George didn't notice any change at first. During the impromptu party at their house, there had been so much noise and commotion that he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary – other than what had already happened that night.
The house wasn't empty until well after midnight, and it wasn't until George and Mary were lying in bed that he noticed.
"I love you," Mary said into his good ear.
George smiled. "I love you too, Mary," he said, meaning it more now than possibly ever before. Turning on his side, he put his hand on top of hers. Silently, he thanked Clarence, and the Lord, for not letting him jump.
"Will you ever tell me what happened tonight?" Mary asked. "I know you told me a bit when everyone was there, but I'd like to hear it all, from you."
George sat up. "What?" he asked. He hadn't noticed it before, but now. Now, it was there, back again for good, apparently.
Mary looked at him, "Oh, I'm sorry," she said, leaning towards his good ear. "I said – "
"No, I heard what you said." George interrupted her. He felt his left ear again. "I heard you," he repeated softly.
"George," Mary said, hugging him fiercely. "What happened?"
Blinking away tears for the third time in as many hours, George shook his head. "It must have been Clarence," he murmured, putting his chin on top of Mary's head the way he had when they were younger.
"Who's Clarence?" Mary asked, shifting to look him in the face.
George grinned through the tears running down his face. "It's a long story," he began, "but what a story! What a story, Mary!"
"Are you going to tell it to me?" she asked, sitting back against the headboard.
"Of course," he said, copying her position. "It began when Uncle Billy lost the money. I was desperate so I went to Potter, you see..."