Chapter 14. Pumpkin pasties
George smiled and looked up to Anna looking slightly weary. "Could we just talk for a little while?"
Anna smiled sweetly and nodded "Of course."
She headed for the door and opened it invitingly. "Come on, I'll fix us something to eat."
George put on a pair of boxers and asked "Would you like something to wear?"
Anna still had only a towel wrapped around her, she looked down at herself and quickly said. "That's ok."
She took her wand and slightly transfigured her towel so it now had a simple shoe lace style bow securing the towel like a strapless dress. "There." She wiggled to show it was now securely on.
"Cute." George followed her still with a towel on his head toweling his hair.
They headed for the kitchen, and Anna motioned to the table. "Just sit and relax. I get the feeling that you're not used to being taken care of."
"I'm not." He said sitting and draping the towel across the back of his chair.
Anna made bowls levitate and mix around her swiftly, ingredients flew out of the cupboards and fridge, the oven roared to life and the tea kettle whistled happily.
"Who cooks?" Anna asked absentmindedly while supervising everything.
George gaped only ever seeing this level of cooking magic in his mother's kitchen. Before realizing he was asked a question. "Um...We both do, together. We're fairly decent at it. Nothing like this though."
Anna chuckled. "So I take it you don't do, breakfasts in bed often?"
Now George chuckled, again he realized a beat late he had to answer a question."Unless we had a good fight...'cause the food ends up on the beds...I'm sorry, my comedy is off today." He really didn't feel like being funny today.
Anna looked at him and smiled. "That's okay you don't need to amuse me."
She levitated a cup and kettle towards him pouring a pipping hot cup of tea. "Sugar?"
George took it and smiled. "Yes, please."
She poured one for herself and after a while she sat by his side and they drank in a comfortable silence surrounded by the ever increasing aroma of baked goods emanating from the oven.
A bell rang and Anna stood, flourishing her wand before a tray of freshly baked pumpkin pasties flew in front of them.
George reached out and Anna playfully slapped his hand back. "You'll burn yourself, let me use a chilling charm first." She flourished her wand once more and motioned George to now take one.
He happily obliged and took a bite of the pastie before his eyes went wide as saucers. He turned and looked at Anna stunned forcing himself to swallow before speaking.
"Anna how is this possible? These are my mother's pumpkin pasties."
Anna smiled. "She gave me the recipe."
"Wait. Hold it. How do you know my mother?" George asked now more stunned.
Anna took a sip of tea before answering. "Last December when your dad was at St. Mungo's, I was in charge of making his Blood-Replenishing potions, I would bring them down to them and would stay to chat a while every day."
She took another bite and swallowed before continuing. "Once your dad was released your mom made me a batch of pasties as thank you gift. I loved them so much I asked her for the recipe."
George still gaped. "Anna, you don't understand, that recipe is one of her most prized possessions, she wouldn't even give it to us."
She swallowed another bite before answering. "I guess she liked me."
George seemed to be thinking really hard about something. "It's not just that. She told us she would only teach that recipe to our wives once we married, and I'm not even sure Fleur will get it."
Anna stifled a laugh.
George looked at her seriously. "Did she...Try to set you up with one of us?"
Anna considered this for a second. "Um...Come to think of it she was very insistent on me joining you on New Year, but sadly I was swamped."
"Bollocks, it could be any of us then, well minus Percy, that's a relief." George said still deeply thinking.
"What? You think she was planning to play matchmaker with me?" Anna asked skeptically.
"Oh, I'm certain of it." George said completely serious.
"Well your parents are lovely, I certainly could do worst than to marry a Weasley." Anna said with a small smile.
"Knowing mum, she'll probably try again. These are amazing by the way." George said eating his second pastie.
"Do you want to know what the secret ingredient is?" Anna asked cheekily.
"What?" George asked with his mouth full.
"A drop of calming draught." Anna said with the widest smile.
"No!" George said stunned.
"I guess that's why she wouldn't tell you, she probably used these little wonders on you boys when you were too rowdy." She said twiddling a pastie in her fingers.
George swallowed his third pastie before exclaiming. "Now it all makes sense! I do feel more relaxed."
"You look more relaxed." Anna said looking at him lovingly.
"How did you whip them up so fast?" George asked genuinely surprised.
"It was easy, you guys have everything." Anna said smiling.
George scratched the back of his head embarrassed. "Yeah, well we do get a little crazy at the markets lately."
"You mean, Fred does."
"Yeah."
"Figures, he would crash and burn without you." Anna said sipping her tea.
"What do you mean?" George asked baffled.
"Come on George, you're the brain and heart of this operation, you've always have been. Fred is just the instigator." Anna said completely serious.
George suddenly found himself speechless.
"Don't get me wrong, I like Fred, in small doses. Dreamers are full of passion and creativity, and can be really fun. But you can't live on only dreams, you need someone to make them a reality and that's what you do."
George felt an intensity in her eyes that made him blush. "I wouldn't say it like that..." He whispered.
"No, because you're modest. But I see you. Same thing happens with Ron, you both seem like supporting characters in your own lives."
That rubbed him the wrong way. "Fred and I are equals!" He said slightly annoyed.
"No, you're not. You're better, and you hide it. You're smarter, you're nicer, and heck you're even a better Beater. Don't try to deny it!" She said seriously but added a playful note at the end.
"That, I won't." George smiled.
"I bet you were the one who thought about reaching out to me. Weren't you?" Anna said leaning ever so slightly towards him.
"You ARE brilliant." George said slightly flirty.
Anna smiled warmly. "You see? Fred would have complimented me on my looks, but you know appealing to my brain is much more effective."
"He's not lying about your looks, you know?" He said blushing.
"I have a small confession to make George." Anna sat back on her chair and took a deep breath before continuing. "The truth is, I only REALLY wanted to say yes, when YOU would ask me out...But every time I kissed you I could tell you were holding back...You didn't want to upset Fred did you?"
George chuckled. "He sort of called dibs on you."
"Why would you ask me out then?" Anna said leaning back towards him once more.
George hesitated. "The truth... It's pathetic...I guess it was to make Fred feel better about asking you out as well, and because I knew you would never actually say yes."
Anna smiled knowingly. "I'm not your type am I?"
George chuckled nervously.
"That's ok. Really. It's Angelina isn't?" Anna asked slyly.
"What?!" George's voice cracked.
Anna looked far off. "You're gonna marry her one day."
"WHAT?!" George asked incredulously.
"Can I ask you something?" Anna said softly.
George could sense it was something big but trusted her blindly at this point. "Anything."
"You slept with her didn't you?" Anna asked plainly.
George gulped audibly.
"She still thinks it was Fred, doesn't she?."Anna asked again almost emotionless.
"It's wasn't like that..." George whispered.
"After the ball I transfigured myself and hid in the owlery, I did that sometimes when I wanted to be alone. Angelina and Katie came in giggling and starting talking, Angelina told Katie that after the ball. Fred told her to wait until her roommates were asleep, then to sneak into your dorm. He told her which bed was his and told her that even if he was already asleep to not say a word and just kiss him awake. She then told Katie, he was so surprised, like he didn't think she would actually show up. She told her they ended up sleeping together that night. She said he was sweet and considerate and the perfect gentleman. She was so happy."
George looked stun.
"That was you wasn't it? You didn't know she was looking for Fred." Anna asked.
"She didn't say a word." He whispered again. "I thought I was dreaming at first."
"Why didn't you ask her to the ball?" Anna asked baffled.
"I thought she only liked Fred..." George said honestly.
Anna threw her head up and spoke looking up. "Here's the kicker, she told Katie, the only reason she decided to sleep with Fred was because she wanted to get over you."
"And I'm not gong to remember this!" George said grabbing his head in despair.
Anna hugged him and caressed his back. "Hey, hey, don't worry it's probably better you forget this, I mean you will marry her."
"I can't believe this..." He whispered.
"Why not? You deserve to be happy George." Anna said stroking his hair lovingly.
"Do I really?" Asked George almost rhetorically.
"Yes." She said earnestly hugging him tighter.
He hugged her back and she found herself blurting out something she didn't expect to reveal. "George I like you."
"I like you too." George said casually.
She searched for his gaze and continued. "No, I mean I REALLY like you, much more than I like Fred. And I feel horrible because I know, even if I tried to cast this spell on Fred, it wouldn't take the way I know it will take on you."
George gulped audibly again, he began to grow acutely aware of their lack of clothing, and a blush started creeping from his chest all the way to his ears.
Anna caressed his face lovingly. "I know after this spell I won't feel anything left for you, and that's okay. I'll gladly give you all my love to protect you."
His voice was hoarse "...I don't think I can compete with Fred in the shagging department..."
Anna slid from her chair, she then straddled him, hugging him tightly before whispering in his ear. "That's okay, It was never my plan to shag you...I want to make love with you." She buried her hands in his hair and began kissing his neck seductively.
"...that, I can do... " George said breathlessly as he let himself rest his hands on her legs and caress upward.
"Do you know you're a much better kisser?" Anna whispered against his neck.
"Am I now?" He said hoarsely while slowly kneading her rear.
"That snog yesterday was making my knees weak. And I was trying to be a professional." She whispered in his ear.
"Guess I couldn't hold back under the influence of the potion." George said now nuzzling her neck and placing kisses along it.
"You think you could do that again without the potion?" Anna asked breathless.
"Definitely" He said looking at her intensely.
Their lips met slowly, but true to his word, he kissed her like he did under the effect of the potion. They snogged slowly and seductively for what seamed like ages. Anna's towel at some point long forgotten on the kitchen floor.
George suddenly broke their kiss and asked softly. "Is everything ready for the spell?
"Yes."