A Soulmate's Love

Chapter 58 - She Knew.

George's Perspective

Watching her with Aurora was a sight I'd never imagined seeing, but one that I definitely don't regret. I vividly remember her telling me on multiple occasions that she disliked kids, even going as far as saying that she hated the spawns of satan; this hatred went hand in hand with her supposedly being horrible at taking care of one. 

And yet here she was, humming a soft and romantic melody to the newborn baby girl as she delicately traced her fingers over the curves of her rounded face. 

Never in my life have I seen Althea Victoria Jane so... gentle and caring? And I say this in the nicest of ways, treasuring every single part of her with all of me. Althea... well she's quite known amongst us all to have the largest past and aggressive... no... competitive nature. 

In every single aspect.

She does everything she sets her mind to at the extreme.

Academics? She can't get one answer wrong or else she's a failure in the eyes of everyone who's ever known her and depends on that validation to not have a mental breakdown (which if you ask me is not far away at her pace).  
Alcohol? She says that there's no point in having small doses and refuses to do anything other than getting absolutely slammed - which surprisingly in her case takes A LOT of drinks. I swear I have never seen anyone with as high a tolerance as her, which can worry me even more at times. 
Disagree with her? She will list you every single reason why she is right, along with a ten-minute lecture using terms you can't attempt to understand that she draws from books she read years ago and still remembers. Oh yeah, her memory is fucked. Still don't believe her?  Or maybe she just decides that you aren't sure enough of what she's saying for her to sleep at night so... she fuels her gambling addiction - which I'd never say she has in front of her - by betting whatever comes to mind. She once put her own boyfriend on the line to make a point to Lee...

Don't even get me started on her need to do the craziest most dangerous things under the pretext of 'living'. 
- Joining a fucking gang
- Getting a tattoo done in Russia by an old dude without knowing what he's putting on your skin and not checking for years.
- Getting a scorpion tattoo and having her name done on the chests of god knows how many convicted felons.
- Doing so many illegal things that - I've calculated - had she been caught every single time, would be serving 9 years in prison. That's almost a fucking decade, and only what she's told me. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if she was at 15 years by now.
The list goes on.

And here she is, caressing and cherishing such a small thing without breaking or throwing it - I'm proud! 

Althea... can get periods of anger towards certain people - Trewlawney - and inanimate objects. I first learned of this when she threw her mandrake from Herbology at a window, successfully breaking the glass and killing the childlike plant. 

She's so passionate!

I watched her quite speechlessly. She did look ever so beautiful smiling so softly and peacefully. I could only gaze at her in uninterrupted adoration, at a complete loss for words. But when she started swaying slightly and humming this tune I had heard her sing before, smiling to the point where her cheeks had reddened and her skin glowed, I had one thought in mind.

"Marry me." Her eyes carried to mine but, surprisingly, were not filled with shock nor doubt; sereness. How a rare sight, I thought to myself. No gears were turning, no pain, no exhaustion, apprehension, not even startlement. 

Even I was startled at my words.

"Ok." She smiled lovingly, her eyes not breaking contact with mine and her usual tell for lying not appearing. And when the baby started fussing quietly, she turned her attention back to her and kissed her all over, making little Aurora laugh. She- did she just- WHAT.