Unlikely || George Weasley

Chapter 6 - The Yule Ball

The Yule Ball, December 25 1994

"I still can't believe you convinced Johnson to go with you. She's done nothing but be frustrated with you all year!"

George watched Angelina and Katie get up from their dinner table and leave the Great Hall together. Probably to go and giggle in the girl's toilets about their dates. Angleina threw a furtive look at Fred and winked at him before disappearing from sight. George tried hard not to look nervous at the thought of them whispering about him. Katie was lovely, and a brilliant teammate, but nothing more than a friend. His stomach flipped anyway.

"Can't blame her for knowing a real gent when she sees one." Fred winked back.

He looked so relaxed, one arm draped over the empty chair next to him and the other running through his shaggy hair.

George scowled slightly. He'd impulsively decided to get his own hair cut a few days ago but now he missed the length of it. While it had been easier to hide behind, it had been getting a little annoying - especially when Alicia had decided she could tie it back into pigtails. Fred and George had been subjected to that under the influence of firewhisky in the Gryffindor common room a few nights ago. Many of the surrounding girls joined in, making suggestions and laughing with them - which he didn't mind so much - but pigtails? Tiny French plaits?!

Ugh.

That was more Bill's territory, anyway.

Fred nodded over to the momentarily unguarded fountain of alcohol free wine. It glistened under the shine of crystal-ice chandeliers, and a light dusting of snow disappeared before landing on the surrounding students. Dumbledore really had pulled out the stops, and George couldn't help but admire.

"Time to step this party up a notch?" Fred asked.

George grinned and checked his pocket for the hipflask of lobe blaster the twins had acquired off a dodgy Hag in Hogsmeade last weekend. Vicious stuff, that. It had cost them a fair amount of their leftover savings, but it was worth the cost in order to liven up the once-a-century event.

"Absolutely."

He carefully poured out the contents into the pool of red and gave it a quick stir before turning away. Not a teacher in sight.

Success.

It certainly made the evening more bearable, and George reckoned he could have done with a shot or two before the ball had even started as a confidence boost. Katie had taken the lead during the opening dance and he'd just focused on not tripping her up, glaring at Fred as he swanned by (almost elegantly) with Angelina in his arms. Git.

At least after that first dance he wasn't required to embarrass himself in public further. He kept to the edges with Lee and Harper from their year, nursing his drink. George liked people watching, getting the lay of the land and reading the room. Made it easier to time and pull off the pranks he and Fred devised. Also helped them with the exit strategy Fred never quite remembered.

He'd noticed Ron had a face like thunder for most of the evening, ignoring his date. Actually that wasn't anything special - Ron had spent most of the term looking miserable until he and Harry had finally made up like the married couple they were. But this was different. George followed his gaze and put two and two together.

Ahh.

Either Ron's adorable obsession with Viktor Krum had escalated considerably into something more, or he was - more likely - fuming about the girl on his arm. In that mesmerising blue dress.

Hermione was almost glowing with joy, her head thrown back and laughing at whatever Krum was saying. Her hair was uncharacteristically sleek and twisted in a sophisticated bun. She couldn't stop smiling. And George couldn't stop staring.