Past, Present, and Future - Part 2
Harry Potter - Past Fred x fem!Reader, Future Percy x fem!Reader
Summary: Pregnant and without Fred, you manage to find comfort in the one Weasley you’ve always disliked. But maybe he can change for the better.
Warnings: angst, fluff, implied NSFW, talk of death, war, pregnancy, sex
You carried the last of your suitcases into Charlie’s old bedroom in the Burrow. The room had been stripped bare to give you space to decorate as you saw fit and to add the things you needed for the baby. The Weasley’s had been insistent that you move in with them so they could help you with your pregnancy. Charlie’s room was the obvious choice, as he came home so rarely and could easily share with George if necessary. Molly kept insisting that you were her daughter and that they would do everything they could to make sure you and the baby were cared for as Fred would have wanted. But that word “daughter” stung. You weren’t her daughter. You weren’t Fred’s widow. You were just some knocked up woman carrying a baby without a father, whom the world would look at and judge or pity, never seeing or understanding just how much love produced this child.
You were about 22 weeks along, at least that was what the healers were estimating. That would have made Fred awfully happy because that would mean you conceived on his birthday. That was the last real day of pure bliss you two shared before the war finally came to a head and everyone began preparing for proper battle. Protection had not been forgotten but willfully pushed aside. You had never felt each other flesh to flesh when making love, always a thin barrier blocking you from being truly connected, from allowing the whole of your bodies to know each other as they should.
But as you lied in bed together after the twins’ birthday dinner contemplating what horrors would be in store for you in the coming weeks, you realized you may never have the chance to be one again. And what was the harm to experience the full joys of each other’s bodies? Death was at your doorstep and, if you came through the war unscathed, Fred wanted nothing more than to settle down with you and begin the family of which he’d always dreamed. Neither of you wished to die without knowing every bit of each other you could. You wanted to fully give yourself over to the man you loved, flesh, heart, and spirit. You wanted his seed to claim you as his, the last “first” you had to give Fred, having already given him all of your others.
And god, it had been perfect. The sweet softness of his skin, the gentle flow of wetness allowing you to take each other with much greater ease, the subtle folds and veins you had never realized could create textures that might bring you to release even faster than any time previous. You couldn’t quiet your moans, you were sure to the annoyance of George in the next room, as Fred panted into your ear between thrusts, both completely consumed by each other.
“You are mine. And I will marry you the day this whole bloody mess is behind us. We’ll go to the Ministry the next morning, I swear. I will not spend another day without you as my wife. Not a day, Y/N. Not a single day.” Fred chanted those last words over and over again as he continued his sweet torment of your body, long rhythmic strokes that made your legs quake until you were but mush for Fred to mold with his strong hands as he saw fit.
You had never considered the possibility that one of you might have to live on without the other. You talked a lot about death, about your fears and your worries, but it was always in the context of dying together. You’d both just assumed that was how it would go, fighting side by side, a single mistake taking you simultaneously.
Over the past few months, you often felt guilty that you were spared while he passed on, but those emotions were slowly fading as the child continued to grow, now beginning to obscure your vision of your toes. You lived on for them, for the piece of Fred that still grew inside of you. And while you hated the idea of doing this alone, especially knowing how much Fred wanted this, you knew you had to be strong for him, too.
You set the suitcase down on the floor beside the bed with a loud thud, the heaviest of the set that you brought. You hadn’t seen anyone downstairs when you arrived and decided a single flight of stairs wasn’t too much for you yet. You suitcases were mostly just dresses and photo albums, all the rest of your stuff still remaining in Fred’s room, though you guessed now it is your room, above George’s shop.
At the sound of the heavy load, you immediately heard footsteps running on the stairs. After a moment, a disheveled head poked itself in the doorway.
“Y/N, what on earth are you doing?” Molly said, face flushed from running.
“Um, moving in?” you said, confused by her question.
“Arthur!” she turned and called into the hallway, “Arthur!” she said again, turning to you with an apologetic smile.
You heard Molly’s husband in the hallway, “Yes, dear?” He seemed prepared for a berating.
“Why would you let Y/N carry her stuff up here alone? You know she shouldn’t be carrying anything in her condition!”
You took a seat on the bed as the couple argued outside the door frame. You just wanted to rest. You didn’t need a lecture. But you also didn’t interfere. Things had been looking better for the Weasley family the past few weeks. Your pregnancy had helped to begin to heal some wounds, reminding everyone that life goes on and that Fred will still be with them in so many ways, the clearest of which grew inside you at the moment. At that thought, you absentmindedly rubbed the small bump, soft gently strokes that you hoped comforted the life inside you.
The voices arguing grew more distant, indicating one or the other decided to flee downstairs. You breathed a sigh of relief, thought it didn’t last long. A knock at the door caused you to jump.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” a timid looking Percy said from the doorway.
Percy. You tried your best not to roll your eyes or huff at his presence. Percy had always been a sore spot for you. Even before you started dating his brother, Percy had considered you Fred’s “enabler,” as many of his tricks in those early years at Hogwarts were an effort to earn your attention and affection. He hoped when you actually agreed to a date with the boy that maybe he’d stop being such a menace and harming the reputation of his family and house, but that was not the case. You were right there alongside the twins planning and scheming. He’d threatened to take more house points from you than you could count. And then he joined the Ministry, disowned his family, and turned his back on the twins when they needed him the most. You knew how much that hurt Fred, more than even George knew. Fred loved Percy deeply and was the first to forgive him when he finally acknowledge the error of his ways, but you couldn’t be so forgiving. Percy prioritized himself over everyone you loved, especially Fred. Even still, you looked at him and saw all the tears Fred shed for him. It broke your heart.
“No, it’s alright,” you said flippantly, “Is there something you need, Perce?”
Percy took a tentative step into the room. “I wanted to talk to you, Y/N, if that’s alright.”
You looked at Percy and reminded yourself that Fred forgave him with enthusiasm just hours before he passed. Fred wanted a relationship with Percy again, and if Fred wasn’t here to have it, then that relationship was left to you. You took a deep breath and patted the spot on the bed beside you.
Percy took a seat. He looked at you and then at your hand still resting on your stomach. He smiled sadly “I know you probably hate me.”
“No,” you said with vibration. You didn’t mean it to sound so false. It just served to make Percy laugh.
“I know I’ve been pretty insufferable these last few years.”
“Few years?” you asked sarcastically.
“Okay, so maybe as long as you’ve known me. But it was hard being the middle child and standing out.”
“Fred did just fine,” you couldn’t help but utter.
“Yeah,” Percy sighed, “Yeah, he did.”
You looked over at him and saw his face faltering, a sadness playing out there that you didn’t expect. You saw regret and doubt and fear that was so uncharacteristic for the Percy you knew that you almost wanted to hug him. Almost.
“This can’t be what you wanted to talk about,” you said, hoping to push away your sympathy for even a moment. You were still mad, despite Fred’s forgiveness.
“No,” Percy said, turning his body to you and reaching for your unoccupied hand.
You were shocked by the gesture. Percy’s hands were gentle and soft, so different from Fred’s that were calloused from work and strong from sport. It took you a few seconds to draw your attention back to his eyes.
“Listen, I know I screwed up. I know I wasn’t there for my brothers in life, not the way I should have been. But I want to be there now. I don’t have the chance with Fred but,” he faltered, eyes casting downward to your belly, “I do with you. I want to be there for you and my nephew, if you’ll allow me.” He finished with a nod and held your eyes.
This was not what you expected. “How do you know it’s a boy?” you asked.
“It’s a Weasley,” he said with a laugh.
You couldn’t help but laugh too. You were still holding Percy’s hand and found you didn’t mind it nearly as much as you expected. But you weren’t sure if you were willing to let Percy in.
“What would you do?” you asked.
“Anything,” he said with a shrug of the shoulders. “Accompany you to doctor’s appointments, help with late night feedings and diapers and the whole thing.”
Percy seemed so genuine. You asked Percy for a moment and he let go of your hand. You sat in silence thinking about what Fred would have wanted, rubbing your stomach without intention. Percy waited patiently beside you.
And then it happened. North of your belly button, just under your thumb, you felt a firm but small bump that quickly disappeared. A kick. Your baby’s first kick. You couldn’t contain the squeal that escaped your lips.
Percy immediately fell to the floor in front of you, hand on your knee. “Oh my, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Is something wrong with the baby? I’ll go get mom.” He squeezed your knee and made to stand, but you stopped him by grabbing his wrist.
“She kicked,” you whispered, beaming, “Her first kick.”
Without thinking, you took his hand and placed it where your thumb had previously been. As if on cue, your child kicked again.
Percy starred your interlocked hands in awe.
You knew what you had to do. “Yes, Percy.”
His eyes snapped up to yours. “Yes what?”
“Yes, I’d like you to be a part of my life and my daughter’s life. She’s made it clear that she’d like that,” you said confidently, tightening your grip on his fingers where they rested over your child.
Percy face light up, eyes wet with unshed tears. He placed his unoccupied hand on your knee and squeezes. “Thank you, Y/N. Thank you.”
You nodded in return, finding yourself surprisingly emotional as well. Maybe you too could forgive him.
Percy made to leave but when he reached the door, he turned to you. “Y/N?”
“How do you know she’s a girl?” Percy asked.
You couldn’t help but look down at your now quickened belly and smile. “I don’t.”
A/N: I had to share this new chapter today. On this, the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, I am still not over the death of my beautiful perfect fictional boyfriend Fred Weasley and I don’t know if I ever will be.
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