Junoesque ✿George Weasley✿

24.

"It's not nothing if you're worrying about it," he shook his head and took her hand that was hanging by her side limply. He threaded his fingers through hers and rubbed his thumb of her knuckles, hoping to comfort her enough to speak truthfully. "I'm not going to be able to see you for nine weeks. I don't want to be spending it worrying about your definition of 'just nothing'."

The mentioning of the coming break made a stone form in her stomach and sink down through her organs. She didn't notice that she had visibly flinched and George stopped talking completely, thinking that he had maybe offended her in some way. But when she didn't glare at him or look put out in anyway, he was now confused and even more concerned. He held her hand tightly in his and waited patiently for her speak, analysing the way her shoulders raised and fell when she took a deep breath.

"I-I know you want to know about my home life, George," she found it hard to keep her gaze on George's face and when his eyebrows raised in anticipation, she was ready to shut her eyes completely to save her from the painful confession.

"Is this why you're upset? You don't want to go home over the break?" he questioned. "Where do you live, Blair?"

"I'll see you later, George."

"No no no, you're not walking away from this again," he clutched her hand as she went to turn away and avoid the topic for the second time. Her eyes were wide at the action of being pulled back and was prepared to be defensive towards George, only to be cut off by him speaking again. "I'm sorry Blair, but I'm trying to help you here. Tell me what is going on. What are you so afraid of?!"

George was never this persistent and inquisitive. He would usually leave the assertiveness to his brother, leading to the assumption that Fred was the outgoing and outspoken twin. But when it came to being left in the dark about something he cared for, George would find these traits within him and fight for what he wanted. He could see that it was painful for Blair to even think about her home outside of Hogwarts. So if he could get it out of her on what was so painful about it, then maybe he could try to help. He didn't think he could happily go home to his nice and warm family home knowing that whatever Blair was going back to was unpleasant and the complete opposite.

"I envy you, Georgie..." she muttered and felt the weight of her stomach becoming heavier and heavier. "I live in an orphanage in London. When my father was killed a year after I was born, the Ministry of Magic dropped me off on the doorstep of Wool's orphanage. No one in the Wizarding world wanted to house a Death Eater's child and no Wizarding orphanage would take me in either. So until I'm eighteen, which is when I'm classified as an adult in the Muggle world, I'm staying there. And... it's awful. That's why I like Hogwarts so much. It's more of a home than anything I've ever had..."

George's insides crumbled at Blair's explanation and didn't miss the tears that were welling up in her eyes. He couldn't imagine going home to a place where his mother wasn't there to greet him and make him one of her best hot meals. He couldn't imagine going to a place where his differences from Muggles wasn't normality and shunned by those around him. As mischievous he and Fred were, he saw Hogwarts as a set back from what he really wanted to do with his life. He didn't need to learn all that he did in his useless classes if he wanted to run the joke shop. He never used the library and he never appreciated the constant supply of food from the kitchens, and the warmth of his common room. But this was a new door opening for him.

"W-What do you mean you envy me?" he found himself asking.

"I always see you with your family on the Kings Cross platform," she admitted while looking down at her hand that was still in his grip. She now felt embarrassed for mentioning her envious trait, but couldn't turn back now. "You always have someone with you and you always look so happy. You've got your friends and your family. You've probably got a nice home to go back to every year. I envy you..."

He now understood why Blair was so reluctant to be anywhere other than Hogwarts. He knew why she always had a book in her hands, why she studied all the time and why she was so good at all her classes. He felt awful for taking all that he had for granted and for even asking Blair so aggressively on why she was so upset.

"So you're just going to stand there and not saying anything then?" Blair snapped and George's mouth opened and closed like a fish's. He hadn't realised he had been standing there staring at Blair for several minutes while being completely silent. This let Blair's mind jump to the worst of conclusions and she suddenly became angry. He pitied her. He thought that she was pathetic for envying someone like him.

"I knew you wouldn't understand," she sighed and even reached up to forcefully wipe the tears that had spilt from her eyes. "You've got all your friends and your family. How could you ever understand?"

Blair ripped her hand out of George's grip and walked the length of the corridor faster than the ghosts of Hogwarts glided across them. He barely was able to realise that Blair had left him standing alone as she made her way up the spiral staircase and up towards her common room.

Blair let out a small sniffle and regretted becoming so weak. She never wanted to let anyone know about her poor excuse for a life. She didn't want people to pity her, but she also wanted someone to care. She wanted someone to take her in and give her a childhood that she deserved. But the only childhood she knew of, was one of sitting in the cold, grey room at the orphanage with all the children avoiding her like the black plague. The only pleasantry she remembered was going to Hogwarts when she was eleven and finding a world that was full of life and colour. But even that was tarnished by the connotation that came with her last name that she had learnt to hate with a passion.

This is why she faded into the background. It was better to be with herself and herself only.

"Blair! Blair, please wait!"

George called after her and took the spiral steps two at a time to try and reach her. He had snapped out of his trance later than he would've liked and saw that Blair was already half way up the tower. He was thankful for his long legs and was able to catch up to her, only being seven steps away from her when she had made it to the eagle doorknob.

"What room can you eat?" the eagle asked and Blair didn't even breathe before her answer.

"A mushroom."

"Blair, please!" George reached to grab her arm but she stepped forward just in time to go through the wooden door, letting it swing shut behind her. George went to follow but the brass eagle turned its head down to him, eyeing him suspiciously before speaking once more.

"What is one plus one?" he questioned.

"Two!" he shouted but the door didn't swing open like it should. The eagle froze back into its pose of having it's wings stretched out which meant it was denying the answer.

"It's two!" George cried again, feeling a range of emotions that he had trouble containing. "It's fucking two, you flying rat! Let me in!"

"Hey! You're not a Ravenclaw!"

George whipped around and sneered down at the second year who pointed up at him accusingly. The boy had horn-rimmed glasses and had an abnormally large nose that George chose to make of through his frustration and anger. He didn't have time to fight with some bratty second year and decided to turn to his next plan, running off back down the spiral staircase and heading towards the Gryffindor dormitories.

"One plus one equals a window, just so you know!" he heard the second year call down from above but he was already set on his new mission.

He screamed the password at the portrait of the Fat Lady, making her jump back in fright and let the door swing open quicker than she ever had. He rushed through the portrait hole and ignored the calls of Fred and Lee who were sitting at the table. He ran up the stairs to the boys' dormitory and grabbed the first quill and pot of ink he saw. Finding a piece of parchment that was ripped in half, he sat down on his bed with one of his unused textbooks on his lap as he started to prepare his quill. George then started to write,

'Dear Mum,

I know this is short notice, but remember when you said you wanted to meet Blair some time during the holidays? Well how would you feel about a nine week sleepover?'