Sophia didn't intend to sleep for fourteen hours but when she woke up; she had never felt so rejuvenated. She sat up and stretched out her arms behind her back, groaning as she took in the room around her. She wouldn't have slept so well if she hadn't been back in the flat. She felt safe here and could have never of obtained the same quality if she had continued to sleep in trees and fields. Swinging her legs over to the side, she went to stand off of the bed but stopped when she heard a faint noise come from the hall. Stopping in her tracks and reaching for her wand, her heart dropping when she realised that she had left her backpack and wand in the kitchen.

Waiting to hear any more noise, Sophia stood frozen in her spot, completely defenseless. If someone was in the flat, they could shoot her with a curse and she would have no way to stop it. She contemplated hiding under the bed or in the wardrobe, but decided against it when she heard the floorboards in the hall creak. She was now sure that someone was indeed nearby and she was in a state of panic and fear. Did someone see her run into the Weasley shop yesterday? Had they alerted the Ministry and Death Eaters have now come to arrest her?

If she would have really thought about it, she would have remembered that the twins had put enchantments around the flat that only allowed them and Sophia through. But she was too absorbed into the situation that she could barely think straight. She held her breath as footsteps began to echo throughout the hall, but they were slow and wary, obviously under the impression that someone else was here. Her wand and backpack sitting on the kitchen counter would have been the first giveaway and now seeing that only one door in the whole flat was shut confirmed her inhabitant. She watched helpless as the door-handle jiggled and before it was pushed open, Sophia letting a small yelp out in fear as someone entered the room.

Fred froze in his place as his suspicions were confirmed. His eyes were wide and his lips parted at the sight of Sophia standing in their very bedroom. He didn't know how to react at first and Sophia composed herself quicker. Breathing out the loudest sigh of relief, tears welled up in her eyes as she sprinted forward and leaped into Fred's arms. She buried herself into his front with her legs around his middle, Fred forcing himself to hook his hands around her and squeeze her against him.

"Oh my god Fred," Sophia wept into his shoulder. "I thought you were... You scared me to death!"

"Why would you leave your wand in the kitchen?" Fred mumbled against her hair but felt himself smile despite his point. Sophia pulled back and grabbed the sides of his face, smashing her lips against his in a desperate kiss. Fred reacted immediately and kissed back, the past urge to do so now diminishing inside of him as he indulged in her soft lips. He dreaded the moment she moved her head backwards but was immediately hit with her questions.

"What are you doing here?!" Sophia cried and Fred let her feet drop to the ground, keeping his hands on her sides. "You do know you left the front door unlocked right?!"

"You underestimate me," Fred shook his head with a growing smirk on his face.

"What do you mean?" she questioned with a puzzled expression. Fred's eyes ran over her appearance and he couldn't stop himself from smiling. He couldn't believe he had been able to predict Sophia's plan and was ecstatic to see her unharmed and well.

"I'll explain in the living room."

Sophia made the two of them cups of tea as Fred peaked out of the curtains into the street. He looked left and right for any pass-byers but saw none. He pulled his head back through when he heard the soft ching of two mugs being placed down on the coffee table, and sat down next to Sophia on the sofa. She was basically itching to hear his story. Fred pressed his lips together at her anxious yet hopeful expression and finally decided to relieve her of the curiosity.

"I knew you would come back here after a while," Fred confessed. "I hoped you would anyway."

"Isn't it a bit risky leaving the door fully unlocked though?"

"Well how else would you have gotten in?" Fred shrugged his shoulder and sipped his tea. Sophia softened and realised that Fred would rather their shop robbed and trashed rather than lock Sophia out. It's true that Sophia had no other place to go in Diagon Alley, but she was astonished to hear that Fred would sacrifice his dream for her safety.

"So why did you come back today?" Sophia decided to ask.

"I've checked here every morning since you've left," Fred answered and Sophia softened once again. "And kept most of the fridge restocked."

"Freddie..." Sophia cooed and reached over to take his hand that was resting on his knee. He put his tea back down on the table and displayed a bashful look. He didn't want to say how worried he had been when he would walk through the flat door each day and find it just as it was the day before. It was like how it would feel walking into the living room on Christmas morning and seeing that there were no presents under the tree. Every time he'd apparate into Diagon Alley, he'd shove the front door of the shop open and hastily make his way up the stairs to the flat. But it was useless when he'd see that the kitchen and living room bare and the bedrooms down the hall left in a thin layer of dust.

But the feeling of grabbing the doorknob at the front of the shop and finding it locked was something Fred could barely comprehend. He tried turning it multiple times in case it was just jammed, but he needed to actually point his wand at the lock in order to open it. This was the first thing that set him on edge. Either someone had indeed robbed them and locked the door in order to appear unchanged from the outside. Or, Sophia had done exactly what he had hoped and had come to seek refuge in the flat. And when he opened the door to the flat and saw an unmistakable wand sitting on the kitchen counter next to a backpack, his mind went blank for a moment and he needed to put his hand against the wall in order to stay standing.

"What happened after I left?" Sophia questioned while keeping her hand on top of Fred's, her tea long forgotten on the coffee table.

"They searched the house," Fred started and ran a hand through his hair as he recalled the day. "Tried to find anything that proved you or Harry was there. When they didn't, they left in a huff to find more leads. Phlem was pretty fed up but tough luck. We're not exactly in the most secure and stable of times."

"Where did Harry, Ron and Hermione go then?"

"We're still not sure. I heard that they had some mission to do for Dumbledore," Fred shrugged and Sophia bit her lip in thought.

"And George's ear? Or lack thereof?" she was getting annoyed at her own constant questioning but couldn't help it. She hadn't had any communication with anyone for about six days now. And she had been yearning to see Fred again anyway, so she was basically killing two birds with one stone here. Just hearing him speak calmed her and satisfied her urges to have human contact.

"Still scratching it," Fred pulled a face that showed he was disgusted at the image of his brother sticking his wand into his ear in order to suppress the itch in his wound. Sophia did the same but found herself smiling at the thought of George disobeying everyone's wishes, as always.

"But how are you? Where did you go? Did anyone see you?" Fred sat up from his slouched posture and leaned in closer to Sophia. "Your dad told us that you'd go back to your house first."

"I walked from my house to the hills. I didn't want to apparate because I didn't know where I should go. I slept in trees for the most part and I think I got past Hove," Sophia explained. "I didn't even think to come here until yesterday. An alarm went off once I apparated but I don't think anyone actually saw. But they're definitely looking for me."

"That doesn't matter now that you're here. You're safe now, and that's what matters," Fred shook his head and reached up to run his thumb over her freckled cheek before cupping it with his palm. Sophia leaned into his hand and smiled warmly at him, making him do the same back. She shuffled over and placed herself in between Fred's outstretched legs, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to lean closer to his face. Fred's lips parted at the act of her leaning closer and his breath hitched in his throat, feeling her button nose brush against his.

"I missed you..." Sophia whispered as she stared into Fred's dark brown eyes.

"I missed you too," Fred replied in an equally as soft tone. Even though they had only been separated for barely six days, they both agreed that they hated every minute of it. He let his hands rest on her hips as she slowly lapped her lips against his, their eyes sliding shut slowly. Soft breaths slipped out in between their kisses and the quiet room was filled with the subtle sound of the sofa's covers shuffling and their breaths for air. Sophia felt herself melt into Fred as he lowered himself to lie down horizontally and pulled her up onto his lower torso, forcing her to straddle him. Usually, Sophia would stop right here and say that she wasn't prepared to go any further. But today seemed different somehow.

They continued to kiss passionately and felt themselves become completely immersed with each other. Sophia's body decided to make its own move without much of her input and felt her hips suddenly roll against Fred's waist. A small hitch could be heard from Fred's throat but he didn't dare pull away or stop her in her acts. His fingers dug into Sophia's skin that was now on show from Fred hitching her shirt up, a soft moaning coming from her at the feeling. She let her hands hold his jaw and this time, willingly let her hips roll once more against him.

"W-Wait Soph," Fred stuttered and she immediately pulled her lips away, panting lightly. She gave him a curious look as he sat up from the cushions, causing her to fall back into the space between his legs. He took a moment to breathe out shakily and rubbed his hands against her sides, blinking down at her and preparing himself to speak again.

"I know you're not ready for any of that sort of stuff," he stated. "I don't want you doing... things you're not ready for."

Sophia pursed her lips and reflected back on how she had just acted. She admitted that it did feel good and slightly exotic, but she knew that she still wasn't ready for that next step. The heat of the moment had partially misted her perception and she wasn't sure how far she would have gone before she would have realised. She found herself glad that Fred knew her well and felt guilty for attempting to continue.

"Sorry for leading you on..." she muttered and started to fiddle with the buttons that were on Fred's shirt. "You're right. I'm not ready."

"You weren't leading me on. I understand you more than you know," Fred smiled lightly down at her and took hold of her hands into his. Sophia looked up and couldn't stop her own smile from stretching across her face.

"Do you want to take a cold shower?" Sophia asked and Fred laughed, kissing her forehead with a now bright smile.

"I might have to if I'm honest."