Felix Felicis- A George Weasley and Adrian Pucey Love Triangle

21. Mistakes

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I ask flatly. He had been completely avoiding me for days.

"Listen, I know I've been cold. I was only trying to distance myself, trying to forget how I felt about you." He takes a step closer to me, continuing to look into my eyes, "I made a mistake."

I shiver from his unexpected words.

"It's too late," I whisper. Memories flood my head. The things we had done together, us in his room, the way he left me crying in the corridor... The way I had been intimate with George. It was too late.

"Please, don't say that." He grasps my face. My heart begins to thud, beating fast with anxiety. I should pull his hand away. I should tell him to leave me alone; he had made his choice for the both of us. But I don't. I stand there silently, leaning in to his touch. "Class is about to start, I know. Let's talk later- actually talk this time- before the game. I'll wait for you where we met last time, an hour before the game is meant to begin. Now into class you go, go on"

I don't have time to reply before he walks into the classroom. I wait a moment and then follow him, finding George freshly showered and sitting in our usual spot in the middle of the class.

--

Divination seems to take thrice the time it normally would, every second bringing a deeper agony. I don't know what to feel. Adrian had told me it was over; he was done trying. He had been cold as ice, ignoring me and leaving me broken as he walked away from me in the corridor.

He knew I had found solace in George- to which extent he couldn't imagine. My heart had been torn in two, then I had been thrown to one side. Now he wants me to come back to the other. I was aching, unsure of what I else I could go through.

I was comfortable with George. We had been friends for so long, we knew each other inside and out. But was seeking comfort a mistake? I've always been told that growth is never comfortable... but would seeking Adrian result in an uncomfortable yet necessary growth?

George is pulling my arm; our class is over. I stand, looking to the ground and watching my feet shuffle myself into the hall.

"What's wrong? Are you still worried about the match? We'll win, and I'll be fair," George prods, trying to find the source of my discomfort.

"I can't say I will!" Fred jumps in front of us, grasping George's shoulders, "Mate, guess what's happened to that one chap in Ron's year, the one who likes to play with fire!"

"Which one, Finley? No; Fisher?" George's attention is immediately shifted, a glint of mischief shining in his eyes.

"Finnigan, it is! Well, he's tried to charm a quill to burst in the middle of his exams, but he's blown his eyebrows off! Come on, he's still covered in soot!" Fred pulls George away from me without a second glance. Normally, I would have ran after them, eager to see the mayhem the young kid had made. Today I stay back, consumed by my thoughts and needing the time alone.

I get to class, finding that the twins and Lee are all missing. Professor Bins would hardly notice; the entire class could be on fire and he would continue droning about ancient wizards and warlocks. He mumbles on and on, and my friends never get to class.

I begin to shuffle to Potions, where I find the boys are sitting in their seats giddy with the comedic relief of Finnigan's antics. The day goes on until classes are over, and we are all in the common room. There's only about two hours before the match and the tension between the Gryffindors could be cut with a knife.

I'm sitting at the bay window, my favorite spot to sit when I'm not in conversation with the boys. They are all sitting at the table no more than five feet away from me, but they're discussing quidditch and playing a lighthearted game of wizard's chess. I glance over, smiling at their excitement, then return to my studying.

Time flies, and it seems like only the blink of an eye when the boys must leave to meet with the rest of the team. There's a little over an hour before the game is meant to start. I wish them good luck, giving George a small peck on the lips before he runs off. My heart begins to race.

I run up to my dormitory, quickly changing into a pair of jeans, a thick long-sleeved shirt, and George's sweatshirt. I brush my hair, slightly fix my makeup, and stare at my reflection in the mirror. My mind races.

If George were to ever find out about what I was going to do- who I was going to meet- he would never forgive me. He had already been upset at me for speaking to Adrian, he wouldn't take to me sneaking off again to meet him very well. I let out a shaky breath but push myself forward anyways.

I descend from my room into the common room, running into some friends in my year. I make small excuses of needing to go and make my escape. It feels like only an instant has passed, and I am on the third floor.

Adrian stands against the wall, playing with his wand. He looks up when he hears my footsteps approaching, smiling a small and pleased smile.

"I'm glad you came," He calls out to me. His eyes finally drop to the sweater I'm wearing. His face falls, any trace of a smile fading away. I cross my arms across my chest, attempting to hide the large G in the center. He looks away, uncomfortable.

"What did you want to speak about?" I ask quietly.

"I made a mistake. Please understand that." He pleads, to the ground. "We shouldn't have gone to the pub. We shouldn't have- we were going too fast. I just didn't want to lose you..." He trails off, glancing back at my sweater, "but it seems I'm a bit too late, doesn't it?"

I take a step closer, far enough to keep a friendly distance but close enough to reach out and touch his hand.

"Adrian, please forgive me. But you made your choice," tears begin to well in my eyes, and I attempt to blink them away, "I still care for you deeply. I was giving you a chance; I was trying to figure out how I felt-"

"I know you had feelings for me. I regret pushing you away more and more every day. Please, if there is any chance you still hold onto those feelings as I do, go out with me." He tightens his grasp on my hand.

"Are you daft? George and I are together now, I can't just leave him behind. And I can't try to pursue things with the two of you again, it just... it's different." I pull away from him.

"I'm not asking you to decide now. I'm just hoping you'll think about it. Think about how giving up on you is my deepest regret." His deep green eyes glisten with the weight of his words.

I nod. I look away, to see students buzzing and going down the grand staircases to head to the quidditch pitch.

"We should get going to the game soon. You need to warm up." I turn away from him, beginning to walk out of the hall. He doesn't follow me, which I am grateful for.

A lone tear streaks down my cheek, but I wipe it away quickly. I made my way to the pitch, mulling over my thoughts. I shouldn't be considering his words at all, yet the ache in my chest guiltily outweighs the logic in my head.