If You'll Have Me | George Weasley

Chapter 26

A DATE with him was for better or for worse. It would either ensure that things with George not only felt right, but that they were right; That he was someone she could easily fall in love with, or, it would add on to that false sense of hope, and she'd be left disappointed when the fall rolled around. She hoped that it was for the better.

She had returned to the Burrow early in the morning and spent breakfast with the Weasley's, Hermione, and Harry as the twins slowly woke up. She'd already known them to be lazy, and perhaps the responsibilities of the shop were too much for them to bear. Still, George insisted that he would make time for their date, regardless of their workload, and the girls insisted on being the ones to help Eleanor get ready.

Not that there was much for them to help with, but Ginny and Hermione watched restlessly as Eleanor rummaged through her trunks, searching for something suitable enough for a date, though she was sure George would've hardly cared if she were to show up in pajamas. He had seen her on the floor of the hotel room in London, her summer dress slipping off of her shoulders, and he'd hardly looked at her any differently. But still, she wanted to look nice enough for him in case this was their first and last date, which part of her worried that it was.

"It'll be fine," Hermione says, surely having noticed Eleanor's anxious demeanor. "What are you worried about?"

"I'm not sure. I suppose it's not any different from the other times we've hung out." Elle lies. She had sworn off speaking of France any more than she already had. The topic was beginning to tire itself out.

"Not any different? Elle, for him to ask you on a date is huge." Ginny insists, smoothing out one of the shirts Eleanor had laid on what used to be Percy's bed. "I told you, I've never seen him like this before."

"I know, I know. I'm just... Nervous, I guess. This makes things feel more... Official?"

Ginny furrows her eyebrows. "That's a good thing, right?"

"It should be," Eleanor says, and eagerly takes the shirt from under Ginny's hand. "It's just, we've hardly talked about what this is, or what it could be. I don't want to get my hopes up, or his."

Hermione presses her lips into a thin line, subtly sharing a sullen glance with Ginny, like they too were unsure of what would happen, despite knowing George perhaps better than she did. Eleanor had pretended not to notice, though, and instead pulled her shirt over her head to allow them to finish whatever shared looks of uncertainty they needed to share.

"Don't think about that," Ginny says after a moment, but her voice was softer. "Like I told you before, just enjoy your time with him. The rest will figure itself out."

Eleanor nods at herself in the mirror that had been leaning against the wall. It was something that she had told herself before, plenty of times, but it still failed to make things easier. "I know, and you're right."

Tonight, she had told herself, she would figure it out. She would decide what would be best for not only herself, but him. She felt as though she could fall in love with him, if he had told her to or if she allowed herself. It would be so easy, too easy, and it was perhaps the thing that scared her the most. Because whether things worked out or not, she feared that there was no stopping the inevitable; She was falling in love with him, and she would continue to fall even after she left.

Again, for better or for worse.

A car door sounded like it closed just outside of her window, and Hermione immediately rushes to catch a glimpse outside, smiling giddily like it was her own date that she was waiting for.

"Is he here?" Eleanor asks, though she knew the answer based on the wide grin on her friend's face.

"It looks like he's just getting the Ford ready," Ginny says, who was now by Hermione's side. "It'll be great. Just remember what I told you."