Fred entered the Common Room with flushed cheeks. His lungs were on fire and his legs wobbled. Hogwarts wasn't known for their amazing PE program.

He took a moment to stand at the door way. His hands were on his knees and his body shook.

Maybe I ran just a bit too fast, he thought before seeing Harry. The boy felt himself smile. A familiar warmth settled in his chest as his cheeks turned pink. The younger wizard was curled up in a love seat, doodling on a piece of parchment.

He was biting his lip, heavily concentrating on what Fred assumed were the eyes of a sketched-face. The wizard hadn't even noticed that someone else was in the Common Room yet. He chuckled to himself, trying to fight a dopey grin that was taking over his face.

Fred stayed quiet and snuck beside Harry. He sat on the arm of the loveseat. Harry looked perplexed when his shadow appeared over the light of the room. Harry looked up.

In an instant he seemed happier. Before Fred could get out a greeting, Harry had hugged him. He held his head to Fred's chest as his arms encircled his waist. Fred pet his hair, using the other hand to hug Harry back.

"How was class?" Harry's question was muffled by Fred's shirt. The soft vibrations of his voice on Fred's skin gave him goosebumps.

"Good," he answered. "George has an extra credit assignment to do, not that he was complaining." Harry nodded, the side of his face now pressed against Fred's chest.

It was a long hug, which boarderlined on cuddling. Both of them didn't want to let go. The presence of the other warmed their heart and made everything bad in their lives seemingly slip away.

Harry could hear Fred's heart beating, the young wizard letting out a happy sigh.

"I'm probably going to regret asking, but how was Snape?" Fred's voice broke a comfortable silence surrounding the two. Harry grumbled out an answer just out of Fred's range of hearing.

He cocked his head and looked down. He was met with a mess of black hair, sticking in every direction like an untamable animal.

Fred hummed, causing Harry to shiver.

"He said my father strutted and was a no good cheater and he would be ashamed of me. It just– it reminded me of the Dursleys." He admitted. Fred kissed his head and pushed some hair back. Both of his arms were free and Harry remained clinging to him. Fred would have been bothered if it had been anyone else.

"You're not there. It's okay. Snape's just being a git." Fred soothed. Fred didn't know all of what happened at Harry's aunt's home, but he knew enough to hope the entire family rotted in hell.

Harry went limp against him.

"What if he's right?" He asked. Fred felt his heart break a little.

"I never knew my dad, what if– what if what Snape says is true?" His voice was coming out pitiful. Fred wanted to beat Snape for making Harry even think that his parents would be ashamed.

"It's not. He's just trying to get under your skin, 'Ry." Fred told him.

"How do you know that?" Harry argued. His voice was soft, and it broke half way through his sentence. Fred could see a cloud of doubt surrounding Harry.

"Because Snape is a bully, he mistreats children to make up for his life being miserable," Fred said. "I also know you, Harry. And I think you're amazing."

Harry sniffled and blinked a few times. His head was resting against Fred's collar bone. The red head had slid down the arm of the chair. It was a squished fit, but the two were in the same seat. Fred swung his leg over Harry's knee, pulling him closer without being too forceful.

"Thank you," Harry said after several beats of silence.

"Always," Fred told him.