Lover ; George Weasley

Thirty-six

The day after, it was Roxanne's turn to be celebrated.

I was invited, as well as my girls. Lee was here and so was his wife Alicia and their two kids. George was excited for me to meet them as well.

Alicia was really nice. She certainly welcomed me into their group with open arms.

Her and Lee's children were sweet.

Their oldest, Lloyd was eleven. He'd be starting Hogwarts this year in September while his younger sister Vivian had turned seven not long ago.

"I've always wanted a brother." Fred told me as he sat on the sofa while I sat on the floor, letting Roxanne braid my hair.

At the same time, Elsie was helping George in the kitchen and Leah was sitting with Vivian, finding her toys very interesting, and Vivian was happy to share.

Meanwhile, Lloyd played some games on his mum's phone.

"Yeah?" I asked with a smile. "What would be so awesome about a brother?"

Fred shrugged.

"You know, I've actually got a brother." I said, which was true. I just never talked about him — mostly because I hadn't seen him for years.

"You do?"

"You do?" Lee then frowned and straightened up from where he was leaned over the sofa. "I thought it was only you and Nadine."

"Oh, well it was for the most part." I said. "Henry was a lot older than us. He left as soon as he turned eighteen and finished Hogwarts. He didn't agree with our parents views and their choices so he did what was best for himself, and he left."

"Henry Willows, huh?" Lee asked, tasting the name. "Yeah, I don't recognise it."

"She did say he was a lot older." Alicia said before she looked at me. "When did he graduate?"

"Uh— eighty-nine." I said. "He's forty-one now... wherever he is."

I was four when my brother left. I barely remember him and my parents burned his pictures so I've only got those few memories.

"You've got beautiful hair." Roxanne said, causing me to look at her. "It's so soft."

"Well, it's not near as pretty as your hair." I said. She had her hair braided neatly.

Roxanne gasped.

"Do you really think so?" She asked. "This boy at school says it looks like I've been electrocuted. That's why daddy braids it most days... I don't like when the other kids touch it or stick pencils in it."

I felt my heart break a little bit. No child should be treated like that by other children... or anyone for that matter.

"You know what?" I asked. "Those kids know nothing. Your hair is beautiful. It looks healthy too."

"Daddy knows what to put in it." She told me. "That's why we always get up early... it takes a while to do my hair but daddy says it's quality time."

I smiled.

Roxanne thought highly of George. I loved the relationship they had to each other.

George was everything I ever wanted Malcolm to be. The perfect father, the perfect partner.

"How about I go check up on your dad?"

"Can you tell him that I don't want tomatoes in the food?" Roxanne asked as she moved away to allow me to get up.

I promised her to tell him, before walking into the kitchen. When I saw George show Elsie how to make the sandwiches, I smiled.

Roxanne wanted her dads famous sandwiches for her sixth birthday so she got it.

"Roxi wanted me to remind you to put no tomatoes in them."

At the sound of my voice, both George and Elsie looked towards me.

"Hi mummy." Elsie smiled. "I'm helping Georgie with the food."

"I see!" I chuckled, my eyes staying on George as a small smile formed on his lips.

"Don't worry. I never forget Roxi's hatred towards tomatoes."

I hummed, approaching the two. I ran my fingers into Elsie's hair before looking up at George again.

"I love your kids." I said and ran a hand to the nape of his neck, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

He snuck his arm around my waist and kissed my temple before resting his head against mine.

"And I love yours." He whispered. I tilted my head back for my lips to meet his, kissing him softly.

"Look!" Elsie shrieked. "I did it! I did it like you told me too, Georgie!"

George pulled away from me to look at the sandwich Elsie had made, then smiled.

"You certainly did! I think that's even better than anything I have ever made." He said and held up his hand, Elsie high-fiving him.

During the meal, the children sat at their own table while us, the adults sat together, drinking wine and eating while chatting casually.

"You did manage to have Snape as a teacher before he died, right?" Lee asked, taking a tip of his wine glass while looking at me.

I laughed as I tilted my head.

"I started school in ninety-seven." I said. "He wasn't the potions master though. He had moved onto Defence Against the Dark Arts so yeah, I did have him as a teacher for almost two years before the battle happened."

Lee hummed before motioning towards George.

"We always got into trouble and Snape was one of the teachers who simply loved giving us detention."

"He loathed them." Alicia chuckled. "Can't blame him though. The pranks they'd come up with — especially when it revolved Filch."

George chuckled against his glass and I looked at him, smiling at the way he seemed to think back to when he was in school.

"I know exactly what you're talking about." I told Alicia. "My friend Inez knows everything about the famous Weasley twins pranks at Hogwarts. If I have to be honest, I had no idea who they really were..."

"Nah, you're not very observant." George teased and I felt his hand on my thigh, under the table.

Automatically I placed mine on his.

"You were at the opening of the shop, you've worked for my brother for years, yet you had no idea whose bed you woke up in back I'm January."

I shrugged, but I couldn't help but smile, knowing he was right.

"Babe, have I told you that I walked in on them in bed together a few weeks ago?" Lee asked Alicia. "Both naked under the duvet."

"You have, my darling... just about a hundred times."

"Did he also tell you how she completely got him back from joking about her age?" George asked, but due to how Alicia raised her eyebrows, I assumed that he didn't.

"Do tell."

Lee rolled his eyes as he leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest.

"She offered to walk him back to the retirement home." George said. "It was quite amusing."

Alicia laughed before she looked at me.

"You, Dahlia Willows... I absolutely adore you."