Miss Mischief ▶ George Weasley

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Emerson laughed. "George you'll end up being the one catching a cold now, but if you insist."

The three of them continue to walk on towards the little restaurant. Emerson felt warmth fill her up now that she was wearing George's jacket. She couldn't figure out if it was that she wasn't as chilly anymore or if what that George Weasley gave her his jacket.

It was no surprise that the jacket smelled like the forest. It smelled like pine and campfire smoke and the earth. Emerson didn't know how it was possible, since George didn't go anywhere near the forest or campfires. But never the less, the scent itself was enough for her to fall in love even more.

Inside the restaurant Fred, George, and Emerson took a booth in the back. The village was still very quiet which made the Three Broomsticks nearly empty. The gave their order to a young waitress before getting comfortable. Emerson pulled off George's jacket but kept the scarf around her neck.

"Well, I'm going to run to the loo," George said as the other two got comfortable. "I'll be right back."

Emerson watched as George walked away, still blushing from the sweet thing she did for her. It was such a cliché teenage love story type thing. She smiled and then looked at Fred. "I can't believe he gave me his jacket."

Fred snorted. "Of course he did, he's completely smitten with you."

At the realization of what he said, Fred's eyes went wide. Emerson stared at him, her mouth parted as if she was going to say something but no words would come out.

He's completely smitten with you.

Fred waved his hands in the air and shook his head. "No, no, I mean—"

"Don't," Emerson held a finger up, her eyes were wide and the redness of her cheeks had deepened. "What did you just say?"

Quickly looking towards the bathroom, Fred leaned in towards Emerson. "It just slipped out, I'm not supposed to tell you but...George has a...well, he kind of..."

"I swear to Merlin just spit it out," Emerson told him.

"Alright, alright, well George likes you," he said quietly. "That's why he gave you his jacket."

Emerson was shocked. All of this time that she had been trying to hide her liking for George, only now to figure out that he liked her. Everything he did for her was because he cared about her as more than just a friend.

"Are you sure?" Emerson asked. "Because if this is a joke I will shove my broomstick so far up your ass that—"

Fred shook his head again. "No, I promise this isn't a joke. He told me himself. But he's too scared to tell you because he's afraid that you'll turn him down like you did Oliver."

The two of them continued to glance at the door, weary for any moment that George might emerge.

"But Fred, I would never turn down George. The situation with Oliver was completely different, I didn't like him," Emerson said.

Fred's eyes went wide again. "What? Are you saying that you like...?" He bobbed his head towards the bathroom, where the sound of someone washing their hands could be heard.

Emerson nodded quickly, many times to ensure that Fred got the hint without having to say "Yes."

When George opened the door, Emerson felt her heart rate quicken. It was all going to be different now that she knew George liked her. But it meant that now she had to come up with a plan to tell him.

During the entirety of the Halloween feast, Emerson only thought about George.

Emerson liked George. George liked Emerson. It was simple as that. She knew that any moment she could just tell George she liked him and it would be as simple as that. But even though she was aware that it was easy, she was still terrified.