Fred's Chapter // George Weasley

5

"I went to your flat to check up on you and you weren't home. I don't remember you having meetings that lasted that long." He raised his eyebrows at her in suspicion.

She smiled awkwardly at him. "I was at a friends. I stayed over there." She said quickly and avoided his eyes.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "A friend? You don't have any friends here other than me, and not to mention you have never once stayed at my place." He started drying glasses and setting them up for the day ahead while continuing to eye the girl.

She broke. She was always terrible at lying and keeping secrets, especially from Sam. "I was at George's." She huffed out. "George Weasley."

Sam's eyes widened in shock and he stopped drying to look at her. "You what?!"

"We didn't do anything! He asked me to come over and talk about Fred and I went and I just ended up sleeping over there." She whispered frantically before he could assume anything else.

"And?" He asked while quirking his eyebrow.

She looked away abruptly. "Nothing else."

He rolled his eyes. "May."

She groaned and looked back up at him. "We kissed. He kissed me. And I liked it. And I want it to happen again. And I think I like him. No I know. I like him, Sam. What do I do? What do I say? Oh god." She held her head in her hands and Sam laughed at her rambling, causing her to shoot him a glare.

"You are so awkward when it comes to these things. Just go with the flow, May."

"Yea, but how?!" She whined as her shoulders slumped.

He leaned forward onto the bar and sighed. "I've been watching that man come in here every morning just to watch you sit here and do nothing. You have nothing to worry about."

She furrowed her brow. "He came here every morning?"

Sam smirked and nodded. "Sat in the corner where you couldn't see him. But I did." He winked at her and her heart fluttered at his confession.

She groaned. "I can't think about this anymore. How is Oliver?" She queried, desperate to change the subject.

He laughed and shook his head at the girl. "Oliver is just as amazing as always. He asked me to move in with him yesterday."

May's eyes widened and she gasped while wearing the biggest smile. "Really?! What did you say?"

Sam blushed. "Yes of course. The flat above this shithole isn't doing it for me anymore and living with Oliver is a dream."

May smiled widely. "I hope this means I get to meet him soon?" She wiggled her eyebrows making him laugh.

"Oliver Wood is the busiest man I know, but I'll make sure you two meet before I get a key." He winked at her and she nodded smugly. "In the meantime, I hope you finally lock George down. I know a man in love when I see one."

May's jaw dropped, and she was about to protest, but Sam only smirked and walked away to help a customer. She shook her head and refused to believe Sam's words. There was no way George felt that way about her. They had just met.

But then again, Sam said he had been watching her for god knows how long. Maybe he did.

She felt her cheeks grow warm at the thought and her mind wandered to George. How she felt when she woke up in his arms this morning. How his lips left a lasting sensation across her whole body.

He was intoxicating, and she couldn't get enough.

George was feeling the same way. May lingering in his thoughts as he prepared for a long day of work, lightening his mood along the way.

He was just about to enter his office where he locked himself away everyday after he opened the shop back up, when he let himself look across the banister at the shop floor.

He had a decision, and he hoped that he made the right one.

He walked down the steps, abandoning the office, and joined his employee at the bottom, who was gaping up at him.

Charlottes eyes widened as he smiled down at her. "Morning, George." She said, still in shock. "Do you need something?"

He shook his head. "No. I just thought I'd join you down here for the day. I've missed it."

She smiled warmly and nodded profusely. "Of course, sir."

And for the first time in a year, he greeted customers warmly and joked about his products. All the customers had been coming in day after day since he reopened, hoping to see his face, already knowing the fate of the other twin, and today they were gifted with his presence.

It was the adrenaline he didn't know that he missed, watching customer after customer enter the shop and watching the joy cross their faces.

He thought it would be too hard without Fred, and even though his heart still felt heavy every time he greeted a new customer without his brother by his side, it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

The smile on his face was genuine and the excitement in his blood was a drug.

And all of this was happening because of one girl. One girl who pushed him to live again, to move on. He thought it was impossible. He thought he would hate it.

Instead, he felt alive again. He felt on top of the world, and his heart was thumping at the endless opportunities he had created by walking down those stairs this morning.

He hadn't noticed May walk in over the sea of customers. He hadn't noticed her smile widen at the sight of him cracking jokes and selling his products on the main floor. He hadn't noticed the pure joy that crossed her face at the sight of him.

He was helping a school aged customer in the love potion section when she walked up to him with a smirk on her face. His face lit up at the sight of her, and she lifted a loved potion from the shelf.

"How much for this? I'm trying to get a certain red head to like me."

He smirked down at her and took the love potion from her to place it back on the shelf. "No need. I can promise you that it doesn't work if they already fancy you."

She giggled, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up and spinning her around in circles, customers all over stopping to watch the joyful exchange and smiling warmly at the last Weasley twin finally acting like himself.

"You're on the main floor." She stated with a wide smile as he sat her down.

"Someone once told me that wasting my life because I'm forced to live it without Fred was the wrong thing to do. I found them very wise." He said with a smirk and she giggled.

"Well I have work to do so I better be off. Make sure you sell the lot." She smiled warmly at him and turned on her heel, but he grabbed her wrist and turned her back around.

"Wait!" He nervously ran a hand through his hair and smiled sheepishly. "Would you maybe possibly fancy a date with me tomorrow night?" He asked quickly, making her laugh at his awkwardness.

Her heart fluttered and excitement rose in her chest. She nodded and her smile widened. "Absolutely. And where would you be taking me?"

He smirked and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Dress to impress." He hastily kissed her on the cheek and pulled away with a wink.

She was left gaping at him as he turned on his heel to help more customers. She shook her head at him and smiled giddily.

Of course George Weasley would be one for surprises.

She watched him go from customer to customer, his bright personality never faltering and she couldn't help but feel her affection for him grow.

He truly was one of a kind.

And to think she only came here for work.

~

Dear Fred,

I went down to the store today. It was actually fun. I missed it.

I still wish you were here though.

But that's okay.

Because she was.