George had just finished checking out his customer and took a moment to look around Weasley's Whizard Wheezes. Business was really going well, they had significantly expanded on their merchandise with all the great input from Keylin. His thoughts travelled to his girlfriend and a smile spread on his face. Less than a year ago, shortly after Fred's death, he did not think he could ever be so happy again, that he could ever be happy at all. The loss of his twin still cut him deep, and always would, but George had reached a state of acceptance and found some closure. Now he could even think and talk of Fred with laughter and joy, remising the old days. This would have been unthinkable just a few months ago.
And he had her to thank for that. Keylin had managed what his whole family and friends had failed at, to pull him out of his grief and back into life. Shortly after they had gotten together, she had left Mrs. Godhams place and had moved in with him. When the six months of her sabbatical at the Scottish Ministry came to its end, she didn't need long to decide to quit the Ministry for good and to stay with Wheezes, and with him. Since they also worked together, they had spent almost every waking and sleeping moment together in the last months, and George did not think he could ever get enough of it.
His thoughts were interrupted when he saw a young man approaching. "Hi, there, do you work here?" "Yes, I do", George replied with his best salesman voice. "What can I do for you? A potion to make your boss fart to no end? An illusion answering your mothers floo calls? A love potion to make a girl fall for you?" "Ah, I hope that won't be necessary", the wizard replied with a smug smile. "Actually, I'm looking for someone who works here, Keylin MacDonald." George was caught in surprise, but tried to cover it quickly. Since Keylin was in London, there hadn't been any unannounced visits from friends or family. Keylin had apparated to Scotland many times to visit her family, and her mother and some friends had already come by at the shop, but she had always known in advance and been exited for days to come. This time, she had not mentioned anything at all.
George tried to eye the wizard inconspicuously. He was about his and Keylin's age, a bit shorter than him, with perfectly styled thick brown hair that hung into his dark eyes as by happenstance, but George suspected that it took him long to get ready in the morning. He had a symmetrical face with fine features and a strong chin. His robes were tailored in the newest fashion to emphasize his excellent physical shape. All in all, George concluded that witches would find him very attractive indeed.
George led the young man over to where Keylin was giggling with a bunch of young witches, which then made their way over to the checkout, each with their arms full of Wheezes boxes. When she saw George approaching with the visitor, she stopped dead in her tracks. "David, what are you doing here?"
David? So this was her Ex who had dumped her rather rudely because he had found himself another girl, which had prompted her to visit London in the first place. He knew he should probably be grateful to the git, but watching him smile at her, he couldn't quite bring himself to feel any gratefulness at all.
"Hey Key, it's really good to see you," David said sweetly while stepping closer to her. The way he addressed her so casually had something intimate about it, like he always used to call her that when they were still together. Insecurity had never been an issue for George. When he was still at Hogwarts with Fred, they had both dated some girls, and while they have had a lot of fun, it had never been serious to either of them. Nothing had ever been serious to them. They never worried about their looks, or how they and their jokes might be perceived by girls, never felt insecure about their family's lack of money or the used clothes, books and cauldrons they had to make do with. But now this "Key", hit him like a punch in the stomach and was enough to completely shake him.
"What do you want, David?" Keylin's annoyed voice broke him out of his stupor. Davids smile froze on his face. It seemed like he had not anticipated such a cold greeting. "Ahm, I came to talk to you Keylin, to explain what happed, to apologize." "Really? So what exactly are you apologizing for?" Again, it seemed like David had not expected such a question and appeared unprepared to handle the situation. As he looked around as if looking for help, he noticed George still standing and watching them. "Thanks for helping me find her, mate", he said to George, "but this is rather a private conversation. Would you excuse us please?" While his words were nice enough, his whole demeanor and his tone had nothing friendly about it. What an asshole. George felt his self-confidence returning. "I don't think so, mate", he replied stressing the last word. "This is my place and I feel just fine standing exactly here in this spot." Looking George up and down arrogantly, David snorted his discontent. Behind his back, Keylin tried to suppress a laugh and winked at George. So, she did not mind that he stayed and listened in on their conversation, maybe she even wanted him to. This couldn't be too bad. He would definitely not go anywhere now. He broadly grinned at the git, crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned against a shelf ready to enjoy the show.
Exasperated, David turned back to Keylin. "Can we go somewhere else to talk Keylin?" "No, I have to work. You can say what you have to so say here." Now it was George's turn to smile and wink at Keylin. He felt himself relax. It did not seem like she was going to run back into his arms. "Fine, whatever. I just wanted to say that I am sorry that things ended the way they did with us and that I realize it was a mistake, and that I want us to get back together." "So, let me translate that to English", snorted Keylin. "What you meant to say is that things did not work out with Janine, and that is why you want me back." "No, well I mean, things did not work out with Janine, but that's not why I want you back. I ended things with Janine because I realized I had made a mistake all along", David replied rather timidly. Keylin snorted again, clearly amused. "Well, I appreciate the apology, but there is no way that we will ever get back together, so goodbye."
"You won't even give me a second chance? Why not? Wait, is there someone else?" To her credit, Keylin stayed perfectly calm and did not let this asshole irritate her. "Not that it's any of your business, but yes, there is someone else, but that's not even the point. Even if there hadn't been anyone, there wouldn't have been any chance of us getting back together. Not ever. I'm not the same person I was a year ago. But even today me can't believe that a-year-ago me ever dated such a git as yourself." George wouldn't have thought that it was possible, but he felt himself falling even more in love with this awesome woman. What a pointed response. Yet, it seemed like the last part was too much for poor David to comprehend, because he chose to simply ignore it. "So, who is he?" he demanded angrily and looked around as if expecting to spot the culprit. At this point, the mirth that had built up in George over the last moments finally broke free and he shook with laughter, which Keylin joined just moments later. "What? This lanky red-haired joke? You got to be kidding me." But George felt again at ease with himself and did not to let David provoke him. "Yeah, looks like it, mate", he grinned at David. "So, unless Keylin has something else to say to you, you are hereby very politely invited to get the hell out of my shop." "No, I think I'm good. Goodbye David." Shooting one last incredulous look at the pair of them, David turned on his heels and stormed out, rudely bumping into customers in his hurry to leave.
"Wow, what a git", Keylin said, echoing his thoughts. Her eyes locked with his and for a moment he felt completely exposed, like she could see the ups and downs of his emotions during their conversation. "Come with me", she said after a few moments, leading him by the hand to the back room they used as office and shut the door behind them.
"George, are you okay?" "Of course, I am lassie, why wouldn't I be", George said trying to put on his best ironic grin. Keylin however, regarded him skeptically with her hands on her hips. "You know George, you are really bad at trying to fool me". "I'm alright now", George said pulling her close, "can't we just forget about this?" "Sure, if you really want, but I'd rather know what's going on inside of you". "Fine", George sighed and let go of the embrace, "there was just this moment when David called you 'Key'. It sounded so familiar, so intimate, the way he said it, for just one second I was afraid that I would lose you as well and it just scared the shit out of me." Embarrassed, George stopped right there before he could say any more. He felt pathetic, but he had to admit to himself that it really was his primal fear to lose her. Lose her like he lost Fred. To be alone again. Alone is the dark place. "George", Keylin cupped his face breaking through his dark thoughts, "you are not going to lose me. I love you and I have no intention of going anywhere. Not unless you start eying some other girls, at least". At the last part her voice grew light to let him know she was joking. She had told him already a few times before that she loved him and his heart missed a few beats every time. "Ah, so I better cancel my romantic dinner with Jenny then?" George teased. "You better", Keylin replied before she pulled him down to kiss her.
After a moment, Keylin ended the kiss and wrapped his arms around him instead and buried her face in his chest. "You know George, I think I can't put off introducing you to my Dad any longer". Ha, finally! George had not really understood why she had been so hesitant about it until now. After all, he had met her Mom long ago and they had gotten along perfectly. Keylin had always been a bit evasive about it. Apparently, her Dad and her brothers had a very strange habit concerning her boyfriends. David and another guy she dated shortly when she was younger had been taken aside at the first meeting for a private conversation and Keylin had no idea what exactly had been said, since neither boyfriend had been very forthcoming about what had happened, but both had been rather shaken by the experience and Keylin said she didn't want to scare him off. As if anything could scare him off.
He wanted to get it over with, whatever it was. But most of all, he was really curious to meet her dad and brothers. Apart from the strange ritual and occasional over-protectiveness, all three seemed to be wonderful men with a great sense of humor and much heart. And, after all, he had played jokes on every Professor at Hogwarts and had fought Dead Eaters and other scum. He really wasn't afraid of three muggle men. Well, at least not much.