𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄, 𝐆EORGE WEASLEY

{7} Happiness does come in sandwiches

After they'd celebrated well into the afternoon, time had come to clean up. Odette called in an old favor the Ravenclaw Prefect owed her and got her, Angelina and the twins into the Prefects' bathroom. However, she'd made a mistake and forgotten to ask whether the baths were separated or not, which meant that now they were standing naked, Fred and George looking away, trying to get into the warm water. They submerged themselves under the bubbly water and faced away as the twins got in opposite them. Had they not been butt-naked, things would have been a lot less awkward.
Odette looked at George, who seemed to be trying to look anywhere but her eyes, and she splashed him with water. "That's what you get for letting Zach get past me."
"Zacharias," said George, "was being chased by a bludger. It was either let him get past, or let you get hit."
'Also, since when is it Zach?" Angelina smirked. "Leave some Hufflepuff boys for us." Both George and Fred's heads snapped up at the remark.
"Since he got me ice cream from Hogsmeade." Odette rolled her eyes. "There is not a single Hufflepuff that belongs to me."
George moved in the bath, sending ripples through the water as he leaned on the edge.
Angelina assessed him, then said, "But then again, maybe a Gryffindor boy could be." They shared a look.
"You take care of your own Gryffindor boy." She smirked, and Angelina splashed water at her. "Besides, a Gryffindor has not shown interest toward me, like, ever."
Angelina laughed, "Maybe."

Fred finally spoke up, "How will we get out?"
"Me and Leech go first, then you two can follow. Do not let Filch or his stupid cat see you."
"Actually, Fred and I need to go to the Courtyard to meet up with Lee." Angelina said. "So we'll have to go first."
Odette looked at George, who seemed to have found out just now as well. Odette only sighed and nodded, "Fine. We'll meet you there."
The twins turned their hands as Angelina left the bath to change back into her clothes. Once she did, she snuck outside and Fred followed swiftly. It was just George and her in there now, and there was something awkward in the air around them, for both seemed to be at loss of words.
Odette looked at him, not bothering to look away. He did the same. Finally, he spoke, "Zacharias got you ice cream?"
Odette felt an odd pang of guilt in her chest, and found herself scrambling to explain. "Last year, yeah. He lost a bet against me and he got me ice cream. Then we started greeting each other in the halls, and well he went from Zacharias to Zach."
George nodded, and she felt stupid about the way she felt, there was no need for her to drag out the explanation. Hell, she didn't even owe him one. "Can I ask you about Cedric?"
"Yes, sure." Even though she wasn't sure she wanted to talk to him about Cedric, or any boy, for that matter.

"Do you actually like him?" Her eyebrows shot up. She did, didn't she?
"I mean, I think so. I enjoy his presence and all."
"So why did you say no?"
Why had she said no? She couldn't answer that, not without digging deep in her heart and finding emotions she was not yet ready to feel. She ran her fingers through the water for a short moment before answering, "I don't know."
"How'd he take it?" Again, Odette found it weird that she wanted to tell George all these things, despite the strange feeling that she did not want to tell him about Cedric.
She bit her lip, "He uhm, he said something weird."
"What was it?"
She quoted Cedric, "'I truly do hope he becomes yours one day.' And I don't know what he meant by it, or why he even said it. Maybe he was talking about himself in third person or something. He's quite odd at times."
George laughed. "He is odd."
"And how would you know, Mr. I hate everyone without even getting to know them?"
"Because he was so close to getting a person as amazing as you all to himself, and he let you get away." Odette did not answer that, she only rose from the water, changing into her robes.

As they walked to the Courtyard to meet up with the rest of the group, she found George's hand on her shoulder a heavy weight. She felt its burning presence despite her still not dry body. She was very confused about the things he'd said in that bathroom. 
She saw Fred, Lee and Angelina sitting on a stone bench and Lee seemed to be acting weird. He was bouncing up and down and laughing for no reason. 
Once they got close enough for them to hear her, Odette said, "Why is Lee all twitchy?"
When Lee did not answer, she looked at Fred for an explanation, "I don't really know. He wasn't like this until he ate that sandwich."
"What sandwich?"
"You know that guy that walks around selling them?" Said George.
"What guy." If there was some sort of drug operation in Hogwarts, Odette would know about it.
"I don't know," Fred shrugged, "All I know is that he did not look old enough to be let into Hogwarts, let alone sell sandwiches, or anything here."
"And yet you let Lee buy one." Odette rolled her eyes, watching as the boy rose to his feet and happily chased a butterfly.
"I hardly see what the problem is. He is less insufferable now."
"And you on the other hand aren't."
"I don't need sandwiches to be at my best behavior." 
"Yeah, you need some stronger drug." 

Fred stuck out his tongue just as Odette saw Lee approach Cedric in the corner of her eye. So much about best behavior. She followed after him, trying not to squirm all the while hoping that Lee would not say something stupid. But Lee always said something stupid.
"What's up with him?" Cedric pointed at a disheveled Lee, who had just shouted all sorts of offensive words at the Hufflepuff, and his friends were not much happy about it.
Zacharias eyed a very high Lee, then spoke to Odette, "Why, Detta. I did not know you ran a drug ring."
"Watch your mouth." Said George who had walked up behind Odette. Cedric shot his friend a warning look.
"Come on, I don't have time for this." He pulled the Hufflepuff away.
Odette watched as Cedric and Zacharias left the premises, before turning to George and throwing an appreciative smile his way. Then she grabbed Lee's ear and pulled him right to the dormitories, making sure everyone in the school heard his shouts of agony as he was dragged up the ever-changing stairs.