Christmas was approaching soon. They went to their last Dumbledore Army meeting until after their short holiday. Lyra smiled at Katie and Alicia as they ranted about Christmas and their families. Alicia's older brother was coming home from America. Katie's two sisters were going to be there and she was going to meet her niece who was just born.
Lyra didn't have a big family to celebrate with, just her parents and her Grandfather. He had been growing weaker, but Narcissa told her he would be joining for Christmas dinner.
Who seemed more excited was the Weasleys. George often ranted about his brothers Charlie and Bill coming home.
She saw as Katie and Alicia happily produced their little animals. Fred and George casted magpies. George's had circled her until landing on her head before disappearing.
Lyra closed her eyes and sighed. She started to think about George, his smile, the first time they kissed, the several other times they kissed and how it always felt like the first time. They were filled with sparks and butterflies.
"Expecto Patronum,"
"Lyra!" Katie gasped.
She opened her eyes to see a silver butterfly fluttering around the room. She broke out into a giant grin. She had done it. She turned to George, he was already watching her, he gave her a golf clap to be funny. She rolled her eyes playfully at him.
"Well done, Lyra! Brilliant!" Harry praised.
Almost everyone could produce one now. But Harry said they would be moving on to some jinxes but would come back to producing a patronus.
During class, George would send his patronus to circle Lyra, it seemed keen to stay and bother her. She rolled her eyes as her friends began to giggle hysterically.
"Will you snog George after this lesson?" Katie taunted.
Lyra nudged her before her cheeks turned bright red. She glanced over at George who was clearly having a student give him money from some bet.
After class, Lyra noticed Cho and Harry staying back. She decided to give them some privacy and followed her friends out. She started laughing at what Alicia was saying before she felt a tug at her jumper.
She was pulled back as the group continued. She looked back to see George with a mischievous smile on his lips. She quickly slapped his hands away.
"George, it's cashmere!" She hissed as she smoothed the fabric out. She looked over her shoulder to see Fred walking away with a secure hand around Angelina. Lyra saw her friends smiling before continuing on.
She felt him intertwined their fingers together. She looked up at the tall man before her. He had a content smile on his face.
"Embarrassed to be seen with me?" He tweaked an eyebrow.
"No." She replied too quickly. "I-I was going to study with Alicia and Katie. I didn't want them to think I was ditching them." She glanced back again but they were gone. She wasn't embarrassed, she was scared to be seen with him. It wouldn't be good for either of them. If her father found out she was sneaking around with a Weasley... Nothing good would happen. He'd ruin George's reputation and then he'd kill Lyra for being disobedient.
"I'm only teasing." He cupped her face sweetly. "Are you alright?"
"Of course..." She tried to smile.
"I was told when girls say they are alright, they really aren't."
She stifled a laugh. "Really, I am. It's just..." Something had been weighing onto her. The thought of them... They were only kissing, nothing else and she didn't want it to stop but they couldn't openly be together and he was graduating soon. Nothing would work out in the end. "are we just snogging?"
He pulled a puzzled look. He really didn't expect that question.
"We aren't right now." He pointed out with a seductive grin.
"You know what I mean, George."
He hadn't really thought about it. He knew the stakes of them being together, he was a risk taker, but this could get Lyra in trouble. Mr. Malfoy had already proved he had no problem hurting his children. He didn't want her to be harmed because of him. But he also didn't want to be quiet about his affection for her. He hated that he couldn't wrap his arm around her the way Fred could for Angelina. It wasn't fair.
"I like you, Lyra." He started with. "But your dad isn't going to like finding out I'm snogging you."
"He doesn't have to know." She blurted out. "It's just... if the Slytherins find out, they'll tell Draco and he'll tell our parents and I'll be punished. We'll be punished."
That was nearly impossible. George knew that. If he snogged her in front of his friends, they'd spread it around school, a Weasley and a bloody Malfoy. It wouldn't work out well. It'd get out in a heart beat.
George was disappointed in their circumstance and Lyra knew that. She ran her hands down his chest. His jumper was made of wool, possibly a second-hand uniform from the small tears that were sewn shut. Hers were always brand-new. If she had a slight tear, it was thrown away and replaced with a new one. She was realizing how spoiled she was. She looked up into his brown eyes.
"How well do secret relationships work out?" George inquired.
"I haven't the faintest idea." Lyra admitted. "I wonder if my Aunt Andromeda would know." She frowned slightly at the thought.
"I suppose I could find out for you." It was a joke but her eyes lit up.
"You know her?"
"Er, yeah. She's apart of the- the family." He staggered rubbing the back of his neck. He almost made a slip-up on the Order.
"What is she like? Sometimes when I get in trouble my father tells my mum I get it from her side of the family." She let out a small giggle.
"She's great. She's a good woman. I like her. But her daughter Tonks, she's wicked funny. She knows how to raise hell." He chuckled. He quite enjoyed how Lyra's eyes lit up. "Ted, Mr. Tonks, he's a good man. Nice bloke."
"Tonks? Why does my cousin go by her last name? That's quite odd."
"She hates her name and for good reason, it's Nymphadora." George cringed.
"It's not so bad." Lyra defended. "I have so many questions. I always wanted to meet her. I never got to meet any of my aunts and mother doesn't speak about them. Andromeda is off topic. She's dead to the family. Sometimes I feel like her, George. Sometimes I feel like the black sheep."
"Even though you didn't get me a Christmas present, I'm sure I can give you one." He replied slyly. She rolled her eyes at him. "Oh no, don't worry, I'm not bitter about it. It's only I had my eyes on these really nice socks-"
"George," She warned.
"You can just get me a birthday present." He shrugged with a smirk, chuckling at her rolling her eyes at him once again. Something that happened a lot with them. "Fine! Alright! It's just out of the goodness of my heart. I'll give you Mrs. Tonks address, you can write to her."
"Come here!" She tugged him by the tie, pulling him down to give him a passionate kiss but he didn't seem to mind as he began to dominate her lips. He started to back her against the wall when they both heard the door emerge from the wall and crying.
The two turned to see Cho Chang looking quite startled, catching rivals making out. But she quickly rushed away with red cheeks.
"Was she in there the whole time?" George asked.
Next, Harry Potter emerged. He looked confused. He seemed surprised to catch George and Lyra together.
"Er, hi George... Lyra." He quickly rushed down the corridor without another word.
"That's... Weird." Lyra muttered.
"Yeah, that's one way to put it."
The two shared a look before breaking into an awkward laugh. They sort of got caught and they sort of caught something as well.