George Weasley watched quietly as Liz appeared to get more and more frustrated with her charms practice. Finally after two grueling hours she had a small victory as the feather finally levitated instead of exploding. She then turned and tried to do the same to a small pebble, but she was exhausted and it only flipped. She threw down her wand in disgust. He sighed thinking, I wish I could…
Fred's voice broke through his thoughts, "Doesn't that sound great?"
"Yeah, it does," George replied, having no idea what he'd just agreed to.
Fred had been jabbering away for fifteen minutes on his latest scheme for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. To the casual observer, George was giving him is full attention. Instead he'd barely heard anything that Fred had said, using the time to study the cascade of Liz's hair over her shoulder and across her back. He also studied the arch of her brow and the way she chewed her lip as she tried to correct her pronunciations.
Suddenly Fred was standing, holding his broomstick and walking towards the portrait hole. George felt compelled to follow or be forced to reveal his new favorite pastime, watching Liz Parker. The last thing he saw as he exited the room was Liz opening some letters.
He had just cleared the steps and started across the front lawn towards the Quidditch Pitch when he heard her choked sobs. Her turned to see her running down the steps. She started to turn towards the Pitch also when the loud laughter of the others caused her to pull up short. She hesitated about a second then turned away from their voices and began to run blindly towards the one place at school where she could face serious danger, the forest.
His own hesitation was only a fraction of hers and when it was over he had decided to follow her. He jumped on his broom and flew around the castle twice then a decoy path over the lake and around Hagrid's cabin. As soon as he was far enough from the castle he flew into the forest and doubled back towards where he'd seen Liz running.
When he found where she'd collapsed in tears he landed as quietly as possible, only breaking one twig when he'd landed.
She turned, surprised to realize that the "man" she'd heard was actually a Weasley according to the unmistakable red hair glowing in the filtered sunlight of the forest. She studied the face to determine which of the twins it was. She stopped at the eyes. George. "Why are you here?" she asked hoarsely.
"I saw you running in here and wanted to be sure you got back safely. It's better not to take your first trip into the forest alone, much less blinded by tears," he answered with a comforting smile. "So why all the tears?"
"Home. Ex-boyfriend issues," she answered quietly.
He fished a clean handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her as he sat on the ground beside of her. "Is he an ex by your choice or his?"
She hesitated a moment, deciding what she could tell. Then said, "Sort of mine and sort of his mother's, but not really his."
"So what is he doing that has upset you?"
"He's begging me to take him back. I can't face it. It was too hard to break up with him the first time. And I have so much to learn here that I can't even deal with the extra pressure from him," she said trying to hold back the angry tears that threatened to spill over again.
George sat quietly for a moment, his brow furrowed as he pondered her words, then asked, "Is it because, in your heart, you still want to be with him and his mother is getting in the way or was he abusive?"
She paused shaking her head, "No he's not abusive."
"Did you really want to break up with him?"
"No," she whispered.
"So why is his mother involved in this decision?"
"Well, it's kind of hard to explain all the details but she's a queen and she kind of betrothed him to another girl before she left him in Roswell for his safety. The girl and his mother have both shown up suddenly in the last four months. So suddenly he has this destiny that doesn't include me. So I left to let him follow it."
"But why does he have to follow it?"
"Because he's destined to be the king of his people and with that comes certain obligations. I can understand that and so no matter how much he wants to get back together I can't let it happen. I just can't handle the heartbreak later when he decides his people need him and he has to choose her for that to happen," she explained.
"And he's not accepting your reasons?"
"No and the pressure is hurting me. I guess that is why I jumped at the opportunity to leave home this summer. I would rather face Professor Snape three times a week and practice those darn charms every waking moment, than deal with Max Evans face to face every day this summer. It's been a really bad year," Liz confessed.
"Does he know what kind of stress you are under?" George asked gently.
"No. I didn't tell anyone that I am a witch."
"So what does he think you are doing here?"
"I guess he's going with the story I left behind, that I'm in Florida with my Aunt. Only four people know the truth about where I am, my parents, Kyle's dad and Maria. Actually to be honest, only Kyle's dad knows that I'm a witch. The other three think I'm at a special scientific program in England for the summer. In fact the letter from Max only got to me because he sent it through Maria. And some how that Bit- …eh, I mean his 'betrothed' found out about it and slipped in one from her too. That's what sent me into histrionics."
"I can understand that," George said sympathetically. Then he redirected the conversation again. "So why didn't you tell your parents that you are a witch?"
"Because I didn't think that they could handle it. Actually, let me correct that. I couldn't handle the questions they would ask if they knew, so I didn't tell them. I wouldn't allow Professor McGonagall to mention it either."
"How did you explain Kyle going to Hogwarts too?"
"We didn't. Sheriff Valenti just told everyone that he had gone to football camp. And since I am going to my aunt's house in Florida for a couple of days before I go home and Kyle is going to football camp straight from here then technically we aren't lying completely."
"True. You mentioned before that it was a really bad year. Is that something you want to talk about?"
"I really do wish I could. Kyle knows about it but his was equally bad and if I try to talk to him about it I'm afraid that he will start whining again. It's been so pleasant around him these last few days without the whining and moaning, so I just don't bring it up."
"I could listen or talk if you need to. I know you want to keep your privacy, but really, who am I going to tell? I know hardly anyone in the Muggle world. Add to that, the only Americans I know are you and Kyle. So again, who would I tell?" he asked.
"That is true," she chuckled. "But can I think about it anyway?"
"Sure. Listen, it is going to be dark soon. What do you say we find our way out of here and back to the castle safely and without getting caught? If we hurry we won't be late for dinner," he suggested. His stomach growled to accent his point.
She laughed at that and agreed, "Yes. That does sound good as long as it isn't that kidney pie crap that they offered last Tuesday for lunch. Do you know how badly I wanted a Big Mac that day? That was so disgusting."
"Tell me next time and I will see what I can arrange," he offered.
"Absolutely. Now how do we get out of the forest without being seen?"
"This way," he said leading her around the edge of the forest to the side nearest the back of the castle. "Almost no one ever goes this way but it cuts the chances of being caught considerably."
"I really wasn't thinking of the consequences when I fled today. Thanks for bailing me out. And thank you for listening to my problems too," she said and kissed him on the cheek.
"It was my pleasure, fair lady," he said chivalrously. And nothing compared to the interrogation I am certain to get when Fred and the guys catch up with me later tonight.