Chapter 13
Christmas Eve began like any other day: The sun rose up onto the snow-blanketed castle, warming its stony exterior. And yet, to all who were inside, it was not like any other day. Not at all.
Rebecca swung her legs out of bed and brushed her teeth, unable to help the grin that came as she looked in the mirror with thoughts of the evening. She was usually one of the first awake in her room and she was used to leaving quietly, the hall generally as asleep as Hermione and Ginny left behind. But the day of the Yule Ball, this was not the case.
Girls ran back and forth from their friends' rooms to their own, shouts about needing something and lending others rang out.
"What happened to peaceful mornings?" Rebecca asked with a laugh as Parvati sprinted down the hall.
"Have you forgotten?" Angelina held her hands to her face in mock-horror. "The ball's only thirteen hours away!"
"Oh no! Only thirteen?" Rebecca played along, the two girls heading towards the common room.
"I'm dead serious." Angelina rolled her eyes. "Katie's been in the shower for an hour."
Angelina and Rebecca found the common room, thankfully, to be much emptier than the upstairs. They had hardly stepped out of the portrait hole to get to the Great Hall for an early breakfast when someone shouted behind for them to wait.
"Angelina!" George shouted with every step until he was beside them, grinning at how she rolled her eyes. "Shall we get breakfast together?"
"Spend the evening and the morning with you?" Angelina responded as if he'd asked her to submit herself to medieval torture, though she moved away from Rebecca with George at her side.
Fred appeared, taking the place as Rebecca's company. "Good morning."
"Good morning." Rebecca smiled, feeling her heart speed up as Fred let his fingers trace the back of her hand--Teasing a touch but not taking hold. "Sleep well?"
"I did!" Fred shook his head, amazed. "Strangest thing--An angel was in my bed before I went to shower!"
"An angel?" Rebecca shook her head and laughed. "You are ridiculous!"
Fred shrugged. "You wouldn't want me any other way."
He hoisted himself up onto the bannister to slide down it, chuckling as Rebecca did the same beside him. "Ready?" He asked, before lifting his feet. She nodded and they lifted their feet in unison, flying down the stone handrail quickly.
George and Angelina jumped out of their way as they sped past, shouting down at them in mock-anger that dissolved into laughter.
Looking up at their audience, Fred and Rebecca bowed to them as Fred had to Rebecca the night of their quidditch rendezvous. The rest of their walk to breakfast as leisurely, Rebecca filling Fred in on the nuttiness that had taken hold over the upstairs girls.
Fred turned his attention down the table and made sure that George and Angelina were still conversing with each other. "How're we doing this?" Fred asked Rebecca quietly.
Rebecca paused her scooping of his breakfast, confused. "Breakfast?"
Fred couldn't help but smile, taking his plate with a thanking given. "The Ball." Rebecca followed along partially, still not understanding what the question was entirely. "Am I meeting you in the common room? At the ball? In a closet or-"
"Fred!" Rebecca scolded, her face aflame. "How about...in the courtyard outside the entrance, yeah?"
Fred pointed towards the door. "To the right?" She nodded. "Okay, check." Fred continued. "And can I kiss you there or should I stay entirely a gentleman until later in the evening?"
Rebecca looked at him with a laugh in her eyes that she held away from her mouth solely for his pride. "That would be entirely up to you."
"Perhaps I'll wait then." Fred reached for his tea, enjoying how she squirmed. "Maybe not though."
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The afternoon came quickly, Ron and Harry spending most of the morning in their room to hide from Padma and Parvati's questioning.
"What're you wearing?"
"Are you bringing flowers?"
"Are you excited to dance?"
Ron was almost relieved when Neville ran up to their room and shouted that it was time to get ready because he knew that the evening couldn't end until it had begun. Harry grabbed his robes and jumped into the bathroom when Neville had finished, bringing his toothbrush with him just in case.
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Across the tower, the girls were in a similar state of preparation. Ginny was the first dressed, ready, and out the door, leaving both fourth years at the door to watch as their younger counterpart met with others in her year who'd been invited as well.
"Children, am I right?" Rebecca asked, giving a fake sniffle.
"I would not start saying 'children' with such an air of maturity!" Hermione remarked.
"What on earth do you mean?" Rebecca questioned, the face of complete seriousness. "I'm the most mature person in this entire castle!" She pulled out the bag from the closet with her dress, Hermione taking a slow breath in the bathroom to calm herself.
Pausing her hairbrushing, Hermione eyed Rebecca carefully. "Rebecca, you-"
"Bring you never-ending and increased levels of joy into your life every moment we're together?" Rebecca offered.
"Something like that." Hermione conceded. "Are you going to stand there giving me a hard time all night and leave Fred waiting?"
Rebecca froze in front of her bed, turning back slowly. "Is it horribly obvious?"
Hermione held her hand up and waved it from side to side. "Pretty sure Ron's unaware, not that that means anything."
Rebecca put her dress up to her and leaned against the doorframe, laying her cards on the table. "Yeah, well what about you then? Quite the 'bonbon' you've secured."
It was Hermione's turn to be caught.
"So..."
They looked at each other before laughing loudly. "We've both said nothing and we already knew!" Hermione managed between laughs. "How stupid!"
"But how smart!" Rebecca added, sliding into the bathroom beside Hermione to get dressed. It was a lot harder than she thought it would be to find the entrance of the dress from below, and Hermione snickered as Rebecca had to set it on the floor and step in from above.
Hermione stepped out to get her dress, leaving Rebecca to study herself in the mirror. The curls that hung on the side of her face on the day-to-day seemed to be too plain for something as momentous as a ball. Rebecca twisted them to the sides and pinned them at the back of her head, just as she had the day of the Infunde charm.
When Rebecca left the bathroom at last, she found that Hermione was already in her dress. The girls exchanged their compliments, finding that the other was beautiful as ever. Hermione loved how bold the red of Rebecca's was while, quite the opposite, Rebecca loved the softer violets and pinks of Hermione's.
Getting to the last of the things that had to be done, Rebecca went about the room for her jumper. "Hey, Hermione?" She asked. Hermione looked up from where she was, listening. "You know the white jumper--the one with the buttons? Have you seen it?"
Hermione pursed her lips, thinking about it. "I thought Ginny had it last. Did you check her bed?"
Rebecca crossed the room, seeing a glimpse of white poking out. "Got it!" Rebecca shook out the wrinkles and put it over her arm. "Ready?"
"Shoes?" Hermione asked.
Rebecca rolled her eyes. "You don't always have to know everything." She padded back along the floor to grab the black flats Hermione had made her buy at Hogsmeade. Hermione, upon hearing that Rebecca had just planned on wearing her trainers, both wanted to shun and throttle her.
"I was going to wear nice socks." Rebecca said, remembering the look on Hermione's face when she'd talked about it.
"Don't even start that again." Hermione warned, stepping into the hall before Rebecca. "If your shenanigans are through, let's do this."
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"Bloody hell." Ron said, turning and looking at himself in the mirror. "Bloodiest of bloody hells." Harry left the bathroom, fully dressed and promptly bombarded. "What are those? What are those!" Ron whirled around on him, his lacy edges fluttering with the movement.
"My dress robes!" Harry said, looking down at his black robes and white bowtie.
"Well, they're alright! No lace. No dodgy little collar."
Harry stepped forward, looking over Ron's outfit and trying to find a way to comfort his mate. "I expect yours are more...traditional."
"Traditional? They're ancient. I look like my great Aunt Tessie." Ron raised an arm and smelled himself with a face. "I smell like my great Aunt Tessie." Ron turned and looked at himself in the mirror, hating that Fred and George had been the ones to get new robes. "Murder me, Harry. Just do it."
Harry shook his head. "And what? Leave Padma and Parvati with me? Fat chance. C'mon, let's get out of here." Neville had finished half an hour earlier and already walked Ginny to the Great Hall in the polite fashion, impressing her with his knowledge of aquatic plants all the while.
"There's even this one plant where you can eat it and breathe under water!" He'd said excitedly as he held the portrait hole door open.
Harry and Ron found that they'd taken longer than they'd expected. The common room was full of the first, second, and third years who hadn't been invited. Rebecca and Hermione had already exited, the two having waited for Harry and Ron until they thought they would be late.
The boys hurried out, rushing down the stairs and only slowing once they heard the music and chatter of students in the corridor leading to the Great Hall.
"Leave it alone!" Harry hissed, whacking Ron's hand away from his collar before Ron's thoughts turned to something other than his itchiness.
"Poor kid, probably up in her room." Ron tried not to enjoy the thought. "Crying her eyes out."
"Rebecca?" Harry asked concerned.
Ron scoffed. "No, Hermione. You know she hasn't got a date, why else wouldn't she tell us who she's coming with?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Because we'd take the mickey out of her if she did."
"Nobody asked her." Ron ignored the insinuation that he would ever make fun of Hermione.
Padma and Parvati appeared in front of them as they turned around, smiling grandly. "Hello, boys!" They said in unison before the girls talked directly to their dates.
"Don't you look...dashing?" Padma said to Ron.
Ron was trying to think of a response and was saved by McGonagall joining them. "There you are, Potter! Are you and Miss Patil ready?"
"Ready, professor?" Harry asked.
"To dance!" McGonagall said out of patience. "It's traditional that the three champions-well, in this case four, are the first to dance. Surely, I told you that."
"No." Harry said, his stomach grabbed by nerves.
Down the hall, Hermione excused herself to go outside to meet Viktor. "You're going outside?" Rebecca asked startled.
Hermione smiled. "It would be hard to meet someone outside without being outside."
Rebecca shook her head. "You are insane. You're in a gown, no coat, no jumper, not even a scarf! Put this on," Rebecca put the jumper around Hermione's shoulders, glad that she had had the feeling it would be needed. "It's a good thing white goes with everything. I know how you feel about matching."
Hermione tried to decline, saying how it was only for a few minutes.
Rebecca put her foot down. "You will catch your death out there and then..." She tried to think of the worst thing that could happen. "And then who knows how untied I'll keep my ties!"
Hermione put the jumper on. "Better?"
"Beautiful." Rebecca kissed Hermione on the cheek. "As you were and as you are. Go on, don't be late." Rebecca watched Hermione exit the hall and turn towards outside before she turned around and saw McGonagall talking to Harry.
"Well, now you know." Rebecca heard McGonagall say before turning and seeing Rebecca. "Miss Potter, you, Mr Weasley, and Miss Patil may proceed into the Great Hall."
Ron and Padma stepped away, Parvati followed Padma a few steps. Harry and Rebecca were as alone as they were going to get.
"Rebecca...You look brilliant. Positively brilliant."
Rebecca smiled and reached for Harry's bowtie, straightening it. "You clean up rather nicely yourself." Concerned by the look on his face, Rebecca tried to find the problem. "Now, why do you look like you've got a dementor in your pants? Parvati that scary?"
"Well, yes." Harry wasn't able to joke anymore as he thought about what McGonagall had just told him. "But McGonagall just said we've got to dance first! In front of everyone!"
Rebecca put her hands at her sides, but not before brushing off his shoulders. "Remember to listen to the music and you will be fine." Harry was looking at something over her shoulder and Rebecca glanced to see what it was. "I'm sorry, Harry."
Cho was at Cedric's side, greeting another Ravenclaw.
"I never should have told him about the dragon." Harry thought bitterly.
"She looks beautiful!" Parvati gasped, returning to Harry's side as Hermione and Viktor entered the corridor. Harry was grateful for something to pay attention to other than the aching sight of Cho giggling at something Cedric had said and found that Parvati had been entirely correct--Hermione did look beautiful.
Viktor nodded triumphantly as the pair passed Harry and Parvati, the doors swinging open to the Great Hall as trumpets blasted to announce the entrance of the champions.
A procession of champions was made quickly, Fleur at the front and Harry at the back. Rebecca watched how Harry's jaw clenched as he marched past clapping students. Ron's mouth dropped as he saw who Hermione's date was.
"Is that Hermione Granger? With Viktor Krum?" Padma asked him, leaning over so that he could hear her over the crowd.
"No. Absolutely not!" Ron said, shaking his head in disbelief. It was impossible.
The crowd fell silent as the champions took their places on the floor, Flitwick tapping his baton to gather the attention of the orchestra. Rebecca looked around the Great Hall as little snowflakes began to fall from the ceiling. Fred was nowhere to be seen.
Rebecca giggled as Parvati had to grab Harry's hand and place it on her waist, the dance beginning before he'd prepared himself. After one full revolution of students, McGonagall was led onto the floor by Dumbledore. Fleur's date took her to the middle of the dance floor, spinning her around to show her off. The attention of the boys of the crowd was quickly caught, the girls rolling their eyes as they fell into a stupor.
Rebecca turned at a tapping on her shoulder, a tall, red-haired, grinning Weasley behind her. "Hey, George." Rebecca said, not masking her disappointment entirely.
"Wow. Talk about insulting." He laughed as she whacked his arm. "He's out in the hall, asked me to see if you'd meet him out there."
"Fred?"
"No, Cornelius Fudge." George rolled his eyes and pushed her so she'd get a move on.
Angelina had her arm wrapped in George's and answered kinder than her date had. "Yes, Fred."
Rebecca smiled and made her way through the crowd, looking away as she got a glimpse of Filch dancing with Mrs Norris in the corner of the room. If Rebecca hadn't been beckoned away from the first dance with everyone, she would have seen Neville leading Ginny to the floor before sweeping her around the others impressively.
But, she had been asked away. Peeking out the large doors, she saw Fred leaning against the wall across the way. "Fred?"
Fred looked up from the flower in his hand, entirely incapable of forming words.
Rebecca walked to him, concerned at his newfound, uncharacteristic silence. "Is something wrong?"
Fred shook his head, trying to wet his mouth again so he could speak. "Wrong? Nothing's wrong!"
"Quiet you is a new-"
"I was struck!" Fred pulled her closer to him, looking down at her and still unable to believe his eyes. "You're stunning, breathtaking." Rebecca blushed as he spun her away from him so he could look at her again only to spin her back and hold the flower up. "This is for you, love."
Rebecca took the tulip and smelled it. "Why does it smell like a banana?"
Fred grinned. "I've been working an idea--Backwards-Bouquets! They smell like anything but flowers."
Rebecca smelled it again, loving it all the more. "You want to head in? Harry's-well, Harry's trying to dance."
Fred grabbed her hand and looked at her again, leaning down and placing a hand at her chin to tilt her face up into a kiss. When he pulled away, he nodded. "I'm ready now."
Rebecca kept her hand in his as they walked towards the door, their late entrance catching the attention of those just inside. Rebecca faltered, their eyes on she and Fred together feeling strange and unfamiliar.
"We can wait," Fred offered gently, walking slower. For her, he would wait forever.
Rebecca looked up at his happy, concerned face. "Wait for what?" She grabbed his collar and pulled him into another kiss, those watching at the back clapping.
Fred's grin grew larger, the fact that they wouldn't ever have to delay a moment together because others were around again sounding brilliant to him. "May I have this dance?" He asked, holding his hand out before the dance floor.
"You may." Rebecca answered, setting her flower on the chair nearby with her jumper on it. Fred laid his hand on her waist confidently, finding that while there was so much excitement and nervousness inside of him, there was a degree of calm--He felt that he was exactly where he belonged
They jumped into motion with the first note of the next song, turning and stepping in unison. Fred found that as beautiful as she was, as wholly she kept his attention, she was even more beautiful as they danced. When it was time for him to lay both hands on her waist and lift her into him, he did so easily and set her back onto her feet deftly.
They danced on and on.
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Fred and Rebecca, songs later, stumbled off the dance floor. They laughed their way to the punch bowl as the Twisted Sisters took to the stage, the two of them feeling as if they were walking on air. There was a freedom, they both felt, in being able to say what they wanted and act as they wanted in front of the other.
Fred held a cup out to Rebecca before taking one for himself. Rebecca's led him with his hand over her shoulder to the table from earlier where Ron and Harry sat at miserable. George and Angelina waved at them from the beginning of a throng of bouncing students, grinning happily.
"Ruddy pumpkinhead, isn't he?" Ron muttered to Harry, the two boys between Padma and Parvati who regretted their dates entirely.
"Pumpkin?" Fred mused, sitting across them with Rebecca. "I always thought it was more of a fiery red."
Ron rolled his eyes and changed the focus of his anger, looking at Hermione and Viktor having a wonderful time dancing. "I don't think it was the books that had him going to the library."
Rebecca looked at Fred, finding the taste of the punch to be all-too-similar to the pumpkin juice from the party after the first event.
Fred, guilty exactly as she'd charged, shrugged and avoided looking into her eyes to scold Ron. "Don't be so bitter, yeah? You're going to give yourself wrinkles."
Two Durmstrang boys approached Padma and Parvati, asking them for a dance. Harry shrugged, watching as the two girls went off to have a better time with others. Ron, taking the affront personally, glowered at Hermione.
"You're being horrid!" Rebecca continued Fred's scolding, wishing Ron's look had lightened as Hermione walked towards them. "Can't you just let her have a good time?"
Ron shook his head, refusing to answer with words as Viktor and Hermione neared the table. Viktor caught Hermione's hand and raised it up, kissing the back gently before heading off to get them glasses of punch. Hermione fell into the chair next to Fred, breathless. "It's hot, isn't it?"
"You are sitting next to me." Fred grabbed Rebecca's hand, squeezing it as she laughed.
"You two?" Ron asked incredulously.
Fred patted Ron's knee sympathetically. "Don't worry mate. One day-Well, one day."
Hermione played with the tablecloth, feeling the anger wash off of Ron in waves. "Viktor's gone to get us drinks. Care to join us?"
Rebecca and Fred raised their glasses while Harry only shrugged. Ron, deciding enough was enough, leaned forward. "No, no we'd not care to join you and Viktor."
"What's got your wand in a knot?" Hermione asked, her smile fading at Ron's tone.
"He's a Durmstrang!" Ron said as if it were obvious. "You're fraternizing with the enemy!"
Hermione scoffed. "Did you or did you not ask Fleur to the ball? The whole point of the ball is to encourage international magical cooperation...to make friends." Hermione stood up, not going to let Ron ruin her evening.
"I think he's got a bit more than friendship on his mind." Ron said harshly.
Hermione looked to the ground before raising her head to look at Ron a long moment before leaving without a word. Rebecca took the last sip of her drink as Ron pouted at the floor. All Harry could do was look elsewhere, not surprised at the turn of the evening's events but not enjoying them either.
"Well," Fred asked, standing and offering his hand out ot Rebecca. "This has been pleasant, hasn't it? May I whisk you away elsewhere?"
"Please." She answered, placing her hand in his.
Ron gagged after they'd left. "Gross!"
Harry shook his head sadly. "It's not gross, Ron."
The orchestra was taking their seats again, Twisted Sisters done for the night. Fred led Rebecca to the floor before putting his hand back on her waist and she stepped closer to him. The waltzes were through and instead, songs to be danced without dancing--To be swayed to. Rebecca let her head rest against Fred's chest.
"You really are the most beautiful person here tonight."
Rebecca smiled. "Stop it."
He held her away from him, needing her attention entirely. "No, I'm serious! There's not a single other girl--or bloke, for that matter--that can even try to compare!" She blushed, finding it almost alien to see Fred so devoid of a joke. "I've never known anything more in my entire life than I know that."
Rebecca leaned up to him, catching him in a kiss that could have lasted an eternity and still been too short for them both. The music changed slightly, beginning their swaying once more. Fred couldn't help but hum occasionally, recognising fragments.
Rebecca closed her eyes against him, letting her ears fill with the music, his voice, his heartbeat. Letting the smell of him fill her nose: Something fresh and wild, like a breeze over a meadow or oncoming rain.
"Smells like home."
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"He's using you." Ron said, following Hermione out into the hall later.
"How dare you!" Hermione hissed, trying to get away from him. "I can take care of myself."
"Doubt it." Ron answered cruelly. "He's too old for you."
"That's what you think?" Hermione whirled on him, furious. "Here's a solution: Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does. Not as a last resort!"
Harry followed them out into the hall, sensing that Ron had detoured from the dessert table and sad that he was right. "Hermione-"
"Don't you 'Hermione' me! You can't possibly agree with him!"
Harry shook his head, holding his hand up so that Ron would stay silent. "I'm calling for neutrality. Just go, ignore him. Go dance with Krum before the ball's over, okay?"
Hermione looked at Harry carefully, unaware he had the ability to be so level-headed. She gave the two of them a curt nod, impressed. "I see at least one of you has sense." She turned on her heel and returned to the Great Hall, Viktor standing at the door with a menacing glower directed at Ron.
Ron gulped at the sight of his hero starting at him so powerfully. "C'mon, Harry. Let's just go up to bed." Ron muttered, beginning to rant and rave only after there was no possible way Viktor could have heard him. Harry just hoped Hermione's evening hadn't been entirely ruined.
Harry wouldn't know until Rebecca told him the next day, but Hermione's night hadn't been. Hermione ignored both boys entirely for several days out of anger, but the night of the ball she and Viktor had danced together until the very end of the very last song.
Rebecca and Fred had gravitated to the side of the room, sitting on the edge of the now-abandoned stage. Alternating who they were looking at, they shared their thoughts. "Neville's still dancing with Ginny! Can you believe that?" Fred said amazed. No one had lasted that long in Ginny's presence without an injury before.
"Harry mentioned that he's been practising every night." Rebecca said, smiling.
"That's...sweet?"
Back and forth they went until the clock struck twelve and the ball took on a rowdier tone that neither enjoyed. Fred looked to her, still finding his heart stuttered at the sight, and mentioned leaving. "Would you like to go on a walk?"
"If you're alright with leaving."
Fred nodded, scooping up her jumper and her flower before they left. "Can't have you freezing to death."
Rebecca pulled it on, thinking about it and finding something not fitting. "Hermione wore this in, Fred. Not me."
"It's yours though." Fred blushed. "You wore it on the day we went to Hogsmeade--When we rode with Fleur and Gabrielle, remember?"
Rebecca grinned at how his embarrassment showed so clearly. "Of course I remember; I just didn't realise that you had."
Fred chuckled. "A day spent almost entirely alone with you? How could I forget?"
Rebecca found herself under his arm happily, the two of them taking a lap around the courtyard nearby. Torches were lit on the stones every few feet, the freshly falling snow shining in the firelight beautifully.
"Did you have a good evening?" Fred asked.
"The best." Rebecca glanced at him, hoping he hadn't asked because he hadn't. "Did you?"
"The best." Fred smiled, swiping the snow off a bench with his sleeve before sitting. He only lasted a second before he was back on his feet. "Bloody cold out here!"
Rebecca giggled as he jumped in place, holding her elbow out for him to take. "How about a walk back up to the common room then? Should be empty with the younger students in bed and the older still dancing."
"Why's that matter?"
Rebecca shrugged. "Well, I mean...I thought you'd want a little privacy. Goodnight's kiss and all."
Fred held up a finger, a necessary correction needing to be made. "Kisses. You mean 'goodnight's kisses.'"
The made their way up the stairs loudly, the spiked juice leaving them more boisterous than they would have been without it. In the common room, they both shed their outer layer--Rebecca her jumper and Fred his overcoat--to leave it dangled on the banister of their respective staircases.
Fred and Rebecca both gravitated back towards the couch in front of the fire, Rebecca sitting on it as one normally sits on a couch and Fred hopping over the back to land laying down behind her with a plop. They fit themselves side by side, Fred's arm going under her head and the two exchanging kiss after kiss.
In one of the silences between, Fred cleared his throat. "So does this mean-"
"Yes."
"Damn it, Rebecca, let me finish my question!" He said with a sigh, kissing her before starting again.
"Does this mean that we're...going out?" He asked. "I could call you my girlfriend and all that?"
Rebecca looked up at him nervously, though she couldn't tell why. It still felt like this might all be fake, she guessed. Maybe it had been a joke or a prank and he didn't- "Do you want to?" She heard herself ask. "Call me that, that is?"
Fred nodded, his eyes widening. "Very much."
"I'd like that." Rebecca whispered before Fred kissed her more passionately than before, pulling her bottom lip between his teeth before looking at her again.
"Let's say we call that day in Hogsmeade--when we went to the Hog's Head--our first date."
Rebecca cupped his cheek, running her thumb down his jaw. "Let's." She pushed herself up so that she was leaning down over him and kissed Fred with the ferocity he had her a moment earlier.
They continued to lie together--kissing and talking--until Hermione returned to the common room later with George and Angelina right behind, catching Fred and Rebecca red-faced, out of breath, and their lips interlocked.
Hermione gasped, punching the air. George froze in his tracks, realising he'd lost. "I believe that will be fifteen galleons." Hermione remarked proudly.
Fred and Rebecca shot to their feet, straightening their clothes. They knew time had to have been passing but they hadn't expected to still be together when their friends had gotten back. "What?" Fred asked confused, the fog Rebecca had brought over his thoughts receding. "Fifteen galleons?"
Hermione winced. "George and I may have had a small pool going...on when you two would...get together."
Fred looked to Rebecca shocked, winking so they couldn't see. "What? We're together?"
Rebecca held her hands to her mouth, playing along. "What?!"
George rolled his eyes and told Hermione he'd pay in the morning. "How was I supposed to know they'd get over the awkward phase so quickly?"
Angelina smiled sheepishly. "That may not have been the only wager going." Rebecca and Fred blinked as she continued. "Katie and I may have had similar predictions, though I hadn't really expected to hear anything until next year, too."
George grinned and walked Angelina to the girls' stairs, leaving Hermione to climb the stairs and pretend she didn't notice how Fred turned and held Rebecca's hands between his. She freed her hands to wrap her arms around his middle, Fred leaving a kiss on the top of her head. "Good night."
Rebecca walked him to the boys' stairs, hopping up the first two stairs before he could so she was level with his lips to give him a quick peck. "Good night."
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Ginny stumbled into their room ages after Hermione and Rebecca had washed their faces and gotten into their pajamas.
"Where do you think you've been all this time, young lady?" Rebecca asked, crossing her arms from underneath Hermione's blankets as the two of them sat against her headboard and chatted.
Ginny rolled her eyes and went towards the bathroom, ready to get ready for bed herself. "Neville and I--we snuck out to the greenhouses and named them all."
Hermione was shocked. "That's certainly one way for you to study, I guess!"
Ginny poked her head back out of the bathroom. "Not quite. He named them properly, I gave them name-names. Jonathan, Elizabeth, Marc-"
"One day," Hermione warned both Ginny and Rebecca. "One of you is going to say something and I'm just going to drop dead."
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Neville stumbled into his room similarly to how Ginny had across the tower, loud and excited. "I'm only getting back now!" Neville crowed, waltzing around the room. "Me!"
Harry rolled over, wishing Neville didn't have to be so obvious about how well the evening had gone for him. Ron put his pillow over his head as Harry closed his eyes, very ready for bed if the alternative was to listen to Neville boast at past two.
Fred had misplaced his pajama shirt and, as he and his roommates were apt to do with each other, went to find it in just his bottoms. George mimed a retch over the edge of his bed, embarrassing Fred. "What's the matter with you?" Fred demanded, pulling his found shirt over his head and climbing into his bed.
"You."
Lee rolled his eyes at George's response and elaborated for him. "He's bitter because you cost him fifteen galleons."
"Cost him?" Fred echoed. "I didn't make him bet anything!" As ridiculous as George was being, nothing could wipe away Fred's elation at how the night had gone and he folded his arms behind his head to be as comfortable as possible to look up at the ceiling and relive every moment he had been with Rebecca in his arms.
"Well there is absolutely nothing about you that would make anyone think you would have the stones to do anything this year!" George countered.
Fred tuned George's continued ranting out, Rebecca covering every facet of his thoughts. His excitement stalled for a moment when he realised he had to write a letter home, but not even that lasted more than half a second.
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