READ ME!
If you didn't read my profile disclosure then this is important. This story is a continuation of one I started years ago under a different account. I am also "Hockeygirl22" but I can't access that account any longer since I can't get into that e-mail address (I think I deleted it some time ago). I really wanted to finish a story that I started about George and Alicia and all of their friends so here is the continuation. It will make way more sense and be way more funny and adorable if you read the first 6 chapters…but if you are like me and like skipping the instructions out of stubbornness then go ahead. It will still make sense. It picks up halfway through the 4th book, so George and everyone's 6th year.
It will be a little odd since now we know how the series ends and I want to go back and at least finish Alicia and company's 7th year….but don't worry I have my own ideas about how everything will turn out. I can't guarantee I'll make everyone happy but I'll do my best to write a good story and that's all I can promise!
So wish me luck and stay tuned if you please! This part is pretty fluffy FYI but I DO have more substantial ideas for later.
Ps not my characters just my imagination.
"Look at her—she's totally smiling in her sleep!"
"Ali and Georgie sitting in a tree—"
"Don't call me that." Alicia suddenly retorted. She felt her cheeks flushing at the fact that her friends had called her out on exactly what she was dreaming about. Well, she wasn't dreaming about sitting in a tree, but they got the boy right. The warmth of her bed and the softness of her blankets lured her sweetly back into her cozy dream. A certain red-haired boy was kissing her cheek, her jaw, her neck, her collarbone, her—
"Alicia get UP Angelina is starving and she is a real you-know-what when she's—OW Alicia she hit me!" Katie whined loudly.
"Aliciaaaaaaa the guys are sending me exploda-notes again." As Angelina finished her sentence Alicia heard the faint explosion of a paper plane—the twins' newest and most irritating creation.
They're not going to wait much longer." Said Angelina. Katie smiled smugly.
"Yes they will," Katie teased. "At least George will. Have you seen the way he looks at her? It's almost worse than watching you and Fred snog."
"Hey! Fred and I are classy snoggers thank you very much." Snapped Angelina, though she couldn't help but laugh as she said it.
"All right already I'll get up!" cried Alicia. "Just promise me to stop talking about you two getting freaky and I'll go and get dressed."
Katie's smug smile returned.
"I'm sure someone down there wouldn't mind if you didn't get dressed…"
"Katie!"
Alicia was always grateful, in a hateful sort of way, to Oliver for his early morning practices almost always making her late to classes. She was now highly skilled at speed-dressing. She felt surprisingly nervous walking down the stairs to the common room to meet the twins and Lee. Somehow, since their Hogsmeade trip she and George had been perfectly at ease together. He loved how adorable she was when she had to raise up on her toes to kiss him. She loved how when he hugged her she was just the right height to tuck under his chin. He loved the softness of her hands in his, and they both loved that for once someone that they had been dating hadn't asked to have "the talk". They made so much sense together that to talk about it seemed…nonsense.
All that was true at least when they were alone. When with their friends it became another story. Fred and Angelina being coupley, especially after him asking her to the ball officially, and Katie and Lee being ridiculously nosey and gossipy….there was an odd tension for the new duo.
Katie prodded Alicia in the ribs and she sighed in aggravation.
"He's watching you." She whispered.
"shhhhh". Alicia warned. She sucked in her lips as she often did when embarrassed. She loved when he looked at her like that.
"Hey Leesh," he said coolly as they finally got to the bottom of the stairs. Fred was staring at the duo with an unflattering sneer, like he had smelled a troll's feet. Katie was giggling and wiggling her eyebrows creepily. Meanwhile Angelina was making some sort of awkward humming noise and the moment just wouldn't end. Seconds felt like years as they all waited for somebody to make a move or say something. Alicia was internally swearing out all of her friends (minus one). Was it really so weird that two best friends were now…well were something else now? When she woke up that morning all she wanted to do was kiss the freckles off this boy in front of her, and now the embarrassment made her want to run back to her blankets.
"Well this is awkward." She blurted out suddenly with a laugh, desperate to break the moment. Everyone except Fred and Lee laughed.
"This is ridiculous," declared George, "I'm going to kiss my best friend now and if anyone has a problem with that—well they can stuff it." and with that George whisked a thoroughly surprised Alicia into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he paused a moment and locked eyes with her to make sure she wasn't upset by his sudden PDA. She grinned widely and gave him permission to kiss her both fiercely and quite publicly.
"Eeeewwwww" cooed Angelina Lee and Katie in unison, although it was in an approving tone. Fred just groaned.
"FINALLY we got that out of the way. Now can we all go get breakfast?" demanded Lee. Fred's expression hadn't changed but he allowed a jubilant Angelina to take his hand and lead him to breakfast. Katie and Lee followed suit giving the kissing couple a chance to be alone.
"Good morning pretty girl." George whispered, still holding her close enough for her to be on her toes. She closed her eyes and sank down onto her feet.
"mmmm good morning." She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"I'm so glad our friends aren't weird about this. That would be really annoying." he joked.
"Be my date to breakfast?" Alicia asked him coyly.
"I'd be your date anywhere." And he kissed her again.
With the Yule Ball approaching Alicia finally realized a problem with never having had "the talk". She couldn't say with certainty to anyone whether or not she had a date. He had said he would be her date anywhere, but that wasn't satisfactory. She deserved to be asked! And it wasn't as though she hadn't been asked. In fact two Durmstrang boys and one Beauxbaton boy had invited her and she had felt inclined to turn them down. How stupid would she be if he never got around to asking her!
Irritated with her own pettiness she finally turned to Angelina.
"I knew it!"Angelina yelled. "I KNEW you couldn't last without talking about it! HAH." She laughed with pride.
"Angelina, when have I ever had that kind of a talk with a guy?" asked Alicia.
"Never. And that's my point. You finally want something to last more than a month. You finally care Leesh." Said Angelina. Alicia's silence proved that she was in fact correct.
Alicia sighed in frustration.
"Leesh calm down. It's a good thing. Plus, he's going to ask you to the Ball soon."
"How do you know?" she whined, absolutely hating the pitiful tone in her voice.
"Because Fred told m—oops," Angelina started. "Oh well like anyone thinks I can keep a secret."
Alicia's face lit up and she didn't even try to hide the smile that this news caused.
"Katie will be so happy I'll finally go shopping with you for the ball now." Alicia laughed. Angelina was laughing too.
"Just don't tell Fred that I told you!"
The Gryffindors were sitting in potions class not even feigning to be paying attention. Having a ghost as a professor was a wonderful thing at times.
"Alicia seriously you look incredible in that dress." Whispered Angelina. Alicia smiled with her eyes cast down. She wasn't used to dressing up and being so heavily complimented by Angelina and Katie made her feel oddly vulnerable. She had the confidence to know that she was not at all unattractive…maybe even above average. But pretty? Despite her friends' convincing arguments she had trouble believing it herself. But they way that that boy looked at her…the way that she could feel him looking at her now… she turned and found that she was correct. She caught him gazing at her, unaware of how often he actually idly did so, and they both smiled. She looked away and found a small paper airplane land on her table in front of her.
'uh oh' she thought, 'seriously guys? An expla-note in class?'
"Hi pretty girl" the note said. It blew up in a tiny puff, a fraction of the destruction they usually caused. The smoke barely caused a stir in the class, only Angelina and the Hufflepuff boy next to her noticed. Immediately afterward a second plane landed on her desk. She opened it cautiously.
"You look beautiful right now" she read and smiled. Sometimes it was like he could read her mind and know what she needed to hear. He second plane blew up in a slightly larger puff of smoke, this one making an audible sound. A couple of eyes glanced her way but it hadn't been loud enough to cause much of a scene. A third plane landed and Angelinga laughed out loud as she scooted her chair away. Alicia glanced at Professor Binns and saw that he was still talking as monotonously and obliviously as ever. She opened the note but left it on the desk, not wanting to burn her brows off as she had seen the boys to numerous times.
"I have a very important question to ask you. I told you once that I would be your date anywhere and I'm really hoping that the offer goes both ways…"
Alicia squeezed her eyes shut as the note exploded with a loud bang. She, Angelina, and a very confused/frustrated Hufflepuff named Derrick were now covered in a light pink dust. All eyes were on her but all she could do was laugh.
'the color is a nice addition' Alicia thought to herself. She knew any other day she would be irritated by this obnoxious display, but she was giddy with anticipation of the next note. Once the pink smoke cleared she saw the next note on her table. The students had returned to their conversations (and a few to listening to Binns) and Alicia happily grabbed the next note. Angelina and Derrick had scooted into the aisles to distance themselves.
"Will you light up my day and be my date to the ball? If no, just flip this note over and leave it. If yes please crumple this up politely and toss on your desk."
Alicia stared at the note tentatively, making sure she had read it right. She slowly crumpled the note and gently threw it onto her table. It abruptly incinerated itself in a cloud of hot pink smoke that covered the entire third and fourth rows. Silver fireworks that lit up the entire classroom shot off of her desk and spiraled into the air with a piercing squeal as glitter rained onto the students.
"SHE SAID YES!" shouted a pink sparkly George Weasley from atop his chair.
"Good Godric if you look that handsome then I must look simply smashing!" George told his twin brother as he adjusted his top hat. George smiled at him amused. He did look rather dashing. They had begun selling some of their safer practical jokes to worthy students and had been able to buy dress robes that far exceeded those of their family's budget. For some reason though, he was unaccountably nervous for the evening. Everything was in order; the punch had been spiked, the fireworks would go off right at midnight, and he had the most beautiful date in the house.
"George? You ready? We should actually show up close to on time or the girls will use it as leverage on us for years to come." Said Fred. George smiled his crooked grin into the mirror and was assured. The girls were waiting. His girl would be waiting.
"Come on Lee!" yelled George banging on the door to the bathroom.
"I'm coming!" he shouted back, unnecessarily since he had already opened the door.
"You know it takes time to look this good. Come on, look at this hair." He said, wiggling his eyes suggestively. The twins laughed appreciatively.
"Calm down you prat it's not even a real date, it's just Katie." Teased Fred as he turned to the door.
"Yeah…." Said Lee, his eyes cast down. "Not even…real. Just a pity date…you know for her since Oliver's gone….pitiful…" he trailed off but no one seemed to hear him.
The girls filed out of the dormitory doors in height order. Angelina, stunning in her red gown that accentuated her bountiful curves, then stick-thin Katie looking like a model in her floor-length black gown, and finally Alicia. George was caught mid laugh when he saw her and the half smile stuck on his face in awe. He found himself suddenly losing to himself in his old game of staring at the pretty girl for he couldn't take his eyes off of her.
She came down the stairs in a deep blue-gray dress that clung snugly to her Quidditch-toned body. The color turner her bright eyes into a steely-sapphire color that was positively terrifying in its beauty. Her normally straight and full hair was gently curled into smooth and elegant locks that fell gracefully down her back. When she caught him looking a huge smile spread across her beaming face and her cheeks turned a lovely shade of red. George had never beheld a more beautiful moment.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs George realized he had to get himself together. No Weasley could be caught so vulnerable simply at the sight of a woman. He straightened himself up, removed his hat and held his arm out to her.
"M'lady," he said as the touched his arm, "You are a masterpiece." She giggled adorably at his proper manner. He wrapped his arm around her back and faltered for a moment as he felt her skin beneath his hand and realized her dress was largely backless.
'Sweet Merlin she had to wear THIS.' He thought to himself. The urge to kiss this girl on the spot and possibly never make it to the dance was overwhelming at the moment.
"Why thank you kind sir." She replied. "You don't clean up so bad yourself." She teased. He smiled his crooked grin and she was suddenly grateful that he had already placed his arm around her for bloody smile often had an irritating effect on the stability of her knees.
As they entered the ball George immediately noticed the stares that his date was getting. It was no secret that Alicia was pretty, except maybe to herself, but the dress, the hair, the makeup…. He drew her closer to his side trying to fend off the foreign feeling erupting inside of him.
'She's with me you twat' he thought to himself as that bloke Derrick from Hufflepuff gave her the elevator eyes.
"Dance with me, pretty girl?" George asked Alicia.
"I'll dance with you anywhere." She replied.
"Careful now, I'm going to hold you to that Ali." He said smiling.
"Please do." she answered sweetly.
The hours passed all too fast for the dreamy teenagers. The punch was a hit, as was the timer spell that the twins placed on the photo booth that locked the occupants inside for several minutes.
Sitting down after what felt like endless dances Alicia had the opportunity to look around at all of her friends. Fred was holding Angelina's hand sweetly while talking to his brother about the unfortunate situation their youngest brother had gotten himself into (Hermione had just ran past them in a huff). Angelina was beaming, she loved it being known that she and Fred were together. Unlike Alicia, whose stubborn independence often clouded her judgment, Angelina was made to be part of a team. Kit looked gorgeous, even though she had scarcely sat out a dance all night, and was sweetly trying to defend Ron to the twins. Lee was looking at her with a familiar gaze, one that she had often seen from—
"George! Your date is falling asleep with her eyes open, maybe you should pay attention to her." George looked at Alicia who quickly snapped out of her daze.
"Whatcha thinkin' about up there?" George asked as he tapped her forehead. She smiled and swatted his hand away.
"Oh just that…we should all get a group picture. I want to remember this perfectly." The group agreed unanimously and sought out a photographer. They ascended upon the nearest one and loudly declared their dire need of a group picture. The slightly frazzled, slightly tipsy, and rather hodgepodge group condensed. With a puff of camera smoke and many squeals and quite a fall by a few of members of the group the photo was somewhat accomplished.
While helping Fred up off the floor George realized that students had already started to leave the hall.
"Forge! What time is it?" he whispered in his brother's ear.
"um, near midnight. Why?" Fred answered loudly, not comprehending the point of the whisper. George whipped around and grabbed Alicia by the wrist and started running.
"George what the-George you nearly broke my ankle I'm in HEELS!" she shrieked. He looked over his should to assure that she was in one piece, and kept up the pace.
"Come on Leesh!" he called as he pulled her outside into the courtyard. A few other couples had taken solace outside as well and were snuggled up together in various corners protecting themselves against the cold. George removed his coat and draped it over Alicia's shoulders. The hedges had been shaped into a variety of hearts and snowflakes and magically made to twinkle like stars.
"Ok, what on Earth is this all about George?" Alicia asked, somewhat irritated. It had just begun to snow. She shivered under his coat. George just grinned and glanced at the magically-run sun dial in the center of the court yard. It was one minute til midnight.
"There's something that I've been meaning to tell you. And I really don't understand how you can be unsure of it after I've spent the last six years hexing you and embarrassing you and desperately trying to catch your attention." George began. Alicia stifled a laugh; he was surprisingly serious about his declaration.
"The point is that Alicia Spinnet I have been a royal pain in the arse because I like you." George announced. The silliness of the moment was poignant and both Alicia and George laughed at their own childishness.
"And just to clarify, when I say I like you Ali, I mean I like you like you." He finished triumphantly. Her gleeful laugh was cut short by a sudden explosion over the quidditch field. Huge, booming fireworks were erupting in the distance. The sky was lit up in an array of colors and sparks, the rainbows danced across the white snow. Dragons zoomed across the pitch, an enormous Griffin landed in a goal hoop, and Alicia could swear that she saw a fire version of each of their patronuses flash across the sky.
When the display ended Alicia turned to George and found him already looking at her. He suddenly wished she wasn't wearing heels for her new height made it more difficult for him to watch her without getting caught. She put her arms around his neck and let him wrap his arms around her, underneath his jacket so that his chilled hands brushed against the warm skin of her back.
"I like you like you too George Weasley." She said unabashedly. With him in front of her she had nothing left to fear. This goofy, possibly insane, caring, and brilliant man holding her finally made her feel safe. George realized that he had done something right this time; he knew he wouldn't have to work hard to make this work or to ruin it like he did with most girls. They just…fit.
He kissed the girl in blue as the snow settled on their shoulders and in their hair. As they pulled each other closer they both not-so-secretly wished the moment never had to end.
Sorry! The kiss may never end but my chapter has to! Let me know what you think. I know it is PURE fluff but future chapters should be more substantial…and let's face it fluffy. These two let me unleash my inner cheesy-romance author.
