For Fred.

The Yule Ball, December 1994
Angelina and Fred's Sixth Year

"Alicia, where did you out my hair clip?!" I yelled, struggling to find my lipstick.

"I put it in the bathroom!" She yelled back, before humming a song to herself absentmindedly.

I sighed, and rolled my eyes. "Get it for me, will you?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah, sure I will. I promise you Fred won't know the difference, though." I threw a sock at her as she ran to get the hair clip, giggling. I took my wand from my bed, ready to apply makeup.

Flicking my wand, I looked into the mirror.

"Pulchraficare!" I said. Some light makeup appeared on my face, and I stood back to see if it fit me well. Katie whistled as she brought my hair clip over, and I took it from her while shaking my head.

"You look so pretty, Ange." She said gently.

"I look like a donkey," I mumbled. She smacked my head playfully.

I tugged at the hem of my dress robes for what felt like the hundredth time, staring at my reflection in the dormitory mirror. Katie and Alicia were now fussing behind me, both looking stunning in their own robes, but my nerves were getting the better of me.

"Stop fidgeting, Angie," Katie scolded, smacking my hands away from my dress. "You look amazing. Fred won't know what hit him."

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. "It's not that big a deal," I muttered, adjusting the strap of my dress.

Alicia snorted from the other side of the room. "Sure, because it's totally normal to go to the Yule Ball with your best friend who's been mooning over you since third year."

"He has not been mooning over me," I shot back, though my cheeks grew warmer.

"Uh-huh," Katie said, dragging me toward the door. "Let's go before Fred thinks you've ditched him."

The walk down the staircases to the entrance of the Great Hall felt like it took forever. My mind and my heart were racing.

What if he didn't want to go with me anymore?
Am I reading into this too much? He just sees me as a friend, right? I see him as a friend too, so why does that bother me?
We're going as friends. Stop overthinking it.
Do I want to go as friends?

What the hell was wrong with me? I tripped over my own heels twice on the way down, and I barely replied to the paintings' compliments as I descended further. I heard the excited chatter of the students from below, and music seemed to already have started. Finally, I got to the bottom of the stairs, and looked around the scattered crowd outside the Great Hall.

Fred was waiting by the staircase, and my breath hitched when I saw him. His flaming hair had made him easy to notice, but he looked sharp in his dress robes, too. It wasn't the clothes that caught my attention, though. It was the way his eyes lit up when he saw me, like I was the only person in the room.

Slowly, his eyes looked me up and down, but it wasn't in a weird, creepy way, no.

He looked at me like I was a prize. Like I was wearing the finest fabrics in all of Scotland. Like I was the prettiest girl he'd ever set his eyes on. I smiled shyly, looking back at him.

"Angie." His voice was low, but there was an unmistakable warmth in it. He grinned, that crooked, mischievous smile of his that always made my knees feel wobbly. "You look—"

"Beautiful," I finished for him, smirking as I walked towards him, all previous doubts melting away.

Fred blinked, eyes locked on me, momentarily stunned. He was entranced.

"Hellooo? Earth to Fred?" I giggled, waving my hand in front of his face mockingly.

He took a breath before breaking into a laugh. "Yeah. Exactly that. You look beautiful, Angelina." My heartbeat quickened a bit, my smile growing wider.

"Stop gawking and take me inside, Weasley," I teased, looping my arm through his.

"As you wish, Miss Johnson," he said, bowing dramatically before leading me into the hall.

The hall itself was lively. Students danced gracefully across the floor, gowns swishing and eyes locking onto others. I saw the food table, heavily laden with sweets and treats of all shapes and sizes, and felt my mouth water. Icicles hung from the ceiling, and charmed snowflakes fell gently onto the guests below.

"This is amazing," I breathed in astonishment, admiring everything. I looked to Fred, who was already staring at me in awe.

"Fred?"

"What? Oh, yeah, this amazing. Got to say, you really have to admire the Charms they put on this place. Almost impossible to sneak my fireworks in here, and trust me, I tried." I just smiled and shook my head as he babbled, and thought how differently he was acting.

A lively tune burst through the hall, and Fred's eyes lit up with unmistakable mischief. "Finally, something with a bit of life!" he exclaimed, already tugging me toward the center of the dance floor.

"Fred, wait—"

Too late. He spun me into the crowd, and before I could protest, he grabbed both my hands and started moving. Not gracefully, mind you—Fred danced like he lived: loud, bold, and completely unbothered by what anyone thought.

"You're insane," I said, laughing despite myself as he twirled me haphazardly.

"Insanely talented," he corrected, doing a ridiculous jig that made a few nearby Ravenclaws giggle. "Come on, Angie! Live a little!"

I couldn't help it—his enthusiasm was contagious. Soon, I was matching his energy, spinning, bouncing, and letting the music take over. The formal robes and elegant gowns of our peers blurred around us, and I could feel the stares, but I didn't care. Fred didn't seem to either.

"You're going to trip someone," I warned as he swung me around dramatically.

"Only if they're not quick enough," he shot back, grinning from ear to ear.

I threw my head back, laughing so hard my sides ached. At one point, Fred tried to dip me, nearly losing his balance in the process, and we both collapsed into each other, howling with laughter.

"You're ridiculous," I said, breathless, as we straightened up.

"And you love it," he replied, smirking.

The music shifted again, this time into something softer, slower. I froze for a moment, suddenly hyperaware of how close we were.

Fred noticed too. His playful expression softened, and he held out a hand, his voice quieter now. "Shall we?"

This time, when I took his hand, it wasn't just for fun. It was something else entirely.

"We shall."

Fred's usual demeanor had softened, replaced by something... sweeter. It wasn't like him to be nervous, not at all.

"You tried sneaking fireworks into the Yule Ball?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and trying to defuse the tension as he held my waist gently.

Fred grinned, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah. Thought it'd add to the ambiance."

I laughed, the sound of it surprising even me. "Fred, this place is already magical enough. I'm not sure it needs pyrotechnics."

"Maybe," he replied, his grin turning a little smug. "But everything's better with a bang, don't you think?"

My heart did that stupid little flutter again, and I suddenly became hyperaware of Fred's face so close to mine.

I hesitated for a moment, the realization hitting me all at once—this wasn't just a friendly gesture. This wasn't a joke or some prank he'd turn into a punchline. This was Fred, someone I was at the ball with, someone who had asked me.

A smile crept across my face as I placed my hand in his. "On with it then, Weasley. Let's dance."

He led me back onto the dance floor, his movements uncharacteristically careful, like he was afraid he'd step on my toes or mess something up. We fell into a rhythm surprisingly quickly, though, swaying along with the music.

"You're not half bad at this," I teased, looking up at him.

He laughed, the sound warm and familiar. "Don't let word get out. Can't have people thinking Fred Weasley has a soft side."

"Too late."

For a moment, it felt like the rest of the hall faded away. It was just us, moving together under the enchanted snowflakes. His hand tightened slightly around mine, and I noticed the way he looked at me, not with the usual mischief but with something deeper.

"Angelina," he said softly, his voice barely audible over the music.

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad you said yes."

I blinked, caught off guard. "What, to the dance?"

"To me," he said simply, his gaze locking with mine.

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. The truth was, I wasn't just glad I'd said yes. I was glad he'd asked, glad he was here, glad for the way he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered.

The song ended too soon, and I felt a pang of disappointment as the space between us grew.

"Come on," Fred said, his grin returning. "I want to show you something."

"What is it?" I asked nervously.

"Just come," he insisted. "You'll see."

I laughed, letting him pull me along. We half-ran, half-stumbled our way out of the Great Hall, laughing and earning looks of disapproval from some teachers.

"Where're you taking me, Fred?" I said between giggles.

He didn't reply, only looking back at me with a huge smile. He led me through the empty corridors, and we finally made it outside. It was quiet, the only sounds coming from crickets. The snow around us sparkled and shimmered in the moonlight.

We stopped in front of one of the fountains in the courtyard, one that was frozen solid. The ice glowed faintly, and I thought it was absolutely stunning. I looked around to see if any teachers had followed us, and when I looked back at Fred, his face was closer to mine. My cheeks hear up immediately.

"Fred." I breathed, eyes fluttering. He smelt like gunpowder, probably from all those fireworks he and George made all the time, and grass and love and home.

"I know I said this before, but you are so beautiful, Angelina. Can't stop looking at you. Haven't been able to since first year."

I froze, his words catching me completely off guard. "Since first year?" I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper.

Fred chuckled softly, a little nervously, his usual confidence wavering. "Yeah. You've always been... well, you." His hand lingered near mine, our fingers brushing.

My heart raced, my mind trying to process his words. I wanted to say something clever, something that would ease the tension building between us, but all I could focus on was the way he was looking at me.

He leaned in slightly, and for a moment, the rest of the world disappeared again. My breath hitched as his face was so close to mine I could feel the warmth radiating from him despite the cold night air.

But just as his lips were a breath away from mine, Fred suddenly grinned and pulled back. "Almost forgot! Wait here," he said, his tone light and teasing again.

I blinked, caught between relief and frustration. "Fred Weasley, what are you—"

"Trust me, you'll love this!" he called over his shoulder, already darting off to a nearby alcove.

I stood there, the cold nipping at my skin as I tried to catch my breath. My cheeks were burning, and my head was spinning, replaying the almost-moment over and over again.

Before I could fully compose myself, Fred returned, holding what looked like a small pouch. He frowned slightly when he saw I was shivering. He took his jacket off, and placed it around my shoulders.

"You look cold, Angelina. Here."

"Thanks, Fred." He nodded lightly.

"Close your eyes," he instructed, his grin wide and mischievous again.

"Fred..."

"Come on, trust me!"

With a sigh, I closed my eyes, hearing him move around me. There was a faint rustle, a soft swish of fabric, and then he whispered, "Okay, open them."

When I did, the courtyard was alight with shimmering sparks. Tiny golden and silver fireworks danced in the air around us, spinning and twinkling like stars. They hovered close but never burned, illuminating the snow and casting a warm glow over the frozen fountain.

I gasped, spinning around to take it all in. "Fred... this is..."

"Brilliant? Romantic? Unforgettable?" he offered, his grin playful but his eyes hopeful.

"All of the above," I admitted, my voice soft.

He stepped closer, his hands in his pockets. "I wanted to make tonight special," he said, his tone unusually serious. "For you."

I looked at him, my heart full. "You succeeded," I said quietly, smiling up at him.

Fred tilted his head, that mischievous glint returning. "Well, it's not over yet. Shall we dance?" He held out his hand, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"In the snow?"

"In the snow," he said firmly, stepping closer to take my hand.

We started to dance, and I put my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. But thoughts entered my mind, apprehensions.

Was this just Fred being Fred? Or did it mean something more? I wasn't going to let myself get carried away—he hadn't actually said anything about... us. If there even was an 'us.'

"You alright, Angie? You haven't insulted me in over three minutes." Fred asked teasingly, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Shut up, Fred." I replied softly, looking up at this ginger haired boy who had asked me out.

"Will do." He said, gazing down at me.

And as we swayed under the glow of his enchanted fireworks, I realized that no ballroom, no fancy dress, no perfectly choreographed dance could ever compare to this.