Malignant ••• George Weasley

Chapter 70 - Confessions and Betrayal

Juna's heart started hammering in her chest the moment Ara gave them the address of where Perseus was waiting, it was now real. She looked at Fred who seemed a bundle of nerves, bouncing on his heels and wringing his hands and George who seemed frozen in time.

Ara had since left, leaving them to get to the place on their own. It was both a blessing and a curse that the meeting place was at the warehouse they had rescued Fred from. A blessing because at least they knew where to apparate to and were familiar, but a curse because of Fred's still lingering PTSD and the fact that the place was giant. They could never know where people could be hiding.

The three of them got themselves together - Juna wrote the MIU a quick note giving them the address so they had back up as discussed, they all had one last glass of water or bite to eat, making sure they had their wands securely on their person, glancing at each other waiting for someone to break.

"You guys alright?" Juna finally asked after long minutes of pregnant silence.

The boys nodded, but Juna felt how they looked - terrified. It could all go wrong, they could be walking into an ambush, nobody was to know. A feeling bubbled in her chest as she looked at George. He looked pale and scared. She would never forgive herself if something happened to him.

"Are we ready?" Fred asked, heading for the door.

George nodded in response but Juna spoke up.
"Uh- wait. Can I just speak to George alone for a second please? I'll be one minute."

Fred frowned and looked at his watch.
"Ok, but be quick about it." He wrenched open the front door and closed it behind him, his footsteps disappearing down the stairs.

"What's up?" George had rounded on her, concerned as he touched her arm.

She stared at him, begging the words that danced on her tongue to come out in some kind of coherent sentence.

"Juna?" George looked more worried now.

"I don't know..." She stuttered. "I don't know how or when or from where, but once I knew you... I never wanted to know anyone else. It's like not knowing how to swim, you panic at first when you jump in... but you figure it out."

Her hopes of coherent sentences were dashed as she rambled, words tumbling over each other as they fell from her mouth. But she continued regardless.

"I felt like I was dormant inside my own body until I met you. You made me feel... alive." Her eyes shone as she spoke to George. "I don't understand love, I have never felt it from anyone, not even my family. Maybe I loved Audrey - as a friend. I never really thought about it. But I can say with absolute certainty I never knew what love was until I met you.  I don't know any other way of loving but this."
She placed a gentle hand on his chest as his jaw dropped.
"I'll probably never be good at the words and I may never find the words beautiful enough to describe all that you mean to me. But I love you simply. I love you, George."

She fell silent, George's big hand rose to his chest to cover where hers pressed into his warm body. He grasped her and pulled her close to him. He kissed her earnestly and with such passion her knees went a little weak.

"I love you too!" He whispered breathlessly, clutching her to his chest and burying his face in her hair.

They stood like this, wrapped in each other, breathing in each other's love and affection. It felt good for Juna to get that off her chest. She hadn't been sure at first, she wasn't sure what love was meant to feel like and she didn't want to say it if she didn't know for sure. But as she had watched George ready himself to fight a Dark Wizard, she knew. And she had to tell him now, just in case she never got the chance.