The Kissing Treaty

The Kissing Treaty.

Or,

The Girls Get Sick of Being Mistreated and Decide To Do Something About It.

---

‘AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!’ That confirmed it then. Angelina Johnson had finally lost it. And not over anything intelligent, or useful, like the NEWTS, or Quidditch, or even the future. Oh no. When she went crazy, she did it over a boy. And loudly. And not just any boy. The one and only. One of a kind. Charming, sweet, smart, funny, irritating, maddening, completely-not-worth-going-crazy-over Fred Weasley.

The other girls in the dorm looked up as Angie slammed the door behind her, and looked around for something she could break. She chanced across a spare glass jug of water, and hurled it at the far wall. It impacted with a satisfying crash, although it did nothing to appease her mood.

‘Reparo!’ Katie Bell had her wand out, and within seconds, the jug was back in it’s original home. Angelina made a move towards it once more, to be stopped by the arm of her other best friend, Alicia Spinnet.

‘I don’t think you really want to be doing that, Ange.’

‘Yes, I do,’ she snarled. ‘No, I don’t,’ her tone softened somewhat. ‘Men!’

With than one little statement, all three of them sighed in complete understanding.

‘We are seventeen years old – well, Angie’s eighteen, now – and we are sitting in here sighing over three boys!’ Katie spat out, throwing her homework to the floor.

‘What the hell else are we going to do? Expect them to grow up and become smart and sensitive?’ Alicia said in a deprecating tone. ‘What did he do this time, Angie?’

‘I hate him. How dare he make me feel like this – so,’ she clenched her fists, struggling for the words, ‘so, unwanted! Honestly, I really thought we had something!’

The girls piled on to the beanbags in the corner of their dorm (presents courtesy of Katie’s mum), and prepared to listen to Angelina’s story.

‘As if those bloody Canary Creams and the rest of it are more important than me! He actually said he was too busy to take a walk with me, and he wouldn’t be coming to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow, either. I don’t think he even remembered what today was!’

‘Oh, Angie, that’s awful.’

‘Would you like us to hex him?’

Angie almost smiled through her tears. ‘Thanks, but I think it’ll just have to be the silent treatment, at least until I find the perfect punishment for forgetting your girlfriend’s eighteenth birthday.’ She sniffled, and Katie and Alicia looked at each other.

‘Okay, we were going to save this until after dinner, but… Ta Da!’ Alicia produced a blank piece of parchment.

‘Yay?’ Angelina said, confused.

‘I talked Hermione into talking Harry into lending it to me. Actually, I blackmailed Hermione into talking Harry into lending it to me. After all, it’s a highly illegal piece of magic, but they shouldn’t have been talking about it in front of me, should they?’ Alicia looked mighty proud of herself, but Angelina was still lost.

‘What exactly is it?’

Alicia didn’t answer, but pulled out her wand and pointed it at the parchment. ‘I solemnly swear I am up to no good.’

‘So what’s this, then?’ Angelina said interestedly, as she watched thin lines criss-cross over the parchment.

‘Map of Hogwarts. Enchanted. It’ll help us sneak out of here tonight without being caught.’ Alicia was sounding very satisfied, and Katie was grinning wickedly. Angelina felt some of her bad mood dissipate as she smiled at her friends.

‘And where are we going tonight?’

‘We are going out, girls only, and getting completely smashed in honour of your birthday.’

‘We’ll leave early from dinner and just disappear.’

Angelina grinned. A girls night out… They headed down to dinner happily.

~~~~~

‘Girls!’ Fred Weasley groaned as he sank onto one of the couches in the Gryffindor common room. His twin, George, sat down beside him and grinned at their younger brother, Ron, and his best friend Harry Potter, who were, shockingly, doing homework by the fire.

‘What’d you do this time?’ Ron grinned back at George. Fred’s tempestuous relationship with Angelina was always entertaining.

‘I don’t know! All I said was that we planned to work on the Wheezes this weekend, so I wanted to finish my homework tonight, and we wouldn’t be going to Hogsmeade tomorrow. Then, all of a sudden, she went psycho, and ran away, and I haven’t seen her since. I mean, Katie didn’t go nuts when you told her you weren’t going to Hogsmeade, did she?’ He appealed to George, but George just laughed.

‘Nope. Said she might be busy anyway.’

Harry decided to keep his information to himself for now. After all, Ron didn’t even know they’d accidentally let Alicia know about the Marauders Map. Hermione had gravely informed him of it that morning, and she’d also told him Alicia was officially blackmailing them for use of it that night. He’d handed it over fairly reluctantly, but it was either that, or be caught with it.

Fred sighed again as the three Gryffindor Chasers made their way down the girls’ stairs. ‘Angel? Hold on…’ She swept by him without a glance, and he was slightly shocked when Katie and Alicia threw him deadly stares.

‘Don’t even think about it, Weasley.’

‘Do you even know what you’ve done?’

But they were out the door without waiting for a response. Ron and Harry attempted to mask their laughter, but neither George nor Lee Jordan did.

‘Tough luck, mate,’ Lee spluttered, ‘But I’m sure she’ll get over it in a couple of weeks.’

‘Hopefully by the next Quidditch match, or you could be looking at quite a few Quaffles to the head,’ Harry added helpfully.

‘Shut up,’ he growled, getting up to follow the girls down to dinner.

Instead of sitting at their usual end, furthest away from the staff table, the three older girls were holding court in the centre, surrounded by Fred’s own sister, Ginny, Ron’s semi-girlfriend Hermione Granger, and a bunch of other Gryffindor girls. He growled again, and sat down at the very end, determined not to look in that direction.

‘Wonder what they’re planning?’ George pondered, with the knowledgeable air of a seasoned prankster.

~~~~

‘We want in,’ Ginny Weasley announced, sitting down opposite the three older girls with Hermione Granger in tow, and Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown nearby. 

‘Huh? What do you mean?’ Alicia said, trying to look innocent.

‘Oh, come on, cut it out. We know you’ve got the map, and you’re obviously planning something without the boys, and we want in.’

Angelina raised her eyebrows at Hermione. ‘You want in on a prank?’

‘Yeah,’ she said determinedly. ‘They’re just so… so bloody male!’

‘Okay,’ Katie said, smiling. ‘You’ve just passed the test, and you’re in. Here’s the plan. It’s not a prank, as such, but we’ll have fun.’

They huddled their heads together, fully aware that the objects of their irritation were watching from the end of the table.

~~~~

‘They’re totally up to something.’ Lee’s voice was suspicious as he turned to regard the other boys. ‘We need to know what it is.’

‘We can follow them with the map,’ Ron said casually.

‘Ahh… no, we can’t.’ Harry was studying his pudding.

‘Why not?’

‘I…ahh… I don’t have the map. I, I left it at the Dursleys!’

‘No, you didn’t, we used it last week.’

‘Oh, well, then, I lent it to Hermione. She said she wanted to go back to the library late tonight.’

Ron looked at him as if he didn’t quite buy this, but George interrupted. ‘Well, we’ll do it the old fashioned way. We’ll follow them in person.’

‘Too late.’ Fred pointed towards the now empty middle of the table.

Dean and Seamus came wandering down and sat next to Harry. ‘Where are the girls going?’ Seamus asked.

‘’Bout to ask you the same thing,’ Ron answered. The seven of them sat there, wondering just how they’d all managed to upset their girlfriends in the same day.

~~~~

‘And, then, if ignoring me wasn’t bad enough, he forgot my birthday!’ The six other girls gasped at Angelina’s tale of woe, making all the right noises, then looked expectantly at Parvati.

‘He mistook Padma for me,’ she said simply, looking murderous. ‘It’s not like I don’t love my sister, but honestly, is it that hard for Seamus, who supposedly loves me, to be able to tell us apart? We wear different colored uniforms!’

‘At least he made an attempt to notice you. I don’t think Ron sees me as anything other than a homework dispensing machine.’ Hermione took a long drink of her butterbeer. They were on the second… no, third round.

‘Oh, no,’ Lavender interjected. ‘I’m sure he likes the kissing part as well.’ The girls burst out in laughter, their round table in the Three Broomsticks attracting some attention, but nothing to be worried about.

‘Yes,’ Alicia said seriously. ‘That’s exactly what we are. Kissing toys.’

‘Well, perhaps we should fix that,’ Ginny said, as thoughtfully as one could after drinking down a shot of butterbeer in celebration of Angie’s birthday. That is, not thoughtfully at all, but rather raucously. The other looked at her. ‘No more kissing until they start treating us like proper girlfriends.’

‘Oh, that’s good,’ Katie said approvingly. ‘That’s ever so cruel and perfect.’

‘I don’t think I can do that,’ Hermione shook her head.

‘They deserve it,’ Angelina reassured her.

‘Yeah, but I don’t deserve it! Why should I miss out on the kissing?’

The girls giggled again. Angelina couldn’t remember ever feeling quite so… comforted. Everything was right with the world, she was with her favourite people, and the butterbeer was so nice… In fact, she couldn’t remember what made her so mad. Oh, wait, yes, Fred forgot her birthday! She shook her head and concentrated on Ginny.

‘I mean, I know he’s not quite like everyone else… all that, y’know, stuff,’ the girls nodded. They knew. ‘But when we began this, we agreed, no secrets. That’s the point. I love him. We’re supposed to be able to share stuff. But then I find there’s all this…stuff he hasn’t told me. And how do I find out? From my brother!’

‘Well, I hate to be the odd one out, but George really hasn’t done anything stupid for, oh, at least four days now. And anyway, he apologised for getting me in trouble with Filch, and he did show up and help me with the detention… but still, he could always use a reminder that I am not to be taken for granted.’ Katie looked around at her sister-in-arms. ‘Are we agreed, then? No kissing till they learn how to treat us properly?’

‘Agreed!’ they chorused, clinking their glasses, then downing the contents.

‘Question is,’ Parvati asked, waving the barman over for another round, ‘Do we hold out until they’ve all got the message, together, or do we take it as an individual thing?’

‘Together,’ Angie said definitively. ‘It’ll get the message home much better.’

They giggled again. It was so much fun being a girl.

~~~~

It was pretty average being a boy. Especially a boy at Hogwarts. Especially when your girlfriend disappeared for the night with her girlfriends, and you just knew that no good could come of it. Especially when you knew they’d soon be comparing notes, and giggling and talking and sharing secrets and complaining – Fred gave himself a mental shake. There was nothing he could do about Angelina’s whereabouts right then, so instead he tried to concentrate on Harry’s Quidditch tactics lecture. 

‘But what did I do?’ he burst out in frustration.

‘Oh, for – Are we going to be able to have a real conversation with you?’ Lee asked.

‘No,’ Fred muttered. Couldn’t they see that this was so much more important than Quidditch?

‘Did you say anything stupid – more so than usual?’ Seamus amended himself.

‘Did you do anything stupid?’ George looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

‘Did you forget anything important?’ Harry chimed in, finally giving up on his lecture. He’d been taught by the best in Oliver Wood, and his tactics sessions were becoming legendary.

‘Did I – oh, crap.’

‘Ah ha!’ Lee announced. ‘What was it? Date? Anniversary?’

‘Brfdy,’ Fred mumbled into his hands.

‘What? Didn’t catch that,’ Ron said.

‘Birthday,’ Fred said, more clearly.

‘You forgot… her birthday?’ the sniggers were coming loud and fast.

‘Well, done, mate.’

Fred glared at them, then turned his anger back on himself. How could he be so damn stupid? Okay. Time for damage control. When she got back, he would apologise, and then tomorrow… well, the Wheezes would have to wait.

~~~~

‘Excuse me, Madame Rosmerta, have you got a quill and some parchment we can have?’ Alicia took the offered goods back to the table, where she handed them to Angelina.

‘Your boy started this, so you get the honours,’ she winked. Over the course of a few more rounds of butterbeer, the girls had an agreement worked out, and with great flourishes, they all signed the bottom.

THE KISSING TREATY

We, the undersigned, hereby agree to withhold all kisses, hugs and other displays of affection until our demands are met.

We no longer want to be taken for granted.

We want to be included, and appreciated.

We do not want to be used as homework dispensing machines, kissing toys, or any other type of possession.

We do not want be ignored, forgotten, or mistreated.

The agreement will continue until all our compatriots are satisfied with their relationships. We reserve the right to reinstate the agreement in the future if we are not happy that all above conditions are met.

Angelina Johnson.
Katie Bell.
Alicia Spinnet.
Hermione Granger.
Lavender Brown.
Parvati Patil.
Ginny Weasley.

~~~~

The boys watched silently as the girls trooped back into the common room, not so silently. It was amazing they hadn’t been caught by Peeves, or Filch, they were making so much noise. But then, Harry thought, rather resentfully, they have the map. The girls walked straight up the stairs, not even confirming the boys’ existence in the world with a glance.

‘Angel!’ Fred valiantly tried to get her attention, but it was to no avail.

Worried and dejected, not to mention rejected, the boys went up to their dorms, hoping all would be good in the morning.

~~~~

It was exceptionally hard to get up early the next morning. Angelina felt like there was a blast-ended skrewt wandering around in her head, but she and Hermione had a job to do. After their return last night, they’d taken the agreement around to all the Gryffindor girls, and had a fairly good success rate with the new conspirators. Now, they needed permission to post the agreement outside the Great Hall, where not even the slowest of boys could miss it. Being two of Professor McGonagall’s favourite students, Angelina and Hermione were obvious choices to ask permission.

After explaining their position, permission was granted quickly, and with a heartfelt ‘I’m proud of you, girls. Always stand up for yourselves. Good luck,’ they were on their way.

As luck would have it, there were more girls than boys in the Great Hall just then, and so after the agreement was passed to Ginny and Alicia, they went around from table to table, pleading their case. Getting through to the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs was easy enough, but Alicia quite wisely decided the Slytherin girls would have none of the plan if it came from a Gryffindor. So they recruited Padma Patil, from Ravenclaw, and Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, to join Ginny, as they stated their case to Pansy Parkinson, who had the power to get all the Slytherin girls to agree. It was easier than they’d expected.

‘Oh, God, yes! I’m so sick and tired of the way he only talks to me when he wants something. When I want something, does he care? No! Sign me up!’ The parchment was passed along to all the girls at the Slytherin table, and came back full.

Ginny took it back to Angelina, who held it up proudly.

‘Girls, let the freeze out begin!’ They stalked outside, giving the parchment a guard of honour, not unlike the one formed for Harry’s Firebolt a couple of years back. Katie held the parchment to the wall, while Angelina carefully placed her Sticking Charm.

‘Done.’ They nodded satisfactorily, then wandered back into the hall for breakfast.

~~~~

Fred suspiciously watched his girlfriend leave the Great Hall, without eating, then come back in a minute later, and sit down and begin her toast. With narrowed eyes, he looked at his twin.

‘I don’t like this one bit,’ George said, echoing the thoughts in Fred's mind.

Silently communicating, they got up and began to walk towards the door, Lee a step behind them, still munching his toast. They walked past Neville, who was staring at the Hufflepuff table, where his…ahh, friend, Eloise Midgen was smiling back.

‘At least someone’s still in the good books,’ Fred muttered darkly. Not that he wanted Eloise, but he’d give anything to know why Angel wasn’t looking at him like that.

They walked out the door, and looked around confusedly. Nothing. But they couldn’t have gone far…

‘they were only here a minute,’ George said, unknowingly finishing Fred’s thought.

‘Ah, maybe you should read this,’ Lee said, facing the Hall and looked ashen-faced.

They read.

They went pale.

Their jaws dropped.

Their eyes got very big.

Look, they were shocked, okay.

‘What…but…they can’t!’ George cried. ‘What did we do? He forgot her birthday, not us!’

Fred snatched the parchment off the wall, and took it back into the Hall, letting it trail behind him. It was very long, Lee mused detachedly. It must have the signatures of every girl at Hogwarts.

Perhaps not every girl, he amended, seeing Neville now sitting with Eloise, both looking perfectly delighted with life.

Fred marched straight over to Angelina, surrounded by the girls he supposed were the co-conspirators.

‘What in God’s name is this?’ he yelled, ignoring the look of shock that rippled through the room. Well, the male faces of the room. The girls smirked.

‘What are you talking about, Fred?’ Angelina said coolly.

‘This!’ he said, beginning to read.

‘… all above conditions are met,’ Fred finished, looking up and staring at her.

‘What makes you think I know?’ that cool expression was beginning to infuriate him.

‘Your name is first!’ he yelled.

‘Hmm. So it is. Well, Fred, it’s exactly what it looks like. All the girls who were unhappy with their relationships have signed it, and by lunch, there will be a copy posted in each common room.’

~~~~

At these words, Neville, sitting quietly at the Hufflepuff table, turned with shock to Eloise.

‘I didn’t sign it,’ she whispered.

He smiled, relieved beyond words.

~~~~

‘You can’t do this!’ Fred cried with desperation.

‘WHY? Why can’t we do this, Fred?’ She was mad now. He took a step back as she got up and stood eye to eye with him.

‘Why should we put up with being ignored, being used, being forgotten? Why shouldn’t we agree to hold back on this unless we start feeling appreciated? No, wait,’ she said, stepping back and cooling considerably. Fred sighed with audible relief. She swept her arm around the Hall.

‘Why should I speak for them? I’ll speak just for me, here,’ her voice was slowly rising again. Fred wished somebody, anybody, would step in and stop this. No one did.

‘Just once, just once, I would like to come first. Before George, before the Wheezes, before Quidditch, before homework! You say you love me. You call me Angel. Nobody else does that. But words… they’re just words! Actions speak so much louder, and on the one day I would like to be first, you ignored it. You forgot me. It was more important to work on your damn Canary Creams than even wish me a happy birthday, wasn’t it?’ Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, and Fred felt an awful constriction in his chest. She laughed mirthlessly.

‘That’s it. I’ve had enough. You’re not getting any action from me until I get some from you.’ She turned on her heel and stalked out, head high.

Fred sank down on to her abandoned seat, looking for support from his friends. But he didn’t find any. Following Angelina’s dramatic speech, little arguments had broken out in pockets all over the Hall, from boys trying to find out if their girlfriend’s names were on the list, and girls telling their boyfriends why their names were on the list.

He glanced to his left, where Katie was earnestly explaining that she wasn’t mad at George, she was just supporting Angie. Down the table, he could hear Hermione’s shrill tones telling Ron she was sick of doing his homework.

Through the arguing couples, he could see one Gryffindor-scarfed boy and one Hufflepuff-scarfed girl sneak out the door together. Bloody Neville. How can he get it right, and I get it wrong?

~~~~

Nobody much felt like a Hogsmeade visit right then, but on the other hand, nobody really felt like dividing the common rooms into a girl’s side and a boy’s side, so they went to Hogsmeade. Lesser of two evils.

On the way, George and Lee explained their girlfriends’ positions to an irritable Fred.

‘So, basically, we get left out in the cold until you apologise to Angie. And it, apparently, must be a suitable apology, full of grovelling and humbleness and seriousness.’ Lee’s voice was rather chilly, although Fred knew him too well. Lee found this all rather amusing, especially know that he knew he wasn’t in trouble.

~~~~

The girls, meanwhile, checking out the new robes and accessories at Charming - Clothes for the Modern Witch, were full of self-righteousness.

‘Really, they had it coming,’ Hermione remarked idly. ‘They should have realised we had feelings, and wouldn’t stand for it much longer.’

‘But I feel miserable,’ Ginny pouted. ‘He was so hurt, and I mean, it’s not his fault he lied. It was only to protect me, and – ‘ Angie cut her off.

‘Look, Gin, if you feel that bad, go over there and apologise, or talk to him, or something. The point of this isn’t to hurt them or make us feel awful, it’s to make them realise what they’ve got.’

Ginny glanced over to the Three Broomsticks, where Harry was sitting outside with Ron, Dean and Seamus. He was looking at her.

‘You don’t mind, Angie?’ she asked, brightening.

‘Course not.’

‘Just remember,’ Katie added slyly. ‘No kissing till we all agree.’

‘Course not,’ Ginny echoed. ‘Girls have to stick together,’ she called over her shoulder, as she moved away.

Hermione watched her friend for a minute, then realised she was left with the three older girls. She began to feel a little out of place, and decided to leave.

‘I should just go over to Dervish and…’ she trailed off as Katie slipped an arm around her.

‘Oh, no, you don’t. Unless you’re going over there to make Ron see reason, you’re staying with us.’

‘Yeah,’ Angelina agreed, putting her arm around Hermione’s other shoulder. ‘Us Weasley girlfriends have to support each other. God knows we put up with a lot.’

‘Do I get in on this?’ Alicia asked thoughtfully. ‘I mean, Lee’s practically a triplet with them.’

The four of them laughed, then, rounding the corner, sobered up. Couples from Hogwarts stood everywhere, boys apologising and girls frowning.

‘But I didn’t know that…’

‘I never meant…’

‘I’m sorry!’

‘well, if that’s right…’

‘I guess you’re forgiven…’

‘Hermione!’

She turned at the sound of Ron’s voice behind her. He stood, a few feet from her, and swallowed.

‘Thankyou.’

‘What?’ she said, flabbergasted.

‘I never thanked you for helping me with that last History of Magic essay. And I didn’t thank you for the Potions essay. And I didn’t say I’m sorry for screaming at you last year – after the Ball. And I didn’t – ‘

Nudging Katie and Alicia, Angelina turned away and left them to it. She sighed and said, ‘Let’s just go back, okay? I don’t want to be here.’

‘Yeah,’ Katie said, monitoring her friend’s mood. ‘We could go practise or something.’

‘Mmm,’ agreed Alicia. ‘It’ll give us a few hours to get that damn Porskoff Ploy right.’ That was what made them such excellent Chasers. They were completely in tune, sensing each other rather than seeing.

It’s what makes the twins so good, too, Angelina thought, as they trudged back towards Hogwarts.

~~~~

Fred smiled, as he turned back into the Hogwarts gates and saw three figures soaring over the Quidditch pitch.

‘Looks like they’ve got the reverse pass down,’ Lee remarked.

They watched as a few girls spilt off from the group ahead of them, charging over to the pitch. The unmistakable hair of Ginny was among the small group.

~~~~

‘Can we play?’ Ginny called up to the girls in the air.

‘Come on up, we could use the practice,’ Katie called.

The sole spectator, a shy second year called Natalie MacDonald, looked over at Angelina as she landed.

‘Do you mind if I play, too? I’m thinking about trying for one of your places next year, and I could use some tips,’ she mumbled.

‘Sure. Got a broom?’

They soared back up, Angelina taking the Keeper position to watch Katie and Alicia put Natalie through her paces. She was good. Ginny, on Harry’s broom (‘How did you get that? We’re not allowed to touch it!’ ‘I told him he owed me. Also if I didn’t get it, I would continue the agreement for far longer than the rest of you!’), played as a Beater, along with Parvati, who wasn’t a bad flier. They didn’t bother with a Seeker. Hermione and Lavender stayed on the ground, shouting words of encouragement.

Before long, they’d tired themselves out, and dropped to the ground, going into the change rooms for some long, hot showers. They were totally unaware of the persons watching them from Gryffindor Tower.

~~~~

‘Well?’

‘Tonight. I promise.’ God, Ron’s pushy. Must’ve picked it up from Hermione. Fred smiled at the thought, then turned back to the window, where the girls were finishing their practise.

‘Just remember, you’re the last one. None of us get any until you apologise. And this was your fault.’ Ron poked his brother in the chest, then returned to the couch, picking up his Divination homework.

~~~~

‘Nothing?’ Ginny asked incredulously.

‘Nope. Nothing. Nada. Zero.’ Angelina’s voice was sounding defeated, a very rare sound.

‘God, he’s thick. Bloody stupid sometimes,’ Ginny continued.

‘Well,’ Katie announced, ‘We agreed. I think Angie’s the only one left, now,’ she said it gently, ‘and so when Fred apologises, the agreement is over. At least for Gryffindor. The other Houses can finish when they like,’ she said, holding the door open for them.

‘Possibly Slytherin’s already finished,’ Natalie offered shyly, pointing towards the caste, where the distinct figures of Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy could be seen.

‘Eeeeew,’ Hermione said with feeling.

They laughed, then made their way up to the Tower.

~~~~

The girls huddled outside the portrait door.

‘Well, like we said, we’ll finish this when you do, Angelina,’ Hermione announced.

‘Yeah, it’s up to you. We’re behind you all the way. Don’t accept anything second-rate. We can hold out as long as it takes,’ Parvati said, shushing Lavender.

‘Thanks, girls. But really, you’ve all got your apologies, there’s no need for you to wait for someone as slow as Fred,’ Angelina was touched by the support, but she was beginning to feel guilty.

‘Nope. We’re with you. If the boys want their smoochies, they’ll have to force Fred to apologise,’ Ginny grinned. ‘Don’t worry. He’s a pain, but he’s not slow. It’ll happen. Plus, I don’t think the others can last much longer. They’ll hold him down in front of you and curse it out of him by bedtime. Trust me.’

Angelina took a deep breath and followed the girls through the portrait door.

~~~~

‘Hi! Did ya miss us? I mean, Ginny’s a hopeless Beater.’ George smiled over towards the door as the girls walked back into the common room from the Quidditch pitch. Fred, however, was watching the crowd intently, and he only smiled when it became apparent he’d found what he was looking for. He walked off behind his target, who was going in the direction of the dorms.

George winked at Alicia and Katie, sitting down next to them and Lee, to enjoy the spectacle he knew was coming.

‘Angel… we need to talk,’ Fred’s voice rang out, seemingly confident, but those who knew him best could detect a note of worry.

‘What on earth could we have to discuss?’ Angelina said, rather coldly.

‘Shall we start with “I’m sorry?”’ A ghost of a smile flickered on to her face, but it was gone just as quickly.

‘You’ll have to do better than that.’

‘Happy Birthday?’

‘Bit late, isn’t it?’

‘Oh.’ Fred looked as though he was thinking for a minute. ‘How about you are the most fabulous, beautiful, magnificent, forgiving witch I’ve ever known, and am ever likely to know?’

‘It’s getting better,’ Angelina said, semi-grudgingly. They all knew she was perfectly happy with this, but still… She deserved a little grovelling.

‘How about…’ Fred got down on his knees in front of her, pulled out his wand and produced a bunch of flowers. He handed them to her with a flourish, but she continued to keep the resigned look on her face. It was a struggle. She raised her eyebrows.

Amongst the sounds of laughter in the background, Fred could hear George’s groan, and it only spurred him on. He fumbled in his pockets, and bought out a tiny, velvet covered box. The laughter turned to gasps, as a frown covered Angelina’s face.

‘What the…’ she smiled as Fred opened the box to reveal a solitary Canary Cream. She took it and shoved it into his mouth. As the giant canary grew in front of her, she gave in, and laughed with the rest of the room. A moment passed, and Fred re-emerged, shaking the last few feathers off his hair. He smiled charmingly at her, and with the sound of laughter and catcalls in the background, she smiled back, stepped into his arms, and allowed herself to melt into his kiss.