Sinners and Serpents {g.w.}

Chapter 21

a/n: im so sorry this update is a few days late ive been dealing with some pretty rough mental health issues so writing has been difficult even though i adore this story and writing is usually super easy! i know this chapter is not great and kind of a filler chapter and for that i apologize again, but i swear the next one wont be! thank you all for the kind comments and the support i adore u all <3

After reluctant goodbyes to Remus and Sirius, who once again had to go into hiding, the six of you left for King's Cross. The holiday was coming to an end, and you hadn't wanted to leave the comfort of the Burrow, nor had you wanted to leave Sirius and Remus. You didn't know when you'd be able to see them again, and you'd grown incredibly close to Sirius this visit. His story of his younger brother was constantly on your mind, especially every time you saw your reflection and the serpent hanging from your neck.

George hadn't spoken to you in days, and you found yourself feeling restless and irritated because of it, which was funny, because that's exactly how you felt when he did speak to you. You couldn't make up your mind, though, to be honest, you had purposely stopped yourself from thinking about it too much. You'd come to understand that there was never going to be anything between the two of you beyond a few drunk makeouts, and that was fine with you.

At least, it would be if you just kept telling yourself that it would.

The night before, you'd nearly lost your mind when you'd run into George right as he stepped out of the shower, a towel slung low around his hips. The sight of his bare chest had made you so flushed you'd contemplated dashing outside and submerging yourself in the frosty snow banks lining the Burrow. You'd barely been able to choke out a hasty, half-incomprehensible apology before darting away as fast as you could.

George's bare, toned chest had apparently been permanently seared into your brain, because you couldn't get it out of your head. You couldn't stop your mind from wandering back to that moment, but in your head...

Merlin, in your head it had ended much differently. Instead of running away, you could've stayed, could've pushed him back into the bathroom, the air still steamy with heat, and shown George exactly how much you appreciated the sight of him shirtless. Yes, okay, you wanted...shite, you wanted to go so much further with George than you had.

And that was it. If you kept it purely physical, you could handle that, right?

"So you still haven't figured out the necklace?" Ginny asked from beside you as your group entered King's Cross.

"Like I said, haven't the foggiest," you told her. "I'm sure it was Eva or Briar, though. Or something like that." You weren't sure, though. Eva and Briar were wonderful gift-givers, but you didn't think it was them. Besides, why would they send something to the Burrow for you without a tag when they knew you'd be coming back to school eventually?

Secretly, so secretly, you hoped it was from a secret admirer. Like, really. Who wouldn't want that to happen at least once in their life? You didn't entirely subscribe to a lot of things concerning romance, but was it so wrong for you to want to be desired? Not even that, really, but for you to want someone to have a bloody crush on you? It was childish, but you'd always relished those who always had a trail of people falling for them wherever they went.

"Why do you wear it all the time, then? You haven't taken it off since you got it," Fred asked, trying to fit all his belongings onto a cart so that he didn't have to carry his trunks.