Before the Dawn | George Weasley

20

The following day, I sat alone at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, attempting to go over the material from classes the previous day. I hadn't been able to focus on anything, barely making it to Astronomy at the end of the day.

I looked up to meet the eyes of a few first-year Gryffindors. They snickered loudly,  their whispers reaching me from all the way across the Hall. I fixed them with an icy stare and they scattered, leaving me wondering what in Merlin's name was going on.

Sipping from a glass of water, I looked up to see Hermione staring at me now. I made an exaggerated gesture of 'what?!' and she pressed her lips together, standing from her table and making her way over to join me.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, a hint of sympathy in her voice as she took a seat across from me.

"Spectacular," I said flatly. "Although I can't say I enjoy being laughed at by first-years."

"They're just young, ignore them." Hermione pulled out her Potions textbook and started scribbling on a piece of parchment. "We were all equally as irritating in our first year, I'm sure of it."

I eyed her suspiciously. "What exactly happened?"

She looked up, wearing an expression of alarm. "You mean, you don't remember?"

I felt my face grow hot. "Not exactly."

Hermione looked down at her textbook, seemingly searching for words. "Well, er—"

"You can tell me," I said with a forced smile. "I already know whatever it is, it isn't good."

"Well, for most of the night, you and George were looking rather... cozy." Her face was pink.

"Is that all?" I asked hesitantly. "That's not so bad. I've done far worse."

"No, not quite." Hermione paused again, and I was tempted to reach across the table to try and shake the words out of her. "At one point, you and Seamus got into a bit of a, er, a row."

Seamus? "About what?"

"Both of you were difficult to understand—your accents got quite heavy—but I think it was something about the... Scots? And the Irish?"

"Quidditch," I laughed. "That definitely checks out."

"But it got rather... heated."

"Did it?" I thought of the short-haired boy. "How so?"

"Well, I don't know who threw the first punch, but..."

"Punch?" My squeak echoed through the hall. "I hit Seamus? Is he okay?"

"Well, both of you were quite wasted, and I don't think either actually of you landed a hit before Lee and Fred pulled you apart." Hermione was still holding something back.

"My first fight, and I don't even remember it," I sighed. "What else?"

"After that..." she thought for a moment. "I think this might be what those first-years were talking about, just now."

"Oh, Merlin." I braced myself with a grimace.

"You, er, well after the fight, you climbed up on the table, and you did this... dance."

My jaw dropped, feeling my face heat up. "What sort of dance?"

"I don't know, really," Hermione looked uncomfortable. "A jig of sorts."

I buried my face in my hands. "That's so embarrassing."

"You were really quite good, considering the state you were in," Hermione attempted to comfort me, giving me a small smile.