Disclaimer: I own none of the characters associated with Harry Potter nor the locations, etc. It's all J.K. Rowling's property. This is just a harmless excercise and I am in no way profiting from this. Don't sue.
A/N: So this is a new story. I've been trying to write something new for ages but couldn't think of anything. Then I got a request from AphroditeAwry to write a sequel to my Angelina/George stories. This story is technically a prequel, and I'm not sure if it's any good at all. Please give me some constructive feedback so I cna spur myself into writing another, hopefully better story. Thank you!
Angelina Johnson couldn't recall a time when she had ever been so frustrated with shopping. It was true that shopping wasn't her first choice for a hobby, but in general her trips were often enjoyable, particularly when she was surrounded with friends. However, this foray was yielding far more stress than results. She, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell were wading waist deep through piles of multi-colored fabrics in Madam Malkin's.
"What about this one?" Katie asked. She was holding up blue, silk dress robes.
"They're nice, but are you sure that color blue is right for you?" Alicia offered her opinion from behind a rack of old-fashioned robes.
"Yeah, I reckon you're right." Katie agreed. She hung up the robes in question and went to join Alicia. "I do like the more traditional style but I don't want to look dated…" Katie said. Alicia murmured her agreement as the two sorted through the rack.
Angelina was lost in her own musings. Unlike her friends, she was situated a little further down, looking at robes that more closely resembled Muggle dresses. She was more partial to this particular style, partly because she had experience with Muggle fashions and partly because she couldn't stand the multiple layers that adorned the traditional robes. She sighed. Her vision was starting to get blurry from staring so long at so many colors, wondering what went right with her complexion and what cut would flatter her body.
Madam Malkin swept towards the girls. "Have you finally found something?" she asked. Her usually impeccable silver hair seemed a little wilted and her usual cheerfulness was depleted. This probably stemmed from the start of term rush. Not only were the students of Hogwarts looking for school robes, but the older ones all needed dress robes as well. The boys rushed in and out as usual, ordering standard robes and getting their measurements done. The girls were not so quick.
"I think I have," Alicia said. She was holding up lavender robes. They were long sleeved with a low cut front and back with a skirt that draped down and hugged her body tightly. Angelina admired her friends choice.
"A fine choice dear," Madam Malkin echoed Angelina's thoughts. "Though we will have to do quite a bit of work to make it fit properly. Alicia nodded. It was no secret that she had been gifted with an enormous chest and a tiny everything else. Angelina found her self snickering slightly at the worried look on Malkin's face as she conjured up measuring tape.
"Angie, what about this one?" Katie tapped her on the shoulder. This time she showed Angelina pink robes. Unlike Alicia's robes of choice, Katie's were cut in a style similar to the dress Angelina had seen long ago in the movie Sleeping Beauty. Angelina would have detested the dress on herself, but found that somehow it suited Katie.
"They'll look beautiful on you," she told her friend. Katie smiled brightly and hurried off to join Alicia in being measured.
That left Angelina to her own devices. She sighed once more as she realized that she had no idea what kind of a dress she wanted. The bell to the store rang as more customers entered. Angelina didn't bother turning around, too distracted with the task at hand. It wasn't until two pairs of hands grabbed her that she realized who had just come in.
"Oi! Angie!" the boisterous yell of Fred Weasley startled her and she nearly toppled into the rack. Both twins reached out to right her.
"Hello Fred, George." she greeted. It was lovely to see two of her best mates again. Fred was grinning broadly at her, mirrored by George. She smiled at the fact that both of them had dimples, but on opposite sides.
"What are you looking for?" George asked her. Fred was already raking through the racks, staring with distaste at a white, lacy gown.
"Dress robes." Angelina shrugged nonchalantly.
"Oh yeah, we've got to get those too I expect." Fred said to George.
"Just make sure mine hasn't got lace on it." George quipped, seeing the dress in his twin's hands.
"What are you two going to get?" Angelina asked them.
"Oh, just the normal kind-" George stared.
"-You know, black and white," said Fred.
"Not cut too tight-" George added.
"Nothing too fancy." Fred finished.
"Lucky you," Alicia arrived, robes in tow. "Blokes never have to work to find their clothing."
"Have you found yours yet Angelina?" Katie joined them. Angelina shook her head.
"Not yet. I'm getting sick of looking. Maybe I'll just come back another time."
"All the good ones will be gone by then," Alicia protested.
"What are you so fussed about?" Fred asked. "It's not as though we even know what they are for."
Katie glowered at him. "Well it's obviously for something important, Fred Weasley." she and Alicia exchanged eye rolls.
Fred was unperturbed. "Want to go to the joke shop, George? I saw Lee wander in a few minutes ago."
"I'll go; I'm almost done here." Alicia said. Angelina his her smile. It was a well-kept secret that Alicia fancied Lee Jordan, the twins' best friend.
"I'll go too." Katie said.
"George?" Fred asked.
George looked over at Angelina. "I think I'll keep Ange company. We'll meet you guys there." Fred shrugged and led the three of them out of the shop. Angelina smiled gratefully at him.
"Thanks. I'm having a hard time finding something, especially since I don't know what their for. Your dad didn't give you any hints, did he?" she asked.
"Nope. Won't say a word about it. And Percy is walking around like the right foul git he is, hinting but never giving us a real clue." George pronounced this without any real venom. Though he and Percy never saw eye-to-eye, he never really disliked him.
"Well then, maybe I had just better pick something and be done with it." Angelina said.
"Let me pick." George surprised her with the request.
"What?" Angie asked, shocked.
"I'm a bloke. I know what we like. Let me pick." he was already browsing through the racks. Angelina considered his offer for a moment. If he had been Fred, she would have immediately shot him down, knowing that the robes would be the most awful the store had to offer. But George…he might actually do a fair job of it. Besides, she had nothing to lose.
"Alright. I don't like the traditional robes." she told him.
"Good. They wouldn't look good on you anyway," George said without looking up. Angelina scoffed and he amended his statement. "I mean, they would cover up all the good bits of you that people want to see."
"The good bits?" she asked. Angelina rose a brow and George flushed a little.
"You're a girl. You know all about the effect the good bits have on us guys." he held up a gold gown, comparing it to her.
"And what effect is that?" Angelina joined him near the racks.
George's smile widened and he looked over at her. "I can't tell you. It's man code."
Angelina laughed. "Fair enough Weasley." George selected another gown and held it up next to the gold one.
"Be right back." he swept off with the two robes without another word, leaving Angelina confused. Within seconds he returned with Madam Malkin in tow.
"You want this robe in this color, dear?" Malkin asked. She was holding up the gold dress, but gesturing to the second one in her other hand. Angelina blinked.
"I-"
"She does." George cut her off. Malkin looked between the two of them for a moment. George nodded.
"Alright, why don't we see what I can do?" Malkin seized Angelina and dragged her toward the fitting rooms. She had just enough time to glance back at George. He was leaning against the rack with a self-satisfied smirk.
"Trust me," he mouthed at her.
Inside the changing area, Madam Malkin was already waving her wand, murmering quietly to herself. All at once the gold gown began to change shape, transfiguring itself into a style similar to the one George had picked out.
"Here you are, dear," Malkin shoved the robes into her hands. "They should fit properly. I remember your measurements from when you ordered your Hogwarts uniform." she hurried out to serve another customer.
Angelina studied the outfit in her hands. She had to admit, it was gorgeous. The gold fabric was smooth and cool, not silk, but something she didn't know the name of. It shimmered slightly under the lamp light. She wondered what it would look like when she put it on. She felt slightly perturbed that George had so quickly found robes for her when it had taken her ages. Still, she removed her clothing and slipped the dress over her head.
The fabric fell to her shoulders, exposing her toned arms and what she supposed George would call the "good bits" of her. The rest of the dress was simple, draping loosely over her body, clinging in the places she knew would make boys swoon and her dad worry. She admired herself in the mirror, switching angles to see herself better.
"Well?" George's voice from outside the changing room door.
Angelina swung the door of the changing stall open. "It's beautiful, George!" she exclaimed happily. George on the other hand, hand gone completely silent. He was simply staring at her, the back of his neck turning radish red. Angelina felt herself get warm at his reaction. George opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Fred charging back into the shop with Lee, Alicia and Katie behind him.
"Bloody hell, Ange!" Fred raked his eyes over her in appreciation. Next to him, George swallowed thickly and regained his composure.
"I told you about the good bits," George said, smiling. Angelina wanted to say something to him, but Katie and Alicia pounced on her, demanding to see the dress from every angle. In the midst of the chaos, the boys all slunk off.
Later, at home, Angelina hung up her new dress robes in her closet. She had showed her family and they all agreed that the dress was beautiful. Angelina could scarcely believe that George had picked it out. And how he looked at her... even hours later she felt goose bumps prickle her dark skin. She and the twins had always gotten along so well, but George had always been the quieter of the pair. He rarely teased her like Fred did and she had always assumed that if one of them were to like her, it would be Fred.
Was she wrong? She flopped down on the bed, thoughts of her ginger mates running through her head. After minutes of deliberation, only one thing was for certain: though both of the twins may have fancied her, she only fancied one of them.
Liking George Weasley was going to get her into nothing but trouble, of that she was sure.
If only she knew how much trouble it was going to be.
Well, how was it? Drop a review!