at Fred with relief. She thought for sure they were done for. Neville slid next to Fred and whispered in his ear. "Next time you two decide to run off, make sure you set an alarm to be back on time, that was close mate, though I was going to have to mark you both up."
He gave Fred's shoulder a pat and smiled before walking away. "What was that about?" Clara asked.
"Nothing, just Neville being Neville." Said Fred smiling. Clara just shrugged it off and the two walked up the stairs to the dorm rooms. They both stopped and looked at one another smiling. Clara cleared her throat before speaking.
"Well, I better go get ready for the ceremony. Believe it or not it takes a while to look this good." She said. Fred smiled and shook his head.
"Impossible." He said pulling her close. He gently kissed her holding her in his arms not wanting to let go.
"Ahem..." They heard someone clearing their throat. They slowly turned to see George standing in the boys dorm room doorway. "Mooorning." He said with a nod. They both smiled awkwardly at him. Fred turned back to Clara. Both of their faces bright red.
"I should go." He whispered. Clara nodded and smiled. "I'll see you later at the ceremony.
"Alright. Have a good morning." She said. She peeked around Fred and caught George's gaze. "You too George." She said and winked at him.
"Oh I will, not as much as you too, but I'll try." He said smiling like a Cheshire Cat. Clara rolled her eyes and chuckled then turned back to Fred. Fred gave Clara a quick hug and joined George at the door way. He watched Clara go inside her dorm and shut the door behind her. "It's about time bro." George said nudging Fred with his elbow. "Thought you were never going to make a move."
"Shut up George." Fred said punching him in the arm. Proceeding to walk into the dorm room.
"Ouch! That hurt." George said rubbing his arm. "But it was worth it."
Clara, now inside the dorm, began to get ready for the Hogwarts graduation ceremony. Her last few hours were going to be a series of getting dressed, doing her hair and make-up. And packing for the trip home. She was excited and sad all at the same time. Clara lived on here own most of her life. Her parents wanted nothing to do with her when they found out she was a witch. They felt she was a threat to their well being and sent her away. Once she was old enough to get a place of her own, she did. Before that The Weasleys took her under their wings. That's why she is so close with them. Now, she had a nice little home just outside of London and was eager to get back there. As Clara bounced between packing, getting dressed, and doing her hair and make-up, she thought about all the fun times she has had inside and out of the school walls. All the memories and friends that she has made. Then she began to think of life outside of school, and what she was going to do. Or, if she would even survive. You-Know-who coming back into the picture has really made it hard for her to think about life outside of Hogwarts. What if things get worse? What if everyone she loves is destroyed? Could she watch as the world she has grown to know and love so dearly be torn to bits? She stared at herself in the mirror in her graduation robes, thinking of all these questions. She took a deep breath and closed here eyes.
"Things will be ok." She said to herself. "I will be ok." As she opened her eyes she looked around the room. She smiled and nodded her head. She was ready. Ready to begin her life a new outside Hogwarts. She put the last of her things in her trunk and snapped it shut. Took a deep breath and walked toward the door. She opened it to see Fred waiting for her. He smiled that wonderful smile of his and held out his hand to her.
"You ready?" He asked.
"Definitely." She replied smiling. She took his hand and walked down the steps toward the common room. As they walked out of the Gryffindor house for the last time, they both knew in that moment that this was the start of a new adventure.
"Good morning." she said sitting up.
"Morning." He said rubbing his eyes. He sat up slowly stretching a little. "Where we here all night?"
"I guess so. But there's nothing wrong with that." Clara said smiling a little. Fred smiled and looked at his watch.
"Merlin's Beard!" He shouted. "We've got to get back before they do head count or we are in big trouble!" They both sot up and darted toward the already formed door. The Room of Requirement must have know they needed it before they did. They ran toward the common room with just seconds to spare. In Gryffindor, if you are not present for head count in the morning the house gets points taken away. And whoever was marked up got detention. Neither of which Fred or Clara wanted.
"Last but not least, Fred and Clara." Neville said looking around for them. "Ahh, there you are. Ok, everyone is here, return to your business." Clara looked at Fred with relief. She thought for sure they were done for. Neville slid next to Fred and whispered in his ear. "Next time you two decide to run off, make sure you set an alarm to be back on time, that was close mate, though I was going to have to mark you both up."
He gave Fred's shoulder a pat and smiled before walking away. "What was that about?" Clara asked.
"Nothing, just Neville being Neville." Said Fred smiling. Clara just shrugged it off and the two walked up the stairs to the dorm rooms. They both stopped and looked at one another smiling. Clara cleared her throat before speaking.
"Well, I better go get ready for the ceremony. Believe it or not it takes a while to look this good." She said. Fred smiled and shook his head.
"Impossible." He said pulling her close. He gently kissed her holding her in his arms not wanting to let go.
"Ahem..." They heard someone clearing their throat. They slowly turned to see George standing in the boys dorm room doorway. "Mooorning." He said with a nod. They both smiled awkwardly at him. Fred turned back to Clara. Both of their faces bright red.
"I should go." He whispered. Clara nodded and smiled. "I'll see you later at the ceremony.
"Alright. Have a good morning." She said. She peeked around Fred and caught George's gaze. "You too George." She said and winked at him.
"Oh I will, not as much as you too, but I'll try." He said smiling like a Cheshire Cat. Clara rolled her eyes and chuckled then turned back to Fred. Fred gave Clara a quick hug and joined George at the door way. He watched Clara go inside her dorm and shut the door behind her. "It's about time bro." George said nudging Fred with his elbow. "Thought you were never going to make a move."
"Shut up George." Fred said punching him in the arm. Proceeding to walk into the dorm room.
"Ouch! That hurt." George said rubbing his arm. "But it was worth it."
Clara, now inside the dorm, began to get ready for the Hogwarts graduation ceremony. Her last few hours were going to be a series of getting dressed, doing her hair and make-up. And packing for the trip home. She was excited and sad all at the same time. Clara lived on here own most of her life. Her parents wanted nothing to do with her when they found out she was a witch. They felt she was a threat to their well being and sent her away. Once she was old enough to get a place of her own, she did. Before that The Weasleys took her under their wings. That's why she is so close with them. Now, she had a nice little home just outside of London and was eager to get back there. As Clara bounced between packing, getting dressed, and doing her hair and make-up, she thought about all the fun times she has had inside and out of the school walls. All the memories and friends that she has made. Then she began to think of life outside of school, and what she was going to do. Or, if she would even survive. You-Know-who coming back into the picture has really made it hard for her to think about life outside of Hogwarts. What if things get worse? What if everyone she loves is destroyed? Could she watch as the world she has grown to know and love so dearly be torn to bits? She stared at herself in the mirror in her graduation robes, thinking of all these questions. She took a deep breath and closed here eyes.
"Things will be ok." She said to herself. "I will be ok." As she opened her eyes she looked around the room. She smiled and nodded her head. She was ready. Ready to begin her life a new outside Hogwarts. She put the last of her things in her trunk and snapped it shut. Took a deep breath and walked toward the door. She opened it to see Fred waiting for her. He smiled that wonderful smile of his and held out his hand to her.
"You ready?" He asked.
"Definitely." She replied smiling. She took his hand and walked down the steps toward the common room. As they walked out of the Gryffindor house for the last time, they both knew in that moment that this was the start of a new adventure.