She had that rare genuine smile on her face as she looked at him, looked at the ring, and then back to him. There was once a time where he never thought he'd see that smile again, the thought of that wrecked havoc on his heart for months. But now? Now he finally got to relish in that smile once again. And he prayed to fate and all the above, that it never disappeared again.
George couldn't help waking with a smile of his own, his fingers trailed lazily along Harper's bare spine, holding her tighter to him as she slept across his chest.
The elegant engagement ring flashed in the early morning light that filtered through the slit in the black curtains, he lifted her hand to his lips, looking at the ring Harper would probably never take off for the rest of her life. The emerald cut diamond was as beautiful and bright as the girl sleeping against him, relief that it fit perfectly on her finger ran through his body-he'd spent ages searching for the perfect ring, even getting Angelina to help with the final call.
"You shouldn't be sleeping with the ring on, love," George muttered against her hair when he sensed her breathing pattern had changed.
Harper moaned a groggy response, rubbing her cheek against his skin in protest.
"What if it scratches your eye while you sleep?" George prodded, watching his fingers leave goosebumps down her arm.
"Would I be less attractive with an eyepatch?" Harper mused, kissing his chest lightly.
"Mmmmmm maybe not...."
Harper smirked, continuing to leave a trail of fire along his skin where she kissed.
"I can't make you breakfast in bed if you don't let me out though."
Harper groaned, lifting her head, she rested her chin on his chest and sighed. "I personally think I'm much more important-" her stomach growled loudly in protest, George smirked widely, Harper giving a roll of her eyes, slowly moving away to lay on her side.
"Suppose....food would be nice," Harper muttered, pulling the bedsheet close to her chest. "Proper food..." her face flushing.
"That would mean officially leaving this room, is that what you want?" George smirked.
Harper blushed a deep red, burying her face in her pillow and muttering something unintelligible.
Leaning down to kiss her cheek, George got out of bed. "I'll be back in a moment, beautiful."
Fixing his shirt over his head as he walked down the hall, George found Fred and Angelina at the dining table with Cheshire grins.
"Oh look who it is!"
"I'd thought he ran away!"
"I thought you were a ghost!"
"I thought I'd have to open the shop with only Lee!"
George rolled his eyes at his friends, entering the kitchen.
"Haven't seen you in almost two days," Angelina comments from behind him, George slowly gathering the ingredients to make a large amount of pancakes for the flat.
"Has it been that long?" George mused, willing his face to remain neutral and not flush.
He knew exactly how long he and Harper had been locked in their room, quickly running to the kitchen for brief meals before hurrying back to their room and locking themselves away to enjoy more of that engagement bliss he was still feeling as he prepared their breakfast.
"I'm assuming Harper said yes then?" Angelina said with a grin.
"Yes, she did," he smiled happily, Angelina's grin widened.
"I'm still mad you didn't ask for my help with the proposal," Angelina pouted.
George shrugged, "it was perfect. Sometimes you don't need to showboat."
"You....you know when not to do that?!" Angelina was laughing, shaking her head. "That's rich!"
George was going to make a quip when the sound of a door opening and closing reached them, Harper's voice coming down the hall, "Ange?! Freddie! You'll never guess what happened!" Angelina was snickering when Harper came to a halt in front of the kitchen doorway-her hair a matted mess, wearing one of his shirts, her fuzzy slippers making her skid into the threshold.
"Where have you been?!" Fred called, coming into view over Harper's shoulder.
Harper opened and closed her mouth, her face turning a very deep red as she blushed, her eyes widening slightly.
"Erm...well..." she cleared her throat, all three of them stood watching Harper flounder in explaining her sudden absence, " George proposed!" She held out her hand to Angelina and Fred as if this were answer enough.
"Oh did he now?" Fred asked with fake surprise.
"How lovely!" Angelina said, clapping her hands.
"You knew he was....didn't you?" Harper scowled, not receiving the reaction she wanted.
Fred shrugged, going to pour himself a cup of coffee, "well. Out with it! How'd it happen? Was it perfect?" Emphasizing the last word in a high pitch, Fred went to wrap an arm around Angelina's waist as Harper dove into the story excitedly.
George was halfway through his second batch of pancakes when Harper's arms wrapped around his torso, her cheek resting against his shoulder blade. Angelina and Fred had gone back to the dining table, obviously waiting for their portion of the breakfast.
"What are we doing today?" Harper asked, watching him flip over a pancake.
"The Burrow, where I promise your birthday wish of everyone's birthdays being celebrated along with yours will be fulfilled," George responded, Harper reached around him, dipping her finger into the bowl of batter. "A very easy day like you requested."
"With fireworks though."
"There may or may not be about two dozen of our fireworks ready to be lit this evening," George shrugged nonchalantly, tossing caramel chips into one of the pancakes.
"George....If I wanted to visit-"
"-Sybill is awaiting you for a small lunch if you so choose," he interrupted her, kissing her nose.
"I thought I was the mind reader," Harper blushed with a laugh.
George offered the hot cake toward her with a smirk, "I just know my girl very well."
Harper smiled, taking five of the large pancakes and walking away with a slight hum. George continued finish cooking the batter, making sure to leave the group some of them before walking back to their bedroom. Harper sat on the bed with the plate between her legs, tearing apart the pancakes with her fingers and dipping the jagged pieces into a small cup of syrup, her cheeks were full to bursting with other pieces she'd already stuffed in her face.
Thoughts of how effortlessly pretty she was swarming his mind.
"You're going to get syrup everywhere," George laughed, levitating his plate with his index finger until he was comfortably against his pillows. Harper leaning against her own with a smile, resting her plate on her chest.
"I'm not seeing a problem," Harper said with a sly smile at him.
"Happy birthday, beautiful," placing a harsh kiss on her cheek.
The smile that she gave made his heart skip several beats, the genuine ease and happiness radiating off her in waves that warmed his entire body. He silently vowed to make sure a day never went by where he didn't see that smile grace that face ever again.
****
The Burrow appeared to be illuminated by the sun, the side yard decorated in a swarm of balloons and floating butterflies made of paper, a rather long table decorated from head to toe with small mason jars filled with wildflowers sat in the middle of the grass. A small table sat beside the house that was overflowing with gifts, as promised-they were all gifts for each person present today and not solely for the literal birthday girl. Somewhere in the group of people, the sound of music drifted toward Harper.
Harper closed her eyes at the edge of the property, listening to the sound of laughter and music, smiling to herself as a warm breeze passed by.
"Oi! Harper! There you are!"
"Hey, Harper!"
"Happy birthday, Harper!"
Moving the white gold band around her finger once, Harper took a steadying breath and walked toward her friends calling her name. Sybill's had been a quiet afternoon, the perfect thing she needed to help her steady herself for the Weasley level event of the evening. However, being in her childhood home with no sound of pages turning or the stomping feet of her father, made her chest ache, a feeling that she was currently trying to accept and move on from.
She couldn't let what happened to her family consume her any longer. She had done her part, survived, and now it was time to embrace the pain and anger and move forward. She still had questions and she'd be able to ask people such as Arthur or Lupin someday, but for now, she wanted to move away from the gut-wrenching pain that she felt whenever an image of her imperius'd father appeared in her mind.
"How was Sybill's?" George asked in way of greeting, kissing her cheek just as Joy swung her arms around her shoulders and squeezed as tightly as she could.
"You'd better have a wonderful excuse as to why you missed your health check the other day, Harper Nonemacker," Joy hissed, stepping back, her face skewed into a harsh scowl.
Harper held out her left hand without a word, the emerald cut diamond catching the light and reflecting a bright spot of light onto her friend's face.
"Oh my gosh...is that...." Joy pulled Harper's hand to her face, almost smacking her nose with the back of her hand. "Is that-" Joy spun toward George who stood with a smirk, her jaw dropping, "didyouseriouslyproposetomybestfriendandnotincludeme?!"
Joy dropped Harper's hand and swung at George, cursing his name.
"I'm sorry I didn't show!" Harper called, "I asked to skip Mungo's."
Joy looked between pleased and hurt at the idea of her friend wanting to skip an important medical visit.
"Well....I just hope you said no! Ruddy git! Why have me help with every other proposal scale gesture if I'm not included to help with the actual proposal?! I have trained for this day, George Weasley! You arrogant git!" Joy went back to swinging at George, Harper laughing at her friend.
"Shouldn't we stop this?" Charlie said in way of greeting.
"Hello, Charlie," Harper waved at the older Weasley, he flashed her a grin while George continued to be pelted on by their shortest friend.
"Looks like Joy found out," Fred nodded, arriving just as Joy pulled out her wand to send a hex at George who apparated with a crack somewhere else.
"Now look what you've done, Joy! Made my fiancé disappear!" Harper whined, trying to contain her laugh.
"Fiancé?! No way did George really ask!" Charlie said dramatically, taking her hands and spinning the two of them in a large circle, "now we'll never be able to go adventures together, Harpsichord! Just us and a dragon or two!"
"I can still visit Romania," Harper said with a roll of her eyes, coming to a stand still once again.
George reappeared with a crack, holding out his own wand and quickly flicking it at Joy who's cherry red face seethed-frozen in place in an almost comical scream.
"Right....now then....Charlie, you're not taking my girl on any adventure without me. Harpsichord, you tell our short friend there just how exceptionally perfect my proposal was, Fred thanks for the backup as always, I'll be getting myself a drink," raking a hand through his hair, George walked into the Burrow without another look at any of them.
Charlie grinned, pulling Harper into a very tight hug, offering his congratulations, Joy becoming animated again, Harper showed off the ring to the two of them.
"Come on, let's get inside," Fred said with a tap to her shoulder.
Molly and Ginny were pulling multiple trays of scones from the oven when the group walked in, Joy took a seat beside Angelina at the kitchen table, reaching for a lemon brownie and diving into a conversation of Angelina's latest tryouts.
"Happy birthday, dear!" Molly beamed, pulling Harper into a rather tight hug. "Settle in, dinner will be ready soon."
"Happy birthday, sweetie," Tonks spoke low in her ear when it was her turn greet her.
"How's Teddy? Did you bring him?" Harper asked excitedly.
"He's asleep in the living room," she smiled.
Harper grinned, hurrying toward the living room to find the blue haired bundle in Lupin's arms. Harper eagerly took the sleeping bundle, at sensing there was a new person holding him, Teddy opened an eye, his turquoise tuft of curl immediately turned pink and then yellow, he gave a gurgle.
"Seems he remembers you!" Lupin said with a smile, cooing over his son.
"Looks like you could use a nap," Harper snorted, noticing the dark circles under his eyes. He reminded her of their year together at Hogwarts.
"I get my sleep when I can," Lupin chuckled with a nod.
Harper laughed, looking down at Teddy, George's hand came to her hip, looking down at Teddy in her arms.
Baby fever already, Nonemacker? We haven't been engaged more than a few days.
Harper blushed, exhaling a huff of air through her nose and turning away from George, Harper relinquished Teddy to Tonks as he began to cry.
"Harper!" Hermione greeted, giving her a brief hug, she pushed a small leather bound book into Harper's hands. Harper quickly put it in her back pocket, keeping her right hand on the book as George continued to stand beside her, watching the girls with a curious glance.
"Happy birthday," Hermione stammered, giving George a slight wave and hurrying away toward Harry and Ron.
"Not sure which is a more dangerous duo...myself and Freddie or you and Hermione," George was musing in her ear softly.
"Definitely Harper and Hermione," Fred commented as he took a seat just over George's shoulders by the windows. "Then again it depends on what's going on."
Harper's face flushed, giving her away that something was off with the girls' exchange as she turned to face him-unsure what to say.
"So...what's with the notebook, Harpsichord?" George said, leaning forward, his breath fanning Harper's face.
"Nothing," Harper brushed him off, taking a step away.
George quirked an eyebrow, an evil smirk on his face as he nodded slowly, "two can play this game, love," he whispered lowly, stepping away from her. Harper bit her lower lip, sucking in a deep breath as her heart stuttered at the words.
"Does it involve what I know?" Fred asked lowly, sipping his amber liquid with a thoughtful look.
Harper nodded, uncertain if she could use her voice and avoid giving away how her body was reacting toward her fiancé's words. George had to sense what she was thinking when he looked back at her from across the room, flashing a wicked smile as he continued to talk to Bill.
*****
"So the shop opens soon?" Harry asked when everyone was sitting around the tables that had been setup outside, the sun setting the lawn in a golden hue.
"Yeah, possibly another month and we can do a small reopening," Fred grinned, George nodding as he took a sip of his drink.
"Any new products coming out then?" Ron asked curiously.
"Mmmm I'm not," Fred commented pointedly, Harper could've shrunk in her seat when Fred jabbed her ribs.
"Really focusing on restocking what we lost," George said nonchalantly, his knee falling against her leg felt like a deliberate nod to her behavior earlier. "That is, unless Harpsichord has been working on something we aren't privy to...."
Hermione dropped her fork on the ground, ducking to get it, Harper looked at her hands and nodded slowly, avoiding looking at George.
"There's a few ideas," Harper admitted tensely. Hermione gave her a wide eyed look, nervously fidgeting with her silverware. "You'll just have to wait and see," Harper answered, squaring her shoulders with her chin lifted.
George studied Harper with a quirked eyebrow, Ron going back to his plate, Hermione stared Harper down for a few more minutes before she and Ginny began talking about Hogwarts.
Not yet, Harper thought to herself. It wasn't the right time to tell George about her latest idea she and Hermione were perfecting. Privately maybe. Not with everyone around, the idea of being torn apart for her creation made her freeze in her seat.
Harper frowned to herself, taking a bite of her dinner roll as George cleared his throat and stood up, giving her a wink as Harper tried to pull him back down.
"Everyone, I wanted to make an announcement," George began, all other conversations died down and every eye turned to George. He placed a hand on Harper's shoulder, giving it a squeeze as he held his glass high, "Harper and I are engaged!"
There were a dozen shouts of congratulations around the table, Angelina and Fred pretended to be surprised over the news. Molly rushed the two of them for a quick hug, settling back in her seat.
"When'd it happen?!" Celeste asked excitedly.
"Two days ago," Harper answered with a smile.
Celeste reached over the table to high five Alicia, the two grinning wildly, Harper scowled at them.
"What was the bet this time?" Harper said with an eyeroll.
"There was no talk of a bet!" Alicia denied, her voice slightly high.
"A pot of 80 galleons," Celeste grinned. "Alicia and I are going to split it."
"You need a life," Harper laughed, taking a bite of her salad. "What're you going to do now?! Make a pool about children?!"
"Raise your hand if you put something into the engagement pot," Alicia said with a smirk.
The only people without their hands raised at the table included: Arthur, Percy, George, and Lupin. The rest of the table all ducked their heads, tucking into their plated meal without another word. Harper couldn't help but laugh, Bill silently lifted his glass in her direction.
"We had today," Bill nodded to Fleur and Charlie, they all gave Harper wide grins.
"I was going to enter, but then Fred said that wouldn't be fair," George commented, bumping her shoulder playfully.
"I had it that you two would elope sometime last year," Tonks said with a shrug, Molly made a disproving noise.
"How many bets have been put on my love life exactly?" Harper snorted, glancing at Fred who was counting on his fingers.
"A lot," Joy snickered.
"There was one I suggested that never got traction in school though," Celeste huffed, glaring at Fred who kept his head down.
"Do I even wanna know?" George asked cautiously.
Celeste gave a cat like grin, but Harper flicked her hand at her and her words were silenced immediately. She gave a glare and wink in response, trying to remove the spell but Harper kept it in place with basic magic until the urge passed the blonde.
"Harpsichord deserves the perfect day, I wouldn't deny her that," George said with a shake of his head, he gave her an approving smile, his thumb lightly caressing her cheek. Pretending Celeste wasn't trying to charade what she wanted to say.
"Well....I would be fine with anything really," Harper stammered, willing her face to stop blushing.
"Maybe we just will then," George winked as Joy and Angelina began protesting the very notion of not celebrating their two friends in some capacity.
After dinner, after the loads of desserts and the too large cake that could barely fit everyone's initials on the frosting. George and Fred setup their fireworks during the gift unwrapping, with the large assembled group, each person had gotten at least two gifts each-another rule of Harper's implemented so that everyone present didn't have to worry to cover a gift for every single person in attendance but rather was given two other people to celebrate.
Harper laughed at the nose biting tea cup Ron had gifted her as it tried to nip her fingers, Alicia had gotten her an entirely new tea set that had been enchanted to show what flowers were in bloom during the current season painted along the sides. Currently the pot was decorated with orange and purple colored sweet peas and pink dahlias, the porcelain reflecting the extravagant fireworks above them.
"So.....what're you and Hermione working on?" George asked in her ear, Harper tried to remain nonchalant, but even George noticed the way her body tensed in his arms as she sat between his legs on their blanket underneath the sparkling sky.
"Erm..." Harper cleared her throat, turning sideways in his arms, her legs hanging over top his own.
Watching him from the corner of her eye, George sat patiently waiting, his smile never faltering.
"Harpsichord. I love you, whatever is it. I think it'll be wonderful," George offered, he began to rub a slow circle on her back.
She sighed, spinning the band around her finger for a moment, Fred and Angelina silently appeared beside them, mimicking their position-Angelina's back resting against her own.
Harper rested her head backwards on Angelina's shoulder, closing her eyes, a flash of white illuminating the back of her eyelids.
"I thought of an idea to take Freddie's day dream charm and revamp it," Harper spoke aloud, keeping her eyes closed. "I...I made it so you could experience a situation where you could say your goodbyes."
The world seemed quiet, she kept her gaze toward the sky, the fireworks creating a dazzling scene before her eyes.
"I really feel like....there are many people out there that lost loved ones and can't figure out how to move on, even with proper help," Harper slowly explained her thought process. "You take what happened last year and you either learn to embrace it and move on, run from it, or change it all into anger..." biting her lip, she felt Angelina's breathing stutter against her kidneys. "I've seen how packed Mungo's is, I see how desperate people are to just drown themselves in a calming draught and call it a day....So I made something in private that Hermione has been testing for me until it's perfect to reveal. I just wanted to help others."
"That sounds lovely," Angelina's voice was soft and contemplative.
"I have to use legilimency to make it the most effective," Harper confessed the major sticking point.
George's left hand squeezed her knee gently, she finally looked at him, the smile hadn't left or shifted, he watched her with nothing short of wonder sparkling in his amber eyes.
"And its necessary?" George asked, his voice was calm and curious, there was no hint of anger or hesitation-all the negative things she imagined could've been present were completely absent.
"Absolutely," Harper nodded. "Freddie's charms are brilliant and a work of art, but ask 'mione. She could tell the difference and after ten tries, she always picked mine."
Everyone was sitting silently, contemplating. "You made something like that to help when Cedric passed," Angelina pointed out. "Sounds similar." Harper nodded, twisting her fingers into knots as she waited for George's response, the longer he remained silent the more she wanted to run for the hills.
"I'd love to see your notes and a demonstration...is that possible?" She nodded, swallowing her spit. George kissed her, a soft calming kiss, when he pulled away his eyes were filled with a soft sorrow. "I'll have to work harder on making you know I trust you, that I trust in your ability to know what could be good for the world."
"I forget that," Harper admitted.
"Please go lock yourselves back in your room, I don't think I can handle another minute of this," Fred commented with a fake look of disgust.
"Oh be quiet, Freddie," Angelina said, giving a dreamy sigh.
George got to his feet, helping Harper to hers while Angelina protested to losing her backrest, "let's talk to Joyful. We'll see if she has a use for it at Mungo's."
Harper could only stammer, tears brimming her eyes, she'd been so terrified of telling anyone her idea. She'd been so worried that hearing she wanted to use her ability to help would turn people off. All these years of running from it, from pushing down her curse at every moment she could, to want to actually willingly use it was a big deal in her mind.
George pulled her along the grass to their friends who were dancing to the music as the fireworks fell around them.
She smiled at the back of his head, her heart swelling, a new reason why she loved the red head pulling her along forming in her mind.
"I know, I'm unbelievably perfect," he winked back at her, pulling her into his chest, beginning a small dance to the music.
"I love you," Harper muttered, kissing his cheek.
George spun her away, pulling her back, he pulled her into a deep dip, his nose brushing hers, smiling at her just as a green firework burst above his head, illuminating his smile. "I love you, immensely."
****
Harper watched George, over the edge of her book, muttering to himself as he held his robes in front of him in the mirror. He stood with a hand on his hip, running a hand through his hair as he nervously tapped a foot, looking into the mirror with a harsh scowl. It had been four months since the battle and tomorrow was their quiet grand reopening of the shop while Hogwarts students were still shopping for last minute supplies, both Fred and George were growing nervous as the day got closer.
She'd found not only Fred stressed and awake at odd times in the morning, but occasionally she'd also found Lee in the shop below at one in the morning, as if he'd never went home after they finished their shop meetings.
"Sweetheart? Is everything alright?" She asked, lowering her book, stretching her legs out from under her as she sat in her chair bedside their bed.
"Yeah, yeah," he gave her a tight smile, looking at her through the mirror.
"Would you like to get something to eat? Or go for a walk?"
Flashes of him nervously standing at the mirror crossed her mind, her breathing hitched slightly, Harper worried her bottom lip.
"Are you alright, Harpsichord?" George asked, his voice soft.
"Yeah, just....." a large pit was forming in her chest, the uneasy feeling spreading through her. "A bit of déjà vu....you know how it goes..."
George scowled slightly before the realization of what he was doing hit him, "Oi I'm such a git," he muttered walking to her side in two quick strides.
"George-" he knelt down beside her, taking the book out of her hands and interlacing their fingers. Kissing them individually before pressing them to his face, his eyes watching the engagement ring glint in the soft lighting.
"I am so sorry, love," he whispered. "I was going over tomorrow....I completely didn't realize...."
His brown eyes looked up at her, big and slightly worried as he continued to rest her hands against his skin. Breathing deeply, Harper felt her face flush.
"Everything is set, do you want to go over it again?" She offered. George shook his head, breathing deeply, Harper got to her feet and pulled him to the floor, sitting them against the bed.
"What're we doing?" George chuckled, she smiled as she gently moved to sit across his lap, running her fingers through his hair.
"Just close your eyes and take a few deep breaths with me." Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, his fingers tracing circles on her hipbone as she silently counted to six before each exhale.
"Why the floor?" He whispered, continuing to keep his eyes closed, following her breathing.
"Can't sit comfortably together in our chairs and I'm trying to calm you down, not rile you up right now," brushing her fingers through his hair.
"Sorry to break it to you, love, but you should've chosen the chairs then," George opened an eye, a smug look on his face. Harper rolled her eyes, pressing her lips to his cheek, George catching her lips with his own. "Alright, love?"
"Alright," she whispered, she began to trace some of his freckles as they sat there. "You know, when you were getting ready for Bill's wedding last year...there was this moment where I was looking at your tie and it changed....like the scenery and the tie I was holding did too...." George frowned slightly, tilting his head to the side. "I was remembering you in your robes before our first opening...."
"Harpsichord..." His eyes shimmered.
"No, it's alright," Harper shook her head, kissing both of his cheeks. "Watching you just now brought back that memory too-"
"But that was the same time you were taken," he whispered, his eyes watering further.
"It felt like a nice memory....I thought," Harper's thumb ran along his jawline, tracing down his neck and to his chest, traveling across to his arm until finally intertwining their fingers.
George was quiet for a moment, giving a smile as he nodded, leaning his head forward to rest against her collarbone. The light scent of firewood infiltrating her scenes, embracing her in its comforting aroma as always.
"It was a nice memory," he whispered, his throat bobbing.
Harper leaned away, taking his face between her hands, George quirking an eyebrow. Awaiting her next words.
"Would you like me to get the one love potions I hid, to make you feel better?" Harper said with a sly smile, her lips inches away from his.
George chuckled, his thumbs continuing to trace circles on her arms, "you didn't save one. There's no way."
"I guess you'll just have to take my word for it," Harper giggled, his hands trailed to her waist, his fingers slinking immediately under her shirt.
"I feel I've been a bad influence on you, love."
"No, just the right amount," Harper gave a wink, George laughed, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist causing her to arch forward, her fingers playing with the edges of his hair as she pressed her lips firmly to his.