Sorry for the wait. No internet at my house, campus was closed mid-december, and I couldn't get to a USB port to upload this sucker. Add on top of that catching the plague from my little sister and the rest of my household, and I was in bed sick for days unable to eat. Ugh. :/ Wow, chapter 50... How many more can I pop out? Who knows? O.O Ha, well here's to another 50! Okay lovies, official link to that CD I designed is up in my bio…it's actually pretty funny too. Also in my bio, I've got direct links to fanart I have received for this story, and the art I have done for it is at my deviantArt page all nice and neat in a folder in my gallery. Good stuff.
In honor of the new year and the fiftieth chapter, we'll break the run with a little lemony goodness. Not quite to my usual par as per my PotC fic at OM, but still more spicy than we usually get up in here. Oh well. Enjoy the lemon-flavored cotton-candy fluffiness XD Bwaha.
-FireValkyrie
The Misadventures of the Weasley Brothers
by
FireValkyrie
Chapter 50: George happened to my teapot
sSs
Live and George spent much of the next morning quite seriously. George was coercing the house elves to help him round up supplies and materials they would need immediately (like knapsacks) and putting in owl orders for things Hogwarts simply didn't have (though what George would ever do with a rotary blender and copper tubing, Live didn't want to know). Mainly it was a lot of legwork as they still didn't have an exact plan of escape or point where they would be running away to at once, and that they barely had a ghost of an idea at that. They did, however, agree on one fact, and that was that they both believed that Charlie would help them out if they got as far as Romania before they really decided where they wanted to live in obscurity.
Live thought it was a bit unfair that Charlie would get to see them while they would be leaving Kara and Fred in the dark, but she didn't bring it up as she knew it pained George to have to deceive his twin. At least by omission. And it pained Live to have to leave Kara behind as well. At least George had many siblings to look out for one another. Live only had Kara, and she knew it would be tough on her to be left alone, even for a little while.
"I think we're pretty good on potions supplies," George noted as they lay on his bed in the Gryffindor dorms. Early afternoon light was bright though cold through the windows. His head was in Live's lap, and she was absentmindedly stroking her fingers through his hair. "Between us I think we've got most ingredients we might need."
"Mmm," she mumbled as she pet his hair in thought.
"But there are a few things I would like to get my hands on that might come in handy…" he smirked in self-amusement. "And I know I won't be able to simply order those kind of items…" he rambled in pensive thought. "There are a few people outside Hogwarts who could get it…hmm…owe me and Fred favors. Might be useful if we had some of the more illegal things with us than naught…I'll send an owl to Mundungus and a few of his cohorts…"
"Mmm," Live mumbled in agreement.
George looked up at her to see her eyes sort of glazed over in thought. He wondered if she was actually considering the things he'd been saying, or if perhaps she was caught up in the feeling of his hair through her fingertips. He loved her, but sometimes she really could have moments of blonde-inspired inattention. It made him smirk. He knew how to get her attention. Or at least make sure she was listening. "And I think I'd like to make love to you right now."
Live's fingers curled in his hair as she looked down at his smirking face with an amused frown. "I am listening," she informed pointedly that his shock tactics wouldn't work. "Gryffindork."
George was not discouraged. He waggled his eyebrows exaggeratedly at her. "So how 'bout it?"
She was grinning widely, rolling her eyes in mock-annoyance and looking anywhere but at his face as he was winking and making kisses at her. She laughed, deciding to tease him. "Sure, why not."
George, who wasn't one to give in easily, jumped up and sat in front of her on the bed. She further backed into his pillows with a grin, both daring him and seeing what he'd do next.
"Shall we discuss proper course of action or shall I simply claim you in ways of olde?" he teased with a wolfish smirk.
"Oh? You mean you're actually going to take charge of things?" she teased with an incredulous look. He fixed her with a predatory grin, making her giggle nervously.
He rolled his eyes at her, smirking. "You watch who you tease, woman, I'm only a man," he said before surprisingly springing on her, causing her to shriek with giggles as he covered her neck with kisses. She was giggling though she hugged him, and when he believed he had her thoroughly pinned, he looked down at her with a scholarly expression and an impish wink.
"You prat," she decided as he raised eyebrows.
"You know, if I wasn't such a gentleman--" Live scoffed at that. "--I might actually carry through with my threat regardless."
She grinned. "Well feel free to threaten me any time, George Weasley. I think I rather like it."
He grinned and kissed her, which she really did love, and then looked at her once again. "So as I was saying…"
"Make love to me."
He blinked at her, causing her to giggle.
"That's what you were saying," she pointed out with a grin.
He still observed her with thought, his mind trying to get back on track as it suddenly spun pictures and ideas for him. This wasn't helping him to organize their eventual flight from Hogwarts. Nor did it help to stop the dirty images in his head since she was already below him.
"You could, you know," she added.
"Huh?"
"For real this time."
"Wha?" he said unintelligibly, happily lost in the fantasies that seemed to have spilled over into reality. Live grabbed his face between her hands and made him look at her as the current expression of blithe delight on his face signaled that he wasn't quite all there.
"It's as good a time as any. I know I said I wanted to wait, but…" she sort of shrugged as she pressed the matter. "Well, we'll be gone soon enough…And it's not like we're not gonna be married soon. And well, it might be nice to have a mattress under us…And we are currently here and proper," she pointed out with a smirk and a playful grin at him.
He took a long moment to blink before looking back at her. "I think that was the most unromantic reasoning I have ever heard," he told her with amusement. Color came to her cheeks, but he only grinned and gave her a kiss. "But I do see your point…Remind me to have Dobby help us find a collapsible bed to take with."
She giggled, feeling a bit sheepish even if it was what she currently wanted. "So?"
His eyes fluttered in quick blink. "You're serious? Right now?"
"Well we've been alone for like an hour and a half, George," she immediately justified with minor impatience. "And I can only listen to you talk about potion ingredients for so long when I've got your head in my lap…Where else could my mind possibly go?"
He snickered in her admittance to having quite dirty thoughts about him while he'd been unaware, then he looked offended. "I thought you liked potions! I was trying to be interesting!" he assured.
She grinned up at him. "Well, I do," she countered lightly, "But, it's kind of hard to focus on that when…" She left the sentence hanging for him to fill in whatever naughty memories he might that they'd both shared in the very bed they lay on. She sighed heavily in playful admittance, grinning at him with openness. "And I don't know if you've noticed, George, but you are one freaking hot piece of Gryffindor--" he snickered "--and you drive me all kinds of wild--- will you shut up and quit laughing and strip already?" she cut to the point with slight annoyance as he was snickering and laughing with delight. She frowned and prodded him, deciding that he could think it was as funny as he wanted as long as he took his shirt off. She'd been sitting complacently in his bed for far too long with far too dirty images in her mind anyway. "Dammit George, last time I tell you exactly what I think!"
He was laughing and chuckling and she looked up at him with impatience, however amused she actually was. He couldn't help it. He was just so utterly delighted with her and pleased with himself. It filled him with love and pride and want. "And you still want me to make love to you then? Now?"
She gave him an incredulous look, their levity driving away possible nervousness as they were teasing and playing with one another as much as they were being serious. "Well if you know someone better suited to the job, George Weasley, please point me in the right direction," she teased cuttingly. He gave her a tight-lipped grin, trying to stop his laughter as he knew she was quite serious though her tone would have said the opposite. "Otherwise," she said, grabbing his hands and placing them on her breasts to really get his attention, "I'd very much like for you to make love to me and right here and now. Preferably before I lose interest in you," she teased.
He gave her a light smile and a gentle squeeze. "Yeah?" She nodded with a smile and he smirked, his stomach suddenly a tumult of butterflies and a black hole, falling and almost making him sick with nerves. "Okay."
She rolled her eyes at his one-word answer, but snickered and brought him to her as he kissed her, and purred when his tongue caressed her own. She eagerly had her fingertips under his shirt, trying to maneuver it until he sat up to quickly get rid of it. She followed suit until they were both making out once again, only this time quite topless. As he kissed her throat, she remembered their privacy. "George, the door."
"What about it?"
She snickered as he looked her in the eyes, and she saw desire mingled with love mirrored back at her, his pupils not the only thing expanding in craving. "Ward it," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He snickered in realization, and quickly retrieved his wand from the side of the bed to lock them up without intrusion.
As he came back to the bed properly and tossed his wand to the side, Live tugged at his pants and together they quickly got rid of them. With the ease of an expert escape artist, Live quickly disentangled herself from her skirts and sent them flying across the room. Though they had suddenly sprang upon this idea rather haphazardly, they were so hot for one another with such little effort that it didn't much matter. The time, the place, and the mood were just right. It was as if they wanted one another on some instinctual level without pretense or planning, just gut feeling. It only intensified things that they loved one another so deeply, and wanted that love to spill onto the physical plane.
A shiver went up Live's spine as George kissed her, and her stomach went to nerves and fell at his touch. He made her want to cry and scream and laugh all at once with the way his lips touched hers, and knowing what they were about to do, it only intensified her feelings and the pleasure she took in his embrace and caresses.
"Live, if, if you've got any doubt as to, ah bloody hell, anything, please for the love of Godric Gryffindor let me know right now because I'm quickly approaching a point where I won't be able to stop once I start it all up," George informed with haste, making her smile at the look of intense seriousness upon his face. "I'm dead set."
She kissed his lips, lightly biting the lower one as he panted heavily, a deep growl reverberating in his throat as she let it go. She could tell by his expression that he was ready to love her every way possible, and there'd be no turning back. "I don't have any worries, I want you proper this time," she promised confidently as a delighted shiver went up her spine. She gave him a bit of a sheepish look. "I'm a little scared--"
"Dammit so am I," he admitted in a gruff voice.
She smiled. "Well, I trust you, and I want you, and I want this, and I love you," she laughed nervously. "And I'm excited, and nervous, and, well, I can't really say what I mean, George," she told him with near impatient frustration. "It's just, I want you. I love you and I need you."
"Oh lovey," he told her, kissing her lips as he was feeling all the same things. And if they didn't get this show on the road soon, he was sure he'd end up bringing a premature end to things he wanted her so badly. "I love you Live, and I'm going to love you, and--" he added with an upturn of his lips in cocky smirk, "--you're going to love it." He winked and she snickered before he returned his assault upon her lips, his hand busily trying to rid her of her panties and anything else that was keeping them apart.
He was shrugging out of his boxers when a loud knock came on the door.
"Oh for the love of Pete! Ignore it," Live groaned, wrapping herself around him and exciting him to near frenzy, fumbling with his boxers.
"Oi George!" a voice came through the door. George claimed Live's lips with his own in disregarding the sound. More pounding came. "George! McGonagall's looking for you!"
"Bollocks," he swore hoarsely against her lips, Live straining between listening for the annoyance to go away and to continue on with George for a few crucial moments until they could properly express their love.
"Oi! I know you're in there!" the voice insisted in warning. "And no reminder-ward is going to keep her from coming up!"
"Shit," Live said, her body wracked with need just as much as George's, and with McGonagall on the way, it didn't look like they'd be satisfying it the way they'd planned. Or desperately needed. "Should, should we just--?"
"No-no I don't want it to be so rushed or fast," he grunted with supreme strain, aching. "It shouldn't be so bloody fast."
"Me either, buuuuuut," Live said, looking at him above her with needy panting. He quickly kissed her, his tongue caressing her own in a way that made her stomach drop, and he held her mouth to his with his hand at the back of her neck. The other hand he manipulated between them until he quickly and easily released her from her need, making her sigh with both frustration and satisfaction. She kissed him back with just as much verve, though when she moved to quickly return the favor, he stopped the progress of her hand.
"There's not quite enough time," he told her with a smirk and a pained grin. He kissed her once again deeply. "Now hurry up and hide. I've gotta do something about hiding this," he said of himself with rough annoyance.
Live sighed heavily, still panting as she looked at him with sated but desirous eyes. They were both covered in a very fine sheen of sweat. "George, why don't you just let me--?"
He snickered painfully. "I told you, not enough time."
Though indeed they didn't have enough time to argue, let alone perform all the dirty thoughts lingering in her mind, Live pressed the point. "Are you saying that you can hold off on it longer than me? Or that you're better at what you do? You're not that good, George Weasley."
He smirked, still panting, but tore himself off her. "That's not exactly fair right now, Live."
She frowned lightly, but grabbed his face to hers yet again and kissed him hard. She looked him in the eyes. "I have more than just a few tricks in my bag," she said as she got off the bed wrapped up in his sheet. She borrowed his wand and pointed it at him with a look of deep focus on her face, and before he knew what was happening, even as she was tossing the wand back on the bed, walking towards his bathroom to hide with the sheet trailing after her, he feel to his knees with such sudden wonderful release that he hadn't even known what was happening. She hadn't even touched him.
A knock on the door proved he didn't have time to think on it even a bit as he quickly tossed on layers and cleaned stuff up the best he could- which wasn't nearly half as good as he would have liked, and not in his current state, barely recovering.
"Weasley, a word," McGonagall's voice came through the door without so much as a warning.
"One minute!" he called frantically, knowing full well that she would come right on in if he didn't quickly open up. Having him and Fred for her pupils all these long years, the Head of Gryffindor had learned a few things about letting them 'hide the evidence', and it had become an unwritten rule that if they didn't open promptly, it was practically inviting her in for thorough inspection. Though learning the hard way a few times in second year had taught them proper enough. Being caught in one's underwear when one was actually telling the truth about being naked was enough for them to learn to move with speed. He just hoped Live hid in the bathtub or something in case she decided to give his dorm the once-over.
"Weasley," McGonagall's stern voice came again in single warning.
"Let me put some pants on!" George shouted through the door. He could hear her grumbling about pants and fireworks seconds before she decided to dis-spell his wards and enter the room. Luckily for them, he had pants on, and had had just enough time to shove clothes and a few illegal things under the bed. George put on a charming smile as McGonagall entered the room. "Can I help you ma'am?"
McGonagall's eagle eyes slowly inspected the room for any misappropriations that might be therein. "I'd like a word or two," she said, though she looked about suspiciously. George knew she was thinking on his ward to keep others away. Though it didn't put much to her imagination as to wonder why a seventh year boy, or any boy for that matter, locked himself in his room alone and warded it so others would steer clear. Either he had a girl in there, or he was getting to know himself a bit better…
She went towards their bathroom, and George tried to dissuade and stop her, but she demanded he move (with a bit of precaution as one could never know what those boys could be cooking up inside a bathroom) and with the turning of the handle, George inwardly and outwardly cringed. There was no doubt they were busted. McGonagall wasn't one to leave out checking the tub itself, and Live was wandless, loathe to do much better than hide in its recess. Unless the Slytherin had actually been practicing wandless magic more than George was aware, he was pretty sure they were going to be majorly busted.
The Head of Gryffindor gave the bathroom a cursory look, and as George was waiting for the shouts and condemnation that was sure to follow, ("Professor McGonagall I swear I don't know how she got in here or where her clothes went!") he was surprised when she turned in satisfaction and went back into the bedroom at whole.
"What the…" he muttered, peeking in to see. The sheet Live had covered herself in was laying on the bathroom floor in a pile. His dirty clothes from that morning were still on the floor where he'd left them, and everything otherwise seemed normal. He grinned to himself as he looked at the bathroom window that viewed out at the castle grounds. Kitty-Nimbles was sitting in the windowsill, tail swishing back and forth and smirking a cat-like smirk at him. "Oh, you clever little witch…" he muttered with a smirk.
"What's that, Weasley?" McGonagall asked from behind.
"Nothing, um, what did you say you wanted again?" he inquired.
"I didn't, precisely," she said with a suspicious glance back into the bathroom. "Whose cat is that?"
"Um, Kelena's…Thing's a hellbeast, professor. I wouldn't advise trying to touch it," he admitted, drawing upon past experiences with Live's animagus form. It wasn't exactly a lie, either.
"Hmph, very well," she agreed, closing the door on the cat and stepping back into the room. George was never more grateful of Live's little 'talent'. "There are some very pressing matters to attend to, Weasley. Mainly concerning the bond between you and Miss Hunter."
He gave her his best nonchalant-yet-attentive smile. "How 'pressing', professor?" he mimicked in slight grin.
"Dumbledore has asked me to check in on you, and Professor Snape will check in on Miss Hunter." George began to sweat a little. He hoped Snape wasn't looking for Live right about now. "You realize there have been incidents in the past week and a half? Suspicious movements about nearby towns?"
"I read the Prophet," George replied begrudgingly of the fact.
She nodded in approval of his knowledge. "Then you'll know how very serious things are becoming right now."
"Yes ma'am."
"Has your chest been ailing you, Mr. Weasley?"
George was a bit surprised that she could know about the recent troubles he'd been having. He hadn't been to the hospital wing lately, and McGonagall wasn't known to double as a Healer. "Well I've--"
"Is it still troubling when yourself and Miss Hunter are separated by great distances? Dumbledore wants to know the extent of your progress in healing from it."
George blinked a moment. "Oh. Um, that's actually considerably better. We've been trying to stay close when we can help it, but if we can't for classes at opposite ends of the castle, well, it hasn't been that bad. Nothing I can't ignore."
"That's good," McGonagall said, satisfied with his answer. "It means you're both healing properly. I'd like to see the two of you on the mend. There are…forces at work which you know would take advantage of the situation otherwise."
George nodded. McGonagall was being precautious not mentioning the Death Eater's interest in Live, but he knew all too well that he had to be strong for the both of them, even if it was sometimes harder than naught.
"It is very important that the two of you are healing properly. No doubt that pain you get when separated could be used against you. And with outside foes moving about so close to Hogwarts and the absence of the heart strings-"
"Like I said, it's not that bad of a problem anymore."
She nodded. "That's good. I'll have more for you later, Weasley. Just please, be on your guard," she warned.
"I will," he promised, still edgy in that Live needed to get back to her dorm so Snape wouldn't suspect their inter-housal love fest.
McGonagall turned to leave, but looked back at George. "And Mr. Weasley, I'm more than certain you're aware of the rules here at Hogwarts?"
"Why yes, professor," he agreed with a smile.
She gave him a look that spoke volumes in opposition to his statement. But she merely gave him a frowning smirk. "Good. Now get that brassiere back to its proper owner and see that you continue to observe the rules."
As she turned to leave, George was left gaping, wondering first how he had missed hiding it, and second, how she had managed not to say anything or even bust him properly for it. Not that she could prove it belonged to Live and not some Gryffindor girl Lee or Fred had had in the dorm…Except for the emerald color and snake insignia on the back…He grinned to himself. So she was fully aware that Live often visited Gryffindor Tower…Well at least McGonagall, in her own way, approved of them.
"You can come out now," George said through the bathroom door as he lightly rapped on it before turning the knob. Live was on the other side of the door with the sheet wrapped haphazardly around her as if she'd been waiting for his OK. She gave him a grin.
"I thought she'd never bloody leave," she said before wrapping her arms around George's neck, leaning up to kiss him as the sheet dropped and pooled at their feet.
Though there were several different feelings, thoughts, and emotions all vying for George's attention at once, he remembered that Live needed to get down to the dungeons in order for their cohabitation to remain unnoticed. "Mmff- we don't have time," George said against her lips even as his hands trailed down her back to cup her bottom.
She gave him a frown to his statement. "What do you mean? It's the perfect time," she said with a slight curl to her lips of delight. "We won't be bothered again. Surely."
"No, I mean, well, mm, yes, but--" He had to mechanically grab her hands to stop their successful removal of his pants. "Did you hear what McGonagall said?"
Live gave him a sort of sheepish look. "Actually, there was this bird nest outside the bathroom window, and I was watching them, and…well it got distracting the way the bird was fluttering about…I wasn't really listening…" She made her weak excuses with a sort of apologetic look at George. "Well it is a bit more distracting when you're all catty."
He only grinned at her. "Snape's going to be looking for you. McGonagall said Dumbledore's been worried about us and whatnot, and he's having them check up on us--"
"Dammit."
"--and if I went ahead and shagged you silly right now like I really would like, no doubt they'd come looking for us and then where would we be?" he finished with a great wolfish grin at her.
She pressed herself against him, thoroughly reminding him just how naked she really was, and gave him a determined look. "Well, we'd be in your bed," she whispered in his ear, "tangled up in the sheets, skin to skin, no doubt for several hours until someone came to look for us--"
"Alright, bloody quit it, this isn't helping," he told her, his voice a rasp as he tried to keep from throwing all thought to the wind and tossing her on the bed. She gave him a sigh and put her forehead on his chest in reluctant cessation. He was breathing a bit faster, but with a near superhuman will, he slid his hands away from her bum and up her back to hold her properly. She turned her face to the side to lay her cheek on his chest, hearing the rapid beating of his heart, and he kissed the top of her head with amazing control. His fingers were itching to caress her everywhere, but her held them steady on her back.
"I guess I need to get to the dungeons then," she said with annoyance lacking will. She'd much rather be in his bed. She wrapped her arms around him, enjoying the solid feel of him as he held her back.
"Hey…Live," George started.
"Hm?" she replied.
"What was it that you did to me before?" he asked, trying to convince himself that it was out of scientific interest that he asked and not the fact that it got him hot again thinking about it. "You didn't even touch me, but I--"
She held her head up to look at him with a smug smile. "You mean what I did to you?" she asked with a smirk, giving his crotch a proper grab for emphasis. The sharp intake of his breath was all the reply her ego needed. "Mortuua Petite. It's a spell I learned a while ago from an old book. I think it gets the job done," she said with a teasing grin.
"A bloody book taught you that?" George was astounded. Never again would he poke fun at those who liked their literature.
"So you liked it?" she said with a smile as he gave her a glazed-over look. She snickered. "See? There's always enough time for certain things…I just usually prefer doing things the old fashioned way, even if they take a bit longer," she said, trailing her hands down the front of his pants again.
He was breathing hard, and he knew he had to get a grip on himself lest he try and get a nice satisfying grip on her. But he couldn't help his current mindset. Not with her toying with him and standing completely naked in his arms. "So I…uh…what else is in that book?"
A grin grew on her lips as she became aware of just how tightly he was holding her, and the amount of restraint he must have been utilizing for the both of them was astounding. "Well that's the lesser of the two spells," Live informed with a wicked smirk. "There's Mortuua Petite and Mortuua Gran. I've only ever used the one spell," she said with a grin at the look on his face.
"What's the…What's the other one do?"
She gave him a rather curious look in introspection. "I don't know actually. The one spell is so powerful, I'm kind of afraid to ever cast the other…it could be dangerous, and I wouldn't want to go about accidentally destroying the nether regions," she said with a smirk as she cupped him through his pants.
"Alright Live, you've really got to get out of here," George told her gruffly even as he pressed against her hand. She sighed with delight. "I will shag you senseless if you don't, and though the irony would be terrifically funny, we would indeed be screwed if the professors came looking for you. And I for one would like to take it all at our leisure."
Though the thought was indeed hilarious, George had a point. He was like a drug, and she was terribly addicted and loathe to let him go. But she somehow managed as he tore his arms away from her and turned lest her naked body tempt him even more. She sighed, knowing it was a current lost cause, seeing logic through hormonal haze, but still not liking it. She was surprised George had such a focus on things as she quite couldn't help herself. George rubbed his eyes as she forced herself to gather her wand and clothes quickly, repeating willpower to herself before her hormones broke reason down.
She was pulling her skirt back on to complete her hastily-clothed ensemble when George turned back to her with decisiveness in his voice. "I'm coming with you."
She raised a single brow at him, her school-tie held in her mouth as she was pulling on a shoe. "Meh?"
He was giving her a quirked smile of amusement for the odd spectacle she was, clothing buttoned haphazardly and slightly skewed, but he highly appreciated the overall tousled look of her. It made him want to strip everything right back off her regardless of consequence.
"Pphu. You think that's a good idea?" Live said as she spit her tie out of her mouth.
George gave her an obvious frown. "I don't like the idea of you traveling all the way down there by yourself. Especially with the possibility of Malfoy being down there and those inhibiting potions still in effect on you."
Live rolled her eyes at him with a smile for his concern as she pulled on her other shoe. "I didn't mean because of that," she clarified as she stood. She bunched her messy hair into a hand and used her Slytherin tie as a makeshift hair-ribbon as she spoke. "I meant because if you follow me down the dungeons and into my bedroom, we're going to be back in square one." She gave him a naughty smirk as she tied off her hair, crossing her arms over her chest. "And personally I would rather have McGonagall catch us than Snape…" she said with a growing grin of self-amusement. "At least she's fair. He might try to castrate you on the spot."
George pulled a painful face and hissed at her mention of castration, his legs subconsciously squeezing together. It made her giggle though he looked quite convinced and a bit more sane through her rationale.
"Anyways George, I won't be just waltzing through the castle down to our commons," she said of the Slytherin dungeons. "Sneakery is one of the reasons I became an animagus in the first place."
He gave her a thinking frown. "Well, that's a start, but still."
Live crossed the space between them to put her arms comfortingly around his neck. "George- and I'm not just saying this for your bloody ego- but if I do get you in my room, there will be nothing to stop me." His eyes were wide with intrigue as he looked back at her with half-crooked smile in pondering her words. "Being in the Gryffindor tower holds a bit of pause for me, mainly because I don't think Lee or Fred have ever heard of knocking let alone privacy. But back in my own element, there will be nothing that can keep us apart. Vivian's always with Pucey and Becca would clear out, and if I got you alone in my bedroom right now for any amount of time, even if Snape came looking for us--"
"Okay I get it," George told her quickly, her words causing his excitement to grow. He could tell she was being serious if not light on the subject, and there was only so much of her that he could successfully restrain himself from. If she saw a zero-danger factor in having him in her room, there was no doubt he would have no choice but to really shag her quite silly, and if her Head of House came looking for her in the time they had an empty room to themselves…Well, quite frankly he wanted children.
Live looked at George a few moments, the both of them wearing quite silly expressions, and she kissed his lips and gave him a thoughtful smile. "I really do want you George. As soon as we can without any freaking interruption," she said with frustration. She bit her lip in thought. "I'll be back here as soon as I've checked in with Snape."
George chuckled. "Well make sure to pencil me in before the holidays, eh darling?" She gave him a playful smack, and he kissed her, holding her body tight against his in want. "Ah, bloody hell, Live. Get out of here. You forget I'm in my element and I have very poor self-restraint." He gave her butt a firm squeeze which made her giggle in response.
Though he still had his arms around her, she took a step away from his person and a second later there was a cat standing on the floor in her place. The face of Kitty-Nimbles looked up at him with the cat's equivalent of a grin, and he ran a hand through his hair with troubles as he looked down at her. She mewed up at him, and he shook his head slightly as if to cast his addlepated thoughts from his brain. He gave her a look as she waited for him to share.
"To still want you though you're currently a cat…That must be some kind of wrong on some level."
sSs
"Don't know what you did, but Snape's outside for you, Hunter," an older Slytherin told Live as the blonde was standing just inside her bedroom door.
"Okay, thanks," Live said as the other girl nodded and went about her business. Live ducked back inside her room to check her appearance again, applying a security-comfort amount of muggle makeup to her skin once more to cover any evidence that George had been playing vampire with her neck. She decided she looked well-enough for anybody to care (that is, her clothing was on properly and buttoned this time) and with a last glance in her mirror she left her vacant dorm (a very good thing that George hadn't come with her) and walked with the air of a queen down the common room corridors.
Still blissfully absent of Malfoy or any of his cronies, Live entered the green-lit common room only to see Snape standing inside it waiting for her. Her surprise was evident, she knew, though she played it off as nothing. Snape didn't usually enter the Slytherin commons as, she assumed, he would rather not witness all the sordid things and petty fights that went on within (and thus waste his energy dishing out punishments). Slytherin ambition might make many of them successful in the long run, but it didn't help to keep things very civil for very long.
"Miss Hunter, my office," Snape directed as he turned on his heel with the expectation that she would follow. Figuring it was as friendly a greeting as she'd ever receive, she did indeed follow him out of the dungeons the short walk to his office.
"Close the door," he instructed as they entered his office.
She did as told, a bit on-edge, and turned with expectation to see him fixing her with a calculating look. It caused her to fidget, and she instead focused her attention on the simmering cauldron on a way table, and the slimy things he had pickled about his office walls.
"Have you been taking your potions as instructed?"
She blinked and looked back at him. "Yeah, every day." She found this beginning of questioning rather optimistic as the subject of her potions was rather at the top of her list of priorities. "Sir, do you think it would be-"
"What of the separation pain?"
She raised a brow a moment in thought, then realized he was talking about her and George's bonded link. "It's better, actually. It's more of a minor nuisance now."
He nodded. "Any complications with your magic?"
She sort of frowned, though wasn't surprised by his lack of interest or courteousness in her own questioning. "My magic's a bit diluted, but I can still sort of use it. Nothing bad has happened if that's what you're asking."
He ignored her last statement. "Diluted? In what way?"
"It won't manifest correctly. I can only smolder things I try to burn, or cool things I try to freeze," she responded concisely with a sigh. He gave her a look of minor condemnation, as if it were some fault of hers and not his potions, before going to his personal stores and taking out bottles and vials, some she recognized and others she didn't. "It's usually worse in midday by the time the potion has really kicked in…I mean, I can still make my magic work, but it becomes considerably harder if I have to think about it."
Snape continued with the apparently more-interesting bottles on his desk as he measured out powdered bits of this and dried pieces of that. Live continued to talk to fill the rather uncomfortable silence as the noises of clinking bottles and slowly-cooking potion did little to ease her mind.
"Sir, I was wondering…Could I maybe only take the potions at night? Like, before I go to bed? My magic would still be balanced…just, we'd be changing the times I have use of it…I think it would be most productive if I could have more daylight-hours of use for my magic as opposed to not functioning properly during classroom time…" She trailed off, her economic-angle not garnering any more attention from him than outright query. She sighed, thinking that, even for her, a Slytherin- and she assured herself- one of his better potions students, that this was rather shabby treatment indeed. Even for Snape. She sighed with abandonment of her previous argument and decided to settle for trying to get as many potions in advance as she could. She'd need them while off with George if she didn't get a handle on things. "Would it be possible for me to get a bunch of these potions so I didn't have to visit as often? Sir?"
He looked up from his work and fixed her with a nearly offended expression. Her eyes were wide with surprise and realization at how her sentence had sounded- ungrateful in the least, and implicative that he wasn't the best of company…Which wasn't exactly a lie.
"Currently, Miss Hunter, the potions are balanced in a way which works cooperatively with day cycles. It is not a simple matter of merely changing your imbibition from day to night," he addressed succinctly in a tone that confirmed her previous supposition that she had offended him. "And as for an advance supply, the potions must be altered from time to time depending on the need of your magic. And as it has yet again changed, I'll need to readjust it once more." She was giving him a thoroughly apologetic look, reeking with self-chastisement. It must have been what he was angling for, because he went back to adding ingredients to his cauldron and uncorking vials. "Though I suppose, until this new batch is ready to be tested--" he said the word as if it was a minor threat, "--I could give you an extra vial to prolong the absence of necessary visits."
Her mouth twisted in a wry sort of smirk. He was doing her some sort of little favor, though she supposed she was being guilted into gratefulness by his actions towards her. Well, she wouldn't let him think she was as ungrateful or useless as all that. "Could I possibly help with the brewing sometime?" she asked, all sorts of ulterior motives in her mind. "I hate being such a burden. I'd like to learn more about making them." She knew she was laying it on rather thick, but it was going to be a necessity that she learn the basic brewing of the potions for herself.
He looked up and raised a single brow in minor surprise. "I suppose you could leech the sap from the stink berries," he said with an icy grin. She visibly sickened. If his goal was to dissuade her by the fact that she might learn what she was actually drinking, then he just about succeeded. She decided to change the subject.
"Professor, can I ask you another question?"
"Your ability to ask questions does not fall under my jurisdiction."
She frowned a moment and rolled her eyes. "May I ask another question?"
"You may."
She huffed in self-restraint. The man was aggravating. But it was nothing new. "Sir, why was I never told about Melinda Harris?" He went back to ignoring her with intense study of his cauldron, but she pressed on. "The one who scarred me…Why wasn't I told?"
He didn't look at her as he spoke. "As it seems that you are already aware of that fact, I find your complaint redundant."
She frowned, a bit frustrated and determined not to drop the subject. "Sir, she scarred me and not a day later she was scarred herself. I think that's more than coincidence, and more than enough reason that I shouldn't have been left in the dark."
He looked up at her with intense agitation. Though Melinda was already at St. Mungos', he wouldn't put it past a Slytherin to desire revenge. Though that was minor reason as to why she hadn't been informed, there was also the fact that her knowing wouldn't change anything, nor could she do anything about it. Melinda had already been questioned, punished, and chastised as far as Dumbledore had seen fit. Enough time had passed since then that any further involvement with Live seemed superfluous.
"It was the opinion of Dumbledore that the matter be closed. The both of you have suffered similar fates and it should be left at that." He gave her a hard look that discouraged against more questioning, and went back to chopping up something small, wriggling, and green.
She wrinkled her nose with dissatisfaction. "Sir someone must have known that she was responsible for burning me far before you and Dumbledore figured it out." He looked up at her, and she pursed her lips with trepidation.
"And you came to this conclusion on your own?" he posed with a raised brow. He studied her face, gauging it. While he knew she was rather astute, he hadn't expected her to have put so much thought to it, though it didn't surprise him. After all, it was her person that had been badly damaged and put at risk because of it, not his. "Are you suggesting someone acted with vengeance on your behalf?"
She realized it sounded a bit arrogant, but that's exactly what she thought. She didn't think Melinda's own burning was an accident. And to be burned so severely was nothing short of nefarious. "It's too coincidental, sir."
Snape sighed and added the chopped green bits to his cauldron. "That is the general opinion…But as we are unable to find any suspects or further reason to believe it was anything other than a bizarre coincidence, the matter has been closed." She was about to speak, but he stopped her with a look. "Unless, of course, you know a responsible culprit."
"No I don't," Live stated. They were quiet several more moments when Live spoke up. "What do you think, sir?"
He didn't look up, but he spoke truthfully. "I believe that there are matters going on of which even we are unaware. If indeed the case that Miss Harris' burns were the result of sabotage and not an accident, then I would advise even you to be on your guard. Against everything. A supposed ally is not necessarily a friend."
She nodded, taking his advice to heart. Though someone had gotten revenge for her, it didn't necessarily mean that it was someone she could trust, let alone someone friendly to hers and her own. And if Snape didn't know what was going on, no doubt they were in more trouble than she had assumed. And not just the bother they were aware of with Voldemort. She was thinking about herself and George, what they were going to do with themselves, and if they could ever hope that apart from his defeat, that Voldemort would just leave them be. It was obvious that Voldemort had nothing to do with Melinda. He was too preoccupied with other more important devices. But that meant that there was something further going on that they were unaware of, and as Snape passed information that even he was unaware, it was clear that things were not going well.
"Professor, can I ask you one more question?" Live posed delicately, valuing his opinion.
He gave her a look that was blatantly discouraging. She held her tongue, cowed by the expression. "You mean another question on top of the others you have already raised?" he corrected with an annoyed look.
"Um…yeah," she answered weakly. He went back to seemingly ignoring her, his attention on slowly stirring the cauldron, though she knew he was listening. "Um…I know there's already a lot of focus on Hogwarts because of Harry Potter, sir," she started, trying to sort her sentences for maximum efficacy as she didn't know how long she could keep his attention. "I mean, the focus of the Dark Lord and his group," she clarified, biting her lip. When he didn't react, she continued. "And I know there's even more focus now, because of me, and that prophecy. And…" She sighed heavily, losing some of her steam on how she knew she was going to make it all sound. "And I was thinking, that, no matter what, the Dark Lord is going to be focused on the school as long as Potter's here, regardless of any of us. And like, it's almost making it easier for him; two birds, one stone. And I was thinking, in theory, that if, perhaps, in theory," she repeated, "that if we were to split his attention--"
"You think that running away will deter the will of the Dark Lord?" he said without looking up. She sort of cringed at his assessment, realizing that she sounded like quite the coward. She couldn't help her thoughts. Self-preservation was at the top of her priorities.
"Well…I was thinking," she weakly defended, "I'm not as important as Potter, and for whatever reasons, maybe he'd stop caring about the long-shot that I am and leave me alone if I was out of sight long enough." She hated herself when she heard herself out loud. She realized it was as if she were willing to serve Harry up to Voldemort just to get herself out of his spotlight. It was a despicable thought, that she'd rather Harry took all the attention of Voldemort than split his malignant interest between the two of them. She felt shame at the possibility of that being some underlying reason she hadn't addressed in her conscious mind. Slytherins were known for ruthless ambition, not nobility.
"Potter isn't any more important than you," Snape immediately said, looking at her with the usual frown. "It is the importance with which the Dark Lord has put upon him which makes him seem important. Potter's as common as everyone else, Miss Hunter. Do not think that simple hiding could keep you from any plans the Dark Lord might have for you."
Live's face fell, a bit in panic at the thought that anyone could be so relentless, and also at the idea that running would do her no good. It seemed a surefire way out. "But professor, surely He's not as interested in my prophecy or me enough to divert from his primary objective…If I was just to disappear from his sights, then he'd just be back interested in Potter, wouldn't he?" She sighed, disgusted with herself and her desperation. "I mean, it's not like I ever want anything bad to happen to Harry, but…Oh I feel like such a coward for even suggesting it."
"There is no cowardice in wanting to live," he told her, wondering when he had taken on the role of personal confessor for her obviously desperate and guilty thoughts. He gave her a good frown, looking at her with utmost seriousness, trying to convey to her the truth in his statement. "Miss Hunter, once the Dark Lord gets an idea into his head, it doesn't leave. He is so concerned for his future world order that he has attempted every possible path that could further secure his place in the new world and fix his outlook to permanent status. If he is convinced that a prophesy has promised an heir from you which will topple the magical world to rubble at his feet, he will make it a top priority to see the possible truth in such a fantastical promise come true. And since it is comparably such an easy task, as you are not under the constant eye and lock and key of Dumbledore and the rest of the world, then he will see no problem in fulfilling this prophecy at his leisure. If you ran, it might further convince him that your prophecy holds much more power and appeal than he might have previously thought," he finished with blunt honesty and truthful opinion.
She looked like she was going to cry. He hoped she wouldn't cry. He hated crying. He didn't know what she had to cry about. As far as he knew, the Dark Lord hadn't yet set a time or day when he wanted the Death Eaters to come and properly claim her. If anything, she was currently on the backburner of the Dark Lord's mind, his pet-project, as it were. As long as she stayed under the radar and didn't go about stirring up trouble for herself, she would be safe.
"What about summer?" Live spoke up, eyes swimming but cheeks dry.
He gave her an inquisitive look. "Evil doesn't rest or take a vacation, Miss Hunter."
"I mean, Hogwarts is all well and good, but what about home? Me and George Weasley are going to get married, and we wouldn't put that off for ever. What about when we all leave until next term? I'm not under any special protections or anything, professor. And beside worrying about myself, my mother's a muggle."
Snape gave her a pensive frown, though he himself didn't yet have a proper solution to this. He wished he could give her some sound advice or hope on the matter, but truly, he didn't have any. "Cross that bridge when you come to it. There is still time before that."
She nodded, though she didn't look the least bit hopeful. He opened something below his desk that she could not see, and he produced two large vials for her in hand. "Take these with you. It should be enough of an advance that your appointments can be withheld for a week," he said dismissively. She took the vials graciously, and nodded, realizing he was done with her.
She opened the door to leave, and started when she saw Malfoy outside. He sneered at her as she made to quickly go by, wondering what he was doing there, but not caring enough to stick around.
"Mr. Malfoy, you're late," Snape's voice came from inside his office. The platinum-haired boy immediately straightened up and went inside. Live exited quickly with a smirk to herself as she heard Snape dishing out orders. "…scrub the scorch marks from Longbottom's desk to start…"
sSs
"Alrighty we've got every color! Pink! Blue! House-colors! Even scented! Choose your parchment! Fool your friends! Pick your poison, we've got it all!" Kara declared like a soapbox orator pushing her wares.
"But what do they do exactly?" a Ravenclaw asked of the quizzical-looking stationary.
"Got a favorite quidditch player? Singer? Wizard-mag pop idol?" Kara waggled her eyebrows. "Come on, anyone you fancy?"
The girl raised a brow. "Well…That guy from The Weird Sisters is pretty hot, I guess."
"Hm…Weird Sisters…Weird- Aha! Here we go!" She held out a blank piece of pink parchment. The Ravenclaw gave Kara an odd look. "Well, go on."
She took the paper from the Gryffindor's hand. Holding it and waiting expectantly, nothing fantastical or shout-worthy happened. "So?"
"Take this quill," Kara said with a wide, sneaky grin on her face. The girl took the quill in her other hand as Kara snickered. "Well, go on, have a look at the paper."
The girl's eyes widened as she looked, and she quickly grasped the paper against her chest to hide the front of it. "That's obscene!"
Kara snickered wickedly. "I've also got some star quidditch players in that same pose."
"What is it?" another Ravenclaw asked, trying to pry the paper from her friend's hand.
"No it's too…naughty!"
"Don't be shy, let her have a look," Kara encouraged slyly. The Ravenclaw shook her head, and Kara plucked it from her fingers and handed it to her friend.
"But there's nothing there," the one replied.
The scandalized Ravenclaw peeked at the parchment in her friend's hand. She let out a relieved little sigh.
"Try this," Kara said with a wide smirk of satisfaction as she took the quill from the girl's hand and gave it to her friend. "Now have a look."
The other girl blinked and grinned. "Wow…That's…Where did you get that?"
Kara snickered as others crowded around to peer at the parchment.
"But there's nothing there!" a sixth-year Hufflepuff pointed out.
"Are you blind?" the Ravenclaw said. "Look!" She held up the parchment in both hands to display to the Hufflepuff, who pushed her hands down and gave the girl a frown.
"There's nothing there," she repeated.
Kara began giggling as the Ravenclaw looked at the parchment, her friend, and the Hufflepuff and began to argue with them. "Ha, no, you're not going mad, that picture is there…But you see…You have to be holding the quill to be able to see it," she pointed out in plucking the feather from the Ravenclaw's hand.
"Hey. It's gone!"
Kara giggled as there was more dissension, and she pulled out several different colored quills and different colored parchments. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Life's Hidden Pleasures, a new line of entertainment goods that are fully designed for your satisfaction and general enjoyment in or out of class." She grinned as there were several questions and inquiries about her meaning. "Using the latest of concealment charms combined with my own ingenious wit," she held a self-satisfied pause here, "you can gaze at what others might find…indecent all at your leisure and in the company of whomever you might wish-- including professors," she finished with a smirk. "All you need do is make contact with both the quill and the parchment, and the fine art will appear only to you."
There were a few murmurs of doubt through excitement, and Kara decided to reassure them. "Every quill and parchment comes with a one-hundred-and-ten percent guarantee!"
"How can you guarantee that?"
Kara looked at the smarmy seventh-year Hufflepuff looking at her with doubt. "Why, I have Hermione Granger to thank for this little bit of technology! You could even write notes on it and they'll only show up when quill and parchment are both in hand! And only to your eyes." There were some satisfied murmurs at that, and she grinned. Though indeed it was Hermione who had inspired the idea, the witch really had nothing other to do with it. Though her name certainly did lend Kara's creation some credibility in the reliability sector.
"I'll have one!"
"Me too!"
"Got any I could use in potions?"
Kara grinned and got out her bag. "You prefer standard-color or scented?"
sSs
Live was sitting cross-legged on the floor in George's dorm, adding things to a small cauldron she had over a low flame. Henry was bouncing in her lap, his melodic humming keeping her company as she tended to the concoction, sniffing the pleasant aroma.
A knock came at the door, followed by a voice. "Hey, you in there? Dressed?"
Live smirked. "Yeah Kel, come on in."
The door opened easily, and Kelena poked her head in cautiously. Seeing Live sitting on the floor with a smile and a kind look, fully clothed, Kelena entered and closed the door behind herself.
"Now there's a face I haven't seen in a while," Live said with a smirk. "Aside from what I've been hearing through Hermione…"
"You're in here by yourself?" Kelena asked, dodging the issue.
"Yeah," Live said with a smile, stopping Henry's bouncing and cupping him in her hand. She pet him as he settled down. "Me and Henry. George is off running the records and deliveries and peddling our wares," she said with a smirk. "Fred and Lee abducted him not an hour ago."
Kelena grinned. "Ah, and taking time to yourself, eh? What're you brewing while he's gone? Magical loooove aids?"
"Only tea," Live said with a smile. "Would you like some?"
"You're making tea in a cauldron?" Live nodded as she stroked Henry's fur. "What happened to your teapot?"
"George happened to my teapot," she said with a wry look. Kelena made an amused noise. "I think I understand why Mrs. Weasley has to hide her best cauldrons," Live said dryly. "I don't even want to know what they were testing in it."
Kelena wrinkled her nose. She sat down on Lee's trunk, relatively the cleanest of the bunch. "So, aside from the usual, what's up? Anything new?"
Live's eyes widened a bit. If Kelena had any inkling whatsoever as to the things that had been going through Live's mind lately, she would be most shocked, if not distressed. The things she and George were getting up to lately would have left her shaken in girlish shock, if not the plan to leave Hogwarts. "No, nothing much new." Kelena gave her a look. "I'm still alright, if that's what you're angling about. Snape's been tweaking my potions more for me."
"Let's hope that's the only thing he's tweaking," Kelena said a wrinkle of her nose.
"You're really sick sometimes, you know that?"
Kel snickered. "What can I say but I aim for the shocking."
"Speaking of shocking, there were some things Fred told me about you, naughty pamphlets, and house elves…Shall I inquire as to his meaning?" Live asked with a sweet yet threatening tone. "It really has been a long time since we've had proper girly chats."
"You can be mean sometimes, you know that?"
Live grinned as she retrieved a ladle and poured herself a cup of tea. She was grateful for the liquid. Talking with Snape had set her stress levels high, and all the thinking she had been doing hitherto had actually physically exhausted her. "You want some tea? Special blend."
"Special-special, or just special?"
"It doesn't have anything illegal in it, if that's your aim," Live said with a smirk as she raised her cup to her mouth, blowing on the hot liquid.
"Well then count me out," Kelena said with a grin.
"Want to go to the library?" Live asked, changing the subject. "I have a few things I wanted to look up, plus there's bound to be books even you haven't read yet."
Kel shook her head and stood up from Lee's trunk. "No way. I'm still avoiding Hermione like the plague. And she's bound to be there."
Live took a sip from her glass and smirked, satisfied with her brew. "' never know."
With a grimace, Kelena paced the room. "I've been sleeping in Angelina's room, you know that?"
Live raised a brow. "Have you been dabbling in the love which dare not speak it's name?" She giggled. "I could set you up with Parkinson, you know."
"Oh go shove a cauldron in it!" Kel sighed. "I haven't slept in my own bed in a solid week. There is no place sacred to which Hermione won't look. Angelina threw me a bone when she caught me trying to bunk with Neville. And you can lower your damn eyebrow, you know I don't mean like that!"
Live smirked into her cup. "Alright then, if I see her, I won't mention you."
"Thanks for the great favor," she replied dolefully.
"Why don't you just slip into someone else's skin at night?" Live mentioned. "You are a Metamorphmagus."
Kelena sighed again. "I would, but don't think it would do much good. It wouldn't take long for Hermione to figure out it was me hanging about my dorm, plus, I don't think I can hold a morph fully asleep. I mean, I've tried, but how would I know if I did it right or not? I'm asleep."
"Hmm, right," Live agreed. The blonde witch smiled. "Cheer up. Maybe I can have George nick Harry's invisibility cloak and you can sleep under it at night. I know how much you like that nest you call a bed."
Though Live was smiling with what Kelena knew was a gleam of wicked amusement, she was grateful indeed for the thought. Since Ginny and Kara had talked Hermione out of releasing her house-elf liberation pamphlets to the world, the bushy-haired fifth year had been hounding Kelena to do a re-shoot without any Hogwarts paraphernalia. Frankly, the sixth-year witch was downright frightened.
"Might make for a nice change. I don't know of any other enchantments that could get that laser-focused brain of hers off the subject at hand…Unless…"
"Huh?" Live said, swallowing her tea.
Kelena was smirking. "Oh man…if I could get Tonks in on this…"
"Erm…"
"I'm not the only Metamorphmagus in this castle!"
"Yeah, but…"
"Hermione might just leave ME alone!!"
"But don't you think she wouldn't go for it? Hermione or Tonks? I mean, Hermione's got a stick up her ass that salutes the teachers regardless," Live spoke truthfully through a smile. "To approach the DADA professor…even if it is just Tonks…"
"It's the only shot I've got…I'm gonna go find Hermione!!"
Live extinguished the flame under her cauldron and set down her cup. She scooped up Henry and grabbed her school robes, depositing him on the bed in her stead. "Wait! Come to the library with me!!"
sSs
"Oh hi! Hey have you seen Tonks anywhere?"
"Sorry Hermione, don't keep tabs on teachers. Well, the trouble-less ones anyway."
"Hm. Forgive me to say, but you look dreadful, George."
"Well you're not exactly a ray of sunshine yourself," he said crankily.
"Really dreadful," she continued, ignoring him. "What happened?" the bushy-haired fifth-year asked. George was pale, he looked bruised in several places, and overall he had an unkempt appearance as if he'd rolled about on the earth outside. His school robes had dry dirt on them as well.
"Got into a minor altercation with my pal Putterly," he informed her. She frowned.
"Live's not going to like this."
"She will if you don't say anything," he said snarkily to her.
She pouted and sighed. "Fine. I don't want to know. I'm far too busy anyhow. Are you sure you haven't seen Tonks anywhere? I really must speak with her immediately."
"Try the Great Hall. She might be eating."
"Right," Hermione said with a nod. "You should see Madam Pomfrey about that bump though. It looks nasty."
"Yeah, thanks," he said with a grimace and a frown.
She rolled her eyes at him as he coughed to cover up his indifference. The last place he'd willingly go was Madam Pomfrey. The mediwitch would ask questions that he no doubt wouldn't want to answer. She gave him a frown as he coughed into his hand. "Or at least Lee."
"Okay," he said. She seemed to be satisfied by that, and continued back on his path to the library before Hermione had stopped him. When he got inside, he avoided the wary and usually-irritated Madam Pince and strolled about through the book shelves and dusty tomes to find Live ensconced in a corner she favored for study. His worry over her vanished as he found her quite endearingly asleep amongst many books. Slightly Altered States- Wizard Disambiguation was under her elbow, and The Tea-Leaves were Wrong was opened flat on its pages. He smirked sadly, seeing that she'd been studying prophetic works. Looks like she hadn't given up hope on getting herself out of the prophecy's grasp. He softly laid a hand on her arm, and gave her a gentle shake. She popped up half-asleep off My Magus Made Me Do It and looked up at him, more bodily-alert than mentally.
"Hi George," she said sleepily.
"Hey," he said with a smirk.
"Time for bed?" she questioned, still half-asleep and trying to gauge her surroundings. She rather latently wondered if she'd drooled on any of the books. She yawned.
"Time for dinner," he corrected with a fond grin.
She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said with another yawn, still not quite coherent. "I didn't realize I was so tired."
"It's alright. You want me to put you to bed?" he asked with a smirk. Her half-awake looks and obviously-sleepy tones were incredibly endearing to him. It made him warm inside with affection as she nodded. "Alright then, love, let's go, shall we?"
She nodded again and rose out of the seat, not even bothering with her selection of books. She yawned again, wondering if it was really dinner time or if he was just being funny, and gave him a once-over. "Are you alright, George?"
He grinned and wrapped an arm around her. "Fine, fine. Let's get you in bed."
"You don't look fine," she said, ignoring him in her sleep-addled state. She thought he looked a bit pale. "Do you feel alright?"
"Got into a state with Fred and Lee," he told her through a half-lying smile. "Some of the things we had weren't quite ready for the market, but we've got an awful large order to fill with our active campaigning," he excused. "We're going to really have trouble filling the Pygmy Puff orders at the rate they're selling, too."
She squinted at him, wondering if it was the crappy lighting in this part of the library (which had thus helped her fall asleep) or if she was just seeing things, but it looked like his jaw was bruised. She dismissed it for the moment as he wrapped an arm around her middle and herded her out the library, thankfully absent Madam Pince and her death glares.
While walking was active and keeping her alert-enough, her senses drifted in mindlessness, walking mechanically as she concentrated more on the wonderful warmth of George's arm around her waist, and the rhythm their footsteps created on the stone of the corridors. She was tired from all the reading she'd done, and from the rather uncomfortable albeit accommodating table and book stack she'd been researching from. Her head was swimming with pieces of information she had absorbed, the thoughts having even slipped into her dreams. It made her naturally groggy.
George kissed her from the side, and she smiled and leaned close to him as they walked to the portrait that would let them into Gryffindor Tower.
The portrait of the Fat Lady gave the usual dowdy look at Live as the two of them stood before it. "Oh, go on, then," she said as George gave her the password. He could hear the Fat Lady discussing the presence of the Slytherin to her friend, and her friend exclaiming how very odd it was that a Slytherin was boarding in Gryffindor Tower. It made George smirk.
The common room was blessedly absent people as they climbed through, most on to dinner and others already there, and they climbed the stairs hand in hand without incident. Live was playing with George's ring finger, tracing the underside of his silver and emerald awaiting-wedding ring. It made her smirk that very soon the rings would be actually be true to their name, and not just symbolic of their pseudo-wedding by the Un-holy priest that Fred was turning out to be. Couples still wanted him for spontaneous-matrimony.
"You hungry?" George asked as they entered his dorm. She shook her head. "Just bed, eh?" She nodded, tired and book-weary, and he grinned with fondness.
She shuffled over to his bed and in the process knocked over the cauldron she had been making tea in earlier. It turned over with a metallic clang and splashed everywhere. Live groaned.
"What was that?" George asked, standing clear of the liquid now spreading out over the floor. He'd left the cauldron alone when he'd found it earlier. Now he wasn't sure if that was quite such a good idea. Lee wouldn't be too happy if their floor came alive again from spilled potions.
"Just tea," she groaned at herself.
"Oh. Okay then." He got out his wand and magicked the mess away, righting the cauldron and sending her a winning smile. She smirked back and sat on his bed, shrugging off her shoes and trying to wiggle out of her robes. It made a wealth of desire spring up in him, and he had to stop her. "I know it's not your intention, Live, but you keep squirming around like that and I'm going to have to have my way with you."
She raised a brow at him, her actions stilled in pose as she mused on what her intentions should be, when George came and helped her out of her robes. He wished she would stop wearing bulky things beneath them when she was about the castle. Her scarring wasn't as bad as she thought it was, at least to him it wasn't, and he didn't like her so covered. But then if he had it his way, he'd keep her naked in his bed twenty-four seven.
"George, there were some things Snape said," Live started as he divested her of a long-sleeved sweater she'd somehow managed beneath her robes.
"I told you earlier that I'm not worried about any of that, Live," he said, running his palm up her leg. She was momentarily distracted by the warmth of the caress.
"I know, I meant, hmm," she paused as he was rubbing her thigh. It felt quite good, and relaxing at the same time. She gave him a look. "I can't think when you're doing that."
"Then don't," he said with a wicked grin.
She smiled at him but shook her head. "What I mean is that, even with everything he said…we should at least take it into consideration…"
"If you don't want to go through with it, just say the word, Live. It's going to be incredibly risky, and if you're at all in doubt…" He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. It warmed her and she stroked the side of his face with her fingers, delicately avoiding the darkened spot on his face that appeared to be bruising. She'd have to talk to Fred and Lee about better safety precautions with their experimental joke items.
"No, I want to run away with you," she affirmed with a smile. "I want to be your wife. Just, we shouldn't discount the idea of living amongst muggles for a bit."
He gave her a lopsided grin of amusement. "Snape suggested that?"
She yawned and lay flat on his bed. "No. But I think it might be smart. Even masquerading as muggles."
"Dad would quite approve, I think," he said with a grin.
"Yeah," she agreed sleepily. She rolled to her side, and George automatically patted her flank. "George if you want to eat, go ahead without me. I think I'm just gonna sleep. My eyes are so tired."
He smirked and ran his hand up the side of her skirt, resting on her thigh. "Now where's the fun in that?"
She smirked at his tone, and felt him sit up on the bed, followed by twin clunks- his shoes being tossed over the side. Next she knew he was snaking his arms around her and pulling her up against his body. When he'd fully settled her against him and into the pillows, she burrowed into the crook of his arm and fell quickly asleep.
He smirked as he watched her with hopelessly devoted love. He absolutely hated lying to her, but he didn't think any good would come of her knowing about the row he and Putterly had had, nor that he had, unavoidably, lost. He coughed into his hand and frowned as he looked down at her. He wanted to protect her and keep her well. He never wanted her to worry about any of the nonsense about school again. He just hoped he could get everything together for them when the time came that they would leave Hogwarts and elope. He kissed her cheek, pulled blankets over the two of them, and sat up thinking until Dobby the house elf popped into the room with dinner for one.
sSs
I really can't apologize enough for the damn time it took to update. There was no web access, which i couldn't help, then horrid sickness and plague at my house, haha. On the plus side, i've lost over 5lbs for being unable to eat. Woot! Anywho guys, i'll try to get the next chapter out and written much sooner. I'll be starting on it as soon as i'm well :D Remember, there's fanart for this fic done by both myself and another, listed in my profile, and i've also got that link to that CD up. Whut. LOVE YOU!!
-FireV.
Redheadlover: Haha I think that's easy to say XD Fred would definitely be pissed off if George booked. And Kara…I wouldn't want to be on her bad side XD hahaha!! She's a fright even when she's not pissed at anyone! hahaha! Thanks!
Chinawrites: Heh heh, I hope you liked their bit of 'alone time' in the beginning too! Haha :D And Putterly…Hum. Lol Oh my god I laughed so hard at your comment: malfoy really needs to just go rape lavender and catch aids from her. would serve both of em rightly so XD HAHAHAHA omg….You rock XD
Karma-k2: George Live shower scenes, woo! Heh heh…I could tell you a few shower tales…oh my HAHA! You're always so perceptive :D hee hee hee Putterly, oh dear, lol. Haha I hope your joygasm is always awesome and everlasting XD haha speaking of which…well, there will be a funny part next chapter I think you'll like lol
Scarlet faerie: oooh, malfoy, putterly, and secret agents of doom! Haha. I've got a major secret agenda on them…heh heh :D oh dear. Lol hope the house-elf porn idea wasn't too mental XD haha ewww…man, it kinda makes you wonder just what house elves have to do for their masters O.O Eww…lol I figured for Tonks, since she is the DADA prof, and she knows about that kind of stuff, she could procure stuff for Snape while he's busy brewing :D lol. Or he just likes tormenting her. Tee hee. And at least Kel can try to turn things around for herself! HAHHA thankies for the review:D
Nomanslandvicki: Thanks woo! I've been going strong on the book :D hee hee, thanks for the support! Heh heh I'm glad you're still enjoying the fic. I was like, damn, now we're at 50 chapters…I hope everyone is still interested! XD Ha, seems so :D Anyways, hope you enjoyed:D
Ponytail Goddess: Ha thanks for all the great reviews! Hee hee, I always like when readers put in what they liked, then I'm like, good, glad I put that bit in! heh heh. Yeah, Malfoy can be a total douche…Oh dear, but I have some stuff in store for him :D heh heh, I think you'll get a kick out of it. Fred and Kara would not be pleased with our lovely Gryffindor/Slytherin pair, but I think they'll all deal well :D I'll try to get the next chapter out much sooner!! None of this ridiculously-long waiting nonsense!! Really, it was too damn long a wait. I can't apologize enough for that XD argh. Thanks!!
Dckveg: Hee hee I'm so glad you liked that chap!! Bah I hate that this chapter had to come so late, and I wanted to update so much sooner for holiday reading! Oh well, that's fate for ya :P Anywho, I'm so glad you're enjoying it still! WOO! LOVE :D
TeAroha: HAHAHA Damn yeah Hermione and Kelena…at least it wasn't house elf porn, eh? Heh heh heh oh man, sick XD BWAHAHA! Yeah, fuck Malfoy. Wait, that's the opposite of what we're trying to accomplish…hm…lol. You'll like the little trick I'll be playing on him next chap XD heh heh heh
Smashley007: Oh man, I just gotta say, your username rocks. It made me laugh :D Smash-ley :D heh heh That's the best :D Anywho…Yeah I totally understand, I don't review until the end of stories that have been up for a while either (I always feel like I should, but yeah…I don't, haha!) Anywho, I'm just glad you got through it all and are enjoying it thus!! I'm so glad you think I have comedic timing! WOO! Ha, probably because a lot of the lame jokes and whatnot are actually taken from my life XD ha, I'm not brilliant, just weird crap happens to me, heh heh. Woo for twins! I've only ever known one set of twins, and they weren't identical, just fraternal. I did however know a set of triplets and I could easily tell them apart XD haha :D But yeah, Live's been put quite through the ringer…and I'm not done with her yet XD oh dear. What can I say, I'm a cruel god. Lol. I'm so glad you like the story, and I'll do my best to keep entertaining:D heh heh. In answer to your question, the story is a bit AU, so, there are some minor discrepancies, but it sort of also follows the book storyline. Hm, not a very good answer…Basically Live's prophecy is just happening at the same time as Harry's with voldemort…I tried to put a bit in about that with this chap :D heh heh…As well as the steamy bits, because hey, you requested it XD Alrighty, well, if I've further confused you, apologies! Just, um, ask me again, and maybe I won't be so scatterbrained XD heh heh :D
