Catch Me, I'm Falling | Fred Weasley

Chapter 37

"Have you told George?" she asked Fred. The boy twirled his wand in his fingers, fixated on the swirling wood.

"No." His voice was an exhale. Olivia's eyes flicked up to his.

"You'll have to tell him eventually..."

"Mm," Fred hummed, then looked up when he felt her watching him. "Is that a problem?"

Olivia looked away. "No, I just- I know you don't like keeping secrets from him."

A pause as the droplets of rain echoed through the space. Fred huffed, "Of course I want to tell him. Of course I- but I can't. You know that. How do you tell your brother that you're going to die? If I had to go a day without George I don't know what I'd do. I haven't even come to terms with it myself and the thought of him- I can't do that to him."

Olivia nodded and put a hand on his shoulder. "I- I know. I'm sorry." Fred's large eyes looked up to her.

"It's not your fault. Never. I should be sorry. I- I can't even begin to imagine what this is like for you," he told her. Olivia took a deep breath and nodded, grabbing his arm and laying her head on his shoulder. She stared out and the pitter-patter of the rain as she contemplated her next words. And when they came to her, there was not a shadow of doubt in her voice.

"If it means that I get to be with you, then it's worth it. Always."

"I love you, Olivia. I don't think you know how much. I'm sorry I pushed you away. I was scared, and a coward. I'm sorry. Turns out, I can't live without you. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me..." Olivia pressed her lips to his.

"Already forgiven," she said onto his lips.

Fred smiled a little. "I don't deserve you." She kissed him again as if she could erase the words.

"Don't say that," she chided.

Fred chuckled into the kiss. "But it's true-"

"Is not," she shoved him.

"Hey!" Fred exclaimed, shoving her back. Unfortunately, his strength was far greater than hers and she ended up laying back on the mattress with a squeal. Fred hovered over her, grinning.

"I win," he said. Olivia squinted.

"Never." She grabbed his jaw and pulled him down into another kiss. Still holding his jaw, she pulled away. She'd noticed his shorter hair earlier but hadn't had the chance to say anything yet. It was shorter than before, drastically so. But it also highlighted his jawline and it didn't fall into his face as his long hair had. "I like your hair." And she did. Although, it was highly likely that she'd like his hair in any haircut. Another kiss.

"Yeah?" Fred pulled away and self-consciously ran a hand through it. "Mum thought it best to cut it and it was getting in my face when I tried to play guitar, so I agreed. Do you really like it?"

Olivia ignored the question in favor of the very interesting information he'd just shared. "You play guitar?" Her eyes were wide like a child having just been told they were going to a candy store.

Fred chuckled at her expression. "Yes. You didn't know?"

"No! This is amazing. Can you play something for me?"

"Well, well. It seems that the all-knowing Sparks is not so all-knowing after all."

"You didn't answer my question," Olivia snapped, irritated that he was calling her by her last name again. The mischievous twinkle in Fred's eye told her that he knew all too well what she was doing.

He leaned close and whispered, "Later," as if it were a promise. He straightened, "Come on, I'm sure George would like to see you and Ginny's been asking for you."

"Ginny?" Olivia asked, incredulous.

"Yeah, she idolizes you," Fred smiled fondly at Olivia as he gave her a hand off the bed. It groaned as he hoisted her up.

"Well then, I better go say hi."

-

"Olivia!" George called. Olivia smiled and waved as she skipped down the stairs to meet him. His voice was deeper now, more so than Fred's, and his hair was also cut short. It suited him.

"George," she grinned as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"We missed you!" George said as he smiled at her.

Olivia giggled. "It was only a few weeks."

George widened his eyes and gave a dramatic show of putting his hand to his chest. "Weeks! How dare you be so insensitive."

Olivia laughed. "Where's everyone else?"

George nodded his head in the direction of the door. "Ginny's off with a friend, Ron is trying to get Errol to send another letter to Harry, and Mum and Dad are on Order of the Phoenix business." He squinted a little. "You know what that is, right?"

Olivia nodded, "Yeah, I know... everything."

George let out a huff of laughter. "Of course you do. Is there anything you don't know?"

Olivia's eyes flicked to Fred. "I didn't know Fred played guitar."

George's eyebrows rose. "Really. Well, I'm sure that'll be interesting."

Olivia was grinning as Fred pulled her into his arms. "That it will be."

George sighed, looking up at the ceiling, from which water was dripping into a bucket below. "I can't believe he's back." The name didn't have to be uttered. Everyone knew who he was talking about. Voldemort.

"It's about to get scary, I can tell you that much. But I have a feeling you know that much already," Olivia muttered softly.

George nodded solemnly. "I know." His eyes flicked to his twin. "But we're ready."

Fred nodded back and smiled, but his smile wasn't completely there. He wasn't quite as confident as his twin.