If You'll Have Me | George Weasley

Chapter 3

THE SUN hung high in the sky the next morning, shining feverishly over the Burrow. The events from the day before had worn out Eleanor so much, that had it not been for the light streaming through the window, she would have slept well past noon.

While she didn't know what time it was, she knew that she had woken later than she anticipated. The conversation coming from outside of her window gave it away. Very rarely did she ever sleep in past ten, either. Her mother would've never allowed it, had she still been back home.

She draws back the drapes hanging upon the window, and peers outside to find Ginny and one of her brother's standing on the lawn. All she could see was the back of his red head, and his restless disposition, but she could not tell if it was one of the twins, or even Ron for that matter. Each of them had long hair, and were relatively around the same height. They were all starting to look the same to her.

Reluctantly, she rises from the bed, stealing a moment to herself to dress for the day before heading downstairs, which to her surprise, was empty. It was a Monday, and she knew that Mr. Weasley was at work, but Molly was nowhere to be found. The only thing that gave her any indication that she wasn't alone were the voices that continued to come from outside.

"About time you woke up." Says a voice from behind her, and Eleanor turns to find Hermione who had been sitting on one of the dining chairs. She had positioned it in front of a fan, sitting backwards with her face only a mere few inches from the spinning blades, and the look upon her face was euphoric despite the warmth of the air that made Eleanor feel like her skin was melting off. It did not seem to affect Hermione in any way besides the humidity that enlarged her hair.

"What time is it?" Eleanor asks, raising a hand to her eyes to rub away the exhaustion that had been weighing them down.

"It's nearly noon. You must've been tired." Hermione closes her eyes as the air continues to whip against her face, her wild hair blowing behind her shoulders as the blades spin at high speed. "I've been up since eight."

Tired was an understatement. She felt as if her whole body was still asleep, her mind still foggy... So she lazily makes her way to the kitchen and pours herself a cup of earl grey, taking a moment to admire the view outside of the window while she waits for her tea to cool.

The Burrow was truly beautiful in the morning. Peaceful, aside from the voices that had been coming from the side of the house. The sky was cloudless, the sun bright, and the overgrown grass swayed with the slight breeze that brushed by. It would have been beautiful enough to paint, had she actually bothered to try, but had lost her love for that a long while ago. For now, she would simply admire it. Nothing more or less.

"So what is it that you guys do here? Go by the creek all day?" Eleanor fixates on the water that glimmered in the distance, and then looks to where the rest of the Weasley kids and Harry had been talking. Where the twins had been sat upon the grass, and George's long hair was hanging behind his shoulders as he leans back, lifting his chin to face the sun.

She looks away before he has the chance to spot her.

"Well, this is the first summer I've stayed here. I'm usually back in Hampstead with my parents." Hermione informs her, repositioning herself so that she was now facing Eleanor. "But yeah, they usually spend a lot of time at the creek. Ron said something about going into town and picking up some stuff for tonight, though."

"Tonight?"

But before Hermione can fill her in on all of the details, the Weasley kids pool into the house, followed by Harry who trailed behind them, sticking out like a sore thumb against their flaming red hair.