Say You Won't Let Go || Bill Weasley

Seventy One: Gentle

*Mature Content Warning*

January was nearing its end and Isabelle was back to spending nearly all of her free time during the week at Hogwarts, planning lessons and grading assignments as Professor McGonagall got busier with Order business.

It was the last week of January when Isabelle finally noticed how much she had been neglecting spending time with her fiancé and had a bit of free time that Thursday to allow her to leave early during lunch to meet him for his own break, like she had promised almost a month ago.

First, she took the floo network home, as she couldn't apparate on Hogwarts grounds, then apparated away to Diagon Alley to find Bill at the bank. She knew her way through the halls and soon arrived at his office, where she knocked on the door softly until he told her to come in.

"Hey, love," Bill said, a smile appearing on his face as he looked up from the paperwork on his desk. "I didn't know you were coming today."

"I finished everything I needed to do today since I don't have any classes in the afternoon on Thursdays," she said, setting down a bag from her hand on an empty spot of his desk. "I stopped by that restaurant that you like on the way here."

"Thank you," he said, moving the paperwork aside to reach into the bag and begin pulling out the takeout containers.

Isabelle moved around his desk to take a seat on it next to the bag before reaching for a box of her own.

"So, how has your day been?" Isabelle asked once they were settled and eating their lunch.

"Boring," Bill said through a mouthful of food.

"Like always, then?" Isabelle asked.

"Pretty much," he said with a laugh of his own. "What about you? Anything interesting at Hogwarts?"

"Just some ordinary teenager drama, you remember what that's like, I'm sure," she said. "Lavender's jealous of Hermione even though she and Ron are just friends, Ginny and Dean seem to argue more than they get along. I also heard that Ron's having a hard time with his apparation lessons."

"I'm sure he is," Bill said in reference to his younger brother. "Charlie failed the test the first time."

"Yeah, I remember that. Now he only apparates when he has to," she said.

Bill nodded. "Ron will get it down eventually, like you did."

"Just because I do it doesn't mean I hate it any less," Isabelle said.

Bill chuckled lightly. "Of course, darling."

"So, where's Fleur?" Isabelle asked after a minute.

"Lunch date," Bill said dismissively.

"Another one?" Isabelle said. "I don't know why she keeps going on them when they never go well."

"She seemed pretty excited about this one. I think it's been the same person recently, but she won't tell me who it is," Bill said.

"I hope so. I hate seeing her get her hopes up just to be disappointed," she said.

Bill nodded in agreement, and they went back to eating quietly. The couple finished their lunch with plenty of time left in his break, and Bill rose from his chair to throw the trash in the bin before returning in front of her, leaning on his hands on the desk on either side of her.

"I really missed you today," Bill said quietly.

"I miss you every day," Isabelle said, wrapping her arms around his neck loosely.