keeper → g. weasley [EDITING]

↝twenty two

The shop's interior was painted an emerald green and there was every toy or trick Mallie could think of stacked onto shelves far above her head.

Amongst the buzzing and the whistling and the knocking, the twins met Lee Jordan and spoke a bit, while Mallie spared a few minutes conversation with Drew, who was there with her boyfriend.

The boys said that they'd be right back and disappeared into the shop to go find the fireworks they were looking for while Mallie entertained herself with a tiny porcelain frog that was hopping around the palm of her hand.

Not long after, the boys returned and they made their way to pay. It took considerably longer than expected as both Fred and George were continuously rushing back to collect last minute wants.

When Mallie and the Weasley twins had finally left Zonko's, the sun was almost starting to set behind the Hogwarts castle.

"Now's a good time to head back," George commented.

"Yeah, I could do with a cup of tea." Fred huffed out a breath of cold air.

Agreeing, Mallie followed the boys as they began their trudge through the snow back up to the castle.

They hadn't walked far when heavy crunching snow grew in volume behind them.

West ran up behind them, panting,
"Bloody hell, there's no need to be walking so fast. Had to run to catch up."

Mallie laughed and waved him off.
The twins greeted him as well and the four continued walking through the cold.

"West?" Mallie asked.

"Mhm?" West broke momentarily from his conversation with Fred,

"Where's Charlie? I thought you two were together?" She mentioned curiously.

West shook his head, "Merlin knows! Said he had to go do something. I was tired so I came back."

Mallie nodded and looked back ahead of her.

"I'm not even gonna ask where Scarlette went." West nudged Mallie.

"No need." She huffed.

And so they continued to walk, Mallie talking softly with George and admiring the view of the castle from so down below.

"Mal," George said even softer than they'd been talking, and if it weren't for the momentary slowing of the wind, Mallie wouldn't have heard him at all.

Mallie looked at him worried,
"George ..."

George noted her expression and rolled his eyes, "Blimey, nothing you need to pull a face like that for."

Mallie relaxed, laughing slightly, "Alright, what then?"

George hesitated slightly, before stopping and dipping his hand into one of his bags.

Mallie stopped as well, turning to face him and frowning curiously.

His hand emerged with a small wooden box, no bigger than the palm of his hand, and held it out to Mallie.

"Christmas is coming soon, I suppose," He said, almost shyly. Almost.
"And I know you weren't in the best mood today, thought an early Christmas present would cheer you up."

Mallie stood gulping like a fish, her chest contracting in adoration.

"Well don't just stare, take it then." George said, trying to be as nonchalant as possible because he definitely wasn't nervous.

Mallie lifted it from his palm softly and pulled it open. She immediately jumped in fright, something had leapt out of the box.

But Mallie had just caught it before it fell and disappeared into the snow.
She opened her palm and two glass eyes sat blinking up at her.

The emerald china frog she'd been playing with at the store sat comfortable in her palm, no larger than a button.

"George ..." Was all Mallie could let out as she stared down at the charmed porcelain piece.

"I know it's small but I'll get you proper gift when Christmas—"

George wasn't allowed another word in before Mallie had flung herself around his neck, robbing him of air.

"That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me." She said into his chest, "Thank you George."

Mallie pulled back to stare again at the little shining frog in her hand,
"I love him, well, it."

Mallie carefully slipped him back into the box before reaching over, taking George by surprise, and pulling his face down for Mallie to plant a soft, but warm, peck onto his cheek.

"Thank you George." She said again, and slipped the wooden box into her coat pocket.

George hoped the redness on his cheeks could be played up to the cold air as he tried to stutter a reply.

"It's only a frog." He managed to stumble from underneath his blush, but Mallie didn't hear him.

West and Fred had already reached the doors ahead of them and were calling for them to hurry up.

Mallie slipped her gloved hand into George's and tugged him slightly,
"Let's go then."

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