Ch 2
"Yeah, that'll be four turkey sandwiches," George told the plump, rosy cheeked lady behind the register at Madam Louisa's Eatery.
"That will be, 8 sickles, dear." the old lady said cheerfully
George put the money down on the counter wordlessly and turned to sit down at a small table. He brushed his bangs out of his face and watched as couples came in and out of the eatery. George pushed the other three sandwiches aside and took a bite out of his own; he continued watching as people entered and left. He almost spit out the bite he was chewing on when he saw a very familiar person and a not so familiar person with his arm wrapped around her shoulder, she had her own hand in the one the man had around her shoulder, revealing a rather large engagement ring, and she was smiling happily at whatever the man had just whispered in her ear.
George watched open mouthed as the girl looked around the quaint eatery, grinning at something the man had just said. George got up and quickly, discarding his own sandwich and grabbing the others, pulling his cloak on and heading toward the exit.
Please don't see me
He thought as he went toward the door, trying to avoid the girl's glance at all causes. George noticed the two sit down at a table smack dab right by the exit. George caught his breath and went to the door, and saw her eyes lingering on him, her mouth open in surprise or disgust...he didn't know.
Don't call my name, don't call my name
George thought, hoping it could reach her ears some how, he hurried out the door and practically ran back to the joke shop, where Lee, Fred and Angelina were discussing an upcoming Chudley Cannon's quidditch match.
"Blimey, what took you so long?" Fred asked, grabbing a sandwich from George
"Er...sorry, got a bit...erm...lost."
"George, you've been to the Eatery dozens of times" Angelina argued, grabbing her sandwich as well.
"Er...yeah." George muttered, handing the last sandwich to Lee and heading to his room above the store.
I can't believe I saw her
George told himself as he sat on his bed, fiddling with his duvet cover.
And with someone else
He repeated in his head
She's gone, and did you see that bloody rock on her finger...
George asked himself, head in hands, remembering Clarissa smiling up at him when they would stand together at the lake, when she whispered things in his ears, grinning as they picked out things from Zonko's together...it all seemed so far away now.
And how he missed it. How could he not? Clarissa was the first one George had loved and the first one he had ever told he loved, and the first one he had ever made love to.
They were both fifteen at the time, and had been going out for months. And Clarissa had finally gotten the courage up to tell him she loved him, it was right after they had gone swimming together at the lake. George had done a simple warming charm to the lake, and it was perfect for swimming, even if it was December. They both went back to the Gryffindor Tower, and shared a few innocent kisses, before he had asked her. His heart was beating so loudly, he was positive the whole village of Hogsmeade could hear it. She, who had also been a first timer, answered quietly, but sure of her choice. It had been perfect, in every aspect, except the tears Clarissa had shed after ward. She had told him they were happy tears, and George had believed her.
Clarissa had been a great first love
George told himself, looking into the mirror that was placed directly in front of his bed. But times had changed since then, and George no longer stole Clarissa's heart. He had broken it in a thousand little pieces, George could tell by the look on Clarissa's face the night he broke up with her. She had sat there, on George's bed, crying, and didn't say anything for a while. Clarissa's eyes were tear-stained, and blood shot, and she had left the boy's dorm room wordlessly. And that's how their relationship had ended. Shortly afterward, George and Fred left Hogwarts all together, and he never saw Clarissa again.
Until that day.
---
Clarissa sat, open mouthed, watching George's back go out the door. She popped back into focus, as James asked her what she wanted to drink.
"Er... water will be fine, thanks." She said, fiddling with a button on her cardigan.
"You okay?" James asked, worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Clarissa said absentmindedly, pretending to study her menu.
"You look dazed...you sure you're okay?" James asked, his dark green eyes looking concerned, putting his hand over in hers.
Clarissa, who was surprised at the touch of James' hand in hers, quickly reflexed and pulled her hand away thoughtlessly and put it in her lap and smiled weakly "Oh, I'm fine, you're such a worry-wart James." she quickly changed the subject, "Oh these soups sound amazing."
James sighed and answered reluctantly "You sure you don't want a sandwich instead? You eat like a bird," James started before Clarissa cut him off.
"Ah, I'm just not really hungry today. Besides...I'm not in the mood for a sandwich." She grinned and told to waiter who had just come up, "The number four soup with extra crackers" and continued her conversation with James "What do you want to do tonight?" Clarissa asked "We could go Christmas Gift shopping or something." Clarissa smiled
"Oh damn, did I forget to tell you?" James started "Tonight I have Night Duty at the Ministry."
Clarissa sighed "Aww, not again James, you had night duty last weekend too."
"I know, but they're really breaking down on the Aurors to get this new section of the ministry up-- we have to do all these enchantments and such to make sure it's completely un-foolable." James said, sipping his coffee.
James, who was an Auror, worked at the Ministry seven days a week, and sometimes night duty. Like tonight. James' enjoyed his work, but you could tell it was starting to take a toll on him at points. His eyes, that used to sparkle, had become worrisome about various things. Clarissa figured that once they got married, this would go away, because they would be able to start a family, and maybe James would have some new-found happiness. He was the complete opposite of George, he was good to her of course, but never really had that 'spark' like she got from George. But, she loved James, with or without the spark. They had dated breifly in Clarissa's fourth year, when he was a seventh year, but had broken up with her when he left Hogwarts. Then Clarissa got together with George, but after they broke up, shortly after, she met back up with James at a Christmas party her parents were holding in their Manor, James and Clarissa immediately clicked, and after 4 years of dating, he finally proposed, and Clarissa said yes.
Clarissa sighed "Oh well, I have a huge report to do tonight anyway" she said, taking a rather large sip of her water.
"That's the fourth report in the past two weeks!" James said surprised
"Well, International Magical Communications isn't exactly light work, James. The only reason why they moved me up from British Muggle Communications is because I speak fluent French, and am able to communicate easily with the Veelas, not to mention I can translate as well." Clarissa said half heartedly as her soup came, she took a bite. "Besides--I enjoy my job, even if I have to write four reports in a span of two weeks."
"Suppose you're right, I just think they're over working you-- especially with the wedding coming up so soon and everything."
"Three months," Clarissa forced a smile and grasped James' hand "Speaking of weddings, you need to write out all the people you want to invite, Mum reminded me last night."
"Oh right," James said, giving her a peck on the cheek and then taking a bite out of his sandwich.
After discussing together about various topics in the Ministry, they departed, Clarissa back to her load of work at her flat, and James to the ministry. Clarissa passed Weasley Wizard Wheezes without even thinking and stopped at the local market for a few groceries and headed back to her flat, to her pile of work, that was waiting for her on her desk. She set to work, and after a good 2 hours, there was a knock on the door. Clarissa checked the clock
8:30...James can't be back yet...
She went to the door, to see a familiar red head waiting there.
George?! No...that's Fred.
Clarissa looked at Fred surprised, before inviting him in "Er...Hey Fred."
"Hello Clarissa," He said, grinning "I was just in the neighborhood--figured I'd stop by to say hello." Fred said, nonchalantly
"Well, that's nice. I haven't seen you since you and--since you left Hogwarts." Clarissa finished.
"Yeah," Fred said smiling, eyeing Clarissa's engagement ring.
"So what have you been doing lately? I heard about your joke shop--would you care for some tea?"
"Sure, that'd be great. Well, George and me have been running Weasley Wizard Wheezes..like you heard, since we left Hogwarts, it's really booming."
Clarissa smiled and accioed the tea pot from the Kitchen "That's nice, are you and Angelina still together?--Sugar? Milk?"
Fred accepted the tea "Sugar. Yes we're still together-- she helps out at the shop a lot. Who'd you get that rock from?" Fred asked, cutting to the chase.
"Oh...my fiancé...James...We've been engaged for over a year." she said uncomfortably, turning the ring around self-consciously and biting her lip and saying in a small voice "How is he--George I mean."
"He's good, he dated Katie for a while, but-- I think he misses you, Riss." Fred said.
"Oh, well it's sorta late for that, isn't it? Seeing as how I'm getting married in March!" Clarissa said, a pitch above her normal, calm tone. "Sorry Fred."
"It's okay," Fred said quietly, sipping his tea.
"It's just, after we broke up and I started working at the ministry, I kept thinking-- we're going to get back together, it's just a matter of time--but, when it never happened, James and I got together, and, and well, I thought George and I were a thing of the past."
"Well," Fred said, studying his hands "I should go, they'll be needing me at the store soon...see you later, Clarissa."
Fred stood and pulled his cloak over a sweater that greatly resembled Georges...It made Clarissa's heart swell. Fred walked to the door and Clarissa pulled a stray hair behind her ear.
"You know...I saw him today, at that Madam Lu-- something place." Clarissa said, shifting her weight and biting her lip.
"That's probably why he was so distant after he came back from lunch today" Fred said as he went out the door, "Hey Riss, come to the shop sometime. See you later."
He had left before Clarissa could even answer.
"Yeah, that'll be four turkey sandwiches," George told the plump, rosy cheeked lady behind the register at Madam Louisa's Eatery.
"That will be, 8 sickles, dear." the old lady said cheerfully
George put the money down on the counter wordlessly and turned to sit down at a small table. He brushed his bangs out of his face and watched as couples came in and out of the eatery. George pushed the other three sandwiches aside and took a bite out of his own; he continued watching as people entered and left. He almost spit out the bite he was chewing on when he saw a very familiar person and a not so familiar person with his arm wrapped around her shoulder, she had her own hand in the one the man had around her shoulder, revealing a rather large engagement ring, and she was smiling happily at whatever the man had just whispered in her ear.
George watched open mouthed as the girl looked around the quaint eatery, grinning at something the man had just said. George got up and quickly, discarding his own sandwich and grabbing the others, pulling his cloak on and heading toward the exit.
Please don't see me
He thought as he went toward the door, trying to avoid the girl's glance at all causes. George noticed the two sit down at a table smack dab right by the exit. George caught his breath and went to the door, and saw her eyes lingering on him, her mouth open in surprise or disgust...he didn't know.
Don't call my name, don't call my name
George thought, hoping it could reach her ears some how, he hurried out the door and practically ran back to the joke shop, where Lee, Fred and Angelina were discussing an upcoming Chudley Cannon's quidditch match.
"Blimey, what took you so long?" Fred asked, grabbing a sandwich from George
"Er...sorry, got a bit...erm...lost."
"George, you've been to the Eatery dozens of times" Angelina argued, grabbing her sandwich as well.
"Er...yeah." George muttered, handing the last sandwich to Lee and heading to his room above the store.
I can't believe I saw her
George told himself as he sat on his bed, fiddling with his duvet cover.
And with someone else
He repeated in his head
She's gone, and did you see that bloody rock on her finger...
George asked himself, head in hands, remembering Clarissa smiling up at him when they would stand together at the lake, when she whispered things in his ears, grinning as they picked out things from Zonko's together...it all seemed so far away now.
And how he missed it. How could he not? Clarissa was the first one George had loved and the first one he had ever told he loved, and the first one he had ever made love to.
They were both fifteen at the time, and had been going out for months. And Clarissa had finally gotten the courage up to tell him she loved him, it was right after they had gone swimming together at the lake. George had done a simple warming charm to the lake, and it was perfect for swimming, even if it was December. They both went back to the Gryffindor Tower, and shared a few innocent kisses, before he had asked her. His heart was beating so loudly, he was positive the whole village of Hogsmeade could hear it. She, who had also been a first timer, answered quietly, but sure of her choice. It had been perfect, in every aspect, except the tears Clarissa had shed after ward. She had told him they were happy tears, and George had believed her.
Clarissa had been a great first love
George told himself, looking into the mirror that was placed directly in front of his bed. But times had changed since then, and George no longer stole Clarissa's heart. He had broken it in a thousand little pieces, George could tell by the look on Clarissa's face the night he broke up with her. She had sat there, on George's bed, crying, and didn't say anything for a while. Clarissa's eyes were tear-stained, and blood shot, and she had left the boy's dorm room wordlessly. And that's how their relationship had ended. Shortly afterward, George and Fred left Hogwarts all together, and he never saw Clarissa again.
Until that day.
---
Clarissa sat, open mouthed, watching George's back go out the door. She popped back into focus, as James asked her what she wanted to drink.
"Er... water will be fine, thanks." She said, fiddling with a button on her cardigan.
"You okay?" James asked, worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Clarissa said absentmindedly, pretending to study her menu.
"You look dazed...you sure you're okay?" James asked, his dark green eyes looking concerned, putting his hand over in hers.
Clarissa, who was surprised at the touch of James' hand in hers, quickly reflexed and pulled her hand away thoughtlessly and put it in her lap and smiled weakly "Oh, I'm fine, you're such a worry-wart James." she quickly changed the subject, "Oh these soups sound amazing."
James sighed and answered reluctantly "You sure you don't want a sandwich instead? You eat like a bird," James started before Clarissa cut him off.
"Ah, I'm just not really hungry today. Besides...I'm not in the mood for a sandwich." She grinned and told to waiter who had just come up, "The number four soup with extra crackers" and continued her conversation with James "What do you want to do tonight?" Clarissa asked "We could go Christmas Gift shopping or something." Clarissa smiled
"Oh damn, did I forget to tell you?" James started "Tonight I have Night Duty at the Ministry."
Clarissa sighed "Aww, not again James, you had night duty last weekend too."
"I know, but they're really breaking down on the Aurors to get this new section of the ministry up-- we have to do all these enchantments and such to make sure it's completely un-foolable." James said, sipping his coffee.
James, who was an Auror, worked at the Ministry seven days a week, and sometimes night duty. Like tonight. James' enjoyed his work, but you could tell it was starting to take a toll on him at points. His eyes, that used to sparkle, had become worrisome about various things. Clarissa figured that once they got married, this would go away, because they would be able to start a family, and maybe James would have some new-found happiness. He was the complete opposite of George, he was good to her of course, but never really had that 'spark' like she got from George. But, she loved James, with or without the spark. They had dated breifly in Clarissa's fourth year, when he was a seventh year, but had broken up with her when he left Hogwarts. Then Clarissa got together with George, but after they broke up, shortly after, she met back up with James at a Christmas party her parents were holding in their Manor, James and Clarissa immediately clicked, and after 4 years of dating, he finally proposed, and Clarissa said yes.
Clarissa sighed "Oh well, I have a huge report to do tonight anyway" she said, taking a rather large sip of her water.
"That's the fourth report in the past two weeks!" James said surprised
"Well, International Magical Communications isn't exactly light work, James. The only reason why they moved me up from British Muggle Communications is because I speak fluent French, and am able to communicate easily with the Veelas, not to mention I can translate as well." Clarissa said half heartedly as her soup came, she took a bite. "Besides--I enjoy my job, even if I have to write four reports in a span of two weeks."
"Suppose you're right, I just think they're over working you-- especially with the wedding coming up so soon and everything."
"Three months," Clarissa forced a smile and grasped James' hand "Speaking of weddings, you need to write out all the people you want to invite, Mum reminded me last night."
"Oh right," James said, giving her a peck on the cheek and then taking a bite out of his sandwich.
After discussing together about various topics in the Ministry, they departed, Clarissa back to her load of work at her flat, and James to the ministry. Clarissa passed Weasley Wizard Wheezes without even thinking and stopped at the local market for a few groceries and headed back to her flat, to her pile of work, that was waiting for her on her desk. She set to work, and after a good 2 hours, there was a knock on the door. Clarissa checked the clock
8:30...James can't be back yet...
She went to the door, to see a familiar red head waiting there.
George?! No...that's Fred.
Clarissa looked at Fred surprised, before inviting him in "Er...Hey Fred."
"Hello Clarissa," He said, grinning "I was just in the neighborhood--figured I'd stop by to say hello." Fred said, nonchalantly
"Well, that's nice. I haven't seen you since you and--since you left Hogwarts." Clarissa finished.
"Yeah," Fred said smiling, eyeing Clarissa's engagement ring.
"So what have you been doing lately? I heard about your joke shop--would you care for some tea?"
"Sure, that'd be great. Well, George and me have been running Weasley Wizard Wheezes..like you heard, since we left Hogwarts, it's really booming."
Clarissa smiled and accioed the tea pot from the Kitchen "That's nice, are you and Angelina still together?--Sugar? Milk?"
Fred accepted the tea "Sugar. Yes we're still together-- she helps out at the shop a lot. Who'd you get that rock from?" Fred asked, cutting to the chase.
"Oh...my fiancé...James...We've been engaged for over a year." she said uncomfortably, turning the ring around self-consciously and biting her lip and saying in a small voice "How is he--George I mean."
"He's good, he dated Katie for a while, but-- I think he misses you, Riss." Fred said.
"Oh, well it's sorta late for that, isn't it? Seeing as how I'm getting married in March!" Clarissa said, a pitch above her normal, calm tone. "Sorry Fred."
"It's okay," Fred said quietly, sipping his tea.
"It's just, after we broke up and I started working at the ministry, I kept thinking-- we're going to get back together, it's just a matter of time--but, when it never happened, James and I got together, and, and well, I thought George and I were a thing of the past."
"Well," Fred said, studying his hands "I should go, they'll be needing me at the store soon...see you later, Clarissa."
Fred stood and pulled his cloak over a sweater that greatly resembled Georges...It made Clarissa's heart swell. Fred walked to the door and Clarissa pulled a stray hair behind her ear.
"You know...I saw him today, at that Madam Lu-- something place." Clarissa said, shifting her weight and biting her lip.
"That's probably why he was so distant after he came back from lunch today" Fred said as he went out the door, "Hey Riss, come to the shop sometime. See you later."
He had left before Clarissa could even answer.