Kind of spoilers for The Book Thief, even though the narrator himself spoils it in the actual book. Multiple times.

There's a couple direct quotes in here, so, technically, not all of this is mine.

Summary: Based on The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

QOTP: Have you read The Book Thief?

Word Count: 3430

There it is.

The train.

You've waited years for this moment. Ever since your mother told you about Hogwarts when you were younger, all you ever wanted was to go.

And now, you finally are.

"Mum, look!" you hear someone shout over the other noises on the platform. The boy who said it is right next to you, standing with his mum, dad, sister, and other brothers, one of which looks exactly like him. They all have bright red hair.

"I see it, Fred," his mum replies, chuckling.

The boy frowns. "I'm not Fred; I'm George."

"Yeah, I'm Fred," his identical twin says.

"Sorry, boys-"

"Just kidding!" they shout.

This finally gets the attention of your parents, who have been looking around and talking — your Muggle father asking questions, your Muggleborn mother answering them. Your mother turns to look at the children, then spots their parents. "Molly! Arthur!"

They stop and look at your mother, both brightening instantly. "Y/M/N!" the woman — Molly — says, running over to hug your mother. "It's been ages! How are you?" Your mother introduces them to your father, who Arthur instantly takes a liking to once he finds out he's a Muggle. In the middle of the conversation, Molly turns to three of her sons. "You boys run along. Show, Fred, George, and Y/N where they're going."

You push your cart to follow the boys to the train, Fred and George — the twins — pushing their carts next to you. One of them looks over at you. "Are you a First Year, too?"

"Yeah," you reply.

He smiles. "I'm Fred."

The boy on your other side says, "I'm George."

"I'm Y/N."

The three of you get into a conversation from there, discussing the differences of your upbringings, considering they're Purebloods, and you're a Halfblood.

It becomes an unspoken fact that you, Fred, and George are going to stick together, so after their brothers tell you what to do, you look for a compartment with them. George pulls ahead, but Fred stays behind with you.

"Race you to the back of the train?" he asks, grinning.

Your brows furrow. "For what? What's the prize?"

He thinks for a moment, then grins even wider. "If I win, I get to kiss you. If you win, you get to kiss me."

"Gross," you reply, grimacing. "I want a different prize."

"Why? I think I'm rather kissable."

"As I said: Gross. And, anyway, what would you want to kiss me for?"

He shrugs. "Why wouldn't I want to kiss you?"

You blush, but try to hide it and change the subject. "If I win, I get your dessert at the feast."

"You're on."

Immediately, you take off running, determined to win. There's no way you're kissing Fred Weasley. Not in a million years.

"Hey, that's not fair!" he shouts, running after you. You're both weaving through the other students in the corridor, none of whom are George. You glance back to see how far ahead you are and see that he's gaining on you.

You turn quickly, running faster, but it does you no good. An unsuspecting fellow first year is in your way, and neither of you move in time. You collide, knocking the boy into the wall and you in the floor. Fred, meanwhile, doesn't have time to stop and ends up tripping over you, also biting the dust.

You both sit up, and Fred's still grinning. "Well, I guess it was a tie."

You roll your eyes. "Neither of us won, you idiot. It wasn't a tie."

He gets up, then helps you up. "I'll still give you my dessert for a kiss."

"Stick your dessert," you reply, turning to find George. It doesn't take long; he'd looked into the corridor from an empty compartment he found to figure out what the commotion was.

"What happened?" he asks.

"We raced," Fred replies.

"Who won?"

You sigh. "No one."

The boy you ran into comes over, introduces himself as Lee Jordan, and asks to sit with you despite what happened. You say yes, of course, and you all sit down in the compartment, talking excitedly about Hogwarts all the way there.

////

"Mum always said the food was good, but I definitely didn't expect this," you say, looking at the empty plate in front of you.

Fred, who's sitting across from you at the Gryffindor table, laughs, then smirks when the main course disappears and is replaced by dessert. "You know, Y/N, my dessert is still on the table."

You half glare at him. "No."

"Are you sure?" he asks.

"I will never kiss you, Fred Weasley," you reply, "and you can be quite sure of that."

"Never say never."

"Never."

He shakes his head, reluctantly digging into his dessert. "One day, Y/N Y/L/N. One day."

////

"Why didn't either of you see Mrs. Norris?!" you shout, running alongside Fred and George.

"Why didn't you?" Fred asks, looking for a place to hide.

Filch and Mrs. Norris are behind you, ready to hang you from the ceiling by your thumbs, though the worst they can do is put you in detention. You certainly would know; in your (little less than) two years at Hogwarts, you, Fred, and George have been caught by them multiple times.

"Let's split up," George suggests. It makes sense at the time, so you do. Filch makes a split second decision and runs after you, Mrs. Norris going after Fred. George is home free.

You're pretty far ahead of Filch, but you start getting tired and slowing down, so you try to find a place to hide. After turning a few corners, you reach a dead end.

That's when you know you're screwed.

"Come on," Flich says, sneering, as he knows he's got you. "We're going to see the Headmaster."

Before either of you can take a step, though, a dung bomb comes out of nowhere and hits Filch in the head. You quickly take the opportunity and run around him, heading for the direction the dung bomb came from.

It doesn't take you long to find Fred in a broom closet. He's grinning from ear to ear. "How about a kiss, Y/N?"

You roll your eyes. "I said never, and I meant never."

"Oh, come on, I just saved you from Filch," he complains.

"Never, Weasley," you whisper-shout. "Never."

////

After three years at Hogwarts, you've finally gotten brave enough to prank Snape. Fred is walking next to you, heading down the corridor to Snape's office and carrying a box of stink pellets. (You forced George to stay behind to finish his Transfiguration homework that's due tomorrow.)

When you get there, you can hear movement in the store room next door.

Which means Snape is in there.

Fred leans closer to you, whispering, "You go in, I'll be lookout." You nod, trying not to let the closeness get to you and take the stink pellets from him. Suddenly, he grabs your arm lightly, keeping you from going in. "Take off your shoes. They make too much noise. He'll hear you."

"If we have to run, grab them," you whisper back.

He nods, then steps back, and you shake off the nervousness you felt just by being close to him. Then, you slip off your shoes and tip toe into the office.

As you're looking for a good place to hide the pellets, you hear a meow from outside. Quickly, you stow them away in the first dark corner you see, then turn and find Fred in the doorway. Panicked, he gestures for you to run, so you hurriedly follow him down the corridor, hearing Snape making an exclamation about the smell in his office behind you.

Finally, you get far enough away that you feel like you can stop. You're both laughing, elated that you pulled it off.

Then you realize both of Fred's hands are empty. Your eyes go wide. "Where are my shoes?" He mirrors your expression, and it's all the answer you need. "Fred!"

"Don't worry, I got it!" he says. "I'll go get them! Stay here!"

He runs off, leaving you standing there, dread settling in your stomach. Snape will find your shoes and figure out it was you. And even if he doesn't find the shoes, he'll see Fred and connect you to the crime.

You're worried the entire five minutes he's gone, then relieved when comes back carrying the shoes. "Did Snape see you?" you ask, just to make sure.

He grins. "Nope. I'm good, aren't I?"

You roll your eyes, taking the shoes from him and slipping them on. "Sure."

"So, you know, I got your shoes back, saved you from detention..." he trails off.

"And?" you ask, knowing full and well what he's going to say.

"And I think that deserves a kiss."

"For bringing my shoes, which you left behind? And you suggested I take off?"

He sighs. "Fair enough."

////

Even after four years at Hogwarts, he just won't stop asking. And he'll find every excuse in the book, too.

You ask him a question about homework? He'll answer it and then ask for a kiss. He knocks someone off their broom in a Quidditch game? He'll ask for a kiss. And he always gets a no.

He's really banking on the big things to convince you, though.

You're sitting by the Black Lake with Fred and George. They're planning a prank, and you're reading a book — a Muggle one your parents sent you from home.

Suddenly, someone takes it out of your hand.

You turn to Fred, thinking it was him, but then spot the girl standing in front of you, holding it.

Delilah Sherbone. Pureblood Slytherin whose parents are suspected Death Eaters.

"The Whistler," she says disgustedly. "What sort of garbage is this?"

"The kind that isn't yours," George quips.

"Give it back," Fred says, anger evident in his voice.

"As if I'm going to listen to blood traitors like you," she replies. Then, she turns to you. "You want it back?" She waits for you to reply, but you won't give her the satisfaction. She's undeterred. "Swim for it."

Before you have time to react, she tosses it into the lake behind her, then walks away laughing. You run to get the book, but Fred beats you to it, jumping in and hastily swimming towards it as it floats out to the center.

He grabs it, then holds it over his head, but he doesn't start swimming for the shore. He grins. "How about a kiss, Y/N?!"

"Get out of the water, you idiot!" you shout, thinking about the merpeople and the giant squid that you're pretty sure lives in the lake.

"Just one?!" he asks, still floating in the middle.

"No!" you reply stubbornly. "Now, get out of that lake before something swims up and eats you!"

He realizes you're right and finally swims for the shore, handing you the book when he reaches it. "Aw, you were worried about me," he teases.

You pull out your wand, thinking of a spell to dry your book. "Yeah, Yeah."

After a moment, he sighs. "Not even a thank you?"

You cast the spell, then look at Fred. "Thank you."

"And maybe a-"

"No!"

////

"AND HARRY POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

It's a familiar phrase to hear coming out of Lee's mouth, but this time it means so much more.

It's your fifth year, and Gryffindor has just won the Quidditch Cup.

You meet Fred and George — and the rest of the team — in the common room. Everyone is there, celebrating. There's cheering and chanting, and some people have even lifted Harry on their shoulders.

You're with Fred and George, bursting with House Pride. "Take that Slytherin!"

"Yeah!" George shouts.

"Especially Delilah Sherbone!"

"Yeah!" Fred adds.

You're looking right at him, grinning, and he can hardly breathe. He's been in love with you for years — maybe even since first year, though he can't pinpoint exactly when it happened.

With the way you're looking at him, with how close you are to him right now — close enough to wrap your arms around him, which you do — he's thinking that maybe today is the day he'll finally tell you. The day he'll finally get what he's been asking for for five years. Your face is inches from his.

Kiss him, Y/N, kiss him.

"How about a kiss, Y/N?" he asks quietly.

The question pulls you back to reality.

You were so close — so elated and lost in the moment — that you just might've kissed him. You even imagined, if only for a moment, what it would really be like to just press your lips to his. But then he asked that question.

"I said never, and I meant never, Weasley," you reply, half-laughing, though you keep your arms wrapped around him.

He pouts. "But I just won the Quidditch Cup!"

"Tough luck!"

////

You're standing in the Great Hall in the fanciest dress you've ever worn. George is on your left, his arm around Angelina. Fred is in front of you. Steven Alabaster, a Ravenclaw boy in your year is on your right. Your arm is laced through his.

He asked you to the ball about three weeks ago, and you said yes. You've spoken to him a few times before, and he seemed nice, so why not?

You're all standing next to the wall talking as others couples dance. Suddenly, Steven leans down to you and tells you he's going to get some punch. He leaves, and you continue your conversation.

"I still can't believe Hermione went with Krum," George says. "That just doesn't make sense to me."

"I always thought she and Ron liked each other," you say. You turn to find her in the crowd, but you turn a little too abruptly, especially considering you're wearing heels. You stumble, and you would've hit the ground if not for Fred catching you.

He holds you in his arms longer than necessary. He's grinning. "So, how about a kiss, Y/N?"

You actually gasp, slapping him in the chest. "I'm on a date, you idiot!"

He lets you go, both he and George laughing. You continue talking for about ten more minutes, and you start to wonder about Steven.

"I'm gonna go look for him," you say, departing from the group. You head to the punch table, but he's not there, so you wander around the room, scanning the crowd for him.

Eventually, you find him in the back corner, kissing another girl. After a moment, you realize the girl is none other than Delilah Sherbone, adding insult to injury.

"Well, I hope you're happy together," you mutter, leaving the room before you can start crying.

Sure, you didn't really know Steven that well, but it still hurts. He seemed to really like you, and you were starting to like him, too. And now this.

You reach the empty Gryffindor common room and sit down on the couch, willing yourself not to cry. Then, the portrait opens. You turn and find Fred standing there.

"What happened?" he asks, hurrying to sit next to you when he sees your face.

You sigh. "I found him kissing Delilah Sherbone."

"Oh, Y/N..." he trails off, wrapping his arm around you. "I'm so sorry."

It's then that you start to cry, laying your head on his shoulder. "I know it shouldn't affect me this much, but I just... Was I not good enough? Why would even he ask me in the first place if he didn't like me?"

Fred sighs. "I don't know, Y/N/N. But you are good enough. You're better than enough."

"Thank you," you reply quietly.

"Just stating the facts," he replies, chuckling a little.

You wipe your eyes, then sit up more, turning to look at Fred.

You're close.

You're really close.

You can see the small flecks of gold in his eyes, half-buried into the brown, and the smaller, lighter freckles, as well as the dark ones, dusted across his nose and cheeks — and the rest of his face.

You think he's about to say something, and you quickly look away. "Please don't ask, Fred. Not now."

He shakes his head. "I wasn't going to."

And he wasn't. He didn't ask again for the rest of that year, in fact.

////

Umbridge has made the school a waking nightmare, but it's your seventh year, and you're going to stick it out.

Fred and George, however, are not.

They're making their exit now — which you helped them plan — by setting off fireworks outside and creating general chaos. They're lighting up the sky as they fly around on brooms. You have a front row seat.

Suddenly, the words, 'How about a kiss, Y/N?' explode in a burst of pink fireworks. Fred flies down to you, grinning and waiting for your answer.

You shake your head, laughing. "I said never, and I meant never."

"Oh, come on," he complains. "I'm about to be a dropout. Just this once?"

You smirk. "Never."

And he leaves Hogwarts without the kiss he's waited for — longed for — for seven years and counting.

////

After Hogwarts, the boys gave you a job at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes while you worked to become an Auror. Fred still asked occasionally, but you still refused. Slowly, he asked less and less until, eventually, he stopped asking at all. If you were honest with yourself, you were a little bit disappointed.

But you knew if you kissed him, it'd be over. You already loved him. One kiss would've been enough to take you under. Your heart would've been totally in his hands, and he didn't love you like that. It was a game to him, it had to be. He'd kiss you once and then never do it again. So, you tried to let it go.

You all helped Harry in the days leading up to the Battle of Hogwarts. Now, you, Fred, George, and many others are joining the fray, battling it out with Death Eaters. You get separated from the boys in the midst of the fight, but continue fighting alone.

Eventually, the first wave ends, and you run into the Great Hall, looking for everyone. The first thing you spot is the cluster of red hair hugging each other. One of them — the one missing an ear — sees you come in. He's been crying.

Almost reluctantly, your eyes find the patch of red on the ground. You can hardly look at the pale face under it.

"No..." you say. Slowly, you take heavy steps towards him. "No." You sink to your knees next to him. His eyes are closed. "Fred?"

No response.

You grab his shirt, shaking him. "Fred?"

Still nothing.

"Wake up." You shake him harder. "Come on, Fred, wake up... Fred, please. Wake up."

Tears are starting to form in your eyes as your shaking gets weaker. "Come on, Fred. Wake up... Wake up!"

The shaking nearly stops altogether as the tears begin to pour. "Fred, please, wake up. Just wake up. I love you. Come on, Fred, I love you. Don't you know that I love you? Fred, please. Wake up, wake up, wake up..."

But he won't wake. His eyes stay closed. His chest stays still. You cry into it, wrapping your arms around him. You're sobbing so hard you can't even say his name again.

After what feels like forever, you gently pull back, your hands going to his chest again.

Your heart fills with regret as you look down at him. He appears almost peaceful, his lips slightly parted, though no air goes in or out.

How about a kiss, Y/N?

How about a kiss?

You can almost hear him saying it.

Even though you know it's too late, even though it won't matter in the end, you desperately crash your lips onto his. They're still warm, though they're chapped. But you don't care. Why would you?

You pull away, sobbing uncontrollably. George finally comes over and gently pulls you away from him. You don't look back. You don't say goodbye. You're incapable.

Fred was prepared to wait his entire life for that kiss.

And, really, he did.