Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! I wanted to post this first chapter way earlier but as I said in one of my chapters in my other fic (The Aftermath: Year Eight), my twin sister was hospitalized and she isn't doing very well; she was in a car crash. Anyway, I've been spending a lot of time with her but finally got enough time to finish up this first chapter. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

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><p>"The champion for Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum," Professor Dumbledore called out.<p>

Cheers erupted about the Great Hall. Fred and George sat on the edge of their seats, waiting anxiously for the Hogwarts champions to be announced.

"The champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour!"

More cheering. Fred grasped George's hand; George squeezed back.

"The Hogwarts champion is..."

Two small pieces of parchment drifted away from the goblet. George blinked several times. Why were there... _two_?

"Fred and George Weasley." His voice boomed throughout the room. No one spoke. The twins couldn't believe their ears.

"They're not seventeen!" someone blurted out, breaking the silence. Nobody acknowledged this. Dumbledore beckoned the twins up to him.

"Did you two put your names in the goblet?" he hissed when they reached him.

"Yes sir," Fred responded, grinning ear to ear.

"People _die_ in this tournament, Mr. Weasley, this is not a laughing matter!" Professor McGonagall scolded. This only made Fred's grin wider.

"She speaks the truth," Mad-Eye Moody growled. "You won't be laughing once one of you dies and the other is left alone!"

Fred's grin faded quickly and George's eyes widened with fear.

"Zey can't compete," Fleur declared, her eyes narrowed. Viktor nodded in agreement.

"I'm afraid they have no choice," Barty Crouch said calmly. "The rules are unchanged."

"It is completely unfair," Professor Snape argued. "They always break the rules and it is time they received proper punishment."

"I respect you, Severus, but Barty has the final say," Ludo Bagman interjected.

"They are only boys!" Professor McGonagall shrieked suddenly.

"On the contrary, Minerva, they will be of age in April," Dumbledore responded.

"Hogwarts cannot have two champions," Karkaroff said darkly. "Choose one."

George seized Fred's hand. "No way," he replied, his voice rising slightly. "We're both doing it."

"Indeed. Now, on with the instructions..." Mr. Crouch replied simply.

After the instructions had been explained, the champions were sent off to bed. Fred and George walked in silence for a few seconds, unable to produce words.

"I can't believe we did it," George finally said. "This is going to be a very...interesting year."

Fred chuckled. "Yeah. I think I'll be the winner."

"Course not!" George punched his brother's shoulder mockingly. "It's obviously gonna be me."

"We'll just have to wait and see," Fred answered mischievously, his eyes twinkling.

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><p><strong>Please don't kill me, I know it's maddeningly short. I have an insane case of writer's block. Anyway, next chapter will be up very soon if I get a few reviews because they are HUGE motivators! Review, review, review with your comments and suggestions but please keep the criticism CONSTRUCTIVE!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Two reviews. :( Oh well, it's okay. Hopefully I'll get more! Oh, and something you lot should know about me. I'll try to say this in the nicest way possible: I despise when people favourite or alert but don't review. So PLEASE, if you favourite or alert, REVIEW as well! Even if it's just a few words!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, yadda yadda yadda.**

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><p>George sank onto his bed, Fred watching him closely. He kept staring at him, letting his mind wander to images of him and George pranking people... Laughing... Hugging... And somehow, he knew what was coming next. He knew he shouldn't want to kiss him, but he couldn't help it. His brother was so perfect... So irresistible...<p>

"Fred?" George asked, forcing him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, um..."

He looked at Fred curiously. "What's been going on with you lately?"

"What? Uh, nothing."

"Sure." George got up and sat down next to him, and Fred couldn't help but notice how close he was. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Fred responded airily. "I'm fine, really."

"I'm not getting up until you tell me. I can tell you're lying."

Fred sighed internally. For the first time in his life, he wished George couldn't sense what he was feeling.

"Iloveyou," he whispered, but it sounded like one word.

"Didn't catch that," George said.

Fred took a deep breath. "I love you."

George looked unfazed. "Um, okay. I love you too?"

"No." Fred shook his head, bewildered that he hadn't explained himself. "I love you in a brotherly way... But... As more, too."

George stared at him. And he kept staring. And staring and staring and staring. Fred shifted uncomfortably on his bed, unable to produce words. He mentally kicked himself for being such an idiot.

"Please say something," he blurted out after a few minutes.

George sighed, as if the news was paining him. Fred felt his heart sink very, very low.

"I know it's gross, I know I really shouldn't... But I can't help it. I'm so sorry, Georgie... You can... You can ignore me for the rest of your life if you're really that bothered about it⎯"

"Ignore you for the rest of my life?" George sounded disgusted. "I could never do that."

Fred was astonished. "But..."

"Shh. Don't." He put a finger to Fred's lips and closed his eyes. "Do you even know how much you mean to me?"

"No. However⎯"

"Let me talk. You're my entire world. If something happens to you in this tournament... I'll never be able to forgive myself. When people are mean to you... It makes me feel terrible, and when I see you sick or hurt I always wish it was me instead of you. You're my other half, do you hear me?" His tone wasn't angry; it was viciously protective.

Fred stared at him for several seconds, trying to process what he had just heard. He said nothing. He nudged George slightly, indicating that he wanted him to get up. He got into bed and turned away from his brother's gorgeous face, so many feelings engulfing him and causing him to stay awake for hours into the night. Judging by the absence of George's light snoring, he knew he wasn't the only one who was sleepless.

"Freddie?" George asked through the darkness. His voice was close. "Are you awake?"

Fred nodded, then remembered that George couldn't see him. "Yeah, I am."

He heard his brother mutter _Muffliato_, the silencing charm. George sat down on his bed, running his fingers through his hair, leaving Fred completely confused. Part of him wanted George to keep at it because it felt nice, but part of him wanted it to stop because he knew George was only doing it out of sympathy for him.

"I'm so sorry, Fred. I love you, you know I do. Please talk to me."

He looked straight ahead, not responding. He felt George start to breathe quite rapidly, and suddenly his ears were filled with the sound of his crying.

"Please don't shut me out, Fred. I'm sorry, I really am..." George's entire body shook with sobs.

It was extremely difficult to do, but Fred pushed George off his bed wordlessly. He closed his eyes and let sleep find him, blocking out the sound of George's desperate whimpers.

"What's up with you and George?" Ron asked Fred the next morning at breakfast, stuffing his face with bacon.

"Nothing," Fred snapped back. "Why?"

"You aren't finishing each other's sentences and he's sitting all the way over there."

Fred rolled his eyes. "It's complicated."

"Oi! George!" Ron yelled across the table, beckoning his brother over to them.

"Bloody hell, Ron..." Fred felt a hot blush stain his cheeks as George sat down next to him.

"Why aren't you two talking?" Ron asked, pressuring them into conversation.

"_I'm_ talking to him, _he's_ the one not answering me," George replied.

"Well, it's getting irritating. Why won't you answer him?"

"Fine! I'll talk to him!" Fred said, choosing to ignore Ron's question.

There was a short silence. George inched closer and closer to his twin, causing Ron to look at both of them suspiciously.

"Er... We have to go prepare for some interview," Fred improvised. George nodded and they set off in the direction of the common room.

They walked in silence. Both of them itched to say something to the other, but they couldn't find the right words. As they approached the boys' dormitory, they plucked up enough courage to speak.

"Listen, I⎯" they both said at the same time. George flushed in embarrassment and offered his brother a small smile, which Fred did not return.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "You go."

George took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry, Fred."

"You've said that a million times, it's starting to mean nothing," Fred retorted.

"Stop. Just stop." George's eyebrows were knit together and his eyes were shut tightly. He looked like he was in serious pain. Fred ignored the guilty feeling pulling at his insides. "I don't want this to change anything. We're best friends, you know that. You can't just force me out of your life. It doesn't work like that. Besides, we're both in this tournament, so we'll be forced to spend a lot of time together."

Fred glared. "It's not your fault. My expectations were too high."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought... Maybe you'd feel the same way."

George sighed heavily. "Fred..."

"No, don't bother. I don't care." It was a lie, but George didn't seem to detect it. His face was still contorted with pain, and it was beginning to scare him. He started to slowly realize that something was not right. All of his anger drained out for a few minutes, and it was replaced with pure fear. "George, are you alright?"

His brother shook his head no. "I can't do this."

"Do what?" His irritation from before was beginning to creep back into him.

"I can't lie to you," George whispered. "Do you see what I mean? I love you, Fred. I really do."

"Not in the way that I love you." Fred's voice had also dropped to a whisper.

"I do."

Fred looked up, staring into his brother's eyes. It was like looking in a mirror.

"Don't lie to me, George, I know you don't, so don't say⎯"

And then George's lips were on Fred's, and Fred forgot everything else in the world. He promised himself he would always remember this moment, the feeling of one of George's hands in his hair, the other up his shirt. He enfolded his arms around him, deepening the kiss to the maximum, wanting to make the most of it. He didn't care if this was real or just a figment of his imagination, he didn't care if people were watching them or not, he didn't care if he died tomorrow or in ninety years, all he cared about was that the love of his life was kissing him so passionately he was beginning to feel lightheaded.

Eventually they did stop, both of them trying to comprehend what had just occurred. George smiled shyly at his brother, and this time, Fred returned the gesture of kindness in such a great way that his cheeks felt stiff.

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><p><strong>I really enjoyed writing this chapter, hopefully you liked it as well. Review please!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**A HUGE thank you to everyone who read and reviewed! Means a lot, it really does. Anyway, this chapter is set right at the first task. I know, I know, the story is moving VERY fast, but I really wanted to write this chapter. So hopefully you'll enjoy it! Another thing, I use Sectumsempra in this chapter; I know Harry learned it in his sixth year, but I felt like using it : All rights belong to Joanne Rowling.**

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><p>George was nervous. Viktor and Fleur⎯who were now in the hospital wing being tended to⎯had already finished the first task, which was, as he and Fred had already known because of Hagrid, getting past a dragon and fetching a golden egg. He was next, and he could already feel sweat prickling down his neck.<p>

"Where's Fred?" he asked Ron, who had entered with Harry and Hermione a few minutes ago.

"Dunno, he should be back in a minute though." He looked even more nervous than George did.

Fred suddenly appeared at the entrance of the tent; George ran into his arms. The feeling of Fred's arms around his was better than any other, excluding the feeling of Fred's lips on his own.

"You scared, Georgie?" Fred asked, tightening his grip on his love.

"A bit. It's not like I have to fight a dragon or anything," George answered, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Fred laughed. "Lighten up, it won't be so bad." He let go of his brother, smiling at him kindly. "Trust me. You'll do fine."

Ron and Harry exchanged a look. Hermione rolled her eyes at their behaviour. The three of them had walked in on Fred and George snogging a few weeks ago; Ron and Harry had accepted it but thought it to be a little strange, Hermione had accepted it and didn't find it odd at all. Ron had told the rest of the Weasleys except Percy, and they had all learned to deal with it.

Suddenly, the canon sounded, signaling that it was George's turn. Fred grinned at him and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Good luck."

George's heart ached at leaving him, and he pulled him into a three-second hug. "I lo⎯"

He was interrupted by the sound of Dumbledore yelling, "George Weasley, the third Triwizard champion!"

George felt tears of fear almost reach his eyes. He looked at Fred and he suddenly wished he had never put his name in the goblet; everything was slowly starting to feel real.

"I know. I love you too," Fred said, smiling. He ushered George out of the tent, watching expectantly as he stumbled into the stadium.

The egg was a few meters away on a high rock. George drew his wand, weary of the dragon, and started to creep towards the egg. Just as he was about to grasp it, fire erupted from the dragon's jaws, the flames singing the skin on his face. He yelped and gritted his teeth, feeling as if his skin was smoking and peeling off. Not desiring to see if his assumption was true, he pointed his wand at the dragon's head.

_"Sectumsempra!"_ He had learned the spell from Harry. He didn't know what it did, but apparently it was used for enemies. The dragon's eyes started to bleed rapidly along with the rest of its head. It opened its huge jaws and bit down on George's arm. He screamed, blood oozing from the cuts. He barely had any energy left, but he managed to run to the rock, climb it, and get the egg with his good arm. He grasped it between his fingers tightly, fell from the rock, and cried out in pain when his body hit the ground, the oxygen leaving his lungs. He heard fast footsteps approaching him.

"Is he okay?" he heard Fred's frantic voice ask. He felt him kneel down next to him. "George, can you hear me?"

George struggled to nod, squeezing his brother's hand. He felt a slimy ointment being applied to his face, where he had been burned. He didn't even try to move; his whole body felt sore with exhaustion.

"He'll be alright. His arm is broken, but I can mend that immediately," Madam Pomfrey reported a few minutes later. _"Dragons..." _she scoffed under her breath.

Fred sighed in relief, stroking George's hand with his thumb. He smiled down at his twin, not even realizing that he was only seconds away from having to retrieve his golden egg.

The canon boomed. Fred felt his blood freeze inside his veins, staring at his twin being carried away on a stretcher towards the hospital wing.

"Is there any way I could stay with him for a few minutes?" he asked tentatively.

"Eet will 'ave 'oo wait," Madame Maxime told him, her tone stern.

"Maxime, I think it is quite alright if Mr. Weasley spent only a few moments with him," Dumbledore said gently. "Go on then," he added to Fred.

Fred ran to the hospital wing as quickly as his legs could carry him. George was lying on a bed a few down from Fleur's. Her arm was in a sling, but other than that, she looked fine. Viktor was across from her; he appeared to be unconscious.

"Fred?" George asked weakly. His eyes were closed, but he held his hand out; Fred seized it.

"I'm right here, Georgie," he whispered back.

"Why aren't you getting your egg?"

"They've said I can stay with you for a moment."

George opened his eyes. They were blank and wide, but he didn't seem surprised. "Go. I'll be alright."

"Are you sure?" Fred asked nervously.

"Yeah, I just feel like sleeping anyway."

Fred nodded, hugged his brother's shoulders, then departed. He made his way back to the stadium feeling very tense.

"Ah, I see you're ready to compete?" Dumbledore asked him, smiling broadly.

Fred forced a nod. His heart broke into a million pieces at the thought of his brother alone in the hospital wing; it only made him want to get through the task quicker.

"Our final Triwizard champion, Fred Weasley!" Dumbledore called, his voice ringing throughout the stadium. The canon boomed; Fred crept out into the stadium, clutching his wand tightly in front of him.

He was just about to cast the same spell George had when the dragon swooped down on him and spat fire. Fred didn't have time to scream. For a split second he thought he was dead, then he lost all his senses, and everything went blank.

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><p><strong>Reviewalert/favourite please :) Next chapter will be up very soon. Cheers!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I cannot tell you guys how much your reviews made my day.**

**Disclaimer: Everything goes to Joanne Rowling.**

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><p>George awoke to the sound of running footsteps. His eyes snapped open. What he saw in front of him made his stomach lurch.<p>

Fred was in the bed directly across from him. His skin was coloured red and peeling off very quickly. Madam Pomfrey was bent over the bed, muttering incantations under her breath, her wand in one hand, six bottles of different coloured potions in her other hand. George gathered all his strength and limped over to Fred's bed, panic racing through him.

"Mr. Weasley, get back to bed! You need rest!" Madam Pomfrey scolded. "He will be fine once I've sorted him out."

"What happened to him?" George asked, disobeying her.

"The dragon's fire burned him. Every time the tasks get more dangerous, I don't understand _why _they let you two compete!"

George couldn't believe his ears. He looked down at Fred, the tears in his eyes threatening to spill over. So many thoughts were crammed into his head, but he willed himself to focus on one.

_Come on, Fred, breathe..._

An hour later, he was sitting in a chair by Fred's bed, his head in his hands. Fred hadn't moved at all, despite Madam Pomfrey's endless attempts.

"He'll need to be transferred to St. Mungo's," she declared. "He's been unconscious for far too long now. I don't know if they'll be able to help him much, but maybe they can get him to regain consciousness."

"When will he be going to St. Mungo's?" Fred asked, finally lifting his head.

"Today. Some Healers are on their way. Professor Dumbledore has confirmed that you may go as well, if you like."

"Yeah... Yeah, I'll go," George said. He tried to tell himself that it wasn't a big deal, that Fred would wake up and everything would be fine, but somehow, even he knew that there was a very small chance Fred would live.

"It's been two days," George said to no one in particular. Him, his parents and siblings were sitting around a bed at St. Mungo's, in which Fred was still unconscious. Ron had a comforting arm draped around Ginny's shoulders, staring at Fred's motionless body; Mr. Weasley was stroking his wife's hair and whispering to her that everything would turn out alright; Bill and Charlie had been silent the entire time; and Percy, who had ultimately decided to turn up, looked anxious.

"D'you think he'll die, George?" Ginny asked, her voice shaky. She wasn't crying, but her jaw was clenched. Mrs. Weasley burst into tears.

George felt his heart break into a million pieces. How would we, how _could_ he, live without Fred? His twin, the love of his life? He knew it wasn't possible.

"I... I dunno, Ginny," he replied truthfully.

Ginny willed herself to look at Fred's body, a single tear escaping her right eye.

At that moment, a Healer entered, a large bottle in her hand.

"This will help him to wake up," she announced. "He should arise within the hour." She poured the contents of the bottle into Fred's slightly parted lips and left the room.

The minutes ticked by. George didn't take his eyes off Fred once. Fifty-nine minutes passed.

"He's dead," Percy whispered.

"No, he's not!" George yelled. He got up sloppily from his chair and quickly approached Percy, who had risen from his chair as well.

"George... I wish it wasn't true either, but we must not lie to ourselves."

George was fuming at this point. He pushed Percy, sending him toppling backwards. Percy got up, looking George fiercely in the eyes. Mr. Weasley tried to separate them, but failed.

"Why are you even here, Perce?" George asked, still yelling. "You turned your back on us!"

"You're my brother, George," Percy said calmly. "_Fred _is my brother, Ron is my brother, Bill is my brother, Charlie is my brother, and Ginny is my sister!"

"Obviously! But you haven't acknowledged any of us in months!"

"Boys, that's enough!" Mr. Weasley yelled, standing in the space between them. George looked away from Percy; his anger wasn't fading.

In the midst of the argument, no one had noticed that Fred's eyes were wide open. He coughed lightly, and they all turned to face his bed.

"Fred!" George cried. He thrust his arms around Fred's shoulders, hugging him as tightly as he could.

"Careful, you're suffocating me," Fred whispered. He sounded weak, but there was a hint of amusement to his tone.

George loosened his grip and kissed Fred's cheek. Behind him, Percy looked bemused.

"Freddie!" Mrs. Weasley squealed. She enveloped her arms around both Fred and George.

"Hi, Mum," Fred coughed. He gave her a pained smile.

"Oh, I was so afraid you were... Fred... Oh, _Freddie_... I'm so relieved..." Mrs. Weasley weeped. She and George stood up, beaming down at Fred.

"I know," he said defeatedly. He looked around, and his eyes fell on Percy. "Fancy seeing you here, isn't it, Perce?"

Percy gulped, and his face twisted into an expression that greatly resembled a constipated mountain troll. He didn't answer; a short awkward silence followed.

"How are you feeling?" Mr. Weasley asked hastily.

"Somewhat terrible," Fred answered, adjusting his position. He grimaced.

The Healer from before entered the room, walking briskly.

"Ah, you're awake, I see," she said to Fred. "Feeling all right?"

"No," he responded.

"Here, drink this." She handed him a small bottle of clear, thick liquid. He swallowed it immediately. "Better?"

"Yeah, much better."

She looked around at the group of Weasleys. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over. Only one family member may stay as of now."

"I'll stay," George said before anyone else could respond. Mrs. Weasley looked like she was about to protest, but George refused to leave. "Mum, please?"

She clamped her mouth shut, kissed Fred once on the cheek, and hurried after the rest of the Weasleys. As soon as the door closed behind her, George's lips were pressed onto Fred's. They kissed passionately for the next thirty seconds, then paused to breathe.

"I missed you," George said under his breath.

"D'you even _know_ how hard those ten minutes were? Merlin, it took all my control not to grab you and kiss you," Fred panted.

George cupped the back of Fred's neck in his hand and kissed him again, his nerves tingling. How he had missed that feeling.

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><p><strong>No cliffhanger this time!<strong>

** I always say I'll get my chapters up sooner but I never do... Well, this time I mean it! Review, review, review! If I get at least five reviews within three days, Chapter Five will be up three days later.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p>Fred and George were sitting alone on the edge of the Black Lake, watching the very last bit of the sunset. Fred had scars on his face from the burns, but other than that, he was all right. It was soon completely dark.<p>

"So, the Yule Ball is tomorrow..." Fred said awkwardly.

"Is that your way of asking me to go with you?" George chuckled, punching his brother's shoulder jokingly.

Fred smiled and planted a kiss on George's cheek. "No, this is. George, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" George replied, pretending to be surprised. "Oh, I'm so honoured! Of _course_ I'll go to the Yule Ball with you, Fred!"

They both laughed.

"George, don't you think people will be...er...surprised? And cruel about it?"

George looked up at the dark sky, pondering. "Well, of course they will. That is inevitable. But we can handle it, can't we?"

"I...guess so, but...it'll...it'll still be⎯"

George grabbed Fred's neck and kissed him full on the mouth, tongue included. Fred felt his body tingle, and he ripped off George's shirt as quickly as he could. George did the same for him, his excitement building. A few seconds later, they were both naked, and their hormones took control.

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><p>"That was...spectacular... Merlin, George... Thank you," Fred whispered as they got dressed.<p>

"Thank _you_," George replied, a huge smile pasted onto his face. They walked back towards the castle. "What time do you think it is?"

"Past midnight, that's for sure," Fred said. There was a silent pause before George spoke.

"Fred, listen. You shouldn't be afraid of showing everyone that we're together. Eventually, our secret will get out. People will talk. We have to learn to ignore the terrible things they'll say."

Fred stared at him. "I know. I'm just nervous."

"Why?"

"People won't generally accept this, don't you agree? Are you ready for the public humiliation? Because I'm not sure I am."

"Who are _you_ and what have you done with the love of my life?" George asked incredulously. "What happened to you being fearless, Fred?"

Fred looked away. "I'm not as good-looking as I used to be."

"Rubbish! _What_ would make you say something like that?" George demanded.

"These scars." Fred gestured to the scars on his face.

George's face contorted with surprise and pity. "Fred..."

"They're ugly. Don't deny it. You can't even look at them, they're so hideous."

George seized Fred's hand and held it tightly. "Fred, they're _not_ ugly. Even if they were, I love you no matter how you look. I'll love you until I die. Don't say such things about yourself. It hurts me too much to see you like this." He gently kissed Fred's scars.

"Really? You mean it, George?"

"Absolutely."

Fred grinned as they walked up the deserted staircase to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. They passed a few seventh-year Slytherins who were carrying bottles of firewhiskey.

"Scarface!" one of them yelled as he pointed at Fred. The others sniggered, and the group hurried on.

Fred looked at George, his eyes tense. He ran up to the Fat Lady, muttered the password, and ran through the portrait hole. George followed him up to their dormitory.

"Fred, don't pay attention to them, they only want to make you feel bad so they can feel better about themselves... Are you all right?"

"I'm fine!" Fred bellowed.

George recoiled, stunned that Fred had risen his voice at him. "No need to yell!"

"Shut it, both of you!" Lee Jordan moaned from his bed. He turned on the light, rolled over and sat up. "Where have you two _been_ all this time?"

Fred's scars were completely visible in the light. George stared at them, not once finding them ugly. Fred held his gaze for a few seconds, knowing he was staring at them, then looked away.

"We've been... You know... Lurking around Hogsmeade," he replied.

"Or down by the Black Lake...fooling around?" Lee cocked his head towards George's bedside table, on which sat the Marauder's Map.

Both Fred and George's cheeks went red. "We weren't..." they began.

"Don't lie. It's no big deal, the entire school and half the staff know," Lee said casually.

"Sorry?" the twins asked.

"Yeah, some Ravenclaw seventh-year saw you two snogging in a corridor right after Fred got out of St. Mungo's. Since then, everybody has known. But no one cares, really. In fact, a ton of people are eager to see you two show up at the Yule Ball together."

"Who says we're going to the Yule Ball together?" Fred demanded.

"We are," George insisted. "We're going together, Fred."

Fred glanced at him. Upon seeing his hopeful expression, he softened.

"Okay, yeah. Yeah...we are."

"There's the Fred I know," George smiled; Fred grinning back. "Thought I'd lost you for a minute there."

"Excellent!" Lee said. "Now, if you want to continue your snogging and sex, be my guest, but please cast that _Muffliato_ spell and close your curtains." He went back to sleep.

Fred stripped and crawled into his bed. He beckoned George to do the same, which George did. They closed the curtains and cast _Muffliato_, and continued where they had left off at the lake.

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><p>"Are you two ready to dance?" Professor McGonagall asked Fred and George, disregarding the fact that they were holding hands and wearing matching dress robes.<p>

"Yes, Professor," the twins chorused. They followed her to the dance floor and began to waltz. After a few short minutes, the song ended, and the Weird Sisters struck up a faster song. Fred and George took a break to get some refreshments.

"Don't you find it a bit odd...that no one cares we're together?" Fred asked.

"No," George answered truthfully. He snickered at Fred's confused expression. "People aren't as up tight as you think them to be, love."

Fred cracked a smile, delighted that George had called him 'love' in public like that. It made him feel like their relationship really was official, and he adored that idea. They sipped from their butterbeer until the Weird Sisters started playing This Is the Night, their favourite song by the Weird Sisters. They got up and went over to the dance floor. George put his hands on Fred's waist; Fred's hands cupped the back of George's neck. They swayed to the lyrics, looking into each other's eyes as if they were the only ones in the room. When the song finished, George kissed Fred's awaiting lips lightly. The hairs on the back of Fred's neck stood on end, but everyone cheered and applauded appreciatively. Fred could hardly believe it. He felt like he was walking on air for the rest of the night.

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><p>"Have you seen Ginny anywhere?" George asked.<p>

He and Fred were about to start the second task, standing on the wooden tower in the middle of the Black Lake. He gave George a handful of Gillyweed and they stuffed the plant into their mouths.

"Haven't seen her," Fred answered, looking around. "Ron's missing as well."

"Champions! At the sound of the cannon, you will begin the second task!" Professor Dumbledore declared loudly. One second after, the sound of the cannon echoed through the air. Fleur, Viktor, Fred and George all dove into the water.

The second the water wrapped around their bodies, Fred and George felt the Gillyweed begin to work. After their gills and webbed feet and fingers had formed, they swam alongside each other deeper and deeper.

"All right, Georgie?" Fred asked him after a while of swimming quickly.

"All right," George wheezed in response. He gasped for breath and began to slow down. "Go on, I'll catch up to you later."

Fred hesitated. "George..."

"Fred, just go. I'll be fine. Really." He smiled tightly and ushered Fred on. Shrugging, Fred obeyed and swam ahead.

George felt the Gillyweed quickly start to wear off after about fifteen minutes. He gasped for air, but all he got was a mouthful of murky water. Disgusted, he spat it out as best he could and tried to swim in the direction Fred had gone, but he needed oxygen. He instinctively breathed in through his nose and instantly regretted it; he choked on the water. He waved his arms about furiously, fighting to get to the surface of the lake. He saw light, and swam faster, his lungs about to burst. Finally, he reached his destination. He broke out of the water immediately, and coughed up a ton of water.

"George!" he heard Fred's voice yell. He felt his twin's strong arms pull him onto the tower's wooden floor and envelop him in a towel. George collapsed into a sitting position, barely able to keep his head upright.

"Fred... Thank goodness..." He could barely form words; his lips were shaking so badly. He rested his head on Fred's chest, panting. "Did you find Ron and Ginny?"

"They were the things the merpeople took," Fred responded. "Something we would sorely miss, one for each of us, but I took them both when the Gillyweed stopped working."

At that moment, Ron and Ginny rushed forward and sat down next to the twins.

"You okay, George?" Ginny asked concernedly. She took her towel from around her shoulders and draped it around Fred's. Ron copied her. This did not seem to help George's shivering much.

"I-I will b-b-b-be." His teeth were chattering like mad.

"You don't need the hospital wing, do you?" Fred asked, rubbing George's back with his hand.

"N-n-n-no. I'll be okay, I r-really w-w-will. I j-j-j-just need s-some heat. C-c-can we g-go back to the common room s-soon?"

"Yeah, but we need to hear the results first!" Ron said excitedly.

"Attention!" Dumbledore yelled extremely loudly a couple minutes later. "The winner of the second task is Fleur Delacour!"

Screams of delight erupted from all the Beauxbatons students. Dumbledore silenced them once more.

"However, due to the fact that Fred Weasley saved both his _and_ George Weasley's treasures, we have agreed to award him second place!"

Every Hogwarts student started to cheer the second Dumbledore had finished speaking. George grinned crookedly at his twin, happy for him. Fred accepted a few claps on the back and congratulatory words before he helped George up. They made their way back to the Gryffindor common room slowly and reached the couch by the fireplace. Fred sat down and motioned for George to do the same. George sank onto it gratefully, his head in Fred's lap, exhaustion gripping every last bit of him. Fred started running his fingers through George's damp hair comfortingly. A delightful shiver passed through George's body; Fred put a dry, warm blanket over him. George fell asleep in Fred's arms, his breathing shallow and uneven, not once thinking about the trouble that was awaiting them in the third and final task.

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><p><strong>My favourite chapter so far. I hope everyone liked it! PLEASE REVIEW!<strong>


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Harry Potter, Adventure, Romance