Blessings ; George Weasley

Forty-one

I served lunch for the kids while waiting for George to get back.

He had gone to see Malcolm and I was more than nervous. I knew Malcolm and I knew he could get violent when he got drunk, but I also knew George and I knew he'd go into protective mode if someone hurt someone he cares about.

"Can we go get my wand first?" Elsie asked.

She was looking at the letter she got from Hogwarts this month to tell her the things she needed before starting.

"Of course." I nodded. "If that's what you want."

I walked over to the table.

"Can I see it for a moment?" I asked and Elsie handed me the list so I could look at it.

"I need three sets of plain work robes in black." She said. "And why do I need a pointed hat?"

I looked at Elsie with a small smile.

"You have to wear it for the feast." I told her.

She nodded.

I handed the list bag to her as the front door opened and I looked out into the small foyer where George was pushing off his shoes.

He looked at me and our eyes met. I raised my eyebrows as to ask what happened but he just walked upstairs.

Weird.

"This is a lot of books." Elsie said. "Can we afford that, mum?"

I looked at her.

"Of course."

"I need one book." Fred spoke. "The standard book of spells, grade two."

"And we'll get that today." I promised him before I crouched down by Elsie's seat. "I talked to your dad earlier..."

She looked at me but then looked at the table with a small frown on her face.

"He doesn't want to come, does he?"

"What? No, he'd love to come with, darling... but he's not feeling well. He might be coming down with something and we can't have that transferred to you right before you go of to Hogwarts."

Elsie shrugged.

"Will he at least be there on the first?"

"Of course he will." I smiled. "I'll make sure of that."

I stood back up and as the children continued to eat their lunch, I left the room and walked upstairs to check on George.

He stood in our room, applying bruising paste on his cheekbone.

I walked over to him and placed a hand against his jaw, turning his head so that I could look at it.

I heard him sigh.

A bruise was starting to form across his cheekbone but not only that, about an inch of his skin was ripped open.

"George for fuck sake... you can't be applying paste to this before you fix the wound." I said and grabbed the paste from the dresser, closing it. "I told you not to go over there."

"Just like I told you not to, this morning?"

I bit my tongue not to talk back to him. Instead I grabbed my wand and gently tapped the skin under the wound, watching as it closed up slowly.

"Can't you see that most of our fights are because of him?" He asked. "You're divorced and you still let him get the satisfaction of messing with our relationship."

"I don't let him do anything!" I snapped.

George shook his head and stepped back when I tried to put some paste on his cheekbone.