We Cannot Really Love If We Cannot Laugh

Fred and I were slow dancing so close together that I could feel his heart beating inches from mine. He was trying to casually slip his hand farther down my back. I let him. It was a party, he should enjoy himself. But he also had to be careful that my parents didn't see. They were at the wedding too.

"You dance so well!" I commented.

"Surprised?" He laughed.

"Yeah." I answered, grinning.

"You kiss so well." Fred said. I raised my eyebrows.

"Just thought I'd throw that out there." He explained. I caught his drift and as he lowered his head to my height and I kissed him slowly and carefully, my parents were watching.
Naturally, he opened his mouth and tried to get mine open too, but I broke it off.

"Not here, Fred! My parents are watching!" I whispered. He understood. Then, a Partonus I recognized as Kingsley's appeared in the middle of the dance floor.

"The Ministry had fallen. They are coming." It said, then disappeared. It took a while for everyone to react. But there was scraming and running everywhere. I clung to Fred and he apparated the two of us back to the appartment. We could still hear screaming in the distance.

"Fred! What about my parents! And yours!" I protested.

"They'll be fine. If there's one thing I've learned about the French is that they know how to take care of themselves. My parents'll probably go to one of the Order's houses. We had enough of a warning." He said. I was somewhat consoled.

"I think I'll go to bed, then." I decided. There was a pop and George apparated into the living room next to Fred.

I walked up to Fred and kissed him goodnight before turning to your room and going to bed.

For the next few weeks, we were all confined to the house. We could use subtle magic, but as little as possible. Fred and George made adjustments to the appartment so it was nicer to live in. The bedrooms were bigger, we had windows, more kitchen supplies and the pièce de résistance was the extra wing George added with a swimming pool. I got a kick out of that thing Muggles called television. I loved the commercials.

One afternoon, George went to check on the rest of the family to see if things had settled down yet.

"Want to go for a swim?" Fred asked me.

"Sure!" I replied. I went to my room to get a bikini on and met Fred in the extra wing. he saw me and smiled, looking me up and down. I turned red.

He picked me and and was about to throw me into the water when I put him into a headlock and he came in with me.

I resurfaced and swam to the shallower end of the pool. He followed.

"I have to tell you, you should wear a bathing suit more often!" Fred said. I laughed. He picked me up and I wrapped your legs around him. He grinned.

We clung to each other for a bit. Just feeling so safe and warm in each other's arms. He kissed me. Caught me off guard, but I enjoyed it. Our mouths opened at the same time. It was like nothing we had ever shared before. It was almost as if it was leading up to something even more passionate than what was already going on. But what could be more passionate than this?

Fred started untieing the back of my bikini. Right. That was more passionate than kissing. But was I ready? I pondered this as I continued to kiss Fred, he seemed happy that I wasn't rejecting what he was doing yet. Pretty soon, he had the top undone and he took it off. Still, he didn't stop kissing me, but he ran his hands over my exposed chest. It felt so good, but wrong at the same time. My father trusted me. I broke the kiss.

"I'm sorry, Fred. I'm not ready yet!" I explained. I reached for the bikini top and put it back on. He looked a little disappointed, but he seemed to understand.

I climbed out of the pool and wrapped a towel around myself.

"Sorry, Fred." I repeated, "But I promised to my father I wouldn't go that far with you. Not that I wouldn't love to. I do, more than anything!" I walked out and changed.

The next evening, Fred and I sat on a couch in front of the TV. George was making popcorn in the kitchen. The commercials came on. They made me laugh! All these labour-saving devices Muggles came up with! Then a different one that I had never seen before came on. It was Fred.

I looked at him, he smiled and put his arm around me. I loved it when he did that! I felt so safe! I was curious. Something was up. Why was Fred on TV? The Fred on the TV started talking.

"Renée, I just want you to know that I love you more than anything and I'm truly sorry for what happened the other day. I didn't know what I was doing. I hope you'll forgive me." I smiled. He did this for me! But why didn't he just say it himself. He got off the couch and started looking for something in his pockets, "While you're thinking about that," the Fred on TV continued, "Would you consider marrying me?" I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand.

The real Fred was on one knee in front of me, holding out a beautiful diamond ring. I screamed. He did not just do that, and on a commercial! He smiled and hugged me as I sat in the couch, still freaking out about what just happened.

"I am dead serious." He whispered in my ear. Out of the corner of your eye, I saw George watching with a Muggle video camera from the doorway. This was NOT happening!
I looked at Fred, his eyes were so sincere. He really meant this.

"I sure will!" I screamed! He tackled me onto the couch, we were both laughing and crying at the same time, like that night when he came back alive from Harry's transportation. But there was a comp[letely different atmosphere this time. It was all just out of the blue, I had no idea this was happeneing. This must have taken some guts! He slipped the ring on my finger.

It was so simple and beautiful. A golden band with the biggest diamond I had ever seen in the middle. We kissed whatever part of each other we could reach. George just stood in the doorway laughing and filming. But that didn't matter. Fred was the only other person in my world.