Heylo and welcome, to my second last chapter… makes you want to cry a bit, doesn't it? This has been my longest story yet. I want to thank many of you for being so good to me, because I know I didn't deserve all your praise. I've enjoyed writing this story, and since it was a summer story (meaning I was able to write and update frequently) and now it is school, I'm going to write another story that may take a little more of a wait in between updates. I hope to see many names that I've seen before, there, cause I'd love to know that y'all are still with me! YAY! But enough of this mushy-gushy, I'm ending this goodbye crap for now, I'm going to give you a good chapter! GOOD, GOOD, GOOD!
Calypso- I hope Harry comes to your door… Hehehe! I loved your review… it was long! Yay!
TheNash- yeah I am not a fan of Snape either… lol! Thanks for the info on if I should continue the Alicia/George ship, I will… cause its fun!
Stella Blu- no it didn't appear already, but thank you for your review!
Blue3sky- thanks for that, and I didn't think the Snape and Fred thing was that good but a bunch of people mentioned it so… thank you for your reviews, I always enjoy them. God bless as well!
Valentines-hater- Hehehe you just wait my friend, you just wait! Thank you for your reviews, they are always appreciated.
Yayforgredandforge- thank you, you make me feel so special! Hopefully you'll enjoy the ending of this anyways.
Lauren- thank you very much, I enjoy writing them hopefully as much as you enjoy reading them.
HPFanatic04- surprises, surprises! Maybe you should brace yourself as well… Hehehe oh what a hint.
Wow, a lot of reviews! Thank you all again, and I hope you like this chapter because I really enjoyed writing it!
Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter… me no own, you no sue. Are we all getting good at remembering this stuff?
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Chapter 26-Renew
George finished packing the bags and setting them neatly aside. He was prepared to Apparate whenever Alicia, Fred and Angelina were. They couldn't wait to get back to the joke shop, and figure out how Lee and Katie were getting along without them.
The thing that the little orb did was give extra power to whomever touched it at the moment of energy… needless to say, Harry yet again got what Voldemort was supposed to have.
"Katie has to go back to Hogwarts soon… I hope she's okay without us." Alicia said sadly.
"Who's she going to hang out with?" Angelina asked, walking over to George's pile of bags and counting them. "Six… seven…"
"I'm not sure, I think she'll think of something though." Alicia said, sitting on George's lap.
"Oh, it makes me so worried." Angelina said. "George, are you sure you piled ALL our bags here?"
"Fred's still packing." He answered.
"Oh." Angelina said. "Well okay then, it all adds up."
"Why are you leaving?" Asked the fairy in the painting.
George sighed. "Because we don't like you." He said.
"George!" Alicia scolded.
The fairy broke down crying. "I know your joking… that's what you boys do. But I'll miss you!" She whined.
"I'll uh… I'll…" George stammered.
Alicia elbowed him in the ribs.
"OW! Ah… fine, I'll miss you too." George answered after Alicia's act of persuasion.
"Really?" The fairy asked through tears.
"She's pretty you know." Alicia said. "A very nice painting."
The fairy flipped her hair behind her shoulders. "You think so?" She mused.
"Oh yes." Alicia nodded. "George… she would look nice in the living-room. Don't you think?" She asked.
"WHAT? I mean, uh… what, love?" George asked after his eyes bulging and a quick shake of his head.
Angelina shook her head. "I'm no part of this. I think I'll leave and find Fred… last time I checked he was in the kitchen." She said, leaving.
"Look at her hunny." Alicia whispered, coming up to him as he sat on the bed. She straddled his hips and sat on his lap, facing him, her legs wrapped around his waist. He arms moved up around his neck.
"I see an annoying little-…" George began.
"You see a fairy who really likes you. And you don't like her, so she annoys you. But as a friend?" She asked, moving her hands from the back of his neck and in his hair, down his neck and chest.
"I don't know…" George said.
She licked her lips seductively. "I think you'll find a right spot in your heart, to allow this poor painting into your house. She's quite sweet, really."
George glanced over at the painting of the fairy, which was making no attempts to pretend like she wasn't listening and was flying around excitedly. When she noticed George glancing at her, she put her hands together in a pleading state and stood on her rock, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Well I guess…" George began.
Alicia leaned closer to him so that her lips were close to his ear, her eyes closed as she said in a low whisper, "Well?"
George gulped. "Yes. YES. Fine." He said.
Alicia happily jumped off of him. "All right then!"
"Hey… don't I get a kiss?" He asked, feeling as though she cheated him into something.
"Fine." She said, leaning close to him and kissing his forehead.
George grumbled. "Great… how did you ever get me to say yes?"
Alicia shrugged and walked over to the painting. The fairy was zooming around happily.
"Is it okay if I wrap you in this cloth?" Alicia asked, holding up an old blue rag.
"OH! BLUE! YES, YES, ITS FINE!" The fairy yelled in happiness.
"Good." Alicia said, taking the painting off the walls and wrapping it tenderly in the blue cloth.
She threw a smile over to George, who couldn't help but smile back at her cheery face and blushed cheeks.
"And I wouldn't leave you hanging for a kiss." Alicia said, putting the fairy in a box and walking over to George, wrapping her arms around his neck. He swung her around so he was supporting her with his arm as she leaned back on him. He then leaned in and kissed her.
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POP.
POP.
POP.
POP.
Lee swung around. "What the hell was-…" His face lit up when he saw his friends standing in the middle of the shop as he stood behind the cashier. "GUYS!" He said happily. He walked over to the staircase and called up, "Hey, baby! Katie! Guess who's here?"
Katie let out an excited shriek. She ran down the stairs and jumped on the third step, landing in Lee's arms. She kissed him quickly and then ran over to George and swinging her arms around him in a tight embrace. Then she went to Alicia and did the same, swinging her as well into a very tight hug. She then moved to Fred and smiled up at him, and then went to Angelina and gave her a very tight hug.
Fred stood there looking confused.
"I'm only joking, Fred! You get a hug too!" Katie said laughing, and hugging him.
Angelina and Alicia walked up to Lee and kissed him on the cheek at the same time so that one was on either side.
"Missed you, Lee." They said sweetly in unison.
Lee smiled and walked over to the twins, giving them high-fives.
"Hey, how was the store while we were gone?" Asked Fred.
Katie answered him with a quick, "GREAT!"
"Let me elaborate on that…" Said Lee. "Business was steady, and there were quite a few people here. Even some of the young ones, like the people we know that are still in Hogwarts."
"Guess who else came?" Katie said happily.
"Who?" Said the four of them, staring at Lee and Katie.
Katie giggled and went and hugged Lee, holding onto him and looking at all her friends. "Ollie came to see us all! But you guys weren't here so… but his wedding is soon."
Alicia and Angelina screamed excitedly. "HE'S HAVING A WEDDING?"
"Yeah." Katie answered happily.
"TO WHO?" They asked again, exchanging glances.
"You won't guess." Katie said.
George smiled. "Hmm, maybe that's why we asked."
"You know that girl Tanya?" Katie asked.
Everyone got deep into conversation about everything they missed, and they were all finally able to catch up with one another's life. George and Fred slipped out to grab some butterbeer and came back with plenty, so they all drank until late in the night, talking about everything from wizard news to the Weird Sisters.
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George woke up feeling slightly hung-over from all the butterbeer he had, but considering its alcohol content was very low, he only stayed dizzy for a couple minutes as he sat up and looked around the room. Alicia lay peacefully by his side, her eyes closed and her arm around his waist.
George fell back in bed, thinking. His life was turning out to be everything he ever wanted it to be. He and Fred had a joke shop, he was out of School, and he had Alicia. He couldn't think of anything he ever wanted more. He had everything, it seemed. He could afford what he needed, he could love Alicia, the first girl he ever wanted to love, and in his own job he could fool around and make different devices for troublemaking, something he always loved to do.
"George?" Alicia mumbled.
"Mmm?" He said, looking down at her.
Alicia opened her eyes slightly and looked up at him, rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands and then pushing herself up, so that she was sitting comfortably, her knees in front of her.
"Your awake already." She said smiling.
George smiled too. "I couldn't sleep well."
She hugged him and nestled her face in the space between his neck and shoulder, taking in the cologne that still lingered on his neck.
"I'm going to take a shower, love." He told her.
She nodded.
He left.
Oh how she wanted to be with him forever… what would make her life complete? A job maybe… but as what? McGonagol always told her that she should take up Transfiguration. Other teachers however, told her to take up writing. What would she do with her life? Then something struck her.
Write about Transfiguration. SHE could write books on how to do Transfiguration, and McGonagol would surely tell people she was good and Hogwarts could use her books!
Alicia jumped up and ran out of the room, going to buy what Muggles called a 'laptop' for easy writing.
(A/N: had to put that part in, sorry it was a bit weird. Hehehe…)
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Alicia came back with some clothes, a laptop, and a bit of food. She piled the food into the fridge and went into her and George's bedroom and put the laptop on the desk, slipping on a comfy sweater and then combing her hair to that it waved down to her shoulders.
She walked out of the room and down the stairs, going in behind the counter where Fred and George were standing, discussing with Lee on business and their new supplies.
"Lee's thinking about working for us, Lich." Fred said, seeing her.
"Yeah." Lee answered. "I work in advertising now. I'm sure I could make up some really cool stuff."
George wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, moving her so that her back was pressed against his chest, his arms around her and holding her close.
"That's awesome!" Alicia said happily.
"Yeah it really is." George said in her hair.
The bell at the door rang and Katie ran into the store with a smile drawn on her face.
"LEE! LEE! CHECK THIS OUT!" She said in a jumpy voice, running over to him and kissing his cheek.
Lee smiled as he read the paper.
"What is it?" Fred asked.
"It's a notice saying we got the house we wanted!" Lee said, looking over at Katie who was jumping giddily around the room at the thought of her and Lee living together.
"Nice job, man!" Fred said, giving Lee a high-five and then focusing his attention on Katie who was now singing at the top of her lungs.
"What is all the racket?" Angelina said from atop the stairs, looking down with a cooking apron on and a stirring spoon in her hand.
"Is that 'kiss the cook' apron literal?" Fred teased as she walked down the stairs.
Angelina walked over to Fred and pulled him into a fiery kiss, and then looked over at the happy-go-lucky blonde, bounding around the room. "What's she all hyped about?" She asked.
Lee laughed and handed her the notice. "It's of our new house."
Angelina's eyes scrolled across the page and she looked up at Lee and smiled. "This is great, Lee!"
He nodded. "Yeah…" He said watching Katie hop around the room. "It sure is…"
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BANG.
Fred and George looked over at each other and began to laugh as they examined one another's faces, which were now brown and black with the malfunction of they're new project.
"That blew up in our faces, didn't it?" Fred asked.
"Literally." George answered, picking up the singed piece of wood, which was supposed to be a fake chair leg. ('Replace the one chair leg with this fake one, and it will hold the chair up until the person has become comfortable in it!')
"This isn't exactly working," Fred began.
"Is it?" George finished.
The two shook their heads and looked around the room at all of their other on-going projects.
"I'm thinking about doing something really crazy." George said.
Fred looked up.
"But I really want to do it." He looked over at his brother.
"What do you mean?" Fred asked.
George sighed. "I've been thinking a lot about it and-…"
The door swung open and Angelina came in, plopping two bowls of soup down in front of Fred and George.
"Tell me how you like it." She sighed, with a flat tone.
Fred watched her as she flopped breathlessly into the armchair in the corner of the room.
"Honey?" Fred asked with uncertainty. "Have you been cooking this all day?"
"Fred, how come you got your job faster than I did?" She asked.
Fred laughed. "You're a great cook, Angelina, darling." He said to her.
George took a spoonful and nodded. "Angelina, if I may say, this is the best soup I've ever tasted."
Angelina laughed. "That's because you have only had Alicia to cook for you in a while, and she well… I wouldn't let her in the kitchen."
George shrugged.
"Its not like he'd notice anyways." Fred said.
George laughed and got up. He put a reassuring hand on Angelina's shoulder. "You're an excellent cook, Angelina. Anyone in their right Wizarding mind would hire you." He answered, walking out the door.
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"HA! I WIN AGAIN!" Lee said, jumping up and doing a victory dance around the kitchen.
Katie swooned over his goofy dance, and Alicia sighed, looking over at the staircase where George had just appeared. She smiled and ran over to him, jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his stomach.
"Hey." He said, kissing her softly.
"Hey." She whispered back to him.
"Get dressed and dolled up all nice and pretty, okay?" He said, putting her down.
Alicia raised an eyebrow. "Okay." She answered.
George winked and kissed her on the cheek, watching her run off into his room.
"What's up with the, 'all dolled up' crap?" Lee asked.
George shrugged. "I just feel like taking her out."
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Alicia slipped on a red dress, which had a low v-neck brought together with some red string. It had a slit down the side and it flowed down to the ground so that you could only see the tips of her toes. She put her in two messy pigtails like usual, since she couldn't seem to tame it.
She used a bit of eyeliner and mascara, and a shiny coat of lip-gloss, and then put in two dangly red earrings. She looked at herself in the mirror and shrugged. She wasn't supposed to be drop-dead gorgeous, so she'd settle for this.
There was a knock at the bedroom door and she opened it a crack to see George smiling at her. His jaw dropped as his eyes followed all of the curves in her body.
"You look absolutely stunning." He said in a breathless whisper.
She laughed. "Save it Weasley." She said sweetly. "I know how to see through that lie."
He shook his head. "No lies, Alicia. You're carriage awaits." He said bowing.
Alicia raised an eyebrow at the redhead in front of her. He was wearing blue dress-robes and he was giving her one of his in-famous Weasley grins.
"My what, now?" She asked.
George grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Your carriage."
She sighed. "I have no idea what your talking about, George."
"Well follow. You don't need to know everything before it happens, love." He said happily.
Alicia shrugged and followed him out of the room. He linked arms with her and brought her downstairs, opening the shop door for her. When she walked out into the warm summer-night air, she gasped in surprise.
Eclipse, the black Hippogriff was standing there obediently, looking very handsome. Attached behind him, was a black carriage with wings, floating there. George walked over and opened the door of the carriage, smiling at her.
Alicia walked over and George took her hand, helping her in. She sat down and waited for George to bow to the Hippogriff and climb in as well.
Just then, Lee came out in his dress robes, smiling at her. He climbed to the front of the carriage and took the reigns on Eclipse as George grasped her hand. Lee pulled the reigns slightly, beckoning Eclipse to lift off the ground and begin to fly over the hilltops.
"George… what's going on?" Alicia asked looking over at him.
He shrugged. "I thought I'd take you out for a nice dinner." He said kissing her softly.
She pulled him closer to her and kissed him harder, smelling his cologne and entwining her fingers in his. Then she broke away and smiled at him.
"Your acting weird, you know." She whispered.
He nodded. "Yeah… I know."
Eclipse suddenly moved lower, landing on a high and grassy hill that over-looked a sparkling lake. The dark blue sky was illuminated with tiny white stars that were scattered over it like a child's finger-painting, and a bright full moon stared down at them. The hill was bare, except for a large tree with hanging branches, and a table underneath it, lit with candles. A single black rose was in a vase, and red rose petals danced around the ground.
Angelina, Fred, and Katie were also there. Angelina was sitting over in the corner at the far reaches of the hill, and Katie was standing by the table. Fred however, was walking up to them.
"Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Spinnet." Fred said, opening the door of their carriage. "May I lead you to your table?"
Alicia's mouth opened slightly, in shock. George grabbed her hand, however, and pulled her out of the carriage.
"Thanks." Said George.
Fred walked over to the table and pulled out a chair for Alicia. Alicia then sat down obediently, closing her mouth and staring over at George.
Katie jumped forward happily. "May I uh-… May I take… um… your…" She rolled her eyes. "Just, what do you want to eat?" She said finally.
George laughed and Alicia smiled up at her.
"What?" She asked.
George handed her a list of food.
"Oh… I don't know… I guess I'll have the steak?" She said.
George nodded. "Same."
Katie jotted down notes and walked away over to Angelina. "Two dead cows, roasted barbeque style!"
"Give up the waitress talk, Katie!" Angelina said with a sigh.
Alicia laughed and looked over at George who was blushing shyly, and staring at her with a cute, lopsided grin.
"What's all this?" Alicia asked. "Katie serving us, Angelina cooking dinner…"
George smiled. "Just thought it'd be nice." He said.
Alicia watched Lee and Fred light a match, and seconds later there were bright and beautiful fireworks being set off and making millions of patterns and colours in the sky.
Katie walked over with the steak and handed it to them, smiling and saying, "Enjoy your meal."
"So…" George began. "How are you feeling?"
Alicia laughed. "A bit confused, but… it's really a beautiful display, George."
"You know I love you." He said with certainty.
"Yes. I do." Alicia said.
George smiled and began to talk with her, and sooner than they imagined, they were both finished their meal.
"Come for a walk with me by the lake." He said, taking her hand.
"All right." Alicia answered, following him down to the lakeside and watching the fireworks illuminate in the sky, too far off to be able to be heard. She listened to the constant rush of water hitting the side of the lake, and the animals singing tunelessly in the distance.
George turned to her and took her face in his hands, staring deep into her eyes. He traced his thumb over her lips and then closed his eyes and softly kissed her, breaking away and staring into her eyes once more.
"Alicia." He said, taking a deep breath. "I met you and you hated me."
She laughed.
"Then we became best friends, and I always wanted to be more with you. When I got the chance, I felt like the luckiest man alive, and I still do. What I'm trying to say here is that I love you with all my heart and soul, and if I was ever to be without you, I'm not sure what I would do. I love you more than anyone else could ever love someone, and my heart beats for you. I see so that I can look at your beautiful smile one more time, a breathe so I can tell you I love you, I feel so that I can sense your gentle touch, and I hear so that your voice can fill my mind. You make me who I am, and with you I feel that nothing else in the world can matter as much as you do to me. I'm in love with you." George said softly, running one hand along her cheek and running his thumb in slow circles across her skin.
There was a silent moment when they could only hear the sound of the wind, the distant boom of a firework and the water rippling.
"Alicia Spinnet," George said smiling and taking her hand. "You are the love of my life. Will you marry me?"
Alicia's heart stopped beating for a fleeting second, and then it beat in her chest so fast it felt like it would burst. George was staring deep into her eyes, looking hopeful and shy.
"George Weasley," Alicia said softly, "I wouldn't dream of doing anything else. I will. Yes."
George smiled pulled her close to him, kissing her lips with all the passion that he could, and feeling her body close to his. She laughed inside his mouth and then she heard cheering and clapping.
They both turned to see their four friends: Lee, Fred, Angelina, and Katie. They were catcalling and clapping, yelling and crying, and they were all smiling at them.
George turned back to Alicia and kissed her once more, closing his eyes and knowing that he never wanted anything more.
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YAY! Happy, happy, happy! And so romantic! I WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO ME! AHHHH! Well anyways, review please, and the last chapter is coming… I will miss you all so much and I want to thank you for your faithful reviews.
-Kit