"Harri!"

I run into Sirius' open arms, realising a little too late that I'm interrupting a meeting.

"Yes, great," Molly says, clearly put out by my entrance. "But we were in the middle of an important meeting, Harriet. So if you could leave us-"

"Is it about the Dementor attack?" I ask breathlessly, looking around the table of adults. "Because I had to do something, I had no choice, or else my cousin and I would have no soul right now. And now I've been expelled-"

"This may come as quite a shock to you, Harriet Potter," Snape snarls, making me jump as I hadn't realized he was there too. "But not everything is about you."

"Do not talk to my goddaughter like that, Snivellus!" Sirius roars, banging a fist violently down on the table. "You are in my house, and therefore I demand you to treat my family with respect!"

"You're not exactly in a position to be making demands," Snape drawls lazily. "Last time I checked, you are the one in hiding. One word to the authorities and I can get you thrown back-"

"Alright, enough!" Lupin declares as Sirius jumps to his feet, his wand out. "We are in the middle of a meeting and you are acting like children! Harri, it really is lovely to see you, but please if you don't mind stepping out so we can get on with this, and I promise we won't keep your godfather from you for much longer."

He smiles kindly at me, which I immediately return.

Pulling a face at Snape, I leave.

"They act like I'm a child," I pout when I rejoin the others. "I'm sixteen and have been through more stuff than over half of the people in that meeting have."

"Oh, yeah," Fred says, draping his arm around my shoulders. "I suppose you thought I forgot about your birthday? But I got you a sweet sixteenth present up in my room."

"Okay, guys," George says, raising his eyebrows, "but if it is what I think it is then please kindly remember that I'm in that room too, and I don't want to be walking in on anything x-rated."

I immediately feel my cheeks flame as Hermione gasps and Ron mutters curse words under his breath.

"Relax," Fred chuckles, "it's perfectly innocent."

Well, that's a shame.

Leaving the others in the downstairs hallway, I follow Fred upstairs, my heart racing in anticipation. I wonder if he'll expect us to do it right away now I'm legal? Although something tells me he will leave that entirely up to me. But my god, I want him now, yet I am also terrified now it's a perfect possibilty.

True to his words, however, his present to me is very sweet and not in the least bit provocative.

"I love it," I say genuinely as I take the delicate bracelet out of the box, my heart warming at the tiny little flowers on them. "Thank you "

"They're lilies, of course - well, lily of the valley," Fred says, taking it from me to fasten around my wrist.

We are sat on his bed in the room he is sharing with George. Like every other part of this house, this room is dark and brooding and makes me feel uneasy.

"You shouldn't have, Fred," I say as I lift up my arm to admire the bracelet, "You need to save that money for your business, not spend it on me."

Fred shrugs his shoulders and then takes my hand and kisses the back of it. "Please don't deny me this," he murmurs. "I only wish I could buy you more."

"When your business takes off and you are swimming in riches, then you can do just that."

His eyes light up and crease at the corners. "I'll buy you a beautiful dress, and your very own castle."

"I'd quite like to live on a houseboat one day." I grin as he presses light kisses over my wrist.

"Unusual, but I'll buy you whatever your heart desires."

He kisses up my arm and I shiver in sudden longing for him. When his lips reach my neck, I gasp and reach up to thread my fingers through his hair.

He lifts his head and catches my lips in his, and quite suddenly our kiss becomes heated. I feel my body literally thrum in desire as the burn in my stomach grows fiercer and fiercer.

Fred grabs my waist and slides me onto his lap, his hands hungrily running up and down my body. I press myself as hard as I can against him, an action which seems to drive him wild, his groan vibrating down my tongue.

The door bursts open and we break guiltily apart.

George is standing in the threshold, his arms folded across his chest, eyeing us wearily. "Innocent gift, ay? Well, I hate to break up this sordid little party, but Mum wants us downstairs. They've finished."

"You're going to have to give me a minute," Fred chuckles, beckoning down at his lap where there is a large tent in his trousers.

"Fucking horny bastard," George mutters, shaking his head. "I'll tell Mum you're taking a shit."

Once he's gone, Fred and I exchange a look and I can't help but blush.

However, he pulls me back to him, brushing his lips against mine.

"Aren't you supposed to be calming down?" I smile against his lips.

"I can't help it," he groans, "you're sodding irresistible and I've missed you so much."

"FRED WEASLEY!" Molly's shrill voice calls up from downstairs. "GET YOUR ARSE DOWN HERE NOW! I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE CHRONIC DIOARREAH - WHEN I TELL YOU TO DO SOMETHING, YOU DO IT!"

"Well, that'll work," Fred chuckles, his brown eyes dancing mischievously into mine. "Ta, Mum."

*****

Later, we are all sat around Sirius' kitchen table, listening to Molly spout out the house rules.

"Boys and girls will not share bedrooms at anytime. Lights out will be ten o'clock each evening and I expect you all up and down here for breakfast each morning by six-thirty AM sharp. I have cleaning rotas here which I will stick up on the fridge. Any queries about your duties then you come and see me before you start on it. Now, any questions?"

She looks around the table and scowls when Sirius raises his arm.

"Yes, what is it, Sirius?" She snaps irritably.

"Am I allowed to have a girl in my room?"

All of us around the table giggle.

"That's not the least bit amusing," Molly scolds. "You are here to set a good example to your wayward goddaughter and I expect you to behave accordingly!"

"And here I am under the impression that I'm here because I'm hiding from the law?"

Everyone bar Molly laughs harder, even Hermione wipes a tear from her eye.

"If you have nothing productive to say, Sirius," Molly barks, "then I suggest you leave."

"Oh sorry, are you ordering me about in my own house now? Because it sounds very much like you are there, Molly."

"It may be the house your family owns, but it is currently in use by the Order of the Phoenix, so therefore you need to follow rules if you intend to stay."

"I think I'd rather chance it back at Azkaban thanks."

Sirius scrapes his chair back and stands up, glaring at Molly who stares back at him defiantly.

"Have fun kids," he mutters before strolling out of the kitchen, slamming the door heavily behind him.

"Right," Molly said brightly as though that didn't just happen. She checks her watch. "Well, I make that fifteen minutes till bedtime, so I suggest you all make your way upstairs and get changed into your jammys."

"Mum, we're eighteen!" George splutters, "you're not seriously going to make Fred and I follow these baby rules are you? And I haven't slept in 'jammys' since I was nine, so can you please respectfully stop saying that."

"You may be eighteen boys, but I am still your mother, and therefore you should respect my rules."

I put my hand up, and Molly looks at me as though she hadn't even realised I was sat here this whole time.

"Yes?" She bristles.

"Where am I meant to sleep?"

I don't miss George's snort or the nudge he gives his twin brother. Luckily, it seems Molly is oblivious to this. I'm pretty sure if she knew what we were all thinking then I'd be out on my ear like a shot.

"You can go on in with Ginny and Hermione. There's plenty of room."

"But there's only two beds," Ginny points out. "Ron has a spare in his, though."

"I said no mixing!" Molly glares at once. "As I said, there's plenty of room in yours. I'm sure I can conjure up a sleeping bag."

"Come off it, Mum!" Ginny says defiantly, "you can't make Harri sleep on the floor. Can't she have a room to herself? They're plenty of them."

"Absolutely out of the question. There's too much dust being disturbed as it is."

"I don't mind going in the sleeping bag, honestly," I shrug, "I used to sleep in a cupboard, after all."

"Right, now that's all settled, up you go." Molly orders. "Harriet, Arthur will be taking you to your hearing tomorrow so you'll need to be up by five o'clock sharp. Come on, let's get your sleeping bag ready."

Wait, what Hearing?

*****

Unfortunately I do not get to kiss Fred goodnight due to Molly constantly hovering over us, making sure we've brushed our teeth and said our prayers.

She tucks us all in tightly to our beds, and zips my sleeping bag right up to my chin. Once she turns out our lights and firmly shuts the door, I can hear her go into Fred and George's room as she does the same thing to them.

"I can't move," Ginny whispers.

"I CAN HEAR YOU GINERVA!" Molly yells. "GO TO SLEEP!"

With all three of us too afraid to even breathe, let alone chat into the night, we fall asleep.

The next morning I am shaken awake by Molly. It is still dark outside. I groan, and try to turn over.

"Get up!" She hisses, shaking me further and reminding me of my aunt. "Arthur is waiting!"

Half asleep, I slope to the bathroom where I have the quickest shower of my life. After I am dressed and sort of awake, I step out of the bathroom and into Fred's chest.

"Hey beautiful," he whispers, quickly grabbing my hand and dragging me into one of the many unoccupied rooms.

Before I can ask him what is happening, he quickly closes the door and kisses me - which I don't object to one bit.

When we come up for air, I say (quite breathlessly), "Morning Fred, what was that for?"

"A good luck kiss," he murmurs, resting his forehead down on mine. "I didn't want you to leave without one."

I smile and reach up on the tip of my toes to lovingly brush my nose against his. "I wish you could come with me."

"Me too," he says, genuine regret in his voice, "but George and I are hatching a plan for tonight, and I'm hoping you will like it."

"Oh?" I ask, intrigued. "What kind of plan?"

"I don't want to say unless it doesn't work," Fred says, "but it will mean you and I getting to spend some time together."

"Oh?" I say again, my lips tugging into a helpless smile as my heart flutters maddeningly. "Alone time?"

Fred's eyes twinkle as he lifts a hand and tucks my hair behind my ear. "I was hoping so."

His hand slides behind my head and he brushes his lips over mine. A soft sigh of longing escapes me, which he reacts to by kissing me softly, his lips prising mine apart as he tongue moves against mine, slow and sensual.

We are once again interrupted too soon by Arthur calling my name from downstairs.

Reluctantly, Fred and I separate, and he once again wishes me luck before quietly slipping out of the door.

I take a few moments to catch my breath and allow the racing of my heart to steady before I go downstairs and await my fate, taking the sweet memory of Fred's kiss with me.

*****