For the first time after a quidditch match George didn't feel exhilarated. Infact, he felt downright annoyed.
They had won spectacularly, kicking Hufflepuff's ass. Later, he had spotted Alicia and Cedric arguing in the stands and they were throwing a huge victory party in the common room. So why didn't he feel on top of the world?
For awhile after the match, he kept flying around the pitch, swooping between the goal posts and just enjoying how far away from the real world he was.
Finally, he landed and after having a quick shower, headed up to the common room to play his part in the festivities.
It was early yet and the party hadn't really begun, people were still coming in. even the slytherins had shown their faces this year…noticeably Zambini and Malfoy who were talking to Harry and Hermione.
It was still a little unnerving seeing Harry and Malfoy actually conduct a mature conversation but the two had set aside their differences last year and were actually pretty decent friends. Electrified Hogwarts students often saw the golden trio, Malfoy and Blaise and Pansy hanging out beside the lake or at parties.
George ran up to his dorm and quickly changed into something more presentable than jeans and his weasley sweater.
When he was done, he looked at himself in the mirror, grinning to himself and said "not bad". He was wearing black pants and a dark blue silk shirt which Ginny had given him for his birthday and black shoes. He ran his fingers through his spikey red hair and left it at that. Grabbing two bottles of butterbeer from under his bed, he headed downstairs to party.
Shiara sat on her bed and watched her best friends and her other room mate, Kelly, run all over the place looking for the perfect outfit. She was wearing jeans and a black top and heels. She really hadn't felt like dressing up much.
"shiara! Do you have a skirt?" asked Kelly
"uh yeah… I wear it everyday" said shiara tonelessly.
Her three friends exchanged looks and all sat on or around her bed.
"whats wrong?" asked Angela
"yeah…you've been really out of it today" said Melissa.
Kelly looked at her and said, "Shi, you're usually screaming at us to hurry up and finish by now….somethings very wrong"
Shiara sighed and said "actually nothing is..im just a little tired I guess, there isn't any real reason why im in such a horrible mood"
Angela smiled at her and said "nice try, shi, what's really bugging you?"
Shiara groaned and said "I don't know…"
Melissa grinned and said "its george isn't it?"
Shiara bolted upright and said "no! what about George? George who?"
The other three just laughed.
"Shi, you're an amazing person but covering your arse isn't one of your talents" said Kelly.
Shiara sighed and said "I think I like him but I don't know… I mean, I think he's really nice and….and…."
Angela and Melissa broke into identical evil grins and said "I think our little Shi needs some excitement…don't you?"
"uh-oh" said Shiara, staring at them wide eyed.
An hour later, George Weasley was sitting at the makeshift bar that Dean and Seamus had set up and trying to fend off two second year Ravenclaws who obviously liked his new haircut.
Fred was dancing with Angelina and Cedric and Alicia were sitting on a couch, doing a good impression of trying to eat eachother's faces. Lee and Katie were sitting near them and laughing at some private joke. Harry was dancing with Ginny, George thought that his sister might die of happiness at the rate she was going. Hermione and Ron were dancing. Well, actually, Hermione was, Ron was just hopping around trying to avoid her feet. But they looked happy together and that was what was important.
Finally managing to blow off the second years, he was just about to head off upstairs when he noticed a girl talking to Blaise Zambini.
She was tall with dark eyes and hair. She was dressed in a short denim skirt and a black halter with knee high black dragon skin boots. And she had the longest legs he had ever seen. She was laughing at something Zambini said and then turned towards him with a smile.
"George" she said smiling
"Shiara?" he asked uncertainly.
She smiled and said bye to Blaise and began heading in his direction. George was amazed. He had thought she was pretty but now he realized that she was HOT.
Angela and Melissa who were watching the two, grinned at eachother…the sparks were flying already.
"hey there" shiara said softly, smiling up at him.
He smiled back and said "hey…"
They just stood there looking at eachother for a long moment, George was surprised how easy it was just to be around her. He didn't feel pressured to say something funny or romantic, he just looked at her and she looked at him.
"want to dance?" she said, leaning towards him. He thought he was going to pass out, having her that close.
But he found himself saying "sure" in a completely steady voice and taking her hand, leading her off onto the dance floor.
Shiara didn't know what was wrong with herself. It wasn't exactly her style, waltzing up to George, asking him to dance and then proceeding to dance so close to him that they looked like they were glued together. She knew that people probably thought she was doing it to make Cedric jealous but truth be told, nothing could have been further from her mind at that point. All she could think of was George Weasley and how his hands were sliding down her bare back and resting on her hips, pulling her closer to him. George didn't really know what he was doing, it was like the rest of the world had fallen away from around him, and all he could hear was the beating of his own heart and he was acutely aware of her breath against his face and way her body was swaying in time with his….
At this point…for both of them…nothing else mattered.