Chapter 79 – Sparks are Flying

OoO

"Finally, we're alone." Sara let her hand roam over his George's chest until they curled around his neck. George however was still looking at the empty fireplace. "George."

"Take that off." His head snapped to her.

"You don't like it?" She twirled around in his old jersey, in Guinevere's old jersey. It made him clench his teeth that she was wearing it.

"Where did you find it?" He seethed.

"It was in the box next to your nightstand. I think it suits me perfectly."

"Take it off." He said again, his voice hard.

"If you want me out of my clothes, you can ask nicely." She smiled seductively.

"I'm not messing around, Sara." He stepped away from her. "Take the god damn shirt off!"

"What's with you?" She frowned at him.

"What's with me? You just drove my brother and my-"

"Your what?"

"My friend, you chased them out of here with just a few words. I need you to leave."

"You're joking?" She scoffed.

"I'm not. Get dressed and leave." He said with a fixed glare. "I don't want to see you again, ever."

"Fine." She huffed and ran up to his room.

George leaned back against the liquor cabinet. He sighed as he ran his hand over his face. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He cursed softly to himself. He should've put the box back. The look on Guinevere's face. I screwed everything up. He needed to fix this, he couldn't stand the thought about losing her again. First, he needed to get Sara out of here. Then he needed to talk to Guinevere. And if by a miracle she would hear him out, he'll ask her out on a real and proper date. He was pulled out of his thoughts when Sara called out for him.

"George, can you help me?"

With a tired sigh, he headed to his bedroom. He stopped in the doorway as she was standing in front of him naked. "Merlin, Sara! I said get dressed and leave." He turned around and faced the hallway.

He heard her mutter behind him, but he didn't respond or turn around, only when she walked past him dressed, he looked up. He followed her to the fireplace and before she vanished, she said. "You'll regret this."

OoO

The next morning, he floo'd over to Andy's house. What he walked into he wasn't expecting. Fred and Guinevere were lying on the floor, Teddy was floating above Guinevere while presumable CJ was over Fred. The kids laughed hysterically as they twirled them around in the air. She looked so free as she smiled at the kids, as she smiled to his twin. Until she looked at him, her smile dropped. He knew how it must've felt for her when it was the other way around, and the guilt piled up even more.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" He asked nervously. They lowered the kids to the ground and stood up. CJ looked confused between Fred and George.

"Why don't we go practice the twin look, yeah?" Fred looked away from George and to the kids.

"Every time they will change to look like each other, I will drop them on your doorstep, Fred Weasley."

"My pleasure." He grinned. "I'm quite fond of the boys."

"You just met CJ two hours ago." I laughed. "Believe me, half a day with these two gangsters, and you'll be running up the hill."

"Well, why don't we try it then." I looked at him confused. "Let me take them to the shop. Once this." He gestured at me and George. "Is done, come over. Lee and Verity are coming over at noon, we can go to the park or something."

"Oh, I don't know." I bit my lip as I looked to the kids. When I looked to Fred his eyes were pleading. "Alright then, but don't sugar them up."

"You won't regret this." He gave me a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Then he turned to George with a serious look. "The wicked witch?"

"Gone."

"Good." Then he grinned at the boys. "Ready to cause mayhem boys?"

"Yeah!" They smiled excitedly. I kneeled down in front of the boys and smiled at their adorable faces.

"You two be good, okay? I mean you can drive Uncle Fred up the wall, but don't break anything."

"Oi!" Fred objected, but I winked to the boys who giggled.

"Mummy, are you coming with us?"

"I'll be there in a few." I smiled as I cupped his cheek. "I just need to talk to George."

"He looks like Freddie." He whispered. "But he has hair like a girl."

Fred barked out a laugh as he leaned against his brother. I glanced to George and couldn't help the little smile that formed on my lips.

"Does mummy have boy hair?"

"No, you look pretty."

I smiled at my little boy. "It's the same with George. You can choose if you have long hair or short. Just do what you like, it doesn't matter if you're a girl or boy. And he looks like Freddie because he is his twin. Remember he told you about it at breakfast."

He glanced over his shoulder and looked between the two men. Then he hugged me tight and gave me a soft kiss before he took Teddy's hand in his. The two boys looked up to Fred in anticipation. "Let's go boys." He took their hands and stepped in the fireplace. With a wink, they disappeared.

I looked at the empty fireplace for a long moment, letting out a shuddering breath before I looked to George.

"Tea?" I asked, already making my way to the kitchen. I heard him followed after me.

"Sure." He said as he sat down at the kitchen table.

I made the tea with my back towards him, a silence filled the room. When the kettle started to whistle, I turned around and filled the two cups that I summoned to the table. I didn't sit down, I leaned against the counter as I waited for him to speak.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't know she would show up."

"Well, it did put quite the damper on the night. But I suppose your girlfriend has a right to spend the evening with you." I sipped my tea.

"She isn't my girlfriend." I quirked an eyebrow at him. "At least, not anymore. I told her to leave last night. She left about twenty minutes after you."

"I hope you didn't breakup because of me."

"No, but the way she acted yesterday towards you, it finally made me see the light."

"Fred isn't a fan of her." I mused, looking at a bubble on top of my tea.

"Yeah." He chuckled dryly. "I know." He drank from his tea as the silence surrounded us. "Well, I do believe we need a redo of yesterday. Between Sara and -"

"And my panic attack." I grimaced. "I redo might be nice." I genuinely smiled now. "Fred actually invited me to go out next week. The Phoenix Club in Manchester. He convinced Hermione to go and invited me too. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not." He beamed at me, and my stomach did a little flip. I smiled down at my tea, I heard his chair scrape the floor and two seconds later he was leaning against the counter next to me. His hand softly grazed mine and I didn't pull away.

"Can I ask how you started with her?"

"Probably like you imagined. A drunken night at a club. Then the night repeated, and you know how it goes. I let it go on too long, it was just nice to be wanted." He said the last thing softly. I grazed my pinkie over his.

"Have you ever looked in a mirror? Believe me you're wanted enough." I gave him a little smile, but his eyes were fixed on my pinkie. I wanted to pull away, feeling ashamed, but then he locked his pinkie with mine.

"Maybe." He shrugged, looking away. "But not by the right one."

"I heard about Gloria. You were together for a long time, what happened?" I tilted my head to look at him.

"It just wasn't meant to be."

"I'm sorry." I leaned my head against his shoulder, then I felt the rest of his fingers intertwine with mine.

"I'll get there, one day." I felt his thumb graze the back of my hand. "What about you?"

"I had a relationship with someone for about six months, but you know, single mum and traveling around, not the best basis for a good relationship. Other than that, a few dates here and there. But maybe I'm supposed to be alone. Maybe it's the universe's way of punishing me."

"Punishing you?" George rounded until he was standing in front of me, our fingers still intertwined. "What on earth are you talking about?"

I looked down at our hands. "For getting Cedric killed." I let out a shuttering breath and he pulled me in a hug just as the tears rolled down.

"Guinevere." He whispered in my hair. "That wasn't your fault."

"It was. If I listened to him and stayed in the room of requirement, he wouldn't have had to push me away."

"Oh, love." He stroked my hair softly. "The giant was going to be there with or without you. He would've saved anyone that was standing there. And if it wasn't for you, Fred wouldn't be here." He cupped my cheeks, and I looked up at him as he stroked my tears away with his thumbs. "It isn't the universe that's punishing you. It's just waiting for the right person to come around."

"I don't know." I sniffed, looking down.

"Hey." He lifted my head with his finger on my chin. "I know that the right man is waiting for you, I know." His gaze was scorching, and it felt like he said: I am waiting for you.

We stared at each other, and how hard I tried to look away, I just couldn't. His thumb grazed my jawline softly and started to lean down. My heartbeat quickened as he drew closer. He stopped half and centimetre from lips, our breaths mingled together. His eyes were soft and inviting. I so wanted to lean in and close the distance, but I couldn't. I looked down and cleared my throat.

"We should go before the kids drive Fred up the wall."

George's face fell as he stepped back. "Yeah."

We walked to the fireplace together and not standing the silence, I said. "You're coming to the club next week too, aren't you? Because I still think you owe me a dance from the yule ball."

George chuckled and his face brightened. "The dancing in the club might not be so innocent as at the yule ball."

"You afraid of me, Weasley?" I gave him a playful smirk over my shoulder as I took a handful of floo powder.

"Not a chance, bring it on, Northon." He gave me his lopsided grin I loved so much. We stepped in the fireplace together, grinning at each other like fools as the fire dissolved us.

OoO

"Fireworks!" I heard the boys yell as George and I appeared in the backroom of the shop.

I chuckled as I stepped out of the fireplace. "Ready to meet him? Officially?" And for some reason he looked nervous, which I found absolutely adorable.

"Do you think he'll like me?"

"Are you afraid of my son, Weasley?" I laughed as I pushed the door open to the shop.

"No." He huffed. "I just want him to like me."

"Is there a person in the world that doesn't like you?"

"I think Sara isn't a fan of me right now."

"I mean someone that matters." I nudged him. "Besides, he is just as easily convinced as Teddy. Just show him some fireworks or something and you're in." I smiled. "Here are my favourite boys." I snuck up behind them and hugged them against my chest. The shop was quiet, only a handful of people around, and the kids were sitting on the register as Fred and Lee shot up kid friendly fireworks above them.

"Oi!" The three men yelled, pretending to be offended.

"Who's ready to go to the park?"

"I am, I am!" They both shot up their hands.

"Can we go to the park with the ca- the caro-" Teddy had a hard time to say the word.

"The carousel?" George asked and Teddy nodded vigorously. "I know where that is." George smiled. "Let me grab some things and we'll be off." He disappeared behind the shelves. Lee and Fred looked at me curiously. But I focused my attention on the boys. Because I wasn't only trying to ignore those two idiots in front of me, but also the wall stacked with daydream charms that were just out of sight.