Home is where the heart is.
I missed him. I missed him more than I could ever express with words. I sighed, breathing in the warmth of the crackling fire; hoping somehow it would melt the icy pain that rushed through my veins. I knew Harry was just as sad as I was, but we were both too distraught to talk about it. So I was alone. Mrs Weasleys' astounding attempt to bring my life back to normality was admirable, she'd always practically been my Mother, and I loved her dearly. The photo album lay on the floor, the tatty leather cover wearing thin and my head rested on my knees as I sat beside it. We were so happy, I watched as Dad and I hugged each other tightly proudly wearing our Gryffindor hats and scarves, we were proud to be different. Dad and I were never like the rest of the Black family. Harry had no living relatives, my Dad was his Godfather, the only piece of almost family he ever knew. Me ,I had family, but they didn't care, didn't want me,to them I was not their relative. With a flourish of my wand, a small Hedgehog leapt out of nowhere, it scurried and hopped around the room and into the air, leaving wisps of silvery blue behind it. A tear drops trickled down my face, and as it did so a Coyote leapt over the sofa and flew past my face and joined the Hedgehog in their flight of happiness. Hastily ,I wiped away my tears yet I could feel that my face was still damp with sadness.
"Hey" a friendly voice muttered, I quickly turned my head in the direction of the noise until my eyes met his.
"Hey George" I choked,forcing a smile, our patronuses vanished as he walked over to sit opposite me by the fire. His hazel eyes glanced at the photo album, I could tell he decided not to ask, incase he upset me.
"How do you know I'm George?" he smirked at first, but then his mouth burst into a grin.
"Your eyes" I smiled, waving my hand near the flames, feeling the heat.
"But we're twins, our eyes are the same colour, even Mum has trouble telling us apart"
"Not the colour" I replied "Just something different" an awkward silence elapsed for a few moments until we both laughed because there was nothing to say.
"It's nice to see you smile Anna" notes of sympathy and sincerity lingering in his voice. The radio buzzed in the background. I picked up the photo album and patted the floor next to me, so he would come and sit next to me. George scooted over , so our arms were touching.
"So this is why you're awake at 2 o'clock in the morning" George looked down at the brown leather cover, he was concerned, everyone was, but wounds take time to heal, why didn't they understand?
"you don't have to pretend to be okay all the time, you know that, right?" his voice was mellow and soothing. I gave a single nod and slid my head onto his shoulder and closed my eyes as he flicked the pages of moving pictures.
I liked George, I really liked George. George however, was too good of a friend though, I never wanted to mess things up and lose him. When I heard the small dull thud , the closing of the album, I opened my eye once more. The radio sung quietly, I could tell it was the weird sisters playing. George rose to his feet and held out his hand. "Care to dance?", there was a twinkle in his eye,I could feel my cheeks burning red with embarrassment but I agreed to the gesture. He pulled our bodies close together in hug , noses almost touching ,and we swayed back and forth. George ran his fingers carefully through my mahogany curls and kissed the top my head. I felt like I was floating. Calm and free on an ocean of the night sky. The twilight caressing my skin as my fingertips brushed the stars that twinkled by. My head swiftly moved off his shoulder and I stared into his eyes. We'd been dancing for so long that the songs had changed numerous times. Before I knew it his hand found it's way to my cheek and his lips met mine. A short lived giggle burst through our parted lips as we bumped noses. His lips were sweet like honey, and charged with electricity,which made my whole body shiver. What was happening? I was kissing George, my best friend George. His hands dove into my hair as we moved in tandem, meeting in tempting exploration. George regretfully pulled away, yet kept hold of my hand.
"Anna, I-" but before he could finish, I slipped out of his hands and ran up the stairs leaving behind a confused and hurt George. What was I doing? I couldn't lose anyone else, if George and I didn't work out, we could never piece back together our friendship. He would be gone like my Dad.
Breakfast at the Burrow
The house buzzed with activity,the knitting needles were busy knitting their own jumper,Mrs Weasley busied herself with everyone's breakfast, Harry and Ron were hurrying to get ready for breakfast in time,Ginny and Hermione were of course already dressed and sat chatting away in the living room. Loud bangs every now and then tore through the carcass of the house, for any other wizarding family this would have been a shock, but everyone knew the twins were working on products for their joke shop . Mr Weasley on the other hand was de-knoming the garden for the fifth time this week.
"Breakfast" Molly Weasley's voice bellowed through the house. " Anastasia dear, help me lay the table" she said with a sympathetic smile. "Sure" I smiled.
"I'll help too" beamed Hermione , taking hold of a stack of plates. Ginny made no such offer as she was too preoccupied with her pygmy puff. "How are you?" this time her smile had vanished.
" Getting there" I smiled in the absence of hers "I just need time, but I'm feeling much better" I had an inkling Mrs weasley was listening, so I didn't say much.
"That's good. That's great!" Her words were hesitant "You should talk to Harry, it will help – trust me" She wrapped her arms around me in a reassuring hug.
"Thank you" I whispered.
We all gathered around the breakfast table, the boys and Ginny polished off their bacon and eggs, whilst Hermione and I munched down a bowl of cheeri owls.
"Where did you disappear to last night Georgie?" announced Fred.
"Oh – um , I came down to get a drink" stuttered George, I always liked how he was slightly quieter than his twin.
"It took you an hour and a half to get a drink,did it? Are you sure you're alright?" Fred enquired further. George glanced at me, I attempted to keep eye contact, but the moment had passed.
"Now you mention it Fred, You do look rather peaky George." Mrs Weasley had now joined the conversation. I felt awful. Worse than awful. But George was too important to me, I couldn't lose him, I loved him too much.
"I'M FINE" George left the table and ran outside. I kept thinking about our kiss, it made me feel dizzy. I'd never seen George like this before. The table became deadly silent, we were all waiting for something to happen, though no one was sure what.
"Should someone go after him?" uttered Ginny.
"I'll go" I stated,but I'm sure everyone detected the uncertainty in my voice.
Wandering in the Weasley's Garden
The weasley's garden was more of a miniature forest, wildly overgrown and untamed. But it made me feel safe. George was nowhere in sight.
"ugh, where are you George" I muttered to myself.
"Up here" I looked up to see a smirking Ginger haired boy sitting in a tree
"Come down"
"Why don't you come up?" Still feeling dreadful about fleeing from our kiss, I climbed up and joined him.
It was awkwardly quiet for a while, neither of us could bare to look at each other.
"I'm sorry" I breathed.
This time he looked directly at me, almost staring. "I'm sorry too" then he looked away.
"Why are you sorry?"
"I misread the situation, I didn't mean to upset you" his voice trailed off, and all I wanted to do was kiss him again and tell him how I feel. I replied quickly , so he knew I meant it.
" You didn't upset me"
"Then what did I do?" he grabbed my hand and pulled me over to him, so I was by his side.
He made me nervous, I'd wanted to be with him for so long ,and I had to act like I didn't.
"Everyone's worried about you, come back inside" I couldn't face it, I had been hopelessly taken with George for years, but we'd entered a danger zone and I didn't know if I should move forward or exit.
"Anastasia , Please, tell me"
I could feel my eyes watering "You're my best friend George, I don't want us to be together"
George couldn't bring himself to look at me , his eyes were as damp as mine. " but only because I don't ever want to lose you, I can't bare to lose anyone else" my face was streaming with tears.
"Anna" he whispered against my mouth. His breath felt warm and sweet against me.
I knew what he was feeling. I was feeling it, too. I didn't want to talk; I just needed to go with what I was feeling. My words weren't like his – easy to come by and just right - and I didn't want to say something wrong. His breath was a little shorter now as he pulled back slightly.
"Anna- I'll never leave you" My lips moved against his without thought and I wrapped my arms around him. The touch of his tongue against mine ignited a curious, melting feeling in my stomach. My arms held him tighter, closer, and I felt his body shift against mine.
There was no denying what I felt, what he felt. He had been so good to me, so gentle and patient and sweet.
The tree where we sat was one of many in the vast garden . The watery winter sunlight seeped through the iridescent leaves illuminating Georges face. The branches grew in such a curious way that an inverse dome was made. That was where we lay. His eyes reflected the innermost spark of brilliance. It was as though I could see the gears of his mind turning to reveal pure elation, and that moment changes every time I look into them. Every moment that I gaze is different from the last. Each moment is ephemeral and displays a different story about what is going on in that head of his. That's what I saw in his eyes, that's what I saw that was different from Fred.