EARLY UPDATE! SURPRISE? 

dedicated to ellabunny123 for the smexy cover on the side ;)) thanks bae 

Song For This Chapter: Little Lion Man - Mumford And Sons

Ch. 19: Fred's Chapter

            (this chapter bounces between elle & fred's point of view)

        FRED's POV:

    There was a light tapping from outside the seventh year boy's dorm window, waking me from my late morning. Grumbling, I tumbled out of bed and onto the floor, squinting open my eyes to crawl towards the tapping sound.

    "Ugh," George groaned from the bed across from mine, "Why must we get woken up on our late day? It's the day before N.E.W.T's for Godric's sake," he spat out, rolling over and shoving his pillow on top of his head.

    Raising a brow at my twin, I shook him off, not really attempting to process what he was saying at this hour. The dorm was practically empty at this time, every one had left for breakfast around this time. Pausing, I wondered to myself why I wasn't down in The Great Hall. Every morning, I used to relish getting up just to see Elle's irritated face as George and I did something to piss her off. 

    But, not any more. It was not as if I stopped liking Elle, if anything I like her more than I have before. It was more of a precautionary measure to be sure that I would not hurt her again, as I had done before. Perhaps distance was the best thing for us.

    "You're thinking about what Angelina said last week again, aren't you?" George rose a brow, turning in his bed to watch me. While I always loved my brother, it irritated me that he could see right into my mind, even in times that I didn't want him to. 

    Sighing, I ran a hand through my bed head and spared him a look he knew too well. 

    "That's what I'd figured," George chuckled dryly, even though it was not necessarily a very cheery topic, "I've told you not to take it to heart, you and I both know that Angie is still bitter about Oliver Wood and his new girlfriend."

    Rolling my eyes, I opened my mouth to retort, but the familiar sound of the tapping outside the window recalled my attention, drawing me to the glass and propping it open. Sitting on the perch, just outside the window, where three owls. A screech owl, a barn owl, and a tiny grey one. All had something different tucked in their claws.

    "'Ello there," I grinned, rubbing sleep from my eyes while I pet the most familiar one, it was our family owl. Turning to George, I smirked, taking the package from the bird, "Looks like Mum sent our birthday gifts, Georgie."

    "Well, bring it in then," he murmured, half asleep once more. 

    Nodding, I sent the owl off, tossing the soft parcel at George's head and earning a low curse from him. Smirking, I reached for the next owl, the screech, and furrowed my brow. It looked like an official carrier, and, the box tied his leg was stamped with the official seal of 'ZJ'. 

    Taped on top of the box was a thick parchment. Carefully, I peeled it off and read the neat scrawl out loud, despite the fact that George was most likely not listening to me. 

        'Boys, 

    You left these in the attic. Don't worry - I didn't tell your mother. I was tempted to use one myself, but Lupin threw a obese fit, saying I could compromise everything. I felt I should return them as a birthday gift. I hid them inside this Zonko's Joke box - along with some candies. 

    Happy birthday, kids,

        Padfoot'

    Lifting the lid of the package, I grinned down at the creations George and I had spent endless hours of our Winter break working on. "Brilliant."

    George hopped out of his bed and padded over to me, peering down that the candies and toys, "Brilliant," he repeated my words as we shared the same wicked grin. They were just what we needed to start the day off with a bang. Literally.

    George reached towards the tiny, grey owl and took the letter from it's claws, cocking a brow at the return address, "Uh, I think this little guy is confused."

    "What do you mean?" I chuckled, reaching for the letter while letting the dazed owl inside, it honestly seemed dead on it's feet to be perfectly honest. The back of the letter had the return address, and, it slightly threw me off, "Lana Dowel and Jenna Chase?"

    "That's what I was saying," George shrugged his shoulders, "Why would they write to you?"

    I sighed at my twin and flipped the letter over, reading my messily scratched name on the cover, declaring that it really was for me, not Elle. "Should I open it?" I nudged George, hinting towards the option of forgetting about those crazy Americans. 

    George rose a brow, snickering, "Well, you remember when Eliza received the Howler from them? Perhaps you should get it over with."

    "Fine," I sighed, feeling a sinking sensation in the pit of my intestines as I peeled open the top, thinking of Letter. We had not talked since the week before, and, it was mainly my fault. Mine and Angelina's.

    Oliver Wood had declared to the press in an interview, about his Quidditch career, that he was now involved with a German, female potions master with a promising future. And, Angelina began venting about how Wood was a pig that couldn't wait one year for her to get out of Hogwarts. 

    It started me thinking, if that was true about her and Wood, what about Elle and I? Sure, we were close, family wise, but she was only a mere fifth year. I'll be in Diagon Ally, working at the shop. But, Elle, she'd be here - at Hogwarts. 

    Hogwarts is filled with different boys, and, once I was out of the picture, she may come to find that she likes one as 'most than friends'. Who was I to ask her to put off seeing anyone else while she was in Hogwarts? That wasn't right to trap her into a two year commitment. 

    George snapped his fingers in front of my face, pulling me from my trance, "Uh, mate? Wake up and open the letter would you?" He chuckled as I flipped him off, "I'm going to meet Blake for breakfast, I'll see you soon."

    "Whatever," I snapped back, sending him a sharp eye.

    Sliding out the letter, the elegant writing sort of threw me off, but, I quickly read the words, trying not to focus too much on the scrawl. 

        'Fred Weasley,

    What are you thinking? Do you realize how much stress you are putting on Elle by ignoring her? Jenna and I received the scariest, most traumatizing letter,' there was a scribbled in piece off to the side of this from a different person that stated, '(it wasn't really that bad)'.

    'From her, and, while we are not at the liberty of getting involved, we want you to know that you are being a pig-headed idiot and you need to talk things out with Elizabeth Granger - right now. We went through this last year, and, even though we can't be there at the present, we demand you not do this again.

    Do you Weasleys ever learn?!

        Sincerely, Lana & Jenna'

    Heaving a sigh, I rubbed a hand over my eyes, knowing that they were right. And, the fact that Elle had sent them a sad letter about the situation declared to me that she was hurting just as much as I was, perhaps even more. 

    Glancing towards the alarm clock sitting on my night stand, I realized that the O.W.L's for the fifth years were to start in an hour. I still had time to catch her before the tests.I had time to talk to her about the plans for the next few years. 

    What we both wanted to do, if that be the case. But, what was that? I wasn't sure. All I knew, was that I couldn't hold her back from what she wanted, even if she wanted us to go our separate ways. Truth be told, two years was a long time. 

    My heart began to sink in my chest, and, the ever important question racked my own mind. What did I want? Could I commit to two years of only see Elle on the holidays? 

        ELLE's POV: 

    "Ginny, where is your brother?" I murmured quietly under my breath, not really feeling very happy today. I had expected the Twin's birthday to bring a brand new feeling of new relationships to everything. Maybe Fred and I could make it, maybe.

    Ginny spared me a soft smile, eyeing the present that was sitting beside me, "I'm sure he will come own for breakfast soon. George and Fred like to sleep in on their day."

    I only nodded my head, in the corner of my eye I noticed Hermione glaring at me. She was not angry with me, but she was pissed at Fred for making me feel so low. It was funny how she had assumed into the big sister role so suddenly. 

    "How are you feeling, Elle?" Harry asked me with a small smile, it was kind of touching to see him caring for me. It was a brief enough feeling of elation to bring a short smile on my face.

    "Much better now," I admitted, earning a raised brow from Ron, hinting something at me, earning a scowl from me. Never. Ever. 

    Hermione's eyes connected with someone from across the room, and, she nudged me, "He's here."

    Turning around, my eyes landed on the tired ones of Frederick Weasley as he stalked his way towards the Gryffindor table. A slow, aged smile spread on my lips, and, I was suddenly filled with a deep reassurance. 

    Everything was going to work out for the better.

        FRED's POV: 

    Her smile was not usual for Elle. It was slow, elegant and it seemed as if she was aware of everything that I had been eternally fighting as well. It was as if she understood everything and she was ready to talk about it. 

    Perhaps we were ready to move past this. 

    As I approached her, she stood from the table, and motioned back in the direction that I had just come from, "Can we talk somewhere private?" She started, eyes flickering down to her shoes as she nervously twisted her fingers together. 

    "Of course," I nodded, following her as she maneuvered around me, weaving between the tables and opening the door to the Great Hall so we could talk in the threshold where no one was watching.

    "I got you something," she murmured quietly, ducking her head as if she didn't want to talk too loud. It was the first time in too long that we'd actually had a true conversation. She pulled a box out from behind her back and handed it to me. "Happy birthday, Fred."

    The package was fairly average sized and wrapped with Elle's face making all kinds of funny expressions. "Awe, you shouldn't have," I winked at her, trying to get a giggle - but all that she managed to choke out was a small huff of a dead laugh.

    "Look, we need to talk," We both started at the same time, making each other stop short in mild surprise.

    Confused, I paused, taking in Elle's somber eyes. What ever she wanted to say to me was no doubt as serious as what I wanted to say as well. I wanted to make things work, but I backed down, letting her talk first. "You go first then," I nodded, earning a small smile from her, one that didn't reach her light brown eyes. 

    "Maybe you should open your present first," she suggested, but I only shook my head.

    "I can open it later, Letter. What do you want to talk about?" I struggled out, knowing deep down that we were both thinking something a long the same lines. How are we going to make this work?

    Elle sighed, running a hand through her hair, a nervous habit of hers that I had picked up on last year. "I...," she paused, turning her head away from me and sucking in a deep breath, eyes watering a little as she did. "I-I think we should, should stop seeing each other," she blurted out, lifting her hand to her lips.

    What? My world froze for a minute, and, I didn't know what to say to her. That's it? Was it something I did? I know the future looks kinda shaky, but... I swallowed a thickening in my throat and my brow furrowed. 

    I had an inkling that she'd not want to be tied down for two years...

        ELLE's POV:

    He seemed shocked by this, and, he tore his eyes away from mine. In that moment, I wanted to take everything back, all that I had just spewed out of my mouth. I'd thought that was what he wanted, but, was I wrong?

    Fred took a small step away from me, forcing a half smile onto his face and turning his head. He was silent for a little while, just watching my face. Slowly, he opened his mouth, voice sounding thick and rough, "I.. You're probably right."

    What? 

    At those words, I bit down on the inside of my cheeks to keep myself from crying in front of him. So, he had been thinking about it as well. I wasn't just hallucinating it. A large majority of myself was dying for him to tell me that we didn't need to break it off, but that wasn't my reality.

    Swallowing the growing tears in my esophagus, I nodded quickly, forced a smile on my lips, and turned on my heel, brushing past him, and running towards the girl's lavatory - not able to keep up my happy face any longer. 

    What did I expect? It was two years. With only holidays and summer breaks, it wasn't much of a relationship any more.

        FRED's POV:

    I watched her go, unsure of what to do or what to say. But, I had the feeling that I had done something terribly wrong. Elle was the one to say that she wanted the break, but the way her eyes widened at my words, I couldn't be sure any more. 

    Frowning, I punched the stone wall beside me, causing my knuckles to scream in agony. Cursing, I rubbed my hand and glared down at the package Elle had presented me, furiously ripping off the wrapping paper and lifting the cardboard. 

    Staring down at the present, I realized what it was. And, at the sight of the fresh wounds, I felt a few tears slip down the bridge of my nose and drip onto the cherry wooden handle of the brand new Beaters club.