my inheritance (g.w x o.c)

chapter three: stargazing

I sat on the railing of the Astronomy Tower, letting my feet dangle in the wind. I liked the feeling of peace and danger at the same time. I looked up at the stars, searching for the meteor that was meant to come through tonight. I heard someone come up the stairs but didn't look back.

"Larissa..." George spoke gently. "You need to get down."

"Back off, Weasley," I snapped. "I'm not going to kill myself. I'm just looking at the stars." I looked back at him. "It is the Astronomy Tower, you know." He looked at me with worried eyes. It almost made me feel bad for my comment. I stepped down on the outside of the railing, leaning back with my hands on the railing. "Plus, what's life without a little danger, huh?"

"Not funny," he insisted, walking towards me.

"Or I could..." I jumped over to a different ledge. "Look over here. It's a good view."

"Until you slip."

"Who knew you could be so anxious, Georgie?" I smirked. "And about a Slytherin princess no less."

"Excuse me for not wanting to see you splattered all over the courtyard. I like to eat there, and the idea of your death there will ruin it for me."

"Ah, see. Behind every choice is a hint of selfishness," I pointed out.

"Poetic. Now get over here before you slip up."

"I don't slip up."

"Famous last words."

"No, no, I want my last words to be something good. Hold on, let me think of them." I pretended to ponder what my last words would be while walking along the ledge with my arms out for balance. "How about, 'Never waste a day that could be spent cloud watching or a night that could be spent stargazing doing something you don't love?' Are those good last words? Or should it be something less poetic and more powerful?"

"Don't worry about your last words because you aren't dying."

"Really?" I asked, jumping back. I held on to the railing, leaning back.

"You aren't funny."

"I'm hilarious," I corrected, turning so my back was to him. I held one hand up in the air. "You know, it would be bad if I just..." I slowly let my other hand go. I wasn't going to fall. I knew he wouldn't let me. And if he did, I had plenty of spells to stop me. My hand barely left the railing before he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me over the railing. I smirked as he set me down.

"Are you bloody insane?" he asked, standing between me and the railing.

"And you Gryffindors act like you aren't fans of Slytherins," I teased, crossing my arms. "I figured I could prove otherwise."

"You've lost it," he shook his head. I raised an eyebrow.

"What're you doing out here anyways? It's late."

"Fred and I plan on Fridays."

"And Tuesdays and Sundays," I added. He smiled slightly. "I can see the light in the Gryffindor tower from here."

"Yeah, I, uh, I see you up here a lot. But you aren't usually..."

"Sitting over the edge?" I asked, walking past him back to the railing. He grabbed my hand when I passed him. I looked down at our hands before looking up at him. "Nothing to fear. I won't be jumping this time." He looked at me for a moment then let go of my hand. I leaned against the railing, looking up at the stars. "You see that bright star?" I pointed it out. He stood beside me.  "Muggles call it the North Star." I laughed lightly at the name. "The name is simple really. It shows where North is, but it's also part of Ursa Minor. In mythology, it's said that Zeus was having an affair and to protect his lover and her son from Hera, he turned them into bears and put them in the sky. Ursa Minor is the kid." I looked over at him to see him already looking at me. "Fascinating, isn't it?"

"What did you mean this time?" he questioned.

"Were you even listening to my story?"

"Larissa," he pressed. I looked out over the courtyard again.

"I didn't mean anything by it. I just said it wrong, I suppose."

"You never say things wrong. Ever. I don't think I've ever heard you trip over your words or anything. You're almost superhuman."

"I am a witch, Mr. Weasley," I pointed out.

"I mean, there's something else. I don't know." He shook his head. "What did you mean?"

I didn't say anything for a moment. I looked down at my hands over the railing, recalling the time not too long ago that I sat here with full intentions of never getting back on the other side. "It doesn't matter now, George."

"Yes it does."

I could tell he wasn't going to forget what I'd said so I had to answer. I tried to figure out the right way to say it. "When this term started, I was dealing with some things. One night, I was just so angry with the world. And I sat up here for hours." I scoffed, shaking my head. "I actually waited for the light in the Gryffindor common room to go out before I jumped to the first ledge. I wanted to make sure no one would see me." I looked at the ledge past the one I'd jumped to. "The farthest I got was there. And God, I swear I was so close. I probably would've done it if Dumbledore didn't come up here." I looked down again, remembering what he had said. The way he acted like he was there for the constellations yet somehow managed to get me back on the inside. "Claimed he was just coming to look at the stars, but I know he came to stop me."

"But, Larissa, why would you-"

"You have no idea what goes on in my head," I interrupted. I shook my head, standing up straight and crossing my arms. "No one does. People pretend to, but they don't, and it, it's hard. When no one understands you." I quickly wiped at a tear, clearing my throat. "I should get going." I turned to walk away.

"I get it," he spoke softly. I stopped a few feet away from him. "Sometimes it just seems like nothing makes sense."

"You have a twin, Weasley. You can't say nobody understands you."

"Just because I have a twin doesn't mean I always feel understood."

"Yeah?" I asked, turning back to face him and crossing my arms. "You have a whole family, George. You are a part of one of the most prestigious wizarding families. And me?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "My bloodline will end with me if I have any say in it."

"Everything with You-Know-Who is going to end soon."

"In our dreams," I scoffed.

"No, it will," he promised, taking a few steps towards me. "And things will be better."

"I'd be naive to think that, George Weasley." I looked up at him before shaking my head. "I have to go." I gave him one last look before turning to leave.