Fred stood beside his brother and Angelina outside the Great Hall doors and politely ignored the guilty looks McGonagall kept sending him. Harry told him how McGonagall thought it was unfair that they couldn't go together, but she didn't stick up much for them either, did she? And it wasn't like they were the only couple in Hogwarts who had a 'same sex partner', so bullocks to her.
Fred watched with a warm feeling of pride as Harry strode up to the doors and lined up with the other champions. He looked breathtaking in his new dark green dress robes that had silver trimming on them. A gift from Zabini's mum apparently. All Fred knew was they looked expensive, and Harry looked brilliant in them. Every bit the Slytherin Prince the Gryffindor's called him as a taunt.
Little Luna, in her floor length silver ball gown, looked beautiful by his side. Susan had done her hair for the event, and it was twisted up in elegant braids that wrapped around her head and was adorned with interwoven strands of black sparkles, like some sort of delicately dark fairy crown. Fred ignored the small stab of jealousy he felt at seeing someone so gorgeous holding on to Harry's arm. He reassured himself that it was only temporary though.
Because Harry was amazing and had made a plan.
He distracted himself by eyeing the other couples standing around. George and Angie in their matching dark red dress robes (Angie refused to wear a dress, she called it sexist). George had tried to get Fred to wear Gryffindor colors too, but Fred instead went with a silver and green set, matching Harry without being too matching.
In front of Harry stood Viktor Krum, in black dress robes, with Katie Bell laughing beside him in a beautiful form fitting dress of black satin. Ahead of them were Cedric Diggory in classic Hufflepuff yellow dress robes, with Cho Chang in a green and yellow floral wrap dress that Fred wasn't quite sure what it was called.
In the front of the line of champions was Fleur Delcaour in a full length bronze colored dress, with a Durmstrang chap that Fred didn't know the name of. Which probably wasn't important as Fleur kept glancing towards Harry longingly. Which was bloody annoying. Harry had told Fred that Fleur understood why he cancelled, and was planning on finding a date who 'understood her worth as a person', but from the way the Durmstrang boy was drooling and Harry was smirking knowingly up at Fleur, Fred doubted if Fleur appreciated the trade in partners.
Which, again, was bloody annoying.
Fred shook his head and went back to looking at the rest of the students. If he fell in to a bad mood every time someone looked at Harry like he was a meal to be devoured instead of the most amazing person Fred had ever met, then he'd probably be in a perpetually bad mood. And that just wasn't his style.
Fred grinned over at little Ronniekins in his deep purple dress robes with one of the Patil twins on his arm dressed in a pink sari. Zabini was beside them, also in dark purple dress robes, with the other Patil girl in an orange sari on his arm. Both boys looked pleased with their dates and were all four talking enthusiastically about something Fred couldn't hope to overhear.
Theo and Hermione looked sharp in their coordinating periwinkle and dark blue outfits. Theo glared at Fred when he caught his eye, so Fred winked irritatingly at him. Theo was ridiculous. As if Fred had any interest in taking someone as boring as Hermione Granger to the Yule Ball. Even if she was the wrong gender, she had no real sense of humor. Malfoy stood beside the two bookworms, his grey eyes continuously being drawn to Luna, while he was dressed to obviously match in posh silver trimmed black robes.
Fred even had to admit that even Neville looked rather dashing in his crimson robes. Fred had no idea where Ginny had gotten the money to order the dress she wore, but he was absolutely certain their mum didn't purchase it. It was a tight, tight, shimmering golden dress that exposed more of her chest than Fred would have ever wanted to see in his life.
Of course Susan, hovering closely to Harry, was a total knockout. She was dressed in a skin tight, short, white dress that highlighted her curves, and had a long slit up the side to showcase her shapely legs. She'd curled her hair in to bouncy ringlets that drew your eyes right to her very exposed chest- which Johnny Abbott had clearly noticed.
Fred smirked at Johnny's choice of attire. Clearly Harry and himself were not the only ones giving a huge middle finger to tradition tonight. Johnny was in a crisp black and white muggle suit and had on a black, backwards, muggle cap on top of his long blonde braids.
Fred hoped everyone blew a gasket when they saw Susan's skimpy dress and Johnny's muggle suit. It would serve them all right for refusing to allow same-sex couples to attend the ball together. Tradition had its place, but so did evolvement.
Fred knew that Harry's friends thought he was being jealous when Harry decided to attend with Fleur Delacour, and he had been a bit. But it was more than that.
Fred had 'came out' to his family, sweating and stammering the whole time, when he was twelve. He'd known that year that he was only attracted to blokes, but he'd also been terrified to tell anyone. George was the first to know, as he always was, and told him to just 'suck it up' and 'tell them already'. So he had.
And for the most part- it had been fine. His mum had cried on him, his Dad patted his shoulder reassuringly, and Bill and Charlie both said they had already guessed as much. Ginny shrugged, and Ron asked if there was dessert available. But his older brother Percy had changed that day- and Fred doubted if he'd ever see his brother in a truly positive light again. Percy had mumbled a lot about 'unconventional' and 'unnatural' under his breath when he was near Fred. And Fred never told anyone, but it had hurt him deeply to hear those things from the brother he used to look up to (back before he'd realized Percy was a stick in the mud anyway). Fred decided then that he could either be proud of who he was, or listen to Percy's hateful mumblings and be ashamed.
And Fred chose to be proud.
Then he started openly dating Harry, as opposed to the casual hookups he'd had with blokes before that, and for the most part it had been wonderful. Fred figured if Harry was anyone else, it wouldn't have been so relatively easy. But people either loved Harry, respected Harry, or were terrified of Harry. Some people seemed to be all three. So Harry had hardly gotten any of the flack that Fred occasionally did over being 'open' about his choice in romantic interests.
No student would dare call Harry a queer in a disgusted tone of voice. Nor would they curl their lips and whisper about what a disgrace he was, not for his sexuality anyway.
So, no, Harry and his friends didn't really understand why this rule had bothered Fred so much.
And yet, despite not understanding Fred's real and complicated feelings on the matter, Harry had still decided to say 'fuck you' to tradition and found a way that they could proudly be together tonight.
And Fred realized you could fall in love with someone more than once.
"Champions!" McGonagall yelled over the chattering of the students crowding the entrance hall. "Over here please!"
Fred winked one last time at Harry as the champions moved to their positions.
"Showtime," he grinned at Malfoy, throwing an arm around his shoulder. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," Malfoy drawled, but his glance back towards Luna gave him away quite a bit.
Fred laughed and followed the rush of students in to the Great Hall. He positioned himself beside the doors, alongside Malfoy, and waited for his cue.
He glanced around with interest as he waited, noticing the Great Hall looked much more impressive than it usually did. The walls of the Hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.
All the students in the Hall began politely clapping, and somewhere a photographers flash was going off, as Fleur and her partner entered. Fred whistled and winked at the girl when she glanced at him. Her warm smile reassured him that she probably wasn't after Harry romantically, but had likely just wanted a normal date for the night.
Which was understandable, but Harry was his date.
Next through was Diggory and Chang. There were more enthusiastic cheers for them as they followed behind Fleur to the Head Table.
Then Krum and Katie. Fred whistled again, which made Katie flip him off behind her back where the photographer wouldn't see.
And then Harry. His Harry. Looking more elegant, graceful, and confident than Fred had ever seen. He thought it was similar to how Harry looked in a duel, except the tight look of ferocity in his eyes was gone, replaced tonight with a sparkle of amusement. Luna, beside him, looked just as graceful and elegant as she smiled serenely even in the face of the rapid, and blinding, flashbulbs.
Harry stopped about six feet in the hall and turned to Luna with a mischievous smirk.
"My Lady," he grinned and raised her hand to his mouth for a chaste kiss. "I'm afraid my heart belongs to another."
"Pity," Luna sighed. "Yet we made such a fabulous couple."
Fred chuckled beneath the loud whispers of gossip quickly moving between the onlooking students and staff. Theo and Hermione may be boring bookworms, but their lines for this part in the plan were perfect.
"May I?" Fred stepped forward and took Harry's newly emptied hand.
"You may," Harry smiled up at him and the already rapid clicks and flashes from the photographer went positively wild. Fred easily linked his arm with Harry's and they strode confidently to the Head Table. The students began loudly talking at that, but, just as Harry's friends had hoped, no one stopped them. Fred glanced backwards once and saw Draco immediately taking Luna's hand and pulling her beside himself.
Fred looked back up at the Head Table and saw Dumbledore giving them a broad smile of approval. The headmaster began clapping, and slowly, so did the rest of the hall. By the time Fred and Harry made it to their seats, they had done so to a standing ovation.
Fred only resisted the urge to bow by pulling Harry's chair out for him instead. He had promised Harry that he would be on his best, and most 'subtle', behavior tonight.
Not too subtle though. He did blow a kiss to Karkaroff once he saw the man's purpling face glaring harshly at them.
Bigoted arse.
Fred was so focused on pulling off the switch of partners in a way that couldn't be refused publicly, not without a loud scandal that 'Harry's good friend Rita Skeeter' would write about, that he missed the familiar glasses on the familiar redhead that was seated right next to where he pulled the chair out for Harry.
Percy.
The last person Fred really wanted to see tonight, of all nights.
"Perce," he said lightly. "Did you kill off old Crouch and take his position?"
Fred knew Percy hated being called 'Perce', nearly as much as he revered his cranky old boss. Which is why it was the perfect opening line to the brother who had curled his nose at him the moment Fred sat on the opposite side of Harry.
"I've been promoted," Percy said, his tone nothing less than condescending and pompous. "I'm now Mr. Crouch's personal assistant, and I'm here representing him."
"Wow, fascinating," Fred grinned. "Right Harry?"
"Not really," Harry drawled, apparently picking up on Fred's own dislike of Percy. Harry had an intuition better than any mind reading could ever be.
"What are you two doing?" Percy asked in a hushed whisper. "The rules clearly state-"
"The rules are bullshit," Harry sneered. "So I don't care about them, do I?"
Percy looked personally offended, as if he himself had written the rules.
"Fred, you should never have-"
"Excuse us," Harry said with a small and insincere smile. Harry scooted his chair closer to Fred by a couple inches and the two of them shared a smile. On the other side of Harry, Percy's face was a bright shade of red.
"How do you suppose we order food?" Harry asked Fred, plucking up the golden menu beside his plate. Fred glanced at Dumbledore and watched as he spoke his order to his plate, and had it immediately granted.
"Easily I guess," Fred laughed. He looked down at his plate and told it clearly, "Lobster tail."
Harry laughed when it popped up in immediate appearance.
"That's not even on the menu!" he said.
"The elves love me," Fred winked at him. "Try it."
Harry looked down at his plate and ordered, "Miniature treacle tarts."
Once Harry's absurd wish had been granted, the two of them had a great time ordering more and more outrageous food while everyone around them talked happily.
Everyone except Percy, who was sending Fred occasional dark looks, along with a crinkled nose look of distaste towards Harry.
Fred's wand hand twitched every time Percy looked at Harry like that, but he didn't want to ruin Harry's night by fighting with his brother.
He'd just remember this when they were home together over the summer.
Fred ignored his brother, and instead fell in to an easy chat with Katie and Krum about different quidditch teams in the leagues this year. Surprisingly, now that Fred was over his childish jealousy, Krum was a decent sort of bloke. He was self-deprecating and knowledgeable about the different ins and outs of professional quidditch and was eager to share with the Gryffindor players.
Beside them, Harry was chatting away with Fleur, her date all but forgotten, as the girl laughed and tried to teach Harry French.
"Parlez-vous anglais?" Fleur said.
"Parlay-voo angles?" Harry repeated, butchering the romantic language with his adorably slight twang.
And through it all- Percy sat in his seat, fuming and ignored.
All the way up until he mumbled something halfway through dinner that caused Harry to stiffen and turn a cool look on him.
"Take it back," Harry said, his voice acerbic and frigid. "Now."
"Fred is my brother," Percy said, his chin stuck out in the stubborn way that Weasley's tend to be known for. "So I'll say what I please, Potter."
Harry suddenly smiled at Percy, and it wasn't a kind smile at all. It was his 'I'm about to tear you apart piece by piece' smile that Fred dreamed about occasionally.
"Fred is mine," Harry all but whispered. He had the same neat vocal trick that Snape did- he could lower his voice as much as he wanted, and still he sounded clear as a bell and sharp as a nail. "So no, you won't say as you please."
"Yours?" Percy looked between Fred and Harry and shook his head. "It's unnatural and improper," he whispered as the other conversations masked his vile words. "It's not right."
Harry barely moved, only twitched slightly, but suddenly the sleeve on his right arm was pulled back slightly and his sharp silver dagger was visible long enough for Percy and Fred to both see, before Harry shook his arm and it was hidden from view. Percy kept sending uneasy glances towards his arm now. Fred hoped he was remembering the many, many, photos of Harry stabbing a dragon with a sword that the Daily Prophet published.
"You know what's unnatural?" Harry hissed. "People like you, Perky (and Merlin, Fred thought it was hysterical when Harry pretended to mispronounce peoples' names). You're the kind of guy who gets a nice 'proper' wife, then goes searching out for a bloke to take to a seedy motel with you late at night. Afterwards you go home to your 'proper' wife and 'proper' life, and it's all a lie, isn't it? Well guess what? Guys like you are usually the weakest and most disgustingly unnatural guys there are. So I'd calm down on the name calling." Harry ended his disturbingly specific rant with a sharp smile and a twitch of his hand that had Percy flinching in his seat.
Fred thought his heart might burst at that.
"I love you," he said conversationally to Harry. "Light of my life."
Harry didn't return the sentiment, which was fine because he said Fred was his, which was probably the most he could claim for sure right now. Plus, he did beam over at Fred and wink before they went right back to pretending Percy didn't exist.
When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.
The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn. They picked up their instruments, and Harry stood up and offered Fred his hand as the other champions rose as well.
Fred let Harry lead him by the hand to the brightly lit dance floor. Harry had his jaw set and a determined light in his eyes that looked a lot like preparation for a battle. The Weird Sisters struck up a slow tune and Fred slowly placed his arms around Harry's waist, as Harry placed his own arms around Fred's neck.
"This isn't so bad, is it?" Fred murmured as Harry's tightly coiled muscles started to relax beneath his arms as they swayed back and forth.
"Suppose not," Harry mumbled, slowly laying his head on Fred's chest in the perfect spot that seemed to be made just for Harry's head.
"You were brilliant you know," Fred told him. "Finding a way for us to come together? It meant a lot to me."
"You're okay too, I suppose."
Fred laughed at Harry's uncharacteristically teasing tone and watched as other couples soon joined the champions. Dumbledore led out Madame Maxine, Ginny and Neville were soon dancing beside them, and he nudged Harry to look when he saw Professor Sinistra force Professor Snape out to dance with her.
"Oh God, he's going to kill her," Harry chuckled. Fred winked down at Harry before loudly whistling at Snape, drawing the man's irate eyes straight to them.
"Frederick," he said coolly as he led Professor Sinistra towards them in his arms. "Harry," he added much softer as he looked down at Harry, "behaving yourselves?"
"Of course sir," Fred said with mock-solemnity.
Professor Sinistra snorted, but gave them each a bright smile.
"25 points to Gryffindor and Slytherin," she said.
"For why?" Harry asked bewildered.
Sinistra didn't say anything, she just glanced towards where two Beauxbaton's girls were dancing in each other's arms and across from them where two Ravenclaw seventh year boys were dancing as well.
Fred felt his chest swell with pride at the sight.
They'd done that. Him and Harry. They made it so other couples could dance together too. Because if nobody was going to lecture the Champion of Hogwarts for it, then they could hardly lecture the other students, could they?
"You're amazing," Fred told Harry in awe. "I love you."
Fred heard Snape snort lightly, but he ignored him as he and Sinistra danced away. Harry glanced around cautiously, probably checking for anyone close enough to overhear them, then looked up at Fred, chewing his lower lip.
"Do I- I mean- do you- am I supposed to say it back?" Harry whispered. "Because... this counts as a secret, yeah? I dunno what to say right now."
"Nope," Fred grinned at him. "You don't have to say anything."
And he didn't. Harry was starting to slowly trust Fred. He'd shared secrets with him on the night of their date. He hardly ever flinched when Fred touched him anymore. In fact, more and more Harry was the one initiating contact. Fred thought maybe Harry was starting to try and make up for the terrible life he'd had before, now that he felt safe enough to do so.
Safe enough with Fred.
Who he said was his.
So, no. Harry didn't need to say it out loud. Fred was pretty confident in his place within Harry's life now.
Harry slowly returned his smile and they danced together until the last chord of the current song ended.
"Wanna get a drink?" Harry yelled over the loud pop song that played next.
"Yeah."
Fred followed Harry as he quickly led them away from the crowd of bodies that were jumping around like a bunch of sugar crammed firsties. Harry steered them towards Susan and Johnny, who were standing with Draco and Luna beside the table covered with punch bowls and dainty little crystal glasses.
"Having fun?" Fred asked them, clapping Johnny on the shoulder.
"I think what I need is one more damned pureblood to curl their nose at my suit and my night would be perfect," Johnny drawled.
"Drakey, wanna do the honors?" Fred grinned.
"My name is not 'Drakey'," Malfoy sneered. "And I happen to like that suit, even if it is Muggle."
"Imagine your Dad hearing that," Harry smirked as he handed Fred a drink.
"I think it's wonderful you're different from your father," Luna said in her typically airy voice. "You'd be terribly annoying otherwise."
Malfoy sputtered while the rest of them laughed at the implied insult.
"Ooh, this is a great song," Luna declared when the song shifted again. Malfoy gave her a fond smile of exasperation.
"Do you want to go dance?" he asked.
"Yes please," Luna beamed up at him and let him lead her out towards the dance floor. Fred saw how Harry was warily eyeing the packed crowd and knew he wouldn't want to dance. He didn't offer, just in case Harry thought it meant he did.
"Photo for the Daily Prophet?"
The four of them turned and saw a squat man grinning toothily at them and clutching a camera. Fred rolled his eyes as the man seemed torn between watching Harry with nothing short of amazement and drooling at Susan's exposed legs.
"We'd love to, right Harry?" Susan winked at Harry before she draped herself on Johnny's arm. Fred wrapped his arm around Harry's waist and was surprised when Harry stretched up to kiss him as the camera went off.
"Thanks," the man grunted before wandering off towards Dumbledore and Madame Maxine.
"Wouldn't it be wicked if they posted that on the front page?" Fred laughed. "Just: 'The Boy Who Lived and his boyfriend with their Muggle dressed mate and the niece of the DMLE'. People would lose their minds."
"If anyone can change people's minds about what tradition should mean, it's Harry," Susan said seriously.
"What's that mean?" Harry asked curiously. "Like change the rules about bringing a date to the ball?"
"It's more than just the ball," Fred said. "It's like..." he looked around the room while he tried to find a way to explain it. "It's like him," Fred pointed at the Ravenclaw boy he saw dancing earlier. "Charles Rastiff. He came out in fifth year, and his parents kicked him out. He was homeless for part of that summer, until his boyfriends family let him move in."
"Are you fuckin' kidding me right now?" Harry bristled. "What- they just made him sleep on the fuckin' streets because of it?"
"It happens more than you think," Susan said. "My aunts had to help a lot of magical children find places to stay because their families wouldn't accept them."
"Fuck that. I'll be right back."
Fred, Johnny, and Susan exchanged bemused looks as Harry quickly disappeared.
"Where's he going?" Fred asked.
"Probably to kill Rastiff's parents," Johnny smirked. Susan shrugged, but Fred wouldn't doubt it if Johnny was right.
The three of them watched the other students as they danced until Harry came strutting back up to them with a smug smirk on his face.
"Where'd you go?" Susan asked him.
"You'll see," Harry said evasively. "I'm bored. I can't believe Draco and Blaise go to balls every year, this is terrible."
"You guys wanna liven this party up?" Johnny grinned.
Harry still looked bored, but Fred saw his eyes light up as he looked at Johnny.
"What d'ya have then?" he asked.
Johnny reached in his suit trousers pocket and pulled out the neck of a bottle of alcohol.
"It's vodka," he said. "Won it off a Durmstrang kid in a duel."
"Brill," Harry said admiringly. Fred didn't think Johnny was necessarily someone Harry should be admiring, because Johnny was trouble. But he did think that a little alcohol might be just the trick to make this night more interesting.
"Harry do your weird magic shit and put up a privacy shield real quick," Johnny said.
Harry rolled his left wrist and effectively hid them from onlookers even as he scowled.
"It's not 'weird magic shit'," he said. "You're just jealous you can't do it."
"Dreadfully," Johnny winked as he handed out the crystal glasses he'd just filled to the brim with vodka. "Cheers mate."
Harry dispelled the shield and they all clinked their glasses together before taking long sips.
"Jesus Christ," Harry sputtered. "That's disgusting."
"Tastes better when you mix it with something," Johnny shrugged.
"Doubt it," Susan muttered.
"Let's make it a game," Fred said. "How about every time Neville steps on Ginny's feet we take a drink."
"Or every time Ron checks the color of Parvati's dress to make sure it's the right date," Susan grinned.
"Or every time someone comes up to talk to Harry," Johnny added.
"Oh so we're getting really drunk?" Harry asked. "Brill. Game on."
The four of them were well on their way to utter intoxication within the next hour. Most of their drinks came from random students who brazenly came up and asked Harry to dance with them.
"Noooo," Harry drawled rudely at the seventh request. "Fuck, are you blind?"
Fred, who thought vodka must be a bit stronger than firewhisky, lost his mind as the dejected Slytherin girl skunk away.
"You're a menace," Johnny laughed. "Just an absolute menace to society, Potter."
"Ta," Harry murmured as he looked around the room. He suddenly stiffened slightly as his eyes stopped on something.
"Look whose here," he murmured. The rest of them all turned and looked in the direction where Harry's eyes were set. Fred and Susan grinned slyly at each other as they saw Ludo Bagman chatting with Percy on the other side of the Hall. Johnny looked confused, but he didn't miss the malicious look on Susan's face either.
"We should go say hello," Susan murmured.
"It would be polite," Fred said brightly.
"Let's do it," Harry said.
"Wait!" Susan yanked on Harry's arm and stared right in his eyes for a long moment. "What's the worst possible scenario?"
"From saying hi?" Harry shrugged. "Snape see's me, assumes I'm doing something mad, and yells at me."
"No cursing him," Susan said, somehow stern despite the alcohol coursing through her veins. "Nothing impulsive."
Harry squinted at her suspiciously for a moment before he nodded and yanked his arm from her grasp.
"I'm fine," he insisted. "I mean, a bit drunk," he laughed. "But I don't feel like I'm flying, do I?"
Johnny looked at Fred and raised a quizzical brow at that odd statement. Fred just lifted one shoulder in silent confusion. Harry sometimes said odd things though, that wasn't unusual. Fred would just add it to his list of questions he'd eventually ask Harry.
"Let's go then," Susan linked her arm with Harry, forcing Fred to follow behind them with Johnny as they led the way to Bagman and Percy.
"Hello," Susan called sweetly when they got close. "How are you Mister Bagman?"
Bagman had turned eagerly, then flinched heavily when he saw Susan and Harry arm in arm right in front of him. Fred had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. It really was a riot how terrifying the pair of them were. Even though Harry had grown quite a bit recently, he was still one of the shortest and scrawniest blokes in his year. And Susan was all feminine curves with deceptively innocent teal eyes. And they'd made a grown man flinch just from saying hello.
The long jagged scar on Bagman's cheek probably had something to do with it as well though.
"Fine," Bagman said with a nervous glance towards Percy, who was actually glaring at Fred. "H-How are you? Enjoying yourselves?"
"Oh yeah," Harry raised his glass in a mock toast towards Bagman. "We were just talking about how much we're looking forward to the second task."
"Yes well..." Bagman's comically wide eyes flitted from Harry to Susan to Johnny, who had picked up enough of the aura to stare balefully back at him with hooded eyes, before coming to a rest on Fred. "I'll see you then," he said as he looked back to Harry. "Before the task, like last time?"
"Brill," Harry said, with only the slightest slur to his voice. "See that you do."
Susan giggled and clutched on to Harry as Bagman quickly excused himself.
"You're scary," she breathed, sounding incredibly drunk. "Just... just a scary little thing."
"'M not little," Harry said. "You're little."
Fred sighed at the childish argument between them then grimaced in annoyance once he noticed Percy watching them with a disapproving look.
"It's called having fun Weasley," Johnny sneered, also noticing Percy's face. "You should try it."
Percy adjusted his glasses and peered closely at their group.
"Have you been drinking?" he asked loudly. Too loudly. "Fred, I'll be writing our mother if so."
"You do that Perky," Harry grinned. "Suppose you just have tons of proof then, yeah?"
"I can smell it on your breath," Percy said.
"On my breath, duhh," Harry laughed. "Dunno why you'd write Molly about me drinking though. But feel free to go tattle to Snape."
Percy scowled, clearly out of his depth when it came to arguing with Harry.
Join the club, Fred thought gleefully.
"I might just do that," Percy said stiffly. "I'm sure he'd like to know his child is consuming liquor underage at a school sanctioned event."
"Go then," Harry nodded his head towards wherever he thought Snape must be. "Snape'll be real impressed. Might give you a point to Gryffindor."
"I'm not a student," Percy grit out, his red ears giving away his annoyance.
"You'd think you'd be more mature then," Susan said with faux-surprise. "Shame."
Johnny chuckled and eyed Susan with frank admiration, the same look Fred was probably giving Harry.
Those two were lethal together.
"I will be writing our mother and informing her of the company you keep," Percy said as he looked at Johnny's suit, Susan's dress, and the way Harry was wobbling the slightest bit. "It's disgusting Fred."
Fred was about to pull his wand out, when Harry beat him to it.
CRACK!
The nearby students fell silent as everyone in their vicinity turned to see Percy clutching his newly broken nose as Harry glared at him, his right fist clenched tight and his messy black hair crackling with anger.
"Say it again," Harry said, the slur now gone as he voice turned to ice. "I dare you."
"Whoops," Fred saw McGonagall trying to push through the crowd and grabbed Harry carefully. "Time to go love."
Harry surprisingly let Fred pull him quickly towards the exit to the decorated gardens, glaring over his shoulder at a shocked to silence Percy the whole time.
"We'll catch you later," Johnny winked as he pulled Susan in a different direction.
Fred was absolutely not going to ask what they had planned.
"Damn, I forgot my drink," Harry said morosely as soon as they stepped out in to the cool moonlit garden.
"You're a maniac," Fred laughed. "You just hit my brother and you're worried about your drink? Merlin."
Harry glanced up at him and shrugged.
"Well I'm not gonna apologize," he said stoutly. "He called us disgusting, didn't he? He's lucky my magic doesn't listen well when I'm drunk."
Fred wrapped a steadying arm around Harry and set them off along one of the rosebush lined paths.
"This is nice," Harry said. "I thought since I was done flying that tonight would be terrible, but it's been fun really."
"Getting drunk, being harassed by fans, and fighting with Percy really made your night, huh?" Fred laughed.
"Threatening Bagman was good too," Harry said. "And dancing with you wasn't terrible. Even if there were too many people watching."
"Nobody's watching out here," Fred winked and opened his arms in an invitation. "Would you care to dance with me Mister Potter?"
"Alright then," Harry laughed and stepped closer.
Fred thought he could have spent the rest of the night out there, dancing with Harry in the dimly lit gardens.
So of course someone had to ruin it.
They had only been swaying together for a short time when they heard a familiar voice.
"...don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."
"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" Karkaroff's voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be overheard. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it —"
"Then flee," said Snape's voice curtly. "Flee — I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."
Snape and Karkaroff came around the corner. Snape had his wand out and was blasting rosebushes apart, his expression most ill-natured. Squeals issued from many of the bushes, and dark shapes emerged from them.
"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as a girl ran past him. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her. "And what are you two doing?" he added, catching sight of Harry and Fred on the path ahead. Karkaroff looked slightly discomposed to see them standing there. Which made sense, since Harry said he was the vote against changing the rules for the Yule Ball.
"Dancing," Fred said quickly, hoping Harry would keep quiet so Snape didn't catch the alcohol on his breath. "We'll just go inside then."
"Stop." Snape stared at Harry for a long moment before he sighed in the same way Fred's mum did when he and George blew something up. "Have you been drinking and fighting Harry?"
"No sir," Harry said slowly. "Not I."
Fred ducked his head to avoid laughing outright.
'Not I', Harry was a riot.
"So it was a different Harry Potter that struck Percy Weasley in the nose? And who that same Weasley informed me reeked like alcohol?" Snape said acerbically.
"I imagine a lot of people would like to pretend to be Harry, he's very famous you know," Fred said seriously.
"Detention. Both of you," Snape said. "Bed. Now. Separate ones."
"Yes sir," Harry saluted Snape rather sloppily and smirked at Karkaroff who was watching their interaction with a frown. "G'night then."
Fred wiggled his brows annoyingly at Karkaroff before following Harry back in the castle.
"I suppose this is the end of our night Darlin'," Fred said with a soft smile.
"Why?" Harry furrowed his brows. "I'm a bit too old for Snape to come check my bed, aren't I? C'mon."
Fred let Harry lead him down the dungeons and idly wondered how many times someone could fall in love with a person.
Surely there was a max.
Of course, this was Harry. And he was the master of the impossible- so maybe not.
***
The next morning when Fred, Harry, Susan, and Johnny were nursing hangovers at the Slytherin table and picking at their breakfast, Harry's mystery errand from the night before was made clear.
"Oh my God," Hermione began giggling like mad when she picked up the paper. "You guys!" She laid the paper flat on the table and they all tilted their heads to get a better glimpse.
And there it was.
On the front page.
Boy-Who-Lived Opens Yule Ball with Boyfriend: How the Hogwarts youth are bringing in a new era of acceptance.
And right beneath the headline was the full color photo of Susan looking stunning in her short and white tight dress, wrapped around Johnny in his sharp muggle suit and backwards cap. And beside them was Harry on a loop of leaning up to kiss Fred before turning a sparkling eyed smirk towards the camera.
"Oh, good. That cost me 20 Galleons to get published." Fred turned a stunned face towards the most ridiculously brilliant person he'd ever met and watched as Harry took a casual sip of his coffee, as if he had no idea what this would mean to gay kids everywhere.
"Hey Mione, can I get a copy of that? I'm gonna send it to Lupin," Harry said.
Frederick Fabian Potter, Fred decided as Hermione duplicated the paper for Harry.
There were plenty of Weasley's anyway.