Tidal Wave [george weasley post war]

20. If You Stay, If You Go

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. WRONG.

Aurora was a fool. She knew that this would not end well, and she had a feeling that George was feeling it too. She could feel the atmosphere shifting as she sat at the table, alone. George had spotted Angelina and wandered over to say hello. Aurora knew she shouldn't be jealous. But she was. She was jealous that George left her side to speak with another woman he has...or had, she wasn't sure yet, feelings for.

"Rory, you alright love?"

The soft motherly voice of Molly Weasley lifted her from her daze. Aurora cleared her throat and turned to look up at Molly. A small smile appeared on her lips, "Yes, Mrs. Weasley, I'm alright. Thank you for checking in. Just feeling a bit... I don't know, strange."

Aurora sighed, chewing on her bottom lip before she pushed herself up to stand, picking up her glass as she went. "Nothing a little fire whiskey can't fix!"

That earned her a glare from the matron. "I'm just joking, Mrs. Weasley!"

"You'd be better off without it. But I can't force you to stop." Molly sighed and grabbed hold of Aurora's hand to give it a gentle, yet firm squeeze.

Aurora quickly found herself wandering around the gardens, fingertips touching the stones before her. A list of names carved deep in each stone, and Aurora reading off each name as she went. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she knew she was feeling a buzz from the alcohol coursing through her veins.

She needed more – honestly – to get through being around so much magic. Just being on the outside of Hogwarts was making her fingertips tingle with her magic. Her magic that was coursing through her body, begging to be released. It had been too long since she used it. She could feel the panic rising in her chest, her hands begin to shake before she made haste across the lawn to a set of benches.

Collapsing onto one, the glass in her hand bounced a bit as it landed on the tabletop. She could spoke George's hair off in the distance. He was still sidled up next to Angelina, and she thought she could spot Lee Jordan too.

"Is this seat taken?"

Aurora turned at the sudden intrusion to her thoughts. The man looked about her age. He was tall, but not as tall as George. His brown hair was a bit messy, falling over his forehead and hitting just before his eyelids.

"No." She shook her head, glancing back to the crowd but after realizing she lost sight of George, Angelina and Lee, she turned back to the man as she watched him sit down across from her.

"You look familiar." Aurora blurted out. Her cheeks turning red and she knew she could thank the alcohol for that. He was dressed neatly. Black dress slacks, tailored to his exact measurements – or so she assumed, and a crisp, white button up shirt. She continued to look at him, taking in his appearance. She noticed the green gemstone cufflinks, and without asking permission, reaching over to dust a finger over one. "And I'm guessing you were in Slytherin." She joked, a small smile appearing on her lips.

The man grinned, taking a small sip from his glass – fire whiskey, she assumed. "Theodore." He introduced himself. He set the glass down before extending his hand across the table.

Aurora nodded, "Oh, yes! Theodore Nott." Thinking nothing of his past, she reached forward and shook his hand. "Aurora Sinclair." She told him, a smile back on her lips.

"Yes, I know." Theo admitted sheepishly, running his fingers through his hair as he pushed the hair off of his forehead.

"You ... know?" Aurora raised a brow, tilting her head to the side as she leaned her forearms on the table now, watching him.