Elusive // The Weasley Twins

71. Family History

"Good news," Cosette confirmed as she sat. She slid the tea in front of her dad and folded her hands together on top of the table. She couldn't look at him as she spoke, but with a shaky breath she nodded to herself, "I'm seeing someone."

She didn't see her dad's reaction but he could hear him exhale, almost like a breath of relief, "Setty that's great, I'm so happy to hear that. Is- he's not here, is he?" Harris looked around the house as if expecting someone to appear around the corner and Nick laughed.

"No, he's not here," Cosette told him, raising her head up. Harris was smiling, but was undeniably confused when he realized that this conversation wasn't easy for her.

"What's the matter then?" He asked. "Setty this isn't something you should feel guilty about. You can't think that he would have wanted you to spend the rest of your life alone."

Her dad was referring to Fred. And Cosette nodded in agreement, she had accepted that in no way would Fred have ever wanted her to live out the rest of her days by herself.

He just probably wouldn't have ever expected the person to be by her side to be his own brother.

"When I tell you who I'm seeing, do you promise not to judge me?" She asked desperately.

"Why would I judge you?" He asked, "Sets, you're my daughter. Unless you're dating a minor or someone twenty years your senior-"

"Oh no, it's much worse," Nick chimed in and under the table Cosette kicked him in the shin.

"Will you shut up?" She snapped at him. "This is not your news to tell."

"Just spit it out," Nick encouraged. "It's like ripping off a bandaid."

"You don't need to be here," Cosette told him, nodding her head towards the door. "You can leave."

"Stop fighting," Harris interrupted the two of them with a sigh. He then looked at Cosette and offered a shy smile, "Who is this man that you're seeing?"

Cosette opened her mouth and she could feel his name on her tongue but all that came out was a breath of defeat. This was a lot harder than she thought it would be. She turned away, looking at her hands again and forced herself to say it.

"George."

Harris didn't say anything at first. Maybe he was trying to figure out if the George she was referring to was the George that he knew. He leaned back in his chair, glanced at Nick for a moment who only nodded at him, before looking back at Cosette.

"George," he said back to her. "As in..."

"Weasley," she confirmed. "George Weasley."

Still speechless, Harris pondered what to say. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, attempting to find the words which didn't make Cosette feel any better. She couldn't tell if he was still happy for her or if this had turned into disappointment.

"Safe to say she's got a type," Nick joked and this time when Cosette kicked him, Nick reacted and hissed at the pain. She glared at him for his immature comment and even Harris sent him a similar look.

"Setty," her father started off and still she couldn't tell by his tone what was going through his mind. "I don't know if I'm surprised or if this makes total sense."

Her eyebrows pinched together, "What do you mean?"

"Well he was one of your best friends," Harris explained. "Aside from Fred, you were probably the closest person to George and vice-versa. Even at Hogwarts you two had a relationship, purely platonic I assume, but still strong. With Fred being gone, I don't think it's very shocking that your bond grew."