Beautiful Misbehaviour | George Weasley

Chapter 9

Artemis snorted, "Please tell me you had the decency to keep it to less than three ear-related jokes when you had your accident."

"Something like that."

"Ginny never told me what happened," Artemis looked away from the sky and up at George instead, only able to see the dark profile of his face under the shadows of the oak, "I assumed it was something to do with Death Eaters, but I was too scared to ask when we were in Hogwarts. The walls had ears."

"Not extendable ones, I hope. Those are patented," George joked. Artemis let air huff out her nose and slapped his chest gently. He dipped his chin, and she could see the glint in his eyes wink out as they fluttered shut, "It all happened when we were moving Harry."

"Oh," Artemis blinked. She'd almost forgotten that Harry Potter was at the centre of it all. He was supposed to hold the answers that would lead to the Dark Lord falling, "He's all right, then?"

"He's travelling with Hermione and Ron last I heard. Ron was actually back for a few weeks over a month ago, but he never cracked and told us what exactly they're doing."

"It's funny," a puff of air went out through her nose in a half-laugh, "until you mentioned him, I'd nearly forgotten he was out there. These past months have been so ... "

"Bloody shite?" George offered.

"I was going to say absolutely fucking bonkers, but that works too, I suppose. I've not had a moment to take a breath since summer. I don't know how everyone isn't falling apart around me. I suppose that sounds rather self-interested, but I'm genuinely curious."

"I'd say you're doing just fine, Williams."

"Oh?" Artemis squinted in the darkness, trying to make out his face, "And are you doing just fine?"

"As much as I can be. I'm not unaware of how lucky I am. My family is scared, yes, but we could be a target for far worse reasons than being Blood Traitors."

Artemis looked away, wrinkling her nose at the term.

"If only the arsehole Pure-blood supremacists could see you now."

"Fuck them," George snorted.

Artemis's lips curled into a small smile, and she kicked out her foot at a small pebble that shone on the grass. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a faint tug at her scalp. Her neck twitched to the side, memories of being dragged into a dark hallway by her hair as she scrabbled against the stone.

"I'm sorry," the heat of George's body retreated as he tried his best to put physical distance between them on a swing they were squashed like sardines on, "I - it's just short. You changed it."

"Oh!" Artemis self-consciously patted at the jagged ends. Her cheeks felt warm. She hadn't really thought of it since she'd gone on the run. There had been more important things than fixing the terrible haircut she'd given herself. At least the strands had grown closer to her shoulders, so she looked less like a wilted flower. She cleared her throat awkwardly, "I cut it."

"I see that."

The pause that followed was painfully tense.

"After Zabini nearly ripped it out with his grubby little hands, I didn't like it long anymore," Artemis blurted, forcing a laugh that sounded like a croak to her own ears. She shut her eyes and silently cursed herself. He didn't want to know that. He didn't need to know that. Dear God, he was going to think she was —

"That rat touched you?" He edged closer but kept his hands to himself, his face inches from hers as if he was looking for lasting damage.

"I — " she felt dizzy. He was too close. He wasn't close enough. Merlin, she'd never overthought her actions so much in her life. When she'd been in Hogwarts, if she wanted a boy, she would kiss him, and he'd enjoy it. It had been so effortless. Nothing with George was effortless, and she had no bloody clue why.