3rd September 1989
George was wandering the corridors, searching for Fred, trying to figure where the bloody hell he was or see anything that seemed familiar. They had decided to get back at Filch for taking their stash of Dung bombs on their arrival at Hogwarts, but the prank had gone array, and they had split off in opposite directions while the caretaker had screamed bloody murder.
And now he was bloody lost.
He could feel the anxiety crawl up his spine as he turned the corner and walked down another unfamiliar hallway. He doesn't notice her at first, but she noticed him.
"You lost Gryffindor?"
He turns to see the Hufflepuff sat on the ledge of one of the windows, legs crossed and book in her. He recalls her from the sorting ceremony, how she had almost fallen off the stool, he remembers vaguely how his heart had raced when he saw her up there for some reason.
He suddenly realises he hasn't said anything as she pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"Uh, yeah, I am."
"Me too." She says with a chuckle. "So I thought I'd take a break. You get such a workout walking around this place. I'm such a slug usually."
George runs his fingers through his hair as he stares at her. He wasn't sure what to say. He was so use to Fred talking first. She seemed to be talking for the both of them.
"Well, do you have a name? You're a Weasley, right? The hairs a dead give away and I think I saw you and your twin at the sorting ceremony? "
"Yeah - " He tries to answer but she just won't stop talking.
"Your brother Charlie is friends with my sister. Tonks? Bright pink hair, kind of talks like she's always on a sugar rush at a million miles a minute." She says at full speed herself.
"You sure that's not you?" He says as the confidence comes to him and she barks a laugh.
"Yeah. Sorry. I chat when I'm nervous and it's hard to shut me up. My mum says I should have come with zip over my mouth cause I'm always giving her a headache."
She closes the book and pushes herself off the ledge. "So…you're not going to make me guess, are you? Cause I'm rubbish at guessing names. But you kind of look like…a Todd."
"Todd?"
"Hmm. Maybe not."
He feels his heart thud slightly as he looks at her warm round face and soft eyes. "George." He finally answers and she takes a step towards him and holds out her hand.
"Well, it's nice to meet you George. Even if you're not so chatty." He glances down at her open hand and forces his own out. He hopes to Godric his palms aren't sweaty. She seems to study his face and her eyebrows furrowed. "Does your brother have that?"
"Have what?"
"The bump – " She lets go of his hand and uses a finger to runs along his nose and his throat suddenly dries. He doesn't even think a girl that wasn't related to him has touched him before. "Does your brother have that too?"
"Uh, no – just me." He says as he scratches his nose, suddenly very conscious of it. Bill had thrown a quaffle at his face during a rogue game of quidditch that had broken his nose, it never healed quite right.
She smiles at him. "I suppose that's how I'll tell you two apart then. What's your brother's name?"
"Fred."
"George and Fred. I like it." She says with another smile and he reciprocates softly back. "So where is he? Lost too?"
"Maybe." He feels the self-confidence grow. The fact she was doing most of the talking seemed to help. "We were attempting a prank on Filch. Didn't go to plan."
"Oh my sister warned me about him." She bites her lip and smirks. "If you try again, can I help?"
"Really?" He asks and she nods furiously. He feels his cheeks warm as he looks at her. "I don't see why not. As long as Fred said it was ok."
"I know I tripped over the stool but I'm not always so clumsy. It was more nerves than anything. Everyone staring at you. I'm surprised I didn't throw up to be honest." She laughs nervously as she plays with the book in her hands. "Besides Nymp is so much worse. One year at Christmas, she tripped over the cat, fell head first into the dining room table and the turkey just went flying. Mr Snuffles had a good meal that year though. And my mum spent weeks trying to get cranberry sauce out of the carpet."
He laughs, beaming at her and she grins back wildly. Then he sees Filch out of the corner of his vision and his stomach plummets.
"Oh, bloody hell." He mumbles and she looks over too.
"Run?" She asks as she leans in.
"Yes!"
He grabs her hand and tugs him along as they both race down the corridor. They can hear Filches yells as they dart around the corner at top speed.
"COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE TOERAG!"
"In here!" She quickly yanks him into the closet. Gently closing the door behind them.
George pulls out his wand. "Lumos." He was rather pleased it worked.
"You already know that?" She asks with utter amazement.
He shushes her softly as they hear the footsteps and it seems to echo outside the door. George looks down, realising her hand is still firmly in his and he swallows the lump in his throat.
"How do you know lumous?" She whispers, although George is certain the caretake has vanished by now.
"Charlie" He whispers back. "He taught us the other night up in the common room. Said it would come in handy for sneaking around."
He feels a little flutter in his chest as she smiles at him and she's looks down, her eyes widening as she snatches her hand away.
"Sorry. Didn't realise I was still holding on. You know if anyone finds us in here, we're going to be the talk of the school."
George nods as he leans close to the door, listening to the silence and he gently nudges it open, peering down the hallway. "I think the coast is clear."
She follows him out into the hall and George extinguishes his wand. "That was close."
"Very." She sighs. "I don't think my mum would be too happy if I got a detention in my first week. I haven't even had a class yet."
"I think my mums expecting it." He shrugs, eyes moving from the corridor he's certain Filch has gone down.
"Well, I think I should go and try to find the Hufflepuff common room before you get me into any more trouble."
"Sure." He nods. "I should try and find Fred. For all I know Filch has him locked up somewhere."
"Gosh I hope not. That would be a rubbish way to start school, and he would be late for all his classes."
He kicks his foot against the floor as he raises his head up. "Sorry, for almost getting you into trouble."
"It's ok." She shrugs. "It was kind of exciting actually. You're very exciting."
George grins from ear-to-ear.
'Well I should get going."
"Me too." He says softly as he watches her start to talk away. "Wait!"
"What? Is Filch back?"
"No – uh – your name, I didn't ask?"
"Oh." She smiles. ""I'm Alexandra but, kind of a mouthful isn't it?"
George beams at her. "Well, It was nice to meet you Allie."
When she smiles back he feels the butterflies again. "It was nice to meet you too Georgie."
