Already in Love: George and Alicia
It started out fairly innocently. She sought revenge for a Canary Cream that had mysteriously found it's way into her dessert. After fuming for a few minutes, trying to tune out everyone's laughter, she thought of a simple way to retaliate. She recalled that afternoon's Charms class and decided to put the lesson into practice.
He listened to the laughter, and couldn't help smiling himself. One of his eyebrows was blue, and the other green. He decided to leave it like that for the rest of the day. He smirked. It was a fairly amateur job. He'd even heard her mutter the spell, holding her wand under the table. If it was a prank war she wanted, then that's what she'll get.
She slammed her quill down over her ruined homework. Honestly. The last paragraph was utter nonsense, most words spelled completely wrong or completely indecently. And she should have known. After all, who did she borrow the quill from? She eyed him from across the Common Room. She was still unnerved by the way he flaunted his colorful eyebrows. Others had laughed at him, and he just sat there beaming like an idiot!
The loud giggles of several girls, coming from behind, made him curious. He turned to his twin and asked what it was. When Fred stared wide-eyed a moment, before bursting into chortles, he knew it was bad. He looked down at himself over his shoulder to find that his uniform was invisible from behind. Fortunately, his shorts were still intact. Fred waved his wand, countering the spell, making a joke about getting "back" at someone - this was followed by several snorts and guffaws. Straightening his robes, he frowned. If this was how the game was going to go, then he'd better step it up a notch. Pretty girl or no. She was going down.
She woke up the next morning with no hair.
He woke up the next morning with no nose.
About halfway during her walk into Hogsmeade, her scarf turned into an eel.
About halfway through his morning shower, the water turned into syrup.
She found all her shoes were two sizes too large.
He found all his underwear was three sizes too small.
She unexpectedly burst into song in the Great Hall.
He unexpectedly admitted he was in love with Millicent Bullstrode. In the Slytherin Common Room.
It continued in this vein for many weeks. It came to a point, where neither could completely relax. Always afraid of what could happen at any moment, what lay around the corner, what the other was plotting.
Alicia Spinnet reached a breaking point. She wanted to put an end to this stupid war with George Weasley. He was her friend, sort of, and she didn't like the new, unusual way she felt around him.
When he entered the room, she felt warm and dizzy. She felt nervous, and could never take her eyes off of him, in case he tried hexing her openly. Briefly, she wondered if he had possibly already hexed her. It would explain how she felt and why she couldn't get him out of her head.
Strangely, they reached a point where nothing needed to be done. They were both at wit's end and for several days, neither attempted any sort of prank.
He briefly wondered if she had given up. He shrugged, thinking that that would be entirely too anticlimactic. And he certainly couldn't allow that.
George Weasley, putting thoughts of Alicia Spinnet from his mind, immersed himself in a new line of products that he and his brother were developing. While bottling a potion, he wondered briefly who they could get to test it. Maybe he'd ask Ginny if there was anyone she'd like to volunteer.
Alicia watched George place about a dozen small vials on the table across the room from where she was sitting. She wondered what it could be, trying to keep him in sight, while reading her Charms textbook at the same time. It was making her head hurt. His attention was distracted by Fred and Angelina. They dragged him over to Katie, who grinned up at him and punched his arm, playfully.
Alicia felt her face turn red and she narrowed her eyes. She scowled while watching them from over the top of her book. It occurred to her sharply that she was perhaps acting jealous. She shook the thought from her head and took a deep breath. She eyed the small vials on the table. Perhaps, he could use a little of his own medicine? She smirked at the thought of his shocked expression, as his own invention was turned against him. And in Alicia's mind, Katie would be watching, with a look of disgust on her face.
Using a simple charm, she accioed one of the little bottles straight into her hand, all while making sure nobody had seen.
He handed the vials to Fred, and paused. He did a quick count and realized he was short by one. Fred took the vials and said he'd work on some volunteers.
He nodded and absently scanned the ground and the chair nearby. No sign of it. A glance around the Common Room - and his eyes fell on Alicia. She was sitting at a desk in the corner, hiding behind a textbook. He saw something in her hand and it gleamed a little in the firelight. And he suddenly knew where the bottle went. He grinned. This should be good.
She'd poured the entire love potion, for that was what the label on the small vial had read, into his drink. And it was ridiculously easy to get him to take the butterbeer she offered him. His eyes danced when he accepted the bottle from her, his fingers brushing against hers, his lips turned into a gentle smile.
It made her melt. She nearly reached forward to snatch the bottle away from his lips. Instead, she watched helplessly as he downed the cold butterbeer in about five gulps. He held up the bottle and burped robustly. He laughed to himself a moment, then abruptly, he stopped. And he turned his warm brown eyes to her. She froze. It was suddenly very hot in the Three Broomsticks.
He kept his gaze intensely on her flushed face. Everyone around them, those who were laughing, joking, and drinking merrily, faded into the background. He raised a hand to her face and ran his knuckles over her cheek. She licked her lips, drawing his attention to that feature. He mimicked her action, licking his own lips, before saying loudly:
"I love you, Alicia Spinnet and I want the whole world to know! I love you!"
His words hit her like ice water. She shook herself, suddenly aware they were in a crowded pub with all their friends and classmates. Everyone broke into confused laughter at the sight of George Weasley professing his love to the target of his recent pranks.
This was supposed to be her moment of triumph, but instead she felt herself blushing furiously. She stood and made a run for the door. She heard him rush to follow her.
"Wait, don't leave, I love you, Alicia! I don't want us to ever be apart!"
It wasn't until they were out on the path back to Hogwarts that he decided to stop with the act. He doubled over with laughter when called out to Alicia, "Oh, you should have seen your face back in the pub!"
She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him, as though he were crazy. A confused, hurt look passed over her face so quickly that he thought he might have imagined it.
He walked to her slowly, suppressing any further laughter, and limiting himself to a wide grin. She seemed to shrink back a moment, her eyes widening at his approach.
She hesitated. That must have been a short-acting love potion, if he was already back to his normal self. She heaved a sigh and attempted a glare at him.
"I saw you drink that butterbeer, how come - why - tsk - your potions need some work, Weasley," she mumbled, spinning on her heel, ready to run back to Hogwarts. He grabbed her arm gently and turned her to face him. She refused to meet his eyes.
"Fred and I have been working on a love potion of sorts," he paused, amused that she finally met his eyes with a glare. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. He was delighted that she didn't resist.
"You don't say!"
"If you'd believe it, it was our mum's old recipe! And it works like a charm, lasts about a day."
She snorted at this and struggled to get out of his grasp. But he held her tightly. He leaned in close, brushing his lips across her cheek. She stilled in his arms.
"We actually could only find one flaw with it."
Her cheek felt like it was on fire, from the slightest touch from him. She wondered whether he did that accidentally or not.
The thought was negated when he firmly pressed his lips to hers. She did not consider to resist him, not for even one second. Instead, she reached up and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, deepening the kiss.
He finally pulled back, completely breathless, his arms still wrapped around her. His eyes smiled down at her.
"You see, the love potion doesn't work if your victim's already in love with you."
Author's Note -
A one-shot. Just a silly idea that struck me and I had to write it.
Hope you like it!
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