No one to Save You || OPEN

[marisa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; height: 250px; overflow:auto; border-radius: 10px; border-left: 10px solid #F8AA2C; background: #FCFEF5;] you just fell off the bus No One to Save you The bars around his shop weren’t as good as The Three Broomsticks, and at least in Hogsmeade he didn’t feel like he was going to die just going in there. Diagon Alley sadly wasn’t the nicest of places anymore but at least their shop wasn’t being affected because of it. Still, it was a miracle that they hadn’t been ransacked or anything yet. Not that they weren’t read for it. Fred and George were extremely prepared and had a whole plan of what they’d do if something were to happen. They lived in a joke shop; honestly they had a pretty good chance of being all right if attacked. Maybe that’s why no one ever tried. That or no one saw it fit to target them. Probably wasn’t the reason though considering they were blood traitor’s part of the order. If anything they were like a neon sign. With that, he pushed open the door of The Three Broomsticks and settled in the bar. He ordered himself a butterbeer, wanting to steer clear from the hard liquor today. Last time he had the hangover from hell and it took two days to recover. George would kill him if he wasn’t able to open up shop tomorrow and drinking alone wasn’t really on his to do list for the day. That seemed like a sign of being an alcoholic and at nineteen that wasn’t something he planned on being. So, he kicked his feet up and waited for his drink, glancing around at the people in the bar. Places like this always made him uneasy at night, but he tried to shake it off. It’s not like he could just live in his loft without going out ever. Though, he was sure his Mum wouldn’t mind if he did that. A noise of something falling to the ground caught Fred’s attention. It was a wallet, and he wasn’t sure if it belonged to a man or a woman. He reached down from the stool to pick it up and furrowed his eyebrows, looking it over. “Oi, did someone drop this?” He called out, hoping that it belonged to someone normal. The last thing he needed tonight was to be holding the wallet of a death eater or something. That would be his luck recently though, and honestly he wouldn’t be surprised if it was. Hopefully, though, it wasn’t. He looked around the room trying to catch a familiar face. There wasn’t anyone here he recognized and it was probably because of the time. It was making him a bit nervous, and he yelled out again, wondering if maybe the person didn’t hear him. That or they left. “Anyone? A wallet!” he pressed his lips together and then frowned. Normally he liked drawing attention to himself but right now he wasn’t really enjoying it. This wasn’t the attention he generally craved, especially in a bar chock full of witches and wizards he didn’t know. He half thought of just giving the wallet to Madame Rosemerta if no one came to claim it. Word count: 510

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[Deleted]

noises i play within my head

touch my own skin and hope that i'm still breathing

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,15,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m542/pwbthemes/wood%20backgrounds/DarkWood.gif');,true] CAUSE THEY'RE CALLING The fall air was cool today, cooler than usual. Just enough so, in fact, that Sura felt like her sweater wasn't even coming close to cutting it. She reached down and pulled the edges tighter to her body, as if that was going to save her. This was going to be a terrible walk, and if it weren't for the fact that she was absolutely craving a gloriously hot Butterbeer, she would have turned straight around and hightailed it back to the castle to the warm comfort of her blankets and the nearby fireplace. Once again, she was adventuring out to the little town all by her lonesome. It didn't bother her all so much though; sometimes you needed some time to yourself. When you went somewhere alone, you got to pick where you went, how long you stayed, who you talked to... It was a nice change of pace, and one that Sura was heartily looking forward to today. She could have purred in pleasure when the sign for the little town came into view. That meant she was less than two or so minutes from the warmth of a fireplace and a hot drink. A small grumble issued from her belly at the thought. Maybe a small bite to eat was in order as well, then. There were a few students milling around, though not as many as usual. The cold day had prompted many students to stay indoors today, so it seemed. Even as she approached the Three Broomsticks, she could barely hear the usual rumble and ruckus that issued from within. Sura sighed happily as her chilled hand made contact with the door handle -- even it was warm. This was exactly where she wanted to be right now. Pulling hard on the heavy door, she was met with the familiar sound and smell of the little pub, and she stepped in from out of the cold without a moment's hesitation. A shiver ran down Sura's spine as her body was enveloped in the warmth of the Three Broomsticks. She could feel goosebumps rippling over her skin, her hair standing on end. Not an unfamiliar feeling for her; everything seemed to give her goosebumps, from well-written speeches, to the cold air by the lake, to the warmness of the Three Broomsticks. She rubbed her hands together, trying to get some feeling and circulation back into her fingers. They were positively numb, and it was maddening. She felt like half of her dexterity was gone when her hands were too cold. She flexed them a few times and them rubbed them together, hoping the friction would give her some kind of relief. She didn't have enough patience to let them warm up on their own. Sura made her way up to the counter, bumping into several people along the way and squeezing between a handful more. The Three Broomsticks was quite full today, even though less than half of the patrons were students. Apparently the adult Wizarding population was looking to get out of the cold just as much as she was. It was because of that cold and the numbness that it had caused that Sura didn't notice when her wallet fell out of her pocket as she bumped past other patrons. She finally reached the counter, a smile on her lips at the thought of a nice hot Butterbeer. She was about to open her mouth to order when she realized something was wrong: her wallet was gone. She frowned, patting all of her other pockets. "Bollocks..." she muttered, a slew of Irish curses zipping through her mind at top speed. This was not good at all. Sura looked around, trying not to be panicked. She could have lost it anywhere. It could be on the steps at the castle, somewhere along the path to the village, or on the floor somewhere in this crowd. Even Accio might not pick it up if she cast it. Just as she was about to let the curse words in her mind fall out of her mouth, a voice rose over the noise of the pub. “Oi, did someone drop this?” There it was, her wallet in a man's hand. He didn't look much older than she was, and Merlin did he ever look familiar... “Anyone? A wallet!” Sura squeezed through the crowd, trying to make her way to the redhead before she lost sight of them. "It's mine!" she called, still working on making her way through the throng of people. Her hand waved over the heads of the other people in the crowd, as she was certain she was too short for him to see her. She squeezed through the last few people in her way, and stopped abruptly in front of him, a puff of air releasing from her lungs in sheer relief. Mother would have killed her if she'd have lost that wallet and the money inside it. "Merlin, am I happy you found that," she sighed, a sheepish grin on her face. "I promise it's mine, you can check my ID if you'd like." She looked up into his face, so familiar that it was about to drive her insane. The name jumped into the foreground of her brain without warning: Weasley. He was one of Ginny's older brothers. That on it's own told her he was of good people. Her shoulders settled back, and she pushed her sleeves up her arms, goosebumps of relief all over her skin. "And if you're not in a rush, I'd love to buy you a drink or some food or something, you know, to say thanks. A lot of people these days would have just taken off with it." Her voice was soft, her accent a little heavier than usual due to the adrenaline that was still racing though her veins. She held her hand out to shake his, smiling warmly. "The name is Sura O'Connor." 1006 WORDS , Fred , whatta gentleman :]

format by sura o'connor ♥

[marisa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; height: 250px; overflow:auto; border-radius: 10px; border-left: 10px solid #F8AA2C; background: #FCFEF5;] you just fell off the bus No One to Save you Finally he caught sight of a girl, seemingly missing something. It had to be her and he looked her over. She didn’t look dangerous, but then again neither did Umbridge and everyone knew what a huge bitch that woman was. Her face wasn’t very panicked though, and that was the only reason he thought it might not be hers. He was never good in situations like that, trying to remain calm. Not that he couldn’t be calm just that he was brasher than anything. Immediately if he lost something his first reaction was to freak out until he or George found it, because generally, George was there when he lost something. He watched as she squeezed through the crowd toward him, and he found it weird that he had been even able to pinpoint her like that. Maybe it was just instinct or something like it. She called that it was hers and he grinned, seeing her through all the people. Maybe she didn’t know if he saw her, but he did. “Yours?” He asked, looking down at the wallet. Now that he thought about, it did look a little too feminine to be a man’s wallet. Still though, maybe it could have gone both ways. Did girls even use wallets though? Usually they all had large bags slung around their shoulders with every object under the sun thrown in there. Girls pulled everything out of their bags and truthfully it amazed Fred. Maybe this girl was better off getting a bag. Not that he was about to suggest that for her. She’d probably assume he was mental or batted for the other team if they got into a discussion about purses. She stopped in front of him and he looked down at her, eyebrows raised. A puff of air came from her mouth and his tips twitched into a smile. He didn’t find it surprising that she was exhausted from going though all those people. The bar was completely packed tonight, and it wasn’t the best of times to be leaving your wallet just lying around wherever. Also, how did he know that it was even hers? She told him that he could check the ID and for safe measure he did. The picture matched her, but anyone could have a fake one of those things…especially a witch like her, so he wasn’t going to give it up that easy. Plus, he wanted to mess with her. She looked familiar almost and he didn’t know where from. Therefore, his plan was to find out. “How do I know it’s not a fake,” he mused, clearly teasing her as he dangled the wallet around her head. Eventually he handed it back to her, a smile still playing on his lips. Because he found her wallet she wanted to buy him a drink or something. Well, that was nice. Of course he couldn’t say no to that, being polite and all. Plus, maybe he knew her or something. That or maybe she knew Ginny. Everyone generally knew the Weasley last name whether it be good or bad. There were just a lot of them and they were bound to run into people their siblings knew. It was particularly awkward when someone knew George though and mistook Fred for him. That was always a sticky situation but he imagined it happened to George just as often. She said how a lot of people would have just taken off with it and he hated to agree, but it was true. A lot of people were dishonest, but what were he to do with a woman’s wallet? He had his own money, so he didn’t need hers. Fred just didn’t see a point in it. “That sounds great, you really don’t have to though,” he told her, taking her hand and shaking it gently. “My name’s Fred, Fred Weasley,” he grinned lopsidedly at the girl and thought about her name. Sura. It wasn’t one that he ever remembered hearing before, so he knew he didn’t know her. Maybe he just had seen her around Hogwarts before or something. She didn’t look that young, but she also didn’t look very old. Her accent was heavy and he tried to figure out what it was, but it was something he was never good at. The country could smack him in the face and he still wouldn’t be able to get it. “Do you want to grab something to eat? I’m starving. Just buy me a drink though and we can call it even. Don’t worry about my food.” He said with another genuine smile. Fred didn’t like girl’s paying for him to begin with, but he did find her wallet. If it made her feel like she was repaying him then that was fine. He could settle for another butterbeer and something to eat. At least now he had some company since George wasn’t around. Fred had always felt a little funny about eating alone. Word count: 829

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[Deleted]

noises i play within my head

touch my own skin and hope that i'm still breathing

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,15,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m542/pwbthemes/wood%20backgrounds/DarkWood.gif');,true] CAUSE THEY'RE CALLING Sura smiled sheepishly when he asked if the wallet was hers. "Mine," she chuckled. "It must have fallen out of my pocket while I was bumping though people on my way to the bar." She shook her head, her smile still on her lips. It was probably not the best choice to leave her purse at home. At least if her wallet had been in her purse, it wouldn't have almost gotten lost to Merlin knows where. She had a feeling if someone else is the pub had of picked her wallet up, she wouldn't have been so lucky. Well, there was no sense in dwelling on it now; at least she had it, and it's contents back. That was the important part. The man's lips curled up into a small smile as she caught her breath from her nerves. Merlin, her heart was nearly pounding right out of her chest. Her ribcage was a xylophone, her heart a mallet, and the melody that was rushing past her ears sounded of sweet relief. Sura blinked and smiled sweetly as he opened her wallet and removed her ID card. He examined it carefully, looking from her face to the card. Sura's smile never faltered as he tucked it back into the pocket. For a moment she frowned as he held her wallet above her head. But as soon as she heard his voice, her lips parted and her face softened: he was teasing her. "Well," she shrugged, her eyes dancing with mischief. "You're just going to have to trust me, aren't you?" She was very relieved that her accent had softened from the rough Irish that appeared when she was flustered, one of her most blatant tells. At least she hadn't started cursing in Gaelic. The smile was still on his lips as he handed her wallet back. Without a second look at it, she tucked it into he pocket. If he was a Weasley, which she was fairly certain he was, then she had no need to worry about missing items. The weight was about right, anyways. “That sounds great, you really don’t have to though,” he said, placing his hand in hers to shake it. She gave it a squeeze, smiling widely. "Please, it is the very least I can do for the man who found my wallet and didn't take off with it," she laughed. Sura nodded as he told her his name. So he was a Weasley. And as such, she knew that she could trust him completely without having to ask too many questions. That was a trait you didn't see too often in people these days. "Pleasure to meet you, Fred." “Do you want to grab something to eat? I’m starving. Just buy me a drink though and we can call it even. Don’t worry about my food.” Sura nodded complacently, a small smile on her face. "If you insist, but if you change your mind, don't hesitate to say something. I'd be more than happy to buy, really." She looked around the room and nodded her head toward an empty table in the corner by the fireplace. "Shall we then?" she asked, starting toward the empty seats. Sura was quite pleased that she'd met someone new to eat with. The situation was a bit of a funny one, but her offer to pay for his meal and drink was a genuine. He seemed more than pleasant enough to eat with, and that made the situation all the more pleasing. Sura was very glad that she didn't feel like she was just going through the obligated motions with Fred. She pulled her wallet from her back pocket and placed it on the lacquered wood as she sat down. Without a moment of hesitation, Madam Rosmerta appeared out of no where, as per usual. Sura ordered a Butterbeer for herself, as well as one for Fred, and a basket of chips. Her stomach grumbled in appreciation, and she smiled and shrugged. She waited patiently for Fred to order, her hands folded on tabletop. She smiled as he finished, cocking he head to the side, "So what brings a fine gentleman, such as yourself, to Hogsmeade today, Fred Weasley?" 727 WORDS , Fred , stoked to post with you!

format by sura o'connor ♥

[marisa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; height: 250px; overflow:auto; border-radius: 10px; border-left: 10px solid #F8AA2C; background: #FCFEF5;] you just fell off the bus No One to Save you Her eyes danced with mischief and the look in itself was oddly comforting. It reminded him of George in a way and he liked her immediately. Of course he was going to trust her, well, as much as someone could be trusted in a time such as this one. She seemed relatively harmless, but a lot of people do and that didn’t mean that she didn’t enjoy torturing people in her spare time or something. The thought made him uneasy and he blamed his Mum for that, making him so cautious about everyone and anyone. She seemed all right, and he was going with his gut for that. If he got any kind of a bad feeling about this then he would leave. That was that. She insisted that they eat and drink and so he wasn’t going to object. It would be fun. He knew that it would be. “Pleasure to meet ya too,” he replied, his charm kicking into a higher gear. It was what he did generally. He liked women, and though he had one there wasn’t a reason not to be a gentleman to this one. It wasn’t like he was trying to pursue her. So, he technically wasn’t doing anything wrong. She seemed okay with him paying for himself and he was grateful for that. It was always a bit weird for him when women paid for his food. Usually it just made him feel like something was off. “If I suddenly need you to pay for me, I won’t hesitate.” He winked playfully, knowing well that he wouldn’t be asking her to pay. It just wasn’t in him to do that. He had a perfectly fine job and enough money to support him, so he was going to use it. He was thrilled to have someone to eat with that wasn’t part of his immediate family. It was nice to meet a new face every once and awhile and it got a little old eating at The Burrow every night. Fred could only handle so much of watching ickle Ronnikins shoving food down his throat faster than Fred could even say the name of what Ron was eating. He pulled a chair out for himself and sat down, resting an arm on the table. His eyes flickered to the wallet on the table and he smiled devilishly at her. “Better remember not to leave that there.” He teased. His eyes sparkled. She ordered two butterbeers and that sounded great. The temperature outside was perfect for them and in Diagon Alley he wasn’t able to get a really good one like her. Madam Rosemerta was at the table taking their order and to make things simple he ordered the same thing as Sura. No need to order anything complicated, plus he wasn’t starving. It was just a constant hunger that he usually had. Fred could pretty much always eat, except for if it was his Mum that was feeling him. No matter what, she stuffed him to the point where he didn’t want to eat for days. Maybe that was why she did it. Not that it seemed to work with Ron ever. His eyes settled on her hands folded on the table for a moment before they flickered back up to her face. “Today? I was purely here for a butterbeer. A lot of the time I’m here though it’s to check out Zonko’s. George and I are thinking of buying it out as a second location for our shop.” He told her, leaning back in his chair with his right ankle resting on his left knee. “George is my brother. We run a joke shop in Diagon Alley.” He didn’t know if she heard of it, so he figured to roll on the safe side and just tell her. It’s not like Fred expected everyone that he ran into to know he and his twin. Sometimes it was better that they didn’t. People expected him to be funny all the time, and sometimes he really just wasn’t in the mood. She didn’t seem to expect that of him though, which is why he was so relaxed. Their drinks arrived and he took a small sip of his before setting it back down on the table. The warm liquid running down into his stomach was soothing. Word count: 703

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[Deleted]

noises i play within my head

touch my own skin and hope that i'm still breathing

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,15,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m542/pwbthemes/wood%20backgrounds/DarkWood.gif');,true] CAUSE THEY'RE CALLING Fred's face warm and friendly as she shook his hand. He positively oozed charm as he returned her sentiments regarding their meeting. Sometimes it was the peculiar or unfortunate situations in which you met the most interesting people, and that seemed to be the case here. Fred was pleasant and inviting and funny, all things she looked for in a friend. Though it was of course too soon to say that their encounter would be anything but that, she could certainly say that she didn't think she'd mind counting him among her friends, as things stood at this very moment.. He was modest too, considering that he'd only accepted her offer for a drink. Some people would have happily abused the offer. "If I suddenly need you to pay for me, I won't hesitate," he teased, winking at her. Sura had to giggle, a bright and happy sound. Nodding and smiling, she held her hands up as she shrugged. "The offer is on the table, Fred. You only need to say the word." The gesture of repaying someone for a good deed was something that had been engrained in her since she was a child. You only get from the world what you put into it, her mother had said to her countless times to her as a child. Now it was a reflex, although Sura could not deny that she completely agreed with her mother. How could one expect anyone to do something nice for them if they were not willing to do the same for someone else? So, naturally, when someone did something nice for her, she was inclined to return the favour. As they sat down, Sura snorted at Fred's comment. She grinned up at him from under her lashes, shaking her head. "I promise I'll try my very best, though there is no guarantee. But judging by the track record, I'm sure you won't let me forget, being as you already saved me once today. Unless you have a quota of good deeds that has now been filled, of course," she teased, returning his earlier wink with one of her own. From what she knew of him, which wasn't admittedly much, he could take teasing and humour, if nothing else. Besides, if he was allowed to tease her, it was a two-way street. His eyes twinkled, and she wrinkled her nose up as she smiled wryly. She wriggled in her seat a little, very much looking forward to the food that was coming. Sura had no clue what they put on their chips, but whatever it was she could eat them for days. If it weren't for the fact that it'd go straight to her arse, she could happily live off of them for the rest of her days. She perked up and sat a little straighter as Fred began to speak, smiling. “Today? I was purely here for a butterbeer. A lot of the time I’m here though it’s to check out Zonko’s. George and I are thinking of buying it out as a second location for our shop. George is my brother. We run a joke shop in Diagon Alley.” Sura smiled, nodding. She couldn't blame him for coming here for the Butterbeer. It was delicious, after all. Her eyebrows rose when he mentioned buying Zonko's. A gentleman and a businessman. "Really? That's fantastic for you both! You're obviously doing well then. I've been into the shop once or twice. It really is lovely." She laughed, wrinkling her nose up. "I think I've inadvertently sampled some of your product. A first year got me with a Puking Pastille at the beginning of the year when I called him out on trying to prank a Prefect. You'll be happy to hear that they are very effective." It certainly hadn't been a pleasant experience, but in hindsight it was a little humorous. Their drinks arrived, and Sura followed Fred's suit, taking a long sip of it. It was hot, sweet, and delicious, just as always. She hummed appreciatively, licking her lips in case there was some stray drop. She had no intention of looking like she was drooling on herself. That wouldn't be making a fantastic impression on the man sitting across from her. A moment later, their food also arrived. She thanked the waitress with a smile, and, once she was gone, she popped a chip into her mouth. Delicious. "I don't know how they make these taste so good," she said after swallowing, popping a finger on her mouth to catch some stray seasoning. "But I have a strong suspicion it has to do with magic. There is just no way they could be this tasty without it." Sura smiled and shrugged, taking a bite of another. So tasty. It was a good thing she had to go all the way to Hogsmeade for these, or her figure would be doomed. 836 WORDS , Fred

format by sura o'connor ♥

[marisa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; height: 250px; overflow:auto; border-radius: 10px; border-left: 10px solid #F8AA2C; background: #FCFEF5;] you just fell off the bus No One to Save you The offer was still on the table and he would keep that in his head, though he was positive he wasn’t going to take her up on it. That just wasn’t him. His Mum never would let him do something like that and his father had been sure to instill some good traits in him. Even if Fred was an obnoxious prankster with a need for attention at times, he was still a good guy. Some might disagree though. Not everyone enjoyed having dung bombs set off near them, but to each their own. Many people would have abused her offer though, but again he wasn’t that type of guy. For some reason he could imagine Ron doing that… not that his brother was rude, just a bit on the thicker side at times. “Don’t worry about it Sura. I’ll pay for myself,” he grinned, hoping it didn’t bother her that he didn’t want her paying for him. She snorted and he laughed lightly to himself, noting that she had a nice smile. If she didn’t manage to forget her wallet again he probably would never let her forget it. That was if he ever saw her again. He didn’t have that many people that he saw outside of his family, Hermione, and Harry. It wouldn’t be bad being friends with her though. She sure seemed nice enough and he didn’t think Hermione would mind. It’s not like he was trying to snog the girl or something so he hardly saw a problem with it. She wouldn’t mind. He was sure of it now. The waitress brought over their chips and it smelled delicious. A light smell of grease filled his nose and he inhaled, letting it out slowly. The steam coming off them told him that he might not want to grab them right away. So, he waited, licking his lips absentmindedly while he waited for them to cool off just a little. They looked delicious though and the wait was killing him. Whatever seasoning was on them was absolutely brilliant and that was why he got these every time he came here. It was hard not to. They were fantastic and something that couldn’t be redone anywhere else. At least he hadn’t ever found better ones. She commented on the shop and how lovely it was. It sounded so genuine and he grinned, clearly pleased with himself and his twin. They put a lot into that store and clearly it was paying off. It always made his day when people complimented it and usually there weren’t negative things to be said about it. If only people told his Mum this then maybe she would be more supportive about it. Not that she was still all that bad about it. Recently she was a bit more accepting. Maybe it was because they were actually being serious about something. Well, as serious as one could be while running a joke shop. “Thanks, we try.” He said, smiling again at the sound of her laugh. It had a nice ring to it. She told him the story about the puking pastille and he shook his head, chuckling lightly. “Glad to hear it. I know they’re pretty effective though. Georgie and I have tested far too many than I care to talk about.” He snorted lightly. “Only, it’s nicer to have one when the antidote actually works.” He winked. That was an experience he never wanted to think about again. It was probably the most he had ever thrown up in his life and Fred was sure it was never going to end. After about ten times George was able to fix him though. She popped a chip into her mouth and he did the same. The potato taste was delicious and the spicing on it was perfect. His mouth watered and he picked another one up, nibbling on it as she wondered how they made the chips so perfect. “I have no idea, but I wish I could make ‘em.” He said truthfully, knowing that he could barely make himself a sandwich without messing something up. Freddie wasn’t the best in the kitchen that was for sure. In other rooms he was a lot better. “Magic, eh? That could be it.” He mused, turning one in his hand to look at it before popping it into his mouth. They weren’t hot enough to burn his mouth anymore at least. He could probably eat these everyday if he bothered to take the trip to Hogsmeade. It wasn’t common that he did though. Today was just a rare event. After swallowing his mouthful he glanced up at her. “So, are you still in Hogwarts?” he asked, assuming that she was. She didn’t look young, but she didn’t look like she was old enough to have graduated. Not everyone graduates though, he reminded himself mentally. Merlin, he was the prime example of not graduating. Still though…not many people wanted to open a joke shop. Thankfully for Fred that didn’t require any NEWTS either. Word count: 839

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[Deleted]

noises i play within my head

touch my own skin and hope that i'm still breathing

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,15,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m542/pwbthemes/wood%20backgrounds/DarkWood.gif');,true] CAUSE THEY'RE CALLING The grin on Fred's face was infectious, and she found the corners of her mouth turning sharply upwards to match it. “Don’t worry about it Sura. I’ll pay for myself.” His voice was sincere, and she was certain he wasn't the type to say no to something just to make her dig harder. "Sure thing, if you insist," she said, her smile still plastered on her lips. Merlin, she never smiled like this around someone unless she really felt at ease. She had known him for a whole five minutes, and yet she still felt this way. Interesting, to say the least. She drew two fingers pinched together across her lips and flicked them over her shoulder, "I won't ask again." She chuckled, sitting back in her seat. How very excited she was to get her food... The deep breath that Fred took as their food was placed in front of them told Sura that he was looking forward to this feed just as much as she was. The steam that rose off of the hot wedges of potato carried the aroma of the potatoes and seasoning. It was divine. It was getting to the point where she didn't care all so much if she burned the roof of her mouth on her food or not. For these delicious morsels, it was almost worth it. She danced in her seat, antsy to get to eating. Sura took a sip of her Butterbeer so she could have the taste of something in her mouth. She needed tiding over until she could demolish the plate in front of her. The boy was absolutely full of smiles, and Sura was practically thriving on it. The joy he radiated was simply overwhelming. Sura wanted to bask in it and enjoy it as long as possible. Too many people these days were introverted and untrusting and would never be caught cracking a smile, lest the wrong person see them doing so. Fred's zest for life was like a breath of refreshing air. “Thanks, we try.” And he was modest, too. "My pleasure," she said, her teeth capturing her bottom lip as she smiled. The boy seemed to be becoming more and more of someone that she truly wanted to get to know. He shook his head with a laugh when Sura told him her story of her Puking Pastille encounter earlier that year. "Antidote?" she choked, her jaw dropping in shock. "There's an antidote? Please tell me it isn't sold with the pack of pastilles, lest I have to go buy some of my own and get that little bugger back!" Sura's head tipped backwards as she laughed. She couldn't help it, it was just so funny; all of that time she had spent in the bathroom, ill as she had ever been in her life, and she could have been cured with an antidote. “I have no idea, but I wish I could make ‘em.” Sura nodded in hearty agreement, chomping down on another chip. Heaven, oh sweet heaven. "I have tried so many times to get this right at home," she said between mouthfuls. "I mean, Ireland isn't exactly lacking in potatoes, so I have plenty of supplies available. I don't think I'm a terrible cook, but I can never, and I mean never, get anywhere close to this kind of delicious when it comes to chips." She held one up, her brows turning into a small frown as she stared at it. She could make out the usual salt, some paprika, and what she assumed was some kind of pepper, judging by the subtle heat. But wherever the amazing flavour came from, she was stumped. "So I guess I'll just have to keep coming here to get my fix," she laughed, taking a small bite of the one in her hand. "Damn shame." There was silence for a moment as they ate, although it did not feel uncomfortable. Sura looked up as Fred began to speak again, gazing at his face intently. “So, are you still in Hogwarts?” Nodding, she took a sip of Butterbeer to clear the starch from her mouth so she could speak properly. "I am. Sixth year, turned sixteen in February." Sura sat back in her chair, meaning to slow down on her meal so it was not all gone at once, though she eyed the basket hungrily. "Still trying to find out exactly what I want to do with my life," she chuckled, shrugging her shoulders. "Hopefully I'll get that sorted out in the next year or so. I'm not so keen on the idea of coming back to school for an eighth year." Truthfully, Sura hadn't the faintest clue of what she wanted to do or where she wanted to go. All she knew was that a war was coming, and the last thing on her mind should be her choice in career. She intended to put her nose to the grindstone and learn everything she could about everything, in the meantime. You never knew what would be handy at some point in your life. Not being able to resist any longer, Sura leaned forward to pop another chip into her waiting mouth. "School life isn't all so glamourous. Too many books and rolls of parchment a lot of the time. That's why days such as these are necessary." And wasn't it the truth? Good grades had always been a goal for her, though she knew her parents would be pleased with her if she had the practical skill and the understanding to back it up. Being able to write two feet on the advantages of gillyweed over a bubble-head charm was one thing, but it was another entirely to be able to cast, say, a Patronus. Practical magic and skills were her biggest focus, especially with the change in the times. Besides, was an A on a paper really more satisfying than being able to transfigure a bouquet of flowers into a tea set? Not on your life. 1039 WORDS , Fred

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[marisa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; height: 250px; overflow:auto; border-radius: 10px; border-left: 10px solid #F8AA2C; background: #FCFEF5;] you just fell off the bus No One to Save you She was smiling a lot and it put him at ease. She seemed comfortable and he was glad that she felt that way. He hated when people were uptight and nervous around him because there was no need to be. Fred wasn’t exactly a serious person and he never understood when people felt the need to be so serious around him. It wasn’t like he acted in the same way unless the situation called for it. Hell, he was almost never serious except in extreme situations. She said she wouldn’t ask again and he laughed, a small deep laugh. She was truly refreshing to be around and he felt just as at ease as she looked. It was easy to be comfortable around her and he wondered if she was like this with everyone. “Good,” he said teasingly, crossing his ankles underneath the table. Another thing about her was that she was fun to have a conversation with. The girl actually possessed a personality and that was rare to find these days. Mostly everyone he talked to was depressed or worried about the war. Though it was rational it wasn’t any fun. Fred thought that people should be having as much fun as possible especially now. Voldemort shouldn’t win by making everyone completely miserable. It would probably be more affective if they weren’t so depressed. Maybe he wouldn’t think he was making that big of an impact. Or maybe that would just piss him off more. Fred wasn’t too sure how to deal with a homicidal maniac, but that’s what he would think. She asked about the antidote and of course he laughed. Did she seriously not know? “Of course there is. It’s the other side of the candy.” He said, wondering if the person had just given her the side to make her sick and not the side that made her better. Of course people would do that. Fred always used those candies to get out of class though. He had never really given them to anyone. Well, he had. That was a complete lie. He had possibly slipped one to a Slytherin or two in his day. But he had eventually given them the antidote after. He might seem it but he wasn’t completely heartless. Though the Slytherin might have really deserved it. “You should get him back. I probably have some other products I could interest you in too,” he flashed his salesman-like grin and hoped that she would come into the shop. He would be killing two birds with one stone here tonight, both making a friend and getting a customer. George would be proud if he were around. “You tried making ‘em?” he asked, wishing that he could even try. Lightly he snorted and popped another fry into his mouth, chewing slowly and enjoying it. Truly they were delicious and if Hermione could cook even close to this he would put a ring on her. He swallowed his mouthful and snorted at her small joke about Ireland. Maybe it wasn’t a joke but he still thought it was pretty funny. “I would burn down the loft if I even tried,” he said honestly, wondering if George would be up for the challenge one day anyway. “Me too. I’ll meet ya,” he teased, knowing that he always came back here when he wanted some chips or a butterbeer. It was the place he needed to come. Nowhere else was as good as this. He continued eating his fries, enjoying the comfortable silence. She answered his question that he asked though and his eyebrows rose. He didn’t imagine that she was that young. It seemed a little too young for how old she looked, but he didn’t question it. It’s not like she was going to be lying to him about it. “Sixth year, eh? Do you know Ginny?” He asked, trying to keep the conversation going. Everyone seemed to know his sister. However she got so popular he’d never know. The girl was sixteen and he guessed that wasn’t that young. Three years younger than him. He could have a friend that young. It wasn’t too bad. She mentioned how she didn’t know what she wanted to do in her life. He couldn’t really relate to her though because he always knew that he wanted to do something in making people laugh. George and him wanted to open up a joke shop for as long as he could remember. Okay, so maybe Fred wanted to be a Quidditch legend at one point, but that was taken over by the joke shop dream. “You’ll figure it out, I’m sure,” he assured her. Fred didn’t know many people who had no idea what they were going to do by their seventh year. Usually they had an epiphany somewhere in there. He ate another chip as she did, leaning back in his chair and frowning at how they were almost gone. Eating another one he listened to her talk. “Agreed. School wasn’t really for me,” he laughed, thinking about how he almost never went to class. She didn’t seem like the type though. Sura looked like a good girl for the most part; maybe the occasional trouble but nothing like the hell that Fred and his twin were in the school. They still had a piece of his swamp around according to Ginny. It made him smile though. At least this girl was going to graduate unlike him. “You’re probably doing well though, right? I mean, I got a whole three OWLS.” He laughed, wondering if he would have done any better on his NEWTS. Probably not and his mother would have killed him for that too. She still wasn’t happy about his OWLS. She should have known though, that they would have been like that. Fred couldn’t think of an assignment he completed after his third year. The only ones he handed in were copied or someone else did for him. However, contrary to belief he was pretty bright. In his first few years he had gotten excellent marks. Word count: 1011

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[Deleted]

noises i play within my head

touch my own skin and hope that i'm still breathing

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,15,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m542/pwbthemes/wood%20backgrounds/DarkWood.gif');,true] CAUSE THEY'RE CALLING "Good," he said with a smile. His voice was a teasing chide, which kept Sura's own smile safely plastered on her lips. There was something about his demeanour, the way he spoke and acted that made the smile on her face feel so natural and bright. More than once in her life she had put on a brilliantly fake smile after striking up a conversation with a stranger whom it turned out she didn't like in the slightest. Sometimes the girls were too ditzy, the boys to vain and egotistical, but not Fred. She didn't feel like she was having that problem with him in the slightest. He was just so...genuine. It was very refreshing. He laughed at her unfortunate story, as she had expected him to. If she had of been him, she would have laughed at her too. Even now that a few months had past, it did seem a little humourous. "Of course there is. It’s the other side of the candy.” Sura's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She was positively gobsmacked. "You're kidding me, you have to be!" she choked out, the admission strangling her voice box. "That little twerp had me puking for hours! And he could have just given me the other half of the candy?" Sura's head tilted back as she laughed, a high pitched and tinkly sound, the kind she always made when she was in complete disbelief. Fred mentioned getting back at the younger student, flashing her a dazzling smile. She let her head drop, eyebrows still raised, eyes wide. "Oh, Fred Weasley, you had better believe I will be paying your shop a visit in the very near future," she laughed, shaking her head. Her hours of suffering were not going to be in vain. The only difference was that she was going to give the little twerp the antidote after a few minutes. Sura popped another chip into her mouth, chewing half thoughtfully, half furiously. She nodded when he asked her, almost in disbelief it seemed, if she had attempted recreating the chips. It hadn't been a complete failure, really. They had still been delicious, they just hadn't been the same. "I'm sure you wouldn't burn your loft down," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "But I will gladly meet you here again to partake in this fantastical meal we are enjoying." She bit into another chip, savoring the potato and the seasoning. Still heaven. “Sixth year, eh? Do you know Ginny?” Sura nodded, taking another sweet sip of her Butterbeer. "I do know her, yeah. She's a year below me, but we seem to keep bumping into one another, so we ended up becoming friends. I'm in a lot of Hermione, Harry, and Ron's classes, actually. Same year and all. You obviously know them." She sat back in her chair, crossing her ankles. Her basket of chips was still half-full, but she didn't want to blow through them just yet. They were too good to not enjoy over a span of time. They were even better the day after, if you ever had enough left over to take home with you. Sura shrugged when Fred mentioned that school hadn't been for him. "I can respect that. A lot of people don't realize that and are basically miserable for years. So you got out when you needed to, which is good." She gestured to him from across the table, "I mean, from what I understand from you, you're doing well with your business, so isn't that all that matters? Academic cleverness isn't everything." Sura shrugged when he asked her how she was doing in school, a small, wry smile on her lips. "I think I get by just fine. I prefer my practical magics to my literary magics, but like I said, the latter isn't for everyone." Her heart sunk a little at the thought of taking her OWLS that year. Merlin, did she ever hate examinations like that. She was always more comfortable with assignments, always had been. The practical parts were never bad, but when it came to the written portion, she should probably get herself a prescription for high blood pressure. It wasn't that she couldn't write, or that she didn't know the material. When she got to the exam, she sometimes just drew a blank, and then she was left to piece together what she knew about the subject. You'll buck up and do it, she thought to herself. She gave her head a little shake, perking up, her eyes brightening. "So, tell me about the business you own with your brother? That must be an interesting lifestyle!" 802 WORDS , Fred

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[marisa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; height: 250px; overflow:auto; border-radius: 10px; border-left: 10px solid #F8AA2C; background: #FCFEF5;] you just fell off the bus No One to Save you Fred was at ease around her. It wasn’t common that he hung around with people near Ginny’s age though unless she was somehow present. This wasn’t bad though, and she was a lot more mature than a sixth year. Actually, she’s probably a lot more mature that he is. So, he didn’t dwell over the age and just was enjoying spending time with someone not in his immediate family. He liked her right away though and for the most part he had pretty decent judgment with people. If Fred didn’t like someone that was usually it and he wasn’t very open minded about changing that. She was safe though, and she liked food so that was another plus of hanging around her. It was a good thing he found her wallet. He hoped she wasn’t offended that he laughed at her story. It was hard for him not to though considering it was his product that caused the misfortune. Also, anyone would have laughed at something like that. At least anyone with his sense of humor would have. He was amused at how she didn’t know that it had a side to make you better too. Who in their right mind would make something that got you sick and not get you better? He shook his head lightly, snorting air out of his nose. “Of course I’m not. They’re designed to get ya out of class.” He said, quite amused by this. People were going to use them for other reasons though, and he knew that, but he didn’t expect a story like this one, especially from a girl like her. “He could have, but clearly he wanted you to keep puking,” he chortled, knowing that it wasn’t all that funny. He would have hated for it to be him. It was he at some point, when he had to test the items. So, he was able to sort of relate to how she must have felt. “Great, we’d love to have you,” and cue another salesman-like smile. It was his specialty really. Selling things was one of his strengths and he was born to do it. He was sure of that. Fred didn’t mind helping her get the kid back that pranked her either. Hell, he was the king of pranking. That kid wouldn’t even know what hit him by the time Fred came up with a plan for her. It would be hysterical and he wished that he were still in school to be able to see it. “I’ll help you get him back if you do come by the shop,” he told her truthfully, nibbling on another chip. He was excited for it. Pranking wasn’t something he got to do much of anymore. Except for with George, but that wasn’t too often. She said she was sure he wouldn’t burn his loft down and he simply laughed. Clearly she had never seen him cook before. Fred was barely able to make himself a sandwich without something going wrong. That said, he never had any practice cooking either. He was a bit of trouble in he kitchen and so his mum always kicked him out. When he stopped laughing his eyes flickered up to hers. “I would burn it down though, honestly.” He told her, resting an elbow on the table and propping up his head. Nibbling on a chip he smiled, glad to hear she’d meet him again. He liked her. She was fun to be around. “That’s good. I’ll hold you to that then, maybe owl you sometime.” He said, finishing up his chips with a frown. Still he was a bit hungry, but it might pass. Apparently she knew Ginny and that was cool. “So you know ickle Ronnikins then too?” He asked, his eyebrows bouncing up once. Oh how he loved to torture Ron with teasing and such. It would be even greater if she knew him. She answered his question with the rest of her sentence and she was a friend of all of the little clan that hung around The Burrow around Holiday. “I’m dating Hermione, actually.” He said, wondering if she would even believe him. A lot of people didn’t, but it didn’t surprise him. Who would believe that a goofy git like him was dating one of the brightest witches around? He looked at her chips, noting that she still had most of hers while his was gone. It made him laugh a bit. Maybe he had eaten a bit too quickly then. “You can?” He was surprised. Not many people agreed with him leaving school, especially like he had. She might have remembered, but he didn’t bother to bring it up. The swamp was still around. “Our business is doing pretty well. Merlin, you should explain this all to our mum,” he said with a laugh. Seriously though, if only his mother thought like she did it could have saved them from a lot of fights. She said that she got by fine in school and he was glad to hear it. That was good, at least and he wished that he would have too sometime. She looked a bit upset by something and he just barely picked up on it but didn’t ask. It would have probably been rude to and it just wasn’t his concern. She didn’t seem all that off and it was only for a moment. Eventually she seemed to shake it off though and perked back up as she asked him about his life and shop. “It’s great really. It was something George and I always wanted to do so we really enjoy it. The business itself is doing well too. Making jokes and pranks all the time is a pretty interesting lifestyle.” He grinned, pleased with his business. It definitely wasn’t the type of job he could ever hate and he just hoped that it lasted. “What about you, you really have no idea at all what you want to do? There has to be something.” Word count: 1003

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[Deleted]

noises i play within my head

touch my own skin and hope that i'm still breathing

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,15,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m542/pwbthemes/wood%20backgrounds/DarkWood.gif');,true] CAUSE THEY'RE CALLING Sura ran her hands over her face, shaking her head into them as a sound of exasperation escaped from her throat. The little brat had let her puke for hours. It had only stopped when she'd finally had a glass of water that he'd... " Oh Merlin," she moaned. Her hands dropped to the tabletop and she shrugged her shoulders, lips turned up into a rather bemused smile. "I think he gave me the antidote in a glass of water approximately four to five hours after the, ahem, incident began. I stopped being sick pretty much right after that." Sura leaned back in her chair, tipping back onto two legs before sitting the chair back in a more stable position. "I still intend on exacting vengeance, however." Her eyes twinkled mischievously at Fred, her smile turning into something a little more wicked. She was not a mean person, so her smile had no malevolence in it. However, that didn't mean that a little bit of revenge was completely out of the cards. Besides, the boy who'd given her the pastille had a good sense of humour, and he knew that something was coming. She laughed as Fred turned his sales charm up to eleven, his smile brighter than her own. Merlin, was it ever nice to meet someone that had such a passion for their trade. Then again, he and his brother had been the best pranking duo that Hogwarts had ever seen. It was only natural that they had gotten into that business. It would practically be a sin if they ever fell out of love with mischief-making. "I'll help you get him back if you do come by the shop," he said cheerfully, taking a bite out of another chip. Sura mirrored the action, grabbing another of her own to munch on. "Oh, I will be coming by in the very near future, Mister Weasley. I'm trusting you and your skills to help me make this absolutely epic." If anyone in the world could help her get back at that kid, it was the Weasley brothers. They were devious, renowned in their field, really. No one could come close to what their imaginations could dream up. The sound of Fred's laugher made her smile again, a warmth radiating outwards from her chest. The sound was so genuine and full of life. Sura was practically basking in it, allowing the feeling to build up inside her, savouring it. It wasn't every day that you got to feel this happy and carefree without a second thought about the world around you. She very much enjoyed being around Fred, and fully intended that this would not be the last time they saw be another. "If you would burn your house down making chips, Fred Weasley, you just need more practice and a good fire-proof charm," she teased, wagging a finger at him. "Anyone can cook. Especially if they're as creative as you are." Sura nodded as he mentioned owling her sometime. She wouldn't mind meeting him again, he was a lot of fun. "I'd be more than pleased to meet up again. Though hopefully next time I can keep hold on all of my personal items so that I don't require rescuing," she laughed, her nose and the corners of her eyes crinkling with the act. Merlin, if she kept smiling at this rate, either her face was going to split in half or she was going to have sore cheeks tomorrow morning. Sura snorted when she mentioned Ron by his familial pet name. She could imagine how much he absolutely despised that name. Nodding, she took another bite of a chip and swallowed. Her eyebrows rose when he mentioned that he was dating Hermione. "Really?" she chirped, her eyes bright with curiosity. It wasn't exactly the pair that she expected, but it was actually quite appealing the more that she thought about it. They would be a good balance, complimenting one another with their personalities. "That's lovely for the both of you then!" That explained why Hermione had been so bright and bubbly lately. "Really, it is lovely. Not enough people dive into romance anymore. Which is ironic, because I think humans need it more than ever, now." She was personally still single, though that didn't mean she was against any of it. She just hadn't met anyone that had piqued her interest the right way yet. Besides, she was still plenty young. A small peal of laughter escaped from her lips as Fred was shocked by the fact that she understood why he and George had left school. To her it was almost logical, but she could understand how it wouldn't be to a lot of people, especially a mother who only wanted the very best for her children. Sura popped another chip in her mouth and leaned forward as Fred described his life to her. She rested her chin on her hands, which she had laced together after placing her elbows on the table. "I bet it's a busy life, between designing new products and managing the books. And then, of course, there is managing personal life a the same time. Your life sounds like an interesting one, Fred Weasley." Sura shrugged, adjusting her chin on her hands. "I mean, I guess I have a little bit of an idea of what I want to do. Or rather what I don't want to do. I want to do something hands on, at least. I like books and reading, but I couldn't do that forever. Like, I have an aunt who works for the Ministry, and all she does is read old books and makes notes. She loves it, but I could never..." She bit her lower lip and glanced down at her food. "I've always toyed with the idea of becoming an Auror, but acceptance isn't a sure thing, so..." Shrugging and reaching for a chip, she sighed. Becoming an adult was hard. 1022 WORDS , Fred

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[marisa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; height: 250px; overflow:auto; border-radius: 10px; border-left: 10px solid #F8AA2C; background: #FCFEF5;] you just fell off the bus No One to Save you Fred couldn’t imagine throwing up for hours. Well, he could because he had, but he felt bad imagining that happening to her. He couldn’t understand why someone would want to prank her like that, but he and George pranked innocent people too. They weren’t usually cruel about it though and from her story it seemed like this boy had been rather cruel about it. “M’sorry about that. It doesn’t seem like it was much fun,” he replied, frowning sympathetically. Truly he did feel bad, though it was his product at the same time so he couldn’t help but find it amusing. Still, he wanted to help her get this boy back. Merlin knows he definitely deserved it. “Of course, I’ll help you with it too,” he grinned in his infamous mischievous way. The way her eyes twinkled reminded him of George, and he would be sure to introduce her to his brother when she came to the store. Fred was sure that his twin would enjoy her company just as much as he was right now. “I’m glad to hear it,” he grinned at her again, watching as she ate another one of her fries. His eyes flickered back up to hers. “George would probably love to meet ya too.” Hopefully George would be around when she came in too. Usually he was, but sometimes Fred wasn’t able to find his brother. Still if she came into the shop, there was a likely chance she would stop by more than once after that. Normally once people came in they were hooked and came back for at least a second time. The products were constantly changing and there was a lot to see. The twins were good at what they did. Business was their specialty and they wanted people to come back of course. The name Mister Weasley rang through his head. It reminded him of his father, but he liked the sound of it at the same time. He could get used to hearing that. Though, he still wanted a Mrs. to go along with it. She smiled again and he returned it. He was truly enjoying himself along with the carefree feeling he was getting from being around her. It was nice; being around someone who he didn’t feel like was judging him. Not that Fred really cared much about being judged anyway. “I don’t think more practice is going to help me out,” he laughed. Maybe the fireproof charm would, but even then it wouldn’t stop him from burning something or other. He was never any good with house charms though either. Merlin, the charm itself would probably light the loft on fire. “Thanks for the idea though.” He winked, leaning back again in his chair. “Maybe I’ll be a great cook one day, but not right now.” He knew he would have to learn eventually, unless he managed to snag a wife that would cook him every single meal. Hermione didn’t seem like the type though, and since he wanted her he’d have to settle for leaning how to cook. Maybe Sura would teach him. “Maybe you can teach me someday,” he shrugged, wondering if that was appropriate. He didn’t see why not. “Glad to hear it.” He was, truly. She was fun to be with and he wouldn’t mind seeing her again. Maybe he’d bring George with him next time so he could meet her. They never did in Hogwarts so now was just as good of a time as ever. “I’d like that. No need for me to be the hero more than once,” he chortled, a cheeky grin on his face. He enjoyed being in her company, and the crinkling of her features he found to be cute, but in a childlike way. She was constantly smiling though, and he was glad that she was having a good time. He loved seeing people smile, and it made him feel like he was doing his job right or something. No one ever believed him when he said he was dating Hermione. Merlin, his own brother didn’t even believe him at first. However, she did, and he was surprised. “Blimy, you believe me?” He asked, clearly amused by the fact. “No one ever does. Hell, George didn’t.” A laugh bubbled up from his throat. Not enough people did dive into romance anymore. She was right, but he just thought it was because of the time they were in. He didn’t blame people for not wanting to fall in love. Fred was having a hard time keeping from doing that though. Hell, he was falling hard already. “I know what you mean. It’s sad.” He replied, a slight frown tugging at his lips for just a moment. “They do need it now,” he agreed with her, liking the way she thought. Her opinion was the same as his. It was a busy life, and he had to agree with her there too. “You can say that,” he winked again, resting his head in his hand on the table. His life was interesting, and he would be the first to admit it. His joke shop was the most interesting part while Hermione was a close second. She was interesting in that she was his opposite, and his love. The joke shop was his passion. “Hands on is good.” He agreed, crinkling his nose at the thought of reading boring old books all the time and making notes. That would probably be a good job for Hermione though. Maybe he’d mention it to her. His thoughts had to stop going to her this was getting insane. “An Auror is neat. A lot of people want to do that,” he grinned, knowing that his brother Ron was considering it as well. However, Fred wondered if his brother even had the brain to do that. A few of them did, but not all the Weasleys. They weren’t a thick bunch though, so Ron probably had potential. “Acceptance is hard though, you’d have to work at it,” he nodded, feeling for her. These kinds of things were tough. He was lucky, knowing what he wanted to do already. Word count: 1026

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[Deleted]

noises i play within my head

touch my own skin and hope that i'm still breathing

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,15,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m542/pwbthemes/wood%20backgrounds/DarkWood.gif');,true] CAUSE THEY'RE CALLING Sura grinned and waved her hand dismissively in front of her face as Fred apologized. A frown was perched on his lips, and her brows furrowed slightly at the sight of it. She really didn't like the look on his face. It didn't suit him in the least, and she very much wanted to help him put it away. "Really, don't apologize. You have no need to. It's not your fault at all." It seemed to help, because the smile that suddenly appeared on his face was positively devious in the most glorious way. Sura laughed, immediately uplifted by the sound. "I would love to have you along for the ride. You would know better than I the best way to get back at him!" "George would probably love to meet ya too." Sura nodded emphatically as she chewed on another chip. She looked down at her basket, which was getting low. Then again, it probably wasn't such a bad thing, considering how full she was getting. "If he's anything like you and the rest of the Weasleys I know, I'm sure I'll like him very much," she grinned. It was the truth: between Ginny and Ron, and now Fred, she had a very good impression of their family. They were kind, and took care of everyone around them. She'd never met their parents, but she couldn't imagine that the apples fell far from the tree. If that weren't enough, everyone knew how dedicated the Weasleys were to Dumbledore and the cause against the Dark Lord. That in itself was enough to make Sura comfortable trusting anyone who was a Weasley. Fred's laughter was infectious, and she couldn't help but giggle along with him. "I'm telling you, the practice will help! When my mum first started to teach me to cook, I burnt the damn water! Now my dad asks me to make the boxty and coddle instead of me mum. Practice," she shrugged, sipping her Butterbeer. She remembered the first time her father had asked her to cook boxty for dinner instead of her mother. Of course, at first, her mother had been quite put out with the both of them. But once Sura's father had placated her and she'd had a Guinness in her hand, she started chatting away about how nice it was to not have to cook for once. "Maybe you can teach me someday," he said with a shrug. Sura's eyebrows rose and then fell, her surprise replaced with a smile. She really did enjoy helping other people figure their way around the kitchen. "If you're serious, then so am I. I'd be more than happy to teach you to cook, it'd be fun!" A snort escaped from her throat when Fred mentioned not having to be the hero next time they saw one another. She liked how playful he was, and she wondered if his twin was the same way. He was so light-hearted and teasing, so happy. It was refreshing, considering the stance most people took on life these days was completely the opposite. "I promise that I will try my best to not need rescuing next time we see one another. I'll bring a purse or something as extra insurance for it," she grinned, a low chuckle emanating from her throat. Sura liked the idea of seeing Fred again. He was so pleasant and brought this feeling that not all the things in the world were so terrible as they seemed. Like there would be shelter somewhere, somehow, if the sky started falling. Fred's shock at her reply to his explanation of his love life caused a bemused look to settle on her features. She could understand why people might not believe him right away when he told them; it wasn't like the two of them were an obvious match. But there had been something in the way that he had said it the made her believe him. "When it comes to love these days, I believe it when I hear it. So many people are afraid of it right now that when I hear about it, I believe them. Even if the match isn't the most likely pairing," she smiled wistfully. Love, what a concept. It was ironic that now, when people could afford it the least, they needed it the most. Love could make the difference between giving up and trying one last time, the reason for trying to make that difference when you had the chance. Love could make the difference between living and dying. Sura winced and smiled at Fred as he mentioned how competitive it was to get into that field. It was true. You needed top N.E.W.T. grades, references upon references, and you needed to pass their exams to even get into training. From there, you spent at least another year training and specializing. Some became part of Special Op teams, others trained heavily in healing, curse-breaking... The list of possibilities went on. Maybe that was why it was so appealing to her. One could legitimately mold the job to whatever they were most interested in. Hopefully within the next year or so, she could actually get a handle on what she liked best. "I suppose I still have some time. Mind you, even the concept of coming of age is a little daunting," she laughed. "But honestly, I can't say I'm not looking forward to it. I like a challenge." 932 WORDS , Fred

format by sura o'connor ♥

[marisa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; height: 250px; overflow:auto; border-radius: 10px; border-left: 10px solid #F8AA2C; background: #FCFEF5;] you just fell off the bus No One to Save you “You would want the help?” He asked, making sure she wouldn’t mind it. His plans of getting the boy back weren’t exactly going to be the friendliest and honestly he deserved it. Pranking someone the way the boy had was almost cruel, and Fred didn’t like the idea of someone being that mean to her. She was too nice for it and so he was going to get the boy back, maybe with one of the newer products in the store so he wouldn’t know what hit him. Maybe she could test a product on him for the twins. Of course it wouldn’t be dangerous. They always tested their products on themselves first to make sure nothing too bad would happen when they tested it on someone else. This is why Fred had thrown up more times than he really cared to remember. He was sure that she’d love George. His brother would probably like her as well. There wasn’t much not to like that he had noticed so far. She was polite, nice, and pretty funny. Nope, he didn’t see anything wrong with it. Her basket was getting low on fries and he laughed a little at how he had been done ages ago. He debated on stealing a fry from her, but decided against it, being the nice handsome guy that he was. It was nice that she insisted he could be a good cook but he’d have to disagree. He would need a lot of practice and a miracle to be a good cook. Maybe by the time he was twenty-five he would be at least halfway decent. Hopefully, I mean he’d have to cook for his family someday, and really he’d love to surprise Hermione with something. It would probably be a nice gesture that she’d appreciate. She seemed surprised that he asked her though, and he didn’t really blame her for that. It was sort of a weird question honestly. Hell, he just met the girl. She seemed nice enough though, so why not, right? “I’m pretty serious and that doesn’t happen often,” he said with a wink, handing the waitress his empty basket when she came over to the table. She snorted, and an amused smile tugged on his lips. At least she seemed to think he was funny. It was always nice making someone laugh. He thrived off it really. “Only if you promise,” he teased lightly, shifting in his chair. “A purse, eh? As long as you don’t leave that behind too.” He couldn’t stop teasing her. It was just so easy and she didn’t seem to mind. Still though he would tone it down. She chuckled and so did he, the light sound bubbling up from his throat. He wouldn’t mind seeing her again, not at all. This was fun, and after a day of a bit of stress it was nice just to be out like this. Also, it was just nice to hang around with someone who wasn’t in his immediate family or Harry. He loved ‘em, but this was refreshing for a change. “That’s a nice way to think about it,” he replied, glad that he didn’t have to force her to believe him. Sometimes he didn’t mind because it was a little far fetched that he was dating someone like Hermione. Actually, it was harder to believe that Hermione was dating him. Many didn’t pin him to be her type. Apparently he was though and that was more than good enough for him. “No one thinks it’s very likely,” he shrugged, unsure if tat was what she was saying or not. It wasn’t like he blamed her if it was. The word love floated around in his head though. Was he in love with her, or was he just dating her? Why date someone though if you didn’t plan on loving him or her? He knew that he loved her, but wasn’t sure if he was in love with her. Actually, he knew that he was, but didn’t want to admit it to himself. He was still preparing for her to leave him once she came o realize who she was dating. Fred just couldn’t help but feel like it was too good to be true. The topic made him nervous. She was right about having time. He forgot for a moment that she was still young. She acted a lot older. That or he just acted younger. Fred wasn’t really sure which one it was. There were probably a lot of things that she wanted to do. He was lucky in that it was never really like that for him. Of course at one point he wanted to play Quidditch professionally, but the shop outranked that. “It’s not for everyone. I still haven’t,” he winked to emphasize his point. At heart he was still like a little kid at times, though there were his moments in which he had to be a grown up. Most of them were Hermione related. He felt the need to be for macho and serious around her. Of course, he couldn’t help but be his joking self most of the time anyway. “It’s fun, really. You’ll figure out what you want to do too soon enough, I’m sure.” Word count: 876

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