Forget Me Not || George Weasley

Chapter 38

"Don't call her that."

Lee guffaws at George's disgruntled words, the two of them throwing elbows as they race to get to the front of the shop first. George nearly trips over a display, cursing loudly and barking out, "You fucking git!"

He and Lee burst through the front door, and if George wasn't so worried about getting an eyeful of Olive Murphy he would have stopped to realize it was the first time he and Lee had fucked around like that in a long time. Like friends. Like they did B.F.D.

He's too busy staring at Olive hurrying away to give it any thought, leaving Lee to lock up while George starts hustling after her. It doesn't take much. His legs are much longer, despite the towering shoes she's wobbling on that make her legs stretch far beyond the hem of her skirt. He tries to ignore the way his throat gets tighter at those sky blue heels, embarrassed at how he envies the thing strap hugging her ankles. Merlin, he was jealous of shoes. A new low.

"Hi, Ollie,"

She shoots a dizzy looking smile up at him, his brows shooting to his hairline in surprise when she rushes out awkwardly, "Oh. Hi." She pauses, blinking rapidly, "That sounds sad, like I'm saying 'oh hi' like I don't want to see you. But I mean 'oh hi!' In like an excited way."

George tries not to smile. He tries like his life depends on it, but her cheeks turn brilliant pink and she squeaks out, "Merlin, not that I'm too excited or anything! I just mean—"

"Ollie?" He wants to kiss her. Here, with Lee strolling up behind them. He wants to put his hands on her waist to steady her legs on her platform shoes and kiss her under the darkening sky.

"Hi, George," She exhales, the words breathy and he wonders if she wants him to kiss her too. Saying hello minutes after she already had, like she had done it wrong the first time. She hadn't. Olive somehow knew exactly the right things to say and do when it came to him. She smiles sheepishly, asking, "Did you have a question?"

Lee is nearly at their sides now, so he chokes down the endless list of questions he has for the oddities packaged in the form of such a small, colorful witch.

"Have you started drinking without us?" Lee teases jovially, and George knows by the darkening rose of her cheeks that the answer is yes. Olive clears her throat, offering, "Hermione, Ginny and I went early to make sure we got a good table. It is a Saturday after all."

George elbows Lee hard in the side, praying he doesn't correct Olive. She was flustered enough, and it didn't matter to him anyhow. If she said today was Saturday, he'd believe it.

Lee seems to understand or believe Olive, so he simply leaves George's side in favor of the blonde girl as a shield from anymore blows.

It's obvious when George opens the door for Olive and Lee, that the curly haired friend he'd come to dream about almost nightly was unsure what to do with him. He fights back a snort at the idea. It was only fair that she take a turn being at a loss. He hadn't known what to do with her from the moment she smacked into him at Saint Mungos.

He doesn't get a chance to speak to her again because as soon as they're inside the damned pub she's whisked away by Hermione and Harry, both of the chattering loudly. George feels his heart warm when Ginny and Ron appear in his line of sight, matching smiles on their faces like they couldn't believe he was joining them. He couldn't believe it.

He and Lee weave through the crowd, George's eyes lingering on Olive even when he gets to the table and sits down and Ginny starts asking him questions he doesn't have any answers too. He grows stiff at the mention of her impending marriage, but Lee smoothly changes the subject to something about the shop, asking for Ron's opinion. George tunes it out, and as the night wares on, his family and friends drink to the point that Lee and Harry are dancing together in the very center of the room.