Confessions
Character(s): George Weasley & Alicia Spinet
Summary: "When did you realize you liked witches?" Alicia is confused about her sexuality and asks George for advice. Alicia/George friendship, one-sided Alicia/Katie.
Challenge(s): Written for the Friendship Boot Camp #02 - promise and Minor Character Boot Camp #09 - detention.
George and Alicia were in the otherwise empty History classroom, copying lines as a consequence for neglecting to turn in their essays about the Merlin-era wizarding renaissance. Apparently "But it's Quidditch season!" was not an adequate excuse. Binns had disappeared to Merlin-knows-where promptly after giving the two of them their punishment, muttering under his breath about how George was the better twin (since Fred had chosen to skip that day's detention to avoid canceling a date with that smoking-hot sixth-year Hufflepuff. Such opportunities only present themselves once in a lifetime).
After the initial cribbing and complaining, the two of them fell into a comfortable silence, with the frantic scribbling of their quills the only audible noise. It was Saturday afternoon and they both had a million things they'd rather be doing.
Suddenly, Alicia placed her writing instrument down and turned to the better (according to him, anyway) Weasley twin.
"George, when did you realize you liked witches?"
"The first time I saw a Holyhead poster," said George with a grin, not pausing to think. But the grin faded away when he saw the brunette's utterly serious expression. Come to think of it, Fred had mentioned Alicia'd been unusually quiet, but George had just chalked it up to weird girl hormones. But now, noticing the apprehensive look in her eyes, George wasn't so sure. Something was amiss.
"Wait, is something wrong?"
Without looking up at him, Alicia nodded.
"Can you keep a secret? I mean, you can tell Fred, I guess, if you really have to."
"I promise," said George, taken aback by Alicia's uncharacteristic solemnness.
"I keep dreaming about Katie. Like, of holding her hand and stuff having a kid that's both of ours and I get butterflies when she does nice things for me," Alicia said, all in one breath, like the confession had been on the tip of her tongue for months. "She's my best friend in the world; I'm not supposed to feel like that about her. Or about witches in general. And if it has to be a witch, I definitely wouldn't pick her. But Katie's the one. Like, I never even had a meaningful crush until her. Isn't that crazy? What's wrong with me? She has a date with a different bloke every week! She's literally as straight as an arrow, easily further from being a lesbian than anyone else at this school. I have absolute the worst taste!"
By the end of her rant, Alicia was looking right at George, confusion dancing through all her features. "What do I do? What is wrong with me?"
George didn't say anything for a minute, the signature mischievous glint in his eye absent. He reached for her hand.
"There isn't really anything you can do other than sabotaging her dates, which, by the way, I would be totally willing to help you with. But even though that'll definitely make you feel better, it's not really going to solve the problem if she really likes dick, y'know? But you'll find someone else. And I love Katie too, but you'll find someone better. Okay? I promise. You're very beautiful and that means a lot coming from George Weasley, resident Hogwarts heartthrob."
"You're ridiculous," Alicia quipped, rolling her (slightly teary) eyes at George's antics. "But you're also a good friend. Thanks for listening, man."
"Anytime, babe," George answered, slinging his arm around Alicia shoulders and pecking her on the cheek. "That's what friends are for."
She smiled and gave him a huge hug, breathing in his musty scent in gratitude as she left out her tears. They weren't particularly happy or sad; instead, the muffled sobs were ones of relief. She was relieved to finally let out her secret, relieved George took it so well, relieved she had such good friends.
"You know, I think you're right. Even if it won't accomplish anything, putting dung bombs in Roger Davies' socks would definitely make me feel better." Alicia said with a crooked grin, wiping her tears with the sleeves of her jumper.
"Now that's the Alicia I know and love! And Fred and I just made some new extra-strength dung bombs. Guaranteed to smell like dragon dung for four days or your money back! We haven't tested them extensively yet, so don't hold me responsible if Davies breaks into hives or turns purple or something."
"Paying? Don't I get the friends and family discount? And purple might be a good look him." the witch replied, giggling a little at the mental image and heading out of the classroom. The prank idea definitely outweighed the possibility of Binns would return and assign them double lines for skipping.
"Friends and family discount? I'm not running a charity! But I suppose I could make an exception just this once since it was totally Davies' fault Ravelclaw beat us in quidditch last week. Smug little bastard has it coming,"
George trailed after Alicia, pleased at himself for cheering her up. She was in a markedly better mood than she had been in for the past couple weeks. Turns out an evening enjoying the Weasley brand of loyalty and mischief was the perfect medicine for a broken heart.