Harry Potter One Shots (Vol. I)

Well-Meaning Deceit (George Weasley)

And just like that he was grinning, knowing that I'd given in. He snagged the box away from me, taking over and restocking the shelves that I couldn't reach.

"Good, and you can use your free weekend to come with me to the burrow."

He sauntered away from me and I narrowed my eyes at his back. Merlin, what had I just signed myself up for?

**********

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," I muttered under my breath as we prepared to apparate to the burrow.

Sitting on the sofa of George's flat, I watched him as he went through the apartment and moved things from one place to another. He was doing it to drag out time because he thought that the longer we waited, the less attention we'd draw upon arrival. We both knew that it wouldn't work, especially when he'd warned me of how much Mrs Weasley had been wanting to meet his 'girlfriend' - me.

"Are you nervous?" I asked watching him as he looked over a piece of paper. Crossing one leg over the other, I watched him look at me with blatant amusement. "Well what else did you expect me to think from the way you're behaving?"

"I'm not nervous, I just thought you might be." He tilted his head curiously, "You do realise what situation you're walking into, right?"

"Do you want me to help you or not?"

"Alright, alright." Crossing the distance towards me, he held out a hand for me and helped me to my feet. "Let's get going then."

"Let's," I agreed, doing my best to hide my nerves.

"You know," he started as I straightened out my jumper. "If you think that everything's going a bit pear-shaped then just call my mum, 'mum' and you'll be off the hook."

"You're joking," I said aghast.

He wrapped an arm around my waist, grinning down at me as he apparated us away. Before I could say anything, before I could tell him that I was too unprepared for this, we were standing in the middle of a densely populated room. My eyes widened as I looked around the room, taking in all the redhaired men and I fumbled a little on my feet. George's arm tightened around me to stabilise me, pulling me into him.

"I thought you were bringing your girlfriend," Bill said curiously as he approached the pair of us, eyes peering curiously down at me, "Unless there's something you want to tell me, Church?"

"Um," I shifted on my feet under his stare, turning a little into George's side. I really wasn't a good liar. "About that -"

"I'm sure you understand why we had to keep this a secret," George said smoothly, removing his hand from around my waist to bring it up to massage some of the tension out of my neck. I forced myself to relax into the motion, acting like it wasn't the first time I'd been so close to him.

"Because you're dating your employee?" Ginny called out as she approached us and it was in the moment that I knew I was screwed.

Merlin how could I have forgotten that she was George's sister? The girl had been in my year at school and whilst we hadn't been the closest people, she'd definitely be able to tell that I was lying in a heartbeat.

"She's tried to quit before," George explained, "But I didn't let her. What can I say Gin? I'm hopeless without her."

Making a face at his words, I rolled my eyes as I muttered, "We both know that the shop would be plunged into chaos if I left."

"That's why I didn't let you go." He smiled down at me and I felt myself grow a little red when one of his siblings pointedly cleared their throat.