Disclaimer: You know what I do and do not own.

A/N: Hi, everyone. Thanks for giving this a go with me. A few things just so we're all on the same page. This story is AU. Fred lives and George has both of his lovely ears. I've changed other bits and pieces of canon to suit myself, but you'll work that all out as we go. Rating is currently T because of swearing and adult themes but be warned that the rating will go up in future chapters.

Lastly, I've been away from the HP fandom for over a decade so I'm a little rusty when it comes to the 'verse in general. This fic has been a real labour of love for me and I'm glad to finally share it with you all! Enjoy!


They say you can't go back home.

Alicia Spinnet didn't know who 'they' were exactly, but the smug bastards were right. This had been her last hope, but still she felt nothing. No wave of fond nostalgia. No warming of her heart. The tension in her body only seemed to be increasing.

It wasn't surprising that she hadn't felt at peace at her parents' new house. It wasn't her childhood home after all; it held no fond memories for her. Same thing at her new London flat, which was little more than an empty shell at the moment.

But here? Here of all places she had expected to feel something positive. Instead she felt nauseated and foolish. That one night had changed everything for her and she was stupid to think she was over it.

Alicia sighed and rested her cheek against the cold, wrought-iron gate. Hogwarts had been her favourite place in the world for so long and it was unfair that now her first memories of the grand castle were of the night Voldemort and his followers attacked it so viciously. She knew she actually had many good memories of her years there, but they all lay just out of reach and her mind was instead flooded with the sound of anguished screams and stone walls rending apart.

She had Apparated to Scotland on a whim an hour ago, then proceeded to walk solemnly around the school gates for a while before stopping and staring at the castle itself for a good fifteen minutes or so. The Hogwarts Express had only yesterday taken the school students home for summer, leaving the familiar grounds empty and eerily quiet. In reality everything looked the same, as if the carnage six years ago had never occurred, yet Hogwarts had still failed on all accounts to make her feel at home.

What a waste of an afternoon. The sun had now dropped behind the castle, allowing twilight to creep over Hogsmeade. The village looked as serene and picturesque as ever. A twinge deep down in Alicia's stomach made her start walking towards it. It wouldn't hurt to wander through the familiar streets now that she was all the way up here. Perhaps this would be the place that finally opened up its arms to welcome her back.

The combination of a warm summer's day and school holidays meant the village was rather busy. There was a fair bit of activity going on down the main street even at this hour. Shops were shutting up for the night and patrons were spilling out in search of something else to do. Like moths to a flame, they all seemed to be drawn to the Three Broomsticks.

Alicia knew she was going to have to pay a quick visit to the 'Sticks. It had always been her favourite part of Hogsmeade weekends. She hadn't realised till now how much she had missed English pub food. Ratatouille and beef bourguignon was all well and good but right now she was craving greasy, salty fish and chips.

She gladly joined the stream of cheery people filing into the pub and quickly snagged herself a table in the corner. Thankfully the menu hadn't changed so she already knew what she would order. Still, she kept her head down, eyes trained on the piece of parchment in front of her. She didn't particularly want to be recognised. Sure, she'd been back for almost three weeks now, but she'd deliberately kept to herself so far. She had a lot to get her head around first.

Alicia's eyes gradually began flicking up and scanning the place cautiously. She was mildly alarmed to spot Professor Vector sitting only a few tables away. She leaned forward and let her long brown hair fall around her face like a curtain. This reaction was perhaps a little dramatic as she hadn't even taken Arithmancy, but Alicia was well-known throughout the school thanks to Quidditch. A lot of people could recognise her and she wouldn't necessarily have a clue who they were.

Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all. She should get settled in first then come back. Maybe with Angelina and Katie, just like the old days.

"Can I get you something, love?"

Alicia looked up to see a waitress expectantly holding a notepad and quill. She couldn't very well get up and walk out now. That would be untoward. Clearly her time in France hadn't served to quash her neurotic British tendencies because she stayed put.

"Oh, uh, fish and chips please," she said, then followed it up with the pleasant smile she always reserved for people who waited on her.

"Right." The waitress scrawled on the pad then ripped off the top page. The scrap of parchment slowly floated up above her head then took off like a shot towards the kitchen. "Might be a bit of a wait tonight, love. Couple of staff off sick, you know."

Alicia balked then half rose out of her seat. "Well, then actually I'll uh…"

But it was too late. The older witch had already flashed her a smile and spun around to take the order of another table. Resigned to her fate, Alicia sighed and stood up the rest of the way. Might as well get a drink to pass some time and hopefully take the edge off a little. Her fight or flight response was kicking in and the consensus seemed to be that she ought to run for her life.

By the time she had returned to her table with her Firewhiskey, the pub was just about full. She began to recognise more and more people and it was only a matter of time before someone recognised her back. Her heart leapt every time she caught a glimpse of blonde hair. Last year Katie had taken over from Madam Hooch as the new flying instructor at Hogwarts so it was possible she was living in the village now.

Alicia took a sip of her drink and winced as it blazed a trail down her throat. What would she even say to Katie if she suddenly appeared? Where would she start? Truth be told, things had pretty much gone to shit the moment she graduated.

Alicia had always expected to end up working in the doldrums of the Ministry after she left school. It was an inevitability for someone with her mediocre academic record. The Quidditch scouts never came knocking; she wasn't enough of an all-rounder. She had her strengths (impeccable aim and co-ordination) but without Angelina and Katie beside her she was an average player at best.

Unfortunately, the class of '96 was the first to leave the safety of Hogwarts while the magical world was at war. With the Ministry in disarray, Alicia's plans had to change. Her half-blood status wasn't looked upon favourably at the time so she'd had little choice but to keep her head down and work in the Muggle world for an extended period. She hopped from job to menial job for a while, never settling or finding any personal fulfilment. Then the Battle of Hogwarts happened.

Honestly, her part in the fight had been so inconsequential as to be laughable. But everything changed after that night and Alicia had suddenly found herself working at the Ministry as a junior assistant in the Magical Transportation Department. It was a mind-numbingly boring job, but it was a foot in the door nonetheless.

When Voldemort died it wasn't only the British Ministry that was left decimated. Across the Channel, the French Ministry had also been under Death Eater control for many months. The newly elected French Minister reached out for help and Tiberius Ogden, once an esteemed member of the Wizengamot, came out of retirement and volunteered to assist in weeding out any remaining dark wizards. Trouble was, Tiberius Ogden had never been to France and didn't speak a work of French.

Alicia was only one of dozens of Ministry employees who applied to be his assistant. She was both the youngest and the least qualified, but she was given the position nonetheless. Alicia had been under no illusions at the time; she knew why she had been picked. Rita Skeeter had just published a Daily Prophet article all about Dumbledore's Army and though Alicia had barely been mentioned (in fact, Skeeter had somehow managed to misspell both her first and last name) it was still enough to catch people's attention.

It especially caught the attention of Mr Ogden, who had been an outspoken, lifelong supporter of Dumbledore. Ultimately, Alicia's tenuous association with Dumbledore and Harry had afforded her an amazing opportunity and she had jumped at the chance to spend six months working in France, a country she loved and had links to through her paternal Muggle grandmother.

Well, six months had turned into six long years and here she was, sneaking back into the country, feeling like an outsider and unsure of her next step. She needed a new job though. That would be a good start. The British Ministry would take her back, presumably, but she didn't think she wanted that anymore. Perhaps it was time to-

"Sorry to bother you..."

Alicia stopped daydreaming and looked up into the inquisitive hazel eyes of a baby-faced young man who looked fresh out of Hogwarts. "Yes," she replied hesitantly.

"I couldn't help but notice you're sitting alone," he said, gesturing to the three empty seats at Alicia's table.

"That's right," she said, cocking an eyebrow. Wait, was this kid hitting on her? She had to have at least six years on him. She readied herself to rebuff him gently.

"I'm meeting a couple of friends here for drinks tonight and there's nowhere else to sit. Do you mind if we join your table? I promise we won't bother you at all."

Alicia's shoulders slumped a little. Her self-esteem suitably dented, she nodded and waved her arm to encompass the empty chairs. "Make yourself at home. I won't be here for long anyway. Just waiting on my dinner to arrive."

The young man beamed and turned around to wave at someone on the other side of the pub. He turned back to Alicia and pulled out the chair opposite her. "Thanks for this. I didn't fancy standing up all night after being on my feet at work all day. You know what I mean?"

"Definitely," Alicia agreed blithely.

Another young man, juggling three glasses of what she suspected was more Firewhisky, joined the table and sat next to his friend. "Bloody busy in here tonight," he remarked jovially. He slid a glass across the table. "Here, have a drink for your troubles, ma'am."

Alicia winced. Ma'am. She felt positively ancient now. She pushed the drink back across the table. "No trouble at all, lads. I'm still working on my first drink, though. Thanks all the same."

The kid with the hazel eyes shook his head and slid the drink back her way. "We insist. The line at the bar is terrible tonight."

"Well, since you insist. Cheers," she said, raising the glass to each of them. She took the tiniest of sips and forced a smile.

It was going to be a long night. She peered around the pub again. Where the hell was her food? She'd ordered fish and chips, not a five course banquet. Had someone gone out to catch the bloody fish first? While she waited impatiently she began to peruse the dessert menu and half-listened to the rather boring conversation going on between the new occupants of her table.

"Where's the boss?"

"He was just closing up when I left. Should be here any minute."

The apple crumble with a side of ice cream had always been to die for. Maybe they still used the same recipe. The chocolate cake was also amazing and had been Katie's absolute favourite. Perhaps she could grab something sweet to take home with her. If Jake was lucky she might even manage to save him a few bites.

"What a day, huh. Did he ever work out why we got a hundred extra Dungbombs delivered today?"

Wait. Who the hell needed one hundred Dungbombs delivered? Who needed any Dungbombs delivered come to think of it? Alicia's heart rate started to creep up. She kept her head down but watched the young men from beneath her lashes.

"Apparently some sort of error on the order," the second guy reported. "No point sending them back though. They'll sell eventually. We're just gonna send half over to the guys at Diagon Alley in the morning."

"Excuse me," Alicia interrupted timidly, "but where exactly do you two work?"

Both men looked over at her, seemingly startled to find she was listening to their private conversation. By now Alicia was clutching the dessert menu so tightly that it was nothing but a crumpled mess in her fist.

"We work around the corner at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. You know, with George Weasley."

Holy shit. Holy double shit. Of all the people in the entire world to end up seeing tonight…

Do not panic. Alicia took a deep breath and slowly smoothed the menu out on the table in front of her. She had options here. She could say she was just going to use the loo and duck out the back door. Or she could feign a dizzy spell.

"Alicia Spinnet? Wow. What a pleasant surprise."

This had to be karma getting back at her. She should have stayed at the flat and finished unpacking and sorting through her things. Well, she couldn't very well ignore him now he was standing right next to her. That would be childish and more than a little weird on her part. She schooled her expression into one of nonchalance and looked up.

"Hello, George. Fancy seeing you here."

George Weasley stared down at her, a hint of curiosity in his all-too-familiar brown eyes. Alicia's mouth went dry. He still looked the same. Better actually. His hair was still shaggy and a little unkempt. It seemed to be streaked with darker copper tones now, although that could have just been a trick of the low light. He was wearing Muggle clothing along with about half the patrons in the pub. He was wearing khaki trousers and a blue, long-sleeved Henley shirt to be exact. He still had the classic stocky build of a Beater, but there was muscle definition that definitely hadn't existed back at Hogwarts.

Why the hell was she staring blankly at his broad chest and not saying anything? She had better say something. Anything would do.

Now would be a good time. Literally anything, Spinnet!

George wasn't saying anything either. Why wasn't he talking?

Someone else at the table broke the tense silence. "Uh, do you two know each other or something?"

George finally tore his gaze away from Alicia in order to give the young man a withering look. "Of course I know her, idiot. I just said her name, didn't I?"

Alicia saw her chance. She cleared her throat loudly and stood up. "Well, it was really great to see you again, George. We'll have to catch up properly some time. Not now though. I've got somewhere else to be. I only stopped in for a quick drink on my way to somewhere else. You know how it is. Rush, rush!"

George looked a little baffled. He stepped aside though so she could get by.

Unfortunately, a waitress chose that very second to bustle over and drop Alicia's food on the table. "Here's your dinner, ma'am. Sorry for the long wait. It's a real madhouse tonight."

Alicia felt a blush spread across her cheeks. For God's sake. Worst possible timing in the world.

George rolled his eyes and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Sit down and eat your food, Alicia. I can tell I'm going to need a drink tonight so I'm going over to the bar. If you're quick enough you can be done before I get back."

Alicia sat down and pretended that she hadn't just been caught trying to run away like a huge prat. She had thought her days of embarrassing herself in front of George Weasley were long over. She stared down at her food, acutely aware that he was still standing over her.

"Or you could stay and we could be adults and have a nice, friendly conversation," George said.

Alicia looked up, ready to say that she wasn't in the mood for a walk down memory lane, but he was already striding away through the crowd. So she turned back to her plate and stabbed at a chip. As she half-heartedly began to eat, she could feel George's employees staring at her.

"We were in the same year at Hogwarts, all right. I can't eat while you're both looking at me."

Not that it mattered. Alicia wasn't even hungry anymore. She was just going through the motions while her brain was screaming at her to get out of there and never return to Hogsmeade again. Seeing George brought back too many bad memories. It had been eight…wait, no, almost ten years. Why was it all so raw still? Flashes of the Yule Ball were crowding her mind. Flashes of being in her dorm room that night with George.

It hadn't been his fault, she reminded herself. It was such a long time ago. They had both been teenagers who hardly knew better. How many times had she wished she had handled things differently back then? Now was her chance to put things right between them. She was a grown woman now with many years of life experience behind her. George seemed to want to talk things through. He was extending an olive branch to her, which would be rude to ignore given the circumstances.

All the same, some liquid courage would be welcome right about now. Alicia reached for one of her drinks and downed it in one quick gulp. She spluttered a little. It was as if someone had lit a bonfire in her chest. The Firewhisky then settled warmly in the pit of her stomach and she immediately felt calmer. Through the crowd she could see George leaning against the bar talking to one of the barmaids. He'd be back soon with his drink. Alicia reached for the other glass in front of her.

"Hey, maybe you should slow down. That stuff can kick your arse if you're not used to it," Hazel Eyes cautioned.

Alicia's eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me? I was drinking Firewhisky back when you were probably still getting stuck on the moving staircases at Hogwarts. I think I know how many I can handle."

Her rebuke was met with surprised silence and she immediately regretted being so snippy to an innocent young man she didn't know. Maybe she wasn't in a good headspace to be spending time with George. She'd been through a lot in the last few years. Not to mention the last few weeks, which had been an outright nightmare.

Any last minute thoughts of escaping were put to rest when George returned with two drinks in his hands. He placed one of them in front of Alicia then pulled out the chair beside her and sat down. "Hope you don't mind. I figure we could both do with a drink right about now."

"I already have one," Alicia replied, lifting her glass.

"Plus she just drank another one."

George waved his hand dismissively. "Another won't hurt you. And who appointed Derek drinks monitor for the night? What are you two even doing at this table? You better not be hitting on my friend here," he said.

Alicia considered that label for a moment. Events of the Yule Balls aside, she supposed they had been friends for most of their time at Hogwarts. Not terribly close, but friendly enough. She knew, however, if it weren't for the fact that they had been housemates and teammates, she would never have been on his social radar. She would have been stuck admiring him from even further away in that case.

"No one's hitting on me," she said. "There's no spare seats anywhere else, that's all. Besides, I doubt I'm their type."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Derek here loves older women. I bet he spotted you the moment he walked in. Am I right?"

The hazel eyed one across from her - Derek apparently - just smiled and shrugged at George's comment. "What can I say? I happen to value experience and it's not often I see a woman in here I don't already know."

Alicia might have felt flattered if she wasn't completely focussed on how close George was to her now. The men were still talking around her but she was preoccupied with trying to see if he was wearing a wedding ring. Her peripheral vision was getting her nowhere, so under the pretence of tossing her hair over her shoulder, she turned her head to catch a glimpse.

No ring? Really? Alicia frowned and sipped absently at her drink. No ring didn't necessarily mean anything these days. Some major Weasley gossip had made the trashier papers in Paris. For instance, she knew George now had three nieces thanks to Bill and Percy, but for the most part she deliberately avoided reading about what was going on back home. Aside from it making her homesick, she didn't feel like she deserved to know what was going on with Harry and the Weasley family. That would be intruding on something she was no longer a part of.

"So what brings you all the way up here to Hogsmeade tonight?"

Alicia snapped out of her reverie and tried to come up with an answer for George that wouldn't make her sound like an idiot. "Er, I'm not really sure. I had nowhere else to be tonight and, uh, it seemed like a good idea at the time."

Alicia groaned inwardly. What kind of response was that to give? George didn't seem to find it to be a good enough answer either.

"So you didn't come here to see me?" he asked.

"No way," she blurted without thinking. She then quickly tried to back-track. "I mean, not that I wouldn't have come to see you eventually. I had no idea you were working in Hogsmeade. You are definitely the last person I thought I'd see tonight."

George didn't say anything. To his credit, Alicia wasn't sure what he could say to such a blunt answer. She turned away and saw Derek and the other bloke staring at them, clearly riveted by what was going on.

"How about we get out of here," George finally said. He nodded towards his employees. "We clearly aren't going to get any privacy with these two hanging on our every word."

Alicia hesitated for a second. Perhaps it was the Firewhisky talking but she nodded and said, "I suppose we could go for a walk or something. That might be all right."

George finished the rest of his drink in one mouthful. "I promise I won't keep you out long."

For a moment Alicia contemplated downing her remaining drinks as well. It was probably a better idea for her to keep a clear head for the conversation she knew was coming. She handed a drink to each of the young men then pulled some coins out of her pocket and dropped them on the table to pay for her half-eaten dinner. "It was nice meeting you, Derek, and uh…"

"Patrick," he supplied. "Nice to meet you, too."

"Yeah, we've never gotten to meet one of the boss's ex-girlfriends before," Derek chipped in. "We were beginning to think he'd never even had a girlfriend. This is a stunning revelation."

George made a groaning noise in the back of his throat and Alicia just smiled and said, "Sorry, but I was never his girlfriend. We played on the Gryffindor Quidditch team together and that was the extent of it."

"Exactly," George said, standing up and pointing a menacing finger at Derek and Patrick in turn. "You two better remember who pays your wages. And don't stay out all night because it's my day off tomorrow and I'm not covering for either of you because you're hungover."

"Come on, boss, when have we ever let you down?"

George's only reply was a dubious scoff. Alicia stood up and said, "Well then, have a good night, guys."

"You kids go and enjoy yourselves," Derek said, tossing the pair a suggestive wink and smile.

"Okay, that's definitely enough now," George said firmly. He put his hand on Alicia's lower back and guided her away from the table.

They made their way through the crowd, George's hand providing gentle guidance the whole way. Alicia's body had seized up at the slight touch. It felt like his fingers were burning through her thin shirt. Once the shock of George's hand on her back wore off she became aware that conversations were stopping and heads were turning as they walked by.

"Is it just me or is everyone suddenly staring at us?" Alicia asked quietly.

"Ignore it. Hogsmeade is back to being a small, quiet village where nothing much happens. I've barely lived here a year and everyone already thinks my business is their business. If I so much as smile at a woman it's the talk of the village."

Alicia absorbed these crumbs of information greedily and tried to stop herself from getting carried away. It was sounding like the impossible was true. George Weasley, a handsome, successful businessman – not to mention war hero – was still single at age twenty-six.

He was seemingly single and up for grabs, but now she had Jake. Fate was indeed a fickle bitch.

George opened the door and ushered her out into the cool evening air. "I can show you the shop if you like. We ended up buying the old Zonko's space just around the corner."

"I'd love to see it," she answered earnestly.

They walked along in silence. Alicia didn't know where to begin and she figured George was having the same problem. There didn't seem to be any safe topic of conversation so they continued on, both looking fastidiously at the dark, familiar shops they were passing. The last time she had been in Hogsmeade it had been under the control of Death Eaters. But just like Hogwarts, everything had been repaired and rebuilt now.

The village still physically looked the same, but something was definitely different. The atmosphere had changed somehow. She hadn't been able to pinpoint it back at the 'Sticks either. Something had shifted during her absence. Something fundamental.

"Everyone's happy now," Alicia suddenly realised out loud.

"Hmm?"

"Sorry. Thinking out loud to myself."

George nodded, obviously understanding her meaning anyway. "It's a relief, isn't it? Things were still pretty shite when you left. Everyone was still mourning and the school was decimated. It took a few years, but for the most part people are settled and relaxed now."

"A lot of people back there were wearing Muggle clothing. I don't think I made the connection at first because it's always been normal in France."

"No one has to worry about accidentally taking a side by wearing the wrong thing anymore. Mum and Dad reckon the magical world hasn't been this upbeat and carefree since the sixties."

They lapsed into silence. Alicia shook her head a little in disbelief. She wasn't normally the type to dwell on past mistakes, but it was impossible not to when it came to George Weasley. There had been quite a few.

She cleared her throat then said, "You know, thirteen years ago I'd have given up a kidney for the chance to walk through Hogsmeade like this with you."

George chuckled. "Ah, the infamous crush."

"It was hardly infamous. You didn't even know about it for years."

"What can I say? I was a late bloomer, as mum puts it. I ignored every girl at school though, not just you."

At least that much was true. Alicia was lucky she had never had to endure the pain of watching him with another girl. Fred and Lee had been frequent visitors to the Astronomy Tower, but George hadn't ever shown any interest in a fellow classmate. At least not till sixth year when the announcement of the Yule Ball had forced his hand and for some reason he'd picked her.

The pair rounded a corner and were in the heart of the village. Alicia was pleased to see Honeydukes looking as welcoming and enticing as ever. And Scrivenshafts was still standing, as well. A little further along, right between Gladrags and a new shop that sold cauldrons, stood Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. It was smaller than the shop in Diagon Alley, but the décor was identical – garish with a touch of whimsy. Alicia had only been inside the original shop twice but she had loved it immediately. It seemed to perfectly embody the twins in both design and spirit.

"Here it is," George said proudly as he produced his wand from his pocket. "This is the place that has consumed my life for the last two years. This is my baby."

He pointed his wand at the lock and whispered something that Alicia didn't catch. The door swept open and light immediately blossomed through the shop as wall sconces lit themselves. Alicia stepped inside and was hit by a wave of fond nostalgia. She could see Canary Creams and fake wands. Even some Pygmy Puffs in a cage in the far corner. Seeing the twins demonstrating a new invention usually made the Gryffindor common room buzz with excitement. Alicia had always been astounded by their ingenuity and passion. Too bad she'd been too shy to actually say that to George all those years ago.

"So, what do you think?"

Alicia turned back to where George was still standing in the doorway. He seemed anxious, as if her opinion really mattered to him. "It's amazing, George. Really great."

"Thanks. Fred and I think it's pretty great, too."

George closed the door and Alicia began to take a proper look around at the products. There was plenty that she didn't recognise. "I see you two still come up with new stuff. That's good to know."

"Honestly, Fred and I don't come up with products as often now that we live apart. Our new staff pitch us ideas all the time though. Feel free to sample anything you like the look of," he added casually.

Alicia knew he was smiling without having to turn around. She pointedly clasped her hands behind her back. "Not a chance. Just how gullible do you think I am?"

"Come on, nothing in here is dangerous. Most of our customers are Hogwarts students and McGonagall herself checks that we only sell the innocuous stuff at this shop."

"So no Skiving Snackboxes?" Alicia asked, suddenly remembering a horrible incident with Katie back at school.

"Definitely not. Here, give this one a try."

Alicia turned around and found George standing right behind her holding something that looked exactly like a dandelion clock. Except it was the size of her fist. "What does it do?"

"Just blow on it gently and you'll find out. I promise it's safe."

Alicia narrowed her eyes suspiciously. The sight of George's smile, however, totally disarmed her. He was close enough that she could make out the faint dimples she remembered well. The slight creases at the corners of his brown eyes were new, but they suited him. How was it possible that he looked even better than the idealised image she'd taken to France with her six years ago?

Alicia blew gently on the object and the 'seeds' drifted off in all directions. Then one by one they began to explode into bright little sparks, as if each seed was a tiny fire cracker.

"See? Perfectly harmless," George said, as the display came to a gradual end.

Alicia waved away the wisps of smoke lingering between them and smiled. "That's brilliant, George. I much prefer that to a Dungbomb or a Portable Swamp."

"So does McGonagall, funnily enough. We call it a Dandy Sparkler. It was actually Derek's idea originally then Fred and I helped him bring it to life."

George went to throw the Dandy Sparkler stem into a bin by the side of the counter. Alicia continued her perusal of the products, still being careful not to touch anything. Not many people had believed that the twins would ever make a living from their love of pranks and jokes. Alicia herself had been one of those people back at school, but now she realised just how serious and committed they had been all along.

Strained silence reigned again. Alicia continued to wander around aimlessly, trying to come up with something to say. Why did it have to be George bloody Weasley of all people? Even running into Angelina would have been preferable. At least she knew where she stood on that front: Angelina was going to kill her for disappearing all those years ago. Alicia had no idea how George was feeling. Had he even cared when she left? Granted, he'd had a fair bit going on in his life at the time. Perhaps he hadn't even spared her a moment's thought.

God, she'd had such an intense crush on him through most of her teenage years. Those same feelings were washing over her again as an adult. She liked to think she was now confident and self-aware and less of a shrinking violet but either she was delusional or she was regressing. She suddenly felt so plain and awkward and boring compared to how perfect and charming he obviously still was. And she felt nervous all of a sudden. She never felt nervous around men anymore.

Then again, she wasn't in the presence of just any man.

"So. Are you back for good or just for a visit?"

Alicia stopped walking and turned to find George now sitting on the edge of the counter intently watching her senseless meandering. "I'm back for good," she answered, then turned away before she could see his reaction. "I moved back about three weeks ago and stayed with my parents up till a few days ago when I moved into a flat in London."

"Had enough of France finally?"

"Something like that." Alicia winced. Seriously. Why couldn't she just answer the damn question? Most of their past issues had stemmed from their inability to communicate with each other. "Er, I mean it was time for me to move on. Professionally I mean," she answered lamely.

George nodded. "Right, but weren't you personal assistant to the French Minister for Magic? That seems like a pretty good job."

It had been. That was precisely why Alicia had stayed in France for so long. When her time with Tiberius Ogden was up she'd been all set to return to England. The French Minister for Magic had other ideas though. Marie Du Ponte had taken a strong liking to her for some reason and she was not a woman who took no for an answer. Alicia's impetuous decision to accept Marie's job offer had set her on a path that led her further and further away from her old life back home. Then once Jake came into her life it became easier and easier to just stay put.

"It was amazing at first, don't get me wrong. I just thought it was time to come home and try my hand at something new. I haven't found a new job as of yet but I'm keeping my eye out for something fun and challenging."

George leaned back on his hands and regarded her with a look that seemed oddly suspicious. "Last I heard you were happily living in Paris with some French bloke."

"Last you heard?" Alicia repeated. She hadn't had any contact whatsoever with George since leaving England after Voldemort's defeat. How could he know she had met someone in France?

"You wrote Angelina a congratulatory letter three years ago when the Arrows won the Quidditch League. She gave it to me to read."

Of course she did. Alicia studiously examined a display of WonderWitch products and hoped George wouldn't see how red her cheeks were becoming. Now she was even more thankful that she hadn't mentioned Jake in that letter.

"I remember that letter pretty well," George continued. "You didn't say much about your boyfriend. Mostly you talked about your work at the French Ministry. The P.S. you added at the end was the best part though. 'Say hi to Fred and George for me!' I was really touched to be merely an afterthought in your letter."

The sarcasm in his voice struck a chord and Alicia whirled around. He was still leaning back on his hands, with his ankles crossed now, looking perfectly calm and casual. Meanwhile, Alicia's heart was racing and her face was burning.

She planted her hands on her hips. "Hold on, I don't ever recall receiving any sort of letter from you. Why am I the one who's supposed to do all the work?"

"Because you're the one who left without so much as a goodbye."

George had said it matter-of-factly. He hadn't even raised his voice, but still the words hit Alicia like a slap in the face. She hated herself for running away, but hearing the reality that her behaviour had upset George made it a million times worse. Truth be told, she had gone to the shop once to say goodbye but he hadn't been there that day. Then for some stupid reason she had decided that was a sign that she wasn't meant to have her closure with him. She left for France two days later.

"I think I should go," Alicia said, feeling tears stinging at the back of her eyes.

"I think you should come and sit down. Or stand still at the very least. Your pacing is hurting my neck."

"Why? What's the point, George? What are we even doing here?"

"Reminiscing about the good old times we had?"

Alicia scoffed sharply. "What good old times, exactly? The few Quidditch games we won together before you got banned? The years I spent fancying you from afar and being completely ignored in return? Yeah, best years of my life."

"Look, I've already apologised for my obliviousness back at school and I don't want you to get upset again but we need to talk about a few difficult things. You can leave after I've cleared my conscience," he said firmly.

Alicia almost made a run for the door. Here we go. Time to re-live one of the best – but simultaneously one of the worst – nights of her life. "If you're talking about the Yule Ball then don't bother. That's ancient history now."

George raised his eyebrows dubiously. "Really? So you never think about it?"

She was thinking about it now, whether she wanted to or not. It had started out so perfectly. Dancing with George, drinking punch, giggling and kissing. Then she had gone and made the fateful suggestion that they sneak out and go back to her room to be alone. Unsurprisingly, George had a way to get around the spell on the girls' staircase. It had seemed like the stars had aligned perfectly.

Losing her virginity on the night of the Yule Ball to the boy she'd secretly adored for years? It couldn't have been more perfect.

Except…

"You're thinking about it now," George said. "I can tell by the horrified look on your face."

Alicia folded her arms defensively and tried to keep her expression neutral. "You don't know what I'm thinking about. Besides, it wasn't that bad."

"It was fucking awful and you know it."

"All right, it was pretty bad," she allowed, "but there's no reason you shouldn't have a clear conscience. We both played our part that night."

George nodded thoughtfully. "I've always wondered why you lied to me."

"I thought you wouldn't come back to my room if you thought I was still a virgin," Alicia admitted. "I've always been curious about that too. Why did you feel the need to lie and pretend you weren't a virgin either?"

George shrugged awkwardly and finally looked a little less calm and confident. "I thought you'd laugh in my face or something. I don't know really. I was a teenage boy with zero experience with girls. I thought you'd want to be with someone who knew what he was doing. Obviously that was before I found out you'd had a huge crush on me since third year."

Alicia rolled her eyes and sniffed haughtily. "Please, George, it was a little crush. Let's not get carried away here."

"Oh, really? Angelina once told me that you compulsively wrote 'I love George Weasley' in the back of every single one of your school notebooks at the beginning of the year."

Alicia slapped her hands over her eyes and shook her head. "Seriously. I'm going to kill her when I see her."

The tension had eased slightly now. It felt cathartic to talk about the Yule Ball. The truth was, Alicia had thought about that night a fair bit over the years. Not so much the horrible moment itself – she'd more or less gotten over that – but she always wondered how things would have turned out if she and George had both been honest.

What if she had plucked up the courage to reveal her crush to him before the Yule Ball? What if she had admitted she was a virgin and they'd had the romantic, magical sort of night she'd always imagined having her first time? Could they be married with kids by now? Would their relationship have been strong enough to survive the war when so many others had crumbled under the pressure?

Alicia shook her head and took a cleansing breath. All those stupid hypotheticals had swooped around her brain for years. This was the reality of it and there was no hiding from it anymore.

George jumped down off the counter and made his way towards her. "Look, I know we both made mistakes that night, but I've felt so guilty and so ashamed for too long. I'm sorry about everything that happened. I need to know you forgive me."

Alicia looked up into his pleading eyes and her heart almost broke. "You have nothing to be sorry about, George. You weren't to blame for any of it."

"It was entirely my fault that it lasted all of five minutes."

"Okay, I'll give you that much, but you were a sixteen-year-old boy."

"I shouldn't have just left you straight afterwards."

"I told you to leave," she reminded him gently.

George shook his head defiantly. "No, I should have stayed regardless. You were crying and shaking."

"Only because I hadn't expected it to hurt that much. I always assumed my years of playing Quidditch had taken care of that particular barrier for me. So I suppose there was some shock alongside the pain and I didn't want you to see me like that."

Alicia realised she'd said the wrong thing when George turned on his heel and stalked back over to the counter. She hurried after him and grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn back around to face her. "Stop worrying about it. I just told you I don't blame you for anything. Even if I had told you I was a virgin and you had been slower and gentler, it still would have hurt. That's just how it goes."

George refused to let up though. "The thing is, I feel like I pushed you into it," he continued. "I'd spent all week listening to Fred and Lee boasting that they were going to lose their virginity after the ball. I was so clueless with girls that I figured I'd be a virgin till I graduated, then we went upstairs and it was like a miracle was happening. I was terrified the whole time that you were going to change your mind, so I never stopped to ask you how you were feeling about it all."

"That's what's been worrying you for all these years?" Alicia asked, utterly aghast that George had been living with such dark thoughts for so long. "You think you forced me into something I didn't want to do? Good Godric. You couldn't have found a more willing partner in the whole school! I was the one who suggested we go back to my room in the first place, remember?"

"But then you couldn't look me in the eye for the rest of the school year. I figured you hated me for what I did."

"I was really embarrassed. That's all! I finally got a chance with you and it was a disaster all because I was too scared to admit I hadn't had sex before. Plus, I'd just admitted to fancying you for years, which was a whole other embarrassing circumstance."

George suddenly grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in for a hug. For a second she was startled but he was so warm and solid that she couldn't resist wrapping her arms around him. Neither of them said anything for a moment. Now Alicia was glad she had made an impulsive decision to Apparate to Hogsmeade that night. There was no way she could have guessed she'd end up in George Weasley's arms.

"Is that why you never came to say goodbye? You were still embarrassed?" George asked.

Alicia rubbed her cheek against the soft cotton of his shirt. This was the conversation she really didn't want to have. It was so unfair that the two worst events of her life were intrinsically tied to George. She thought about the Yule Ball and she automatically thought about George. The other event was the one that still troubled her though.

"Alicia?" he said softly. He unwound her arms from his waist and stepped back so he could look her in the eye. "Were you really still that embarrassed three and a half years later?"

"Yeah, I was embarrassed," she admitted under the scrutiny of his questioning gaze. "But not about that. The Yule Ball wasn't the worst night of my life – not by a long shot."

Alicia could tell that he knew immediately which night she was talking about. The night they had both returned to the school to stand against Voldemort and his followers. The night Harry had almost died. The night George had almost died. Deep down she knew that was why she had been drawn up to Scotland. She had wanted to see for herself that Hogwarts was still standing, that it had really withstood everything that Voldemort and the Death Eaters had thrown at it.

"How could you possibly be embarrassed about the Battle? I know plenty of people who still have all sorts of issues when they think about it, but no one's embarrassed. That makes no sense, Alicia."

"I hate thinking about that night. I've only ever told one other person what happened to me."

"Something happened to you? What happened? As far as I knew you weren't hurt. Fred told me you got hit by a Stunning hex but you were fine afterwards," George said quickly, looking alarmed.

Alicia sighed and leaned back against the counter. "I'm the most useless Gryffindor of all time. I let Dumbledore and Harry down. Worst of all I let you down."

George crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. For the first time that night Alicia caught a glimpse of annoyance flash across his features. "I don't understand. You need to explain yourself right now," he said tersely.

Alicia looked studiously at the floor between her feet. "I'll try. My memory of that night isn't perfect. I know Kingsley Shacklebolt sent me off with Fred and Lee to guard a passageway. I think maybe Katie and Oliver were with us, but that part's a bit hazy."

George nodded. "I know you went with Fred and Lee and some others, but Oliver and Katie were with me and Ange."

"Right. So I was in a corridor somewhere with Fred and Lee when the midnight deadline passed. We were all right for a good half hour or so then a pair of Death Eaters appeared out of nowhere. It was chaos, George. It wasn't anything like duelling at the DA meetings. I didn't know what I was doing."

"None of us were prepared for a fight like that. That doesn't make you a failure or an embarrassment."

"The Death Eaters were advancing on us," Alicia ploughed on, not wanting to lose her nerve now. "I was panicking and flailing and I suddenly couldn't think of a single spell or hex. Fred and Lee told me to get behind them and that's what I was doing when I stumbled. I saw a Death Eater pointing his wand at me but I was already falling backwards so the Stunning hex missed. The problem was I was too focussed on the hex flying at me that I didn't brace myself for the fall and my head hit the stone floor. I was out cold instantly."

"And then what?" George prompted after a moment of silence.

"And then nothing – I guess I was unconscious for an hour or so. Fred and Lee had left me lying there. They must have figured I would get up once the Stunning hex wore off."

"There's no way they would have left you there if they'd known what really happened. They did the right thing and led the Death Eaters away from you so you'd have time to recover. Fred said he thought you must have joined another group when you didn't catch up with them."

"I know, George," Alicia said quickly, holding up a placating hand. He was suddenly looking very agitated and she knew why. "I've never blamed Fred or Lee or anyone else for what happened. They didn't realise I was unconscious rather than momentarily Stunned. No one did."

"Shit, Alicia," George muttered, rubbing his hand along his jaw. "When did you come around?"

"The fighting had stopped but Voldemort wasn't dead yet so I figure it was during the one hour armistice. I missed so much of the fight while I was napping in a corridor."

"You were injured. It wasn't your fault."

"Of course it was my fault!" Alicia snapped. "I got scared and tripped over my own feet. Who the hell does that during a ferocious battle? Certainly not a Hogwarts graduate who was in Gryffindor and Dumbledore's Army."

"Come on, you need to give yourself a break. What did you do when you woke up? I bet you got up and were ready to get back into the fight, even with a concussion. That's what makes you a Gryffindor."

"Uh, no," Alicia answered bitterly. "I didn't wake up till I felt someone lifting me off the floor. I was fading in and out and my vision was still blurry. All I knew was someone with red hair was carrying me back to the Hospital Wing. I thought you had come to get me but it was one of your older brothers – Charlie, I think. I didn't know yet that you were...well..."

"In a different corridor almost bleeding to death," George finished bluntly. "You weren't the only one who missed out on most of the fighting."

"But you were actually injured during a duel with a Death Eater. It was a totally different situation." Alicia reached out to grasp his forearm. She needed to clear her own conscience and exorcise the demons that had haunted her for years. "I was so upset when I heard you had been badly hurt. I wanted to go and see you but it turned out I had suffered a skull fracture so I was sedated then evacuated to St Mungo's at the earliest opportunity."

George pried her hand off his arm and held it tightly in his own. "I'm glad you never got to see me. It wasn't pretty."

"I'm so sorry, George. I should have done a better job. I should have been brave like you and Harry. I should-"

Alicia's next sentence was cut short when George abruptly pulled her towards him. He cupped her face in his hands and before she could process what was happening, he was kissing her. Long and hard. After a second she pressed herself against him and buried her hands in his hair. This was so much better than their fumbling snogging at the Yule Ball. They both appeared to have had some practice over the intervening years.

George began to force her back and she reached behind herself to grope blindly for the counter before she ran into it. His arms were already around her torso though, cushioning her from the impact. Just as his tongue slid into the mouth, he also slid his hands beneath her shirt and gripped her hips. Alicia could feel her knees slowly buckling. Luckily she was currently being sandwiched between George and the shop counter.

Still, she knew she had to stop somehow. She had to tell him about Jake before it was too late. He deserved to know what he was getting himself into. His perfect hands and mouth would make her lose all inhibitions in a matter of seconds. She had to do it now.

Alicia purposefully wrenched her lips away and turned her head. "George."

"I'm sorry," he said, breathing heavily. "It seemed like a good way to get you to shut up. I hate talking about the Battle. Makes my scar twinge."

"You have a scar?"

"Only a small one. Didn't I just tell you I hate talking about all that?"

George tilted his head to catch her lips again. She shook her head and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. He let her go so abruptly that she almost fell over.

"Bloody hell," George mumbled, running his fingers through his hair roughly. "You're still with that bloke from the letter. I should have asked first."

"No, no. I'm single. Very single," Alicia said.

"Then you don't want me to kiss you?"

"No, it's definitely not that. There's something you need to know. I didn't exactly come back from France alone."

George frowned and simply said, "huh?"

"I have a son," Alicia blurted. Her heart was racing as she scrutinised his face to catch his reaction. He gave her nothing but a blank stare. "I have a four-year-old son, George."

He just looked confused now. "But…wait, no. How is that even possible? You had a baby four years ago? In France?"

Alicia was twisting her hands nervously in front of herself. She had no clue which way this was going to go. "His name is Jake and he's the best kid ever. He's really smart and sweet and he already knows everything there is to know about Quidditch."

"Hold on. I think I've missed a bit here. You had a secret baby overseas? How did no one know about this? There's no way Angelina and Katie could have kept news like this to themselves."

"I was only twenty-two when I had Jake. Plus, he wasn't exactly planned. I didn't know what everyone back here would say."

"We probably would have said congratulations if you'd have given us the chance."

George turned and walked away and Alicia's heart sank. At first she thought he was going to walk right back out the door and leave her standing alone in the shop. Instead, he stood with his back to her and stared out at the dark, quiet village. Alicia didn't know what she was supposed to say at this point. She figured saying nothing was probably best for now.

A whole minute passed before George turned around. He didn't walk back over to her but he did speak finally.

"So what about his dad? Is he in the picture?"

Alicia nodded. "Jake is staying with him tonight. We aren't together but we're currently trying to get along for Jake's sake. Like I said, I'm very single."

"You're a single mum, though."

"Look, it's not the easiest thing to just bring up. I really wasn't expecting that kiss to happen. Otherwise, I would have told you earlier on because I know first-hand that not all men are comfortable with the idea of a little kid being around."

George came back over but stopped a few feet short of her. "That's not the part that's bothering me; I can handle a kid being around. I just don't understand why you didn't tell any of us. I read your letter to Angelina more than once and I definitely didn't see anything about you having a one-year-old baby to look after."

"I don't always make the best decisions, okay. I'm not perfect but you don't know what I had to deal with over there." Alicia paused and took a deep breath. She was getting defensive, which wasn't going to help ease the tension. "Look, the kiss was great. Thanks for that. We can forget it ever happened and just be friends."

"What are you talking about? You haven't given me enough time to get my head around all of this. I wasn't expecting to see you tonight but I've actually run through this scenario in my mind dozens of times. I imagined you showing up on my doorstep over and over again and it's played out many different ways in my head, but there was never a kid involved. I need a minute to re-group, all right."

"You imagined me showing up here?" Alicia asked softly.

George nodded. "I almost came to France to see you a few years ago. Now I'm really glad I didn't because if you'd answered the door holding a baby I might have had a coronary."

That would have been the best case scenario given her living arrangements a few years ago. If he'd shown up to see her back then that would have been the final nail in the coffin for their relationship.

"I wasn't expecting anything when I agreed to take a walk with you, but if there's really something here then I want you to know I'm all in."

"I think you know as well as I do that there's something between us, but we need to take it slow. We've both fucked this up too many times over the years. I doubt we're going to get another chance at it. Do you want to make another rash decision and mess things up even more?"

Alicia seriously doubted it would be possible to make matters any worse. Still, she understood what George was trying to say. "What now then?"

"We need to take our time," he said. His face was still unreadable but at least his body language was a little more encouraging now. He stepped forward and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I don't want to throw anything away already. I feel like I've spent this last year waiting for someone important to show up in my life."

"Me?" Alicia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Maybe."

Perhaps her strange urge to visit Hogsmeade was the universe's way of bringing George back into her life. She didn't want to throw this opportunity away either. She needed him now more than ever. "I want to tell you everything. All about Jake and why I didn't tell anyone about him."

"Believe me, I want to hear all about it, but not right now. You already told me a lot of things I need to process. Just do me one favour?"

"Anything."

"Don't tell anyone that you saw me tonight. Especially Angelina and Katie. They'll get carried away and there'll be all this pressure on us that we don't need."

"Surely it wouldn't be that bad," Alicia reasoned.

George gave her a faint smile. "You don't know what I've been going through either. Everyone seems to think I'm going to die alone up here. Just this morning I had to go and tell Ginny to stop organising all these ridiculous blind dates for me."

"Your sister just wants you to be happy. That's sweet."

"Yeah but she picks all the nutters for me. Last one spent the entire date telling me about her seven cats. Another one threw herself onto my lap about fifteen minutes into our date."

Alicia's eyes narrowed at that unwelcome image. "Well I want to do this properly and I have to consider Jake as well."

"All the more reason to take things slowly," George said. He reached out and took one of her hands. "Just promise me you aren't going to disappear on me again."

She stared down at their entwined hands. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

The whole night was starting to feel a little surreal. As if at any moment she would wake up from her dream or Fred would jump out from the shadows and admit the whole thing was a prank.

"When can I see you again?"

"I can come back on Wednesday when Jake is spending the day with my mum," Alicia said casually, hoping she didn't sound too desperate.

George shook his head. "Not Hogsmeade – there's too many eyes around here. I'll come to London."

"There's a Muggle café down the road from my flat that we can go to if you really want to make sure no one sees us."

"That sounds good," George agreed. He was tracing small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb, sending shivers through her whole body. "Sneaking around could be fun for a bit."

"Fred will clue on straight away," Alicia pointed out.

"I might get away with it now that we live apart. Plus, he's preoccupied with trying to find a new place to live now and Angelina is considering retiring from professional Quidditch so that's been stressful."

Alicia nodded and tried to ignore the ache in her heart. "I read about that in the paper. Is she definitely going to retire already?"

"Looks like it at this stage," George replied. "But you know what she's like with her moods."

"I should have been here for her. She must hate me."

"Hate might be a strong word, but she certainly wasn't happy about what you did. No one was, to be honest." Her face must have betrayed her inner turmoil because he pulled her in for another hug and rested his chin on top of her head. "I'm not trying to upset you, Leesh. I just want you to be prepared and to know that I'm going to help you any way I can."

Alicia took a deep breath and some of the weight lifted from her chest. She had an ally finally, a shining beacon in the dim, foggy landscape that was her life these days. "I'm so glad you don't hate me either. I don't think I could handle that."

"I can't imagine it's possible for anyone to hate you," George replied softly. "Even if you end up breaking my heart through all this I think I'd still be a long way from hating you."

"I won't break your heart," Alicia said firmly, pulling back to look up at him.

"I'm gonna hold you to that, Spinnet." He kissed the top of her head. "We should call it a night."

"Can't we stay like this a bit longer?"

"I've got a lot to think about. You need to have a proper think about this as well. If you decide you want to give this a shot then send me an owl in the morning with your address so I can pick you up for our date on Wednesday."

A date with George. Like she even had to consider that for a second. But she figured it would be best to not come off too desperate. "All right. I'll see how I feel in the morning."

Standing outside the shop, once again, Alicia took George's hand and studied it in the moonlight. "You have lovely hands, you know."

"I do?"

"Perfect, really."

She was about to mention his obvious Quidditch callouses but a sudden surge of deja vu made the comment catch in her throat. "Do you live far from here?" she asked instead.

"My house is on the outskirts of the village. It'll only take me a few minutes to walk home. Are you sober enough to Disapparate all the way back to London?"

Alicia nodded. "I'm fine."

"I'll see you in a few days then." George leaned down and gave her a soft, sweet farewell kiss. Alicia grabbed the front of his shirt and tried to prolong and deepen the kiss. He just grinned against her lips and pulled away gently. "I better go before you make me do something I'll regret, like invite you back to my place for another drink."

Alicia relinquished her grip on him and stepped back. "I think I can safely say I'd take you up on that offer."

"Goodnight," he said, still grinning. He flicked his wand to towards the shop and the door swung shut and the lock engaged with a reassuring thunk. "Sleep well, Alicia."

"Goodnight," she replied.

Alicia watched as George stuffed his hands in his pockets then turned and walked away. She watched until he disappeared around the corner. She let out a loud breath and pressed her hand to her forehead. She felt exhilarated and giddy, but also a little ill.

How the hell was she going to tell George who Jake's dad was?


A/N: So that was long and full of dialogue and exposition. Sorry. I just wanted to get some history out of the way early on. Future chapters will be about half this length. I've got a lot planned for these two so please review and let me know if you want more. Thanks!