Pairing: Fred Weasley x reader
Summary: helping a younger student resulted in you and the first-year walking into a prank not meant for you, and as you do so, you catch Fred's attention.
the next day he tries to apologise with another prank and it backfires, but this only resulted in him falling even harder for you, he just knew wanted to be yours.
Warnings/tags: hufflepuff!reader (well it suits anyone really :D), love at first sight, he fell first and HARD, fred needs you so bad, pranks gone wrong, teasing, fluffy and cute, fred's a simp
a/n: inspired by "Wanna be Yours by Arctic Monkeys"
The courtyard was alive with the soft hum of spring—branches swaying in the breeze, birds chirping from the castle walls, and a few students milling about on the cobblestones. Fred crouched behind a large stone pillar, his mischievous grin matching the one plastered across his twin’s face.
Huddled in a corner, the four of them—Fred, George, Lee and Oliver, were planning a revenge prank on Marcus Flint and Draco Malfoy for their obnoxious antics during the Quidditch match earlier.
“Are you sure about this?” Oliver Wood asked, trying to sound stern but failing as he bit back a chuckle.
Malfoy had spent most of the game taunting Harry, and Flint’s borderline dirty play had cost Gryffindor two near-goals. That didn’t sit well with Fred and George, so what better way to get back at them than with a prank.
“Hundred percent.” Fred said, smirking as he held up a pouch of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. “Alright, we rig this near the tree. As soon as they walk by, poof! Total chaos. Then, George, you release the Dungbombs—”
“Already got ‘em primed,” George said, patting his pocket with a devilish grin.
“Don't forget the slime and feathers!” Lee added, holding up a jar of fluorescent green goop in one hand, and a bag of feathers in the other.
Oliver, who had reluctantly joined but couldn’t resist some payback, frowned. “Let’s make sure they’re the only ones who get caught in this mess though, yeah?”
“Relax Wood,” Fred said, waving a hand dismissively. “It’s a foolproof plan. Nothing can go wrong.”
“Trust us,” George said, “We’ve calculated everything.”
“Right,” Lee affirmed, “It's simple charm, a bit of instant darkness powder, and—bam! Feathers, slime, and a nice little puff of stink powder for good measure.”
George cackled, clapping his twin on the back. “Beautiful. They’ll be too busy cleaning slime and plucking feathers off their robes to bother us for weeks.”
“That's what they deserve for acting like twits during the match.” Lee chimed in.
"S'pose they do deserve it." Oliver chuckled, his reluctance turning into enthusiasm.
The trap was simple but effective: a hidden tripwire enchanted to release darkness powder, then a rain of slime and feathers from above, followed by the dungbombs. All they had to do now was wait for their targets.
"Now, they're supposed to walk pass here any moment..." Fred told the others, as the four of them watched eagerly.
Fred’s eyes glinted as he nodded toward the enchanted tripwire stretched across the cobblestones, ready to unleash chaos on Flint and Malfoy the moment they stepped on it.
Everything was perfect.
Until it wasn't.
From behind a stone archway, you appeared with a small Ravenclaw first-year in tow.
It wasn’t Malfoy or Flint who walked into the courtyard first.
You were laughing softly, your eyes crinkling with warmth as you guided a nervous-looking first-year Ravenclaw girl who clutched her books tightly to their chest. The poor kid had taken a wrong turn, and you volunteered to show her the way to the library.
In your arms, you helped carry some of her load, making it easier for the first-year.
“Don’t worry,” you were saying, your voice kind and steady. “The library isn’t far. Just through the next hall and up the staircase."
Fred’s eyes locked onto you, and for a moment, the world seemed to slow down. He didn’t hear anything else. It was like the world had narrowed to just you—the way your hair caught the sunlight, the easy grace in your step, and the way your smile seemed to light up the entire courtyard.
How had he not noticed you before?
“Is Fred broken?” George whispered to Lee.
“Looks like it. Never seen him go this quiet before,” Lee replied, smirking.
Oliver elbowed Fred, snapping him out of his trance. “Mate, you’re staring.”
“Shut up,” Fred muttered, his eyes never leaving you.
"Who is she?..." He continued, holding true to Oliver's statement.
“Who?” Lee asked, following his gaze. He snorted when he saw you. “Her? Oh no. Don’t tell me you’ve gone soft, Fred.”
Fred didn’t respond. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from you but he was quickly snapped out of his trance as you approached the tree.
Oh shit. "Not the tree, don't walk past the tree..." He muttered to himself, hoping you would somehow magically hear him.
It was no use.
Disaster struck.
You were met with instant darkness, coughing slightly as the powder released a thick fog around you and the first year.
Before you could grasp the full situation, a torrent of green slime and feathers rained down from above, coating you and the first-year from head to toe. The Dungbombs exploded seconds later, filling the courtyard with an awful stench.
The first-year yelped, clutching her books as the slime dripped down her robes. You froze for a moment, stunned, before shaking your head with a soft laugh.
Fred winced, guilt twisting in his chest.
“Oops,” George muttered, though he didn’t sound all that sorry.
Lee burst out laughing, "Merlin, did we just traumatise a first year?!"
“Poor kid,” Oliver said, though his lips twitched with suppressed laughter.
Fred, however, barely heard them. He was too busy watching you. Instead of panicking or getting angry, you crouched down immediately, brushing feathers off the first-year’s face.
“Hey, it’s okay,” you said gently, your voice soothing. “It’s just a bit of slime and feathers. Another tip, beware of silly pranks, it's all part and parcel of the Hogwarts culture." You comfort the kid, trying to lighten the situation by laughing softly, "Let’s get you cleaned up, yeah?”
The first-year nodded, her lower lip trembling, and you smiled, guiding her toward a nearby fountain.
Fred couldn’t stop staring. He didn't know who you were, but he did know this, he wanted to be yours.
You were covered in slime and feathers, an absolute mess, yet you still looked radiant.
There was something about the way you put the first-year first, your patience and kindness shining through, that made his heart thud in the best way.
You helped her cleaned as much as you could off her robes, murmuring reassurances the entire time before chanting, "Scourgify!", instantly her robes were as good as new.
Only after she was cleaned up did you finally turn your attention to yourself. With the help of the cleaning spell, the feathers were out of your hair and the slime off your sleeves in no time.
“Merlin! Fred, you’ve got it bad,” Lee said, smirking.
“Oh, leave him,” George teased. “He’s clearly in love.”
Fred’s ears turned pink, but he didn’t care. For once, he was speechless.
“How come I’ve never noticed her before?” The red head murmured, more to himself than anyone else. He was certain he would’ve remembered someone like you.
“Maybe because you’re too busy pranking people,” Oliver said dryly.
"Who is she?" Fred asked, ignoring Oliver's remark.
"Seen her around a couple of times, especially in the library, she's in Ron's year." Oliver hummed, watching as you conversed with the first-year.
“That explains it,” George quipped. “She’s too smart to bother with Fred’s idiocy.”
Fred scowled, but his gaze remained fixed on you. There was something magnetic about the way you carried yourself, and he felt like everyone had disappeared, you were the only one in sight, to him.
He knew he had to make this right. He needed an excuse to approach you. Right! An apology. And of course, he had to impress you.
The Ravenclaw girl finally gave a small laugh as you finished off explaining the pranking culture at Hogwarts. “Thank you, I-..I think I know my way to the library from here now.” she said softly before hurrying off.
___
The next day, Fred had a plan. A proper one.
Breakfast in the Great Hall hummed with the usual morning chaos: the clink of cutlery, the murmur of conversation, and the occasional bursts of laughter from each houses' table.
Fred stood at the entrance, trying to look nonchalant but failing miserably. In his hands, he clutched a bouquet of enchanted flowers—slime-free this time—that were charmed to sing a cheerful apology tune when presented.
He wiped his palm against his robes for what felt like the hundredth time. “This is foolproof,” Fred muttered under his breath.
“You say that every time,” George pointed out, his tone dripping with amusement. He nudged Lee, who was barely containing his laughter. “What do you reckon? Will he get through two words before tripping over himself?”
“Five Galleons says he’ll combust,” Lee said, grinning.
“Will you two shut it?” Fred snapped, though the tips of his ears turned red. “This is serious.”
“Serious,” George repeated, mocking Fred’s tone. “You’re holding a singing bouquet, mate. Nothing about this screams ‘serious.’”
“Just watch,” Fred said, his voice low but determined.
That’s when you walked in, and Fred’s stomach flipped.
You were laughing as you entered, your head tilted toward one of your friends. That laugh—light, carefree, and far too distracting—was etched into Fred’s memory, playing on a loop since the previous day.
The sunlight streaming through the tall windows hit you at just the right angle, illuminating your smile. You were radiant.
Fred’s heart thumped in his chest as he stepped forward, the bouquet held out like a peace offering. “Hey!” he called, catching your attention.
You turned to him, eyes widening slightly in surprise. “Yes?” you said, the corners of your mouth quirking up into a curious smile. What did he want from you?
Fred grinned, his confidence teetering on the edge of unraveling. “Listen, about yesterday—”
But before he could finish, the bouquet let out a sudden pop. A puff of pink smoke erupted, followed by an earsplittingly off-key version of “I’m Sorry About The Slime” that echoed through the Great Hall.
Fred barely had time to react before the bouquet detonated in a second burst, showering him in glitter and knocking him flat on his back.
The Hall erupted into laughter.
Fred groaned, staring at the enchanted ceiling, which now looked even farther away than usual. He could hear George’s loud, obnoxious cackling somewhere to his left.
“Five Galleons,” Lee said smugly.
Fred grimaced, but before he could even begin to think about recovering, a familiar voice broke through the laughter.
“Guess I’m not the only casualty this time.”
Fred turned his head, blinking in disbelief. You had flopped down beside him, lying flat on your back on the floor as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Glitter sparkled in your hair, and your grin was wide and unapologetic.
“What are you doing?” Fred asked, his voice caught somewhere between bewilderment and awe.
“Making sure you’re not the only one who looks ridiculous,” you replied, shrugging as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s only fair.”
Fred let out a breathless laugh, his embarrassment momentarily forgotten. “You’re mental.” But he loved it.
“Takes one to know one,” you shot back, glancing at him with a teasing smile.
From across the Hall, George shouted, “Right on, Romeooo!!” His voice was exaggerated and dramatic, and Fred could practically feel the heat rising in his face.
“Oi shut it, George!” Fred yelled, though his tone lacked bite.
You laughed again, and Fred swore his heart might actually burst. “You’ve got quite the fan club,” you said, gesturing toward the group of students, particularly, Fred's 'boys', who were now openly watching the scene unfold and chortling.
“They’re a bunch of idiots,” Fred muttered, though his lips twitched into a reluctant smile.
You tilted your head, studying him for a moment. “You know,” you said thoughtfully, “for someone who’s usually so good at pranks, this was a spectacular disaster.”
Fred groaned, running a hand through his now glitter-covered hair. “Tell me about it.”
“But,” you added, your voice softening, “I appreciate the effort and the apology.”
Fred looked at you, his heart stuttering. “You do?”
“Yeah.” You leaned closer, lowering your voice conspiratorially. “And between you and me, I think you pull off the glitter look better than anyone else here.”
Fred laughed, the sound loud and genuine, and for a moment, the rest of the hall faded away. “I reckon you pull it off better than I do.”
“Why thank you, it's actually my dream to be covered in glitter. Shining as bright as a quidditch trophy is the goal." You joked, but Fred smiled warmly.
You do shine bright, he thought.
As you stood up, you reached out a hand to help him up. Fred took it without hesitation, warmth spreading through him at the simple gesture.
“Come on, glitter boy,” you said, your tone teasing but fond. “Let’s get you sitting somewhere before you injure yourself again.”
Fred let you lead him to a bench at the side of the hall, his hand still tingling from where yours had been.
As you both sat down, he turned to face you, his usual confidence returning in a slow, steady wave, “I’m Fred, by the way."
You laughed, tucking a strand of glitter-dusted hair behind your ear. “I know. You and George are kind of hard to miss.”
Fred’s grin widened, his chest fluttering at the sound of your laugh. “Yeah? Well, you’re kind of hard to forget...uh?" As if on cue, you told him your name.
"Y/N." You smiled.
"Y/N..." He repeated back, how fitting, a pretty name for a pretty girl.
Your eyes softened, and for a moment, you studied Fred's features. He did the same, glancing at your lips occasionally.
You'd always seen him from afar, to you he was just a prankster, a jokester, busy with his schemes, you'd never thought you'd actually come face to face with him.
But now that you did, you saw him in a different light, almost.
“If this is how you usually apologise,” you said, your voice light again, “I’m scared to see what happens when you’re not sorry.”
Fred chuckled, shaking his head. “Stick around, and I’ll show you.”
You leaned back slightly, your smile lingering. “I just might.”
And in that moment, Fred knew—he didn’t just want to impress you. He wanted you, all of you, your wit, your laughter, your sparkling eyes.
He just wanted to be yours.
