𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

Attempting to stay attentive in a class as boring as muggle studies with a professor like Professor Burbage was nearly impossible. Her droning voice mixed with the few decorations in the classroom was enough to drive Cassiandra insane. Not only that, but Fred wouldn't take his eyes off of her since there was a previous midnight escapade.

She hadn't intended or meant anything romantic by their cuddle session. The girl just desperately needed to be hugged to take away the homesick feeling she had deep within her stomach. Getting a letter from her parents that her sister Yeni was back home from South Korea was amazing news, but knowing she couldn't see her for a couple more months was excruciating, and thus, their midnight journey was issued.

They had twenty-five minutes left of class, and Cassie couldn't bear the stares she was receiving from the ginger-haired twin. He sat down a few rows from her and had to look back to look at her, making it extremely clear his intentions. Cassie pulled out an extra piece of parchment and began writing him a note asking what he was looking at.

Folding it up into a little airplane, she made sure the professor had her back turned and Fred wasn't paying attention before tossing it. The little airplane landed, hitting Fred directly in the head before falling into his lap.

He looked around confused before he realized Cassiandra had caught him staring at her, and he immediately felt embarrassed. He pulled out his piece of parchment, writing a note back, trying to play it cool. He was not sure how long she had known for. Fred could only pray he played his cards right and that the girl truly didn't know how long he had been staring.

He looked around as well before tossing it up, his airplane not as pretty landed right into Cassie's lap as Professor Burbage turned around to make sure the class was somewhat paying attention. Once the professor thought they were, she turned back around much to the students' relief.

Cassie began writing her next note with an eye roll. Fred immediately picked up he did not play the right card and felt even more embarrassed than he previously had only a few moments prior. Cassie folded up another miniature airplane, sending it off for Fred to catch, which he did successfully.

Fred, you indeed were not slick about it and have been staring at me for twenty minutes. Please go get your eyes checked!

Xx Cassie

Fred suppressed a laugh as he wrote his note in response. Cassie had turned this deathly boring class into a much more interesting one. Her smile as they passed note meant the whole world to Fred. The money he'd pay to see that smile every day was an extremely high and insane amount. He would do anything to protect that girl, no matter the cost.

Class ended, and Cassie got up, gathering her things and various notes before exiting the class, Fred trailing after her like a golden retriever in need of just a sliver of her attention. With each step, Cassiandra took Fred and was able to take three more with his long legs.

He was desperate to try and catch up with the girl to talk to her. He felt a spark with her, and he couldn't hide it from his eyes only any longer. Fred had been doing that for years, and he was sick of it. He wanted to show off the girl to the world as his and not in a friendly way. He wanted to ask her on a date and make her laugh. He wanted to be the one she depended on.

"Cas, wait up," the boy finally called out, causing the girl in front of him to come to a complete halt.

The girl cleared her throat before looking at her friend she'd been avoiding moments prior, "Hi Fred," she spoke in a hushed voice

He towered over her as he finally made his way to the girl. Her eyes stared at him with wonder, making his heart melt.

"Not here," he said, linking their fingers together and having the girl follow him to a quiet spot in the courtyard.

"Fred, just spit it out. You are starting to worry me." The girl's concerned voice had Fred pick up the pace

"Cas, I can't pretend to do this anymore." Fred started, but Cassie was quick to cut him off.

"Fred, what are you saying?" Cassie wasn't sure if she should start crying or run away right then and there.

He grew frustrated. "Cas, let me finish," the girl silently nodded, watching his every movement intently.

"I want to take you on a date, I can't just pretend I don't have feelings for you when I so clearly do. Tonight at midnight, meet me at the Astronomy tower," he spoke with such passion it startled the girl, and she thought it was some sort of prank.

"You are insane," the girl exclaimed, trying to avoid giving a proper answer

"Sure, you could say that," Fred shrugged before asking the girl. "So what do you say, Cas?" he was met with silence for well over a minute

Had he messed up? Did she view him as only a friend? Many thoughts dominated his mind as he waited for her answer. Another minute passed, and the girl still hadn't uttered a word.

"Forget I said anything," Fred sighed, getting up and leaving the girl to sit there and contemplate what she had just done

Guess that's one way to answer if it was a prank or not. The girl laughed to herself with tears in her eyes. Had she just completely ruined her friendship with a boy she deeply cared about?

She got up and walked to class to avoid the confrontation until tonight. She had another class to attend, and she was ready for a distraction. Not that she enjoyed transfiguration. It just was a way to get Fred's hurt face out of her mind for a bit.

Professor McGonagall greeted the girl the moment she walked in the door. "Hello, Ms. Aera takes a seat with a parrot. Do not touch anything yet. You may grab your wand and notes from last class as you'll need them for today's class." Cassie nodded her head before taking a seat in front of a bright red parrot.

A few more students entered the class before the professor began explaining the instructions for today's lesson. Cassiandra could barely pay attention as she was too focused on what had just happened only a few minutes prior.

I just rejected my best friend. I just rejected my best friend. Hearing it twice in her head didn't exactly help her process anything, but it was too late to unthink it now. How was she supposed to pay attention in class when she had just done one of the worst things she could have possibly done?

"Squak lovers quarrel," the parrot spoke, bringing Cas back to the reality that was her transfiguration class

Cassie quickly cried out the spell. "Vera Verto," cast it, and turned the parrot into a beautifully decorated golden chalice.

"Well done, Ms. Aera ten points go Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall smiled at the girl who gave her an awkward smile back.

She hadn't intended to cast the spell yet. Cassiandra was just frustrated that the stupid bird Chalice knew exactly what she was thinking. Maybe it was an animagus? No, that was irrational it was just a dumb parrot who happened to know exactly what to say to push the girls' buttons.

Cassie pulled out an extra price of parchment and began taking notes on the next chapter of Transfiguration spells she'd need to memorize and perfect. She might as well get ahead while she could especially cause she still needed a distraction, well, a better distraction than the one she had previously provided herself.

The scribbles turned into pages of notes, and by the time she had finished it, she was allowed to leave class. The professor dismissed the class, and everyone rushed out. Cassie was a bit slower with packing up her things before she headed to the library. It was the one place she could guarantee Fred Gideon Weasley would not be. Mostly because he had been banned for life after damaging well over two hundred books and never replacing a single one.

She sat down in the same spot she always did and scribbled away while the sun turned away to his kiss lover goodnight. Cassiandra hadn't realized how much time had passed till Madam Pince came over to talk to her.

"It's almost curfew, my dear. You should get going." The woman was rarely kind, and Cassie smiled at her soft tone.

The two had a special bond, Cassie had bought the woman dozens of books over the years, and the woman returned the favor by allowing Cassie to read and learn whatever she pleased in the school library. It was a mutual agreement that had both people satisfied, and the girl couldn't be prouder.

As soon as she had finished gathering her things, she made her way to the kitchens. She had to be quick, but once she left the library, the girl realized just how starting she truly was. Tickling the pear, she entered and saw the boy she had desperately been trying to avoid putting a basket of all her favorite foods together.

"Fred," she whispered out, unable to control herself.

She wasn't ready for the confrontation. Cassie wanted to be sure of the ending, and the fact that she wasn't scared her. If she didn't have full control of the situation she wouldn't be able to cope with the mistakes she had made. Fred's showing up was one of the worst things that had happened to her. Yet she still was going to follow him in order to maintain a friendship with the boy she deeply cared about.

The boy looked over to see who was calling to him, and his eyes widened. "Cas hey" was all he could manage to say,

Without another word, the two walked together towards the astronomy tower. They had nothing to say tension between them had been building for days since they kissed. They still hadn't even talked about it. The stairs of the Tower were dreadful, but once they were up, Cassie saw a beautiful picnic set up for stargazing. Fred had planned every aspect to be perfect just for her, and she had been avoiding him.

What is wrong with me, she thought to herself as she sat down. "Cas, you can't avoid me now," Fred spoke up, pulling the girl out of her head

"You're right. I'm sorry, Freddie," Sorry was all that felt right to say to him. She had messed up beyond belief, and she felt so guilty about it.

"Cas we kissed, and I asked you on a date, and you made me seem like a complete idiot." Fred had tried to control his anger, but he couldn't help if his words came off a bit intense.

Cassie held her down in shame. "I know" was all she said, and it only aggravated Fred more

"You know Cas. Bloody hell, can you speak more than a couple of words? " his frustrations began to rub off on Cassie

"What do you want me to say, Fred? Oh, sorry for kissing you. That didn't even count because it was barely a kiss?" Cassie frustratedly shouted at the boy

Couldn't he understand where she was coming from? Fred scoffed at the girl's words. "Barely a kiss? God Cas, you are driving me insane! Show me what a real kiss is, then why don't you cause quite frankly -" the boy's angry tangent had been cut off by the angry lips of Cassiandra. If he was going to say things like he had been, she was going to prove him wrong.

It was as if all the anger had fizzled into passion as their lips moved in sync. The pair had risen beyond where they stood, and the stars watching felt as if they had to look away from this romantic moment. The two friends became one attention that moment and neither wanted to face the consequences of pulling away.

Facing the reality, Fred's hand wouldn't be holding the sides of Cassie's face. Or the way their lips practically melted together into one. The harsh truth was that it was a midnight decision, and it could mean absolutely nothing in the morning. Their breathing depending solely on each other was completely driven by teenage hormones.

Cassie put her hands on top of Fred's as a way of letting him know to keep them right where they were on her cheeks. She was tired of leaning up, and so she moved her hands from his to his neck and yanked the boy down to her level. He laughed into her lips, sending vibrations through her entire body. In response, he moved his hands slowly down the side of her body. He was slow and methodical with his movements as he stopped his hands right at her hips. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.

The air they needed forced the two to part ways as they regained control of themselves. "That was a kiss." Cassie managed to spit out while taking deep breaths for stability.

Never in her life had she been kissed like that. Never had she felt so beautiful while being held as Fred had managed to hold her. The way they fit perfectly together made her feel things she had never felt before. His hands were soft, and she could still feel them on her face. She liked that feeling.

Fred chuckled as the girl grabbed the basket and walked away presumably to her dorm. What the hell did I just do? Fred's heart hadn't stopped pounding in his chest, begging to be let out. The years of pent-up attraction he felt towards the girl only increased. He couldn't get her out of his head. The way her hands on the back of his neck felt so right. He was already craving more of her. She had become his prey and he was ready to hunt.