the painter // george weasley //

18

Flirtation, Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, 1875-78

Weeks had passed since their trip to America and it seemed as though George couldn't leave her side. Of course he gave her space when she was painting, he respected that part. So when she was painting, he was back the Burrow. Which was a surprise for everyone, there was no complaining about it, obviously. Molly was over the moon that her son was back home, he just couldn't be by himself anymore. He would prefer to be with Olive, but he didn't mind spending his free time with his mother as well. He hadn't been back to his apartment in those weeks, only to grab new clothes or to just make sure the store was still a store.

He wants to open the store again, but he just can't. Is anything physically stopping him, no. He's stopping himself. Olive has tried to nonchalantly bring it up in conversation. Which actually might have helped. Because today, he was standing in front of the unlocked front door, staring out at the main street. He looked down at the open sign; all he has to do is flip around and it would be open.

Just flip it around George.

Then you're open.

"You think you're better than me?" He said while staring down the sign. He was just staring at the red and blue open sign, fidgeting with a hem on the bottom of his sweater. His brow was creased and his jaw clenched. "I can do it if I want you know?" He spoke again to the sign, as if it were to talk back, "I really can.."

It was about 9 in the morning when this one way conversation started with the sign, and it was about noon when the conversation ended, and the open sign was now facing the street and the closed side was facing the inside of the store.

George opened the store.

But he didn't tell anyone.

But people came.

Olive was coming out of her front door, with a big stretch in the welcoming sunlight, she was startled by Rose.

"Long night?" She asked, leaning against the entrance of her store front. "Saw your studio light on all night. You sleep, right?"

"I do." Olive moked, "I actually just woke up." She yawned and looked down the street. At first she was blinded by the sun, but once her eyes adjusted that's when she saw it. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was open. It was actually open. There was a line wrapped around the building, leading down the alley on the side of it. Olive snapped her head towards Rose, eyes wide.

"What did you do to that boy?" Rose smiled, "All of us merchants never thought that he would ever open again..."

"He didn't tell me." She giggled, she wasn't mad that he didn't tell her. She figured that he probably didn't want to give anyone hope, just in case he'd backed out last minute. She sprinted down the street to the front door, peering in the window. She could hear the conversations of all the people waiting in line. So much excitement, so many chuckles and giggles heard about. She saw George in conversation with a group of younger looking girls, they were flirting with him. She couldn't help but laugh, because he was clearing uncomfortable but was letting it happen.

George looked up from the swarm of younger witches that were surrounding him. His store was packed, it felt normal again. Usually the dark, dusty store was now vibrating with activity. There was laughter, and products were going off all over the place. As he looked around the store, his eyes landed on her. She was smiling, such a beautiful smile. She was smiling at him.

"S'cuse me ladies." George smiled, not looking at the girls as he pushed through them and walked to the front door; leaning on the door frame as witches and wizards squeezed in and out of the store. "Olive!" He had a real smile on today.