Secrets Only Trouble Knows - George Weasley

23 - Eat Slugs

"So, you excited to be here?" I asked Ginny as we started strolling together toward her first ever class at Hogwarts. "I remember last year how much you wished you could come with us."

"Oh, yes! Definitely!" Ginny answered cheerily. "I hated missing out on the fun and being the only kid left in the house all year round. Sometimes it got to be quite lonely. Nothing against Mum and Dad, but... you know."

"I get it. So what are you looking forward to the most now that you're a student?" I wondered.

"Quidditch," she looked to me with a wild grin.

"Really? Big fan like your brothers, huh?"

"Very big," she nodded happily. "I'd always try to play with them every chance I got growing up. When they're all home for the holidays, there's usually scrimmages most nights in the fields behind our home."

"I imagine that gets to be rather rowdy," I chuckled at the thought.

"You'd be correct," she giggled. "But it's just so much fun. I truly love the sport. I want to try out for the Gryffindor team when I get older!"

"Seriously? That's great! You would be an excellent addition, I'm sure of it," I told her brightly.

"Yeah, it'd be pretty cool if I can make it happen."

"George mentioned to me before that he was the one that basically taught you as kids. That true?" I asked.

"Oh, yes, he was," Ginny nodded. "My other brothers were a little less willing. For a long time, Bill thought I was a bit young to play with the rest of them — he was afraid I'd be hurt. Charlie, Fred, and Ron, on the other hand, didn't worry too much about that. They just didn't bother with teaching me because they'd rather use me as an opponent to practice on themselves. But George really showed me the ropes. Now, that's not to say he still didn't send Bludgers at me from time to time, too. But he had more patience for me than the rest of them. I'm grateful to him for it."

"That's wonderful," I smiled.

"Yeah, I know it may not appear like it, but he can be very sweet," Ginny replied. "He has his faults, like anyone, and I'm sorry that's all he showed you for so long. Sometimes he's not the brightest," she rolled his eyes. "But, other times, he's pretty great. He's really, really thoughtful when he cares for someone a lot. He puts on a good front, but I swear he's got a soft side. I hope he will let you see that part of him more in the future."

"Yeah..." I mumbled, looking away.

"Anyway," she continued, "he told me he got you on a broom when he stayed over at your place this summer. Said you hate flying but that somehow he managed to coax you into it. He was pretty proud of such a feat. Apparently no one else has been able to convince you to ride. Not since you were little."

I blushed a bright red.

"H-he told you about that?"

Ginny smiled warmly.

"He did, yeah. Went on and on about it, the little bragger," she laughed. "He talks about you all the time, actually—"

"He what?" I stopped her.

George Weasley talked about me a lot to his little sister? But... why?