Miss Mischief ▶ George Weasley

Chapter Forty-One

As per usual, the first weeks of November brought a nasty sickness that spread through the castle like the plague. It stuck around the girls dormitories in Gryffindor tower making nearly everyone sick. Emerson, however, what one lucky soul who did not get sick. And she certainly was not about to.

Angelina and Alicia refused to go to the Hospital Wing to get whatever potion Madame Pomfrey was handing out this year. They stated they would rather study on their death bed than drink the nurses nasty concoctions.

"Emery, you're not sleeping in the common room again," George told her sternly one morning. Because her dorm mates were ill Emerson was not about to step food into her dorm unless she needed to. If she was sick it meant that she couldn't study. If she couldn't study it meant she would fail her classes. Her thoughts were a never ending roller coaster.

"I'm perfectly fine sleeping on the couch," Emery said. "It's comfortable and I won't be sick."

"It's bad for your back," George countered. He wasn't going to let it go. His arms were crossed and his eyebrows were raised.

"Where do you suppose I sleep then?" Emerson asked as she leaned her elbows onto the table in front of her. The Great Hall was filled with the loud sounds of students preparing for class. It was strange not hearing Fred's voice among the rest of them, but he had caught the flu as well and was off to the hospital wing.

George tilted his head and looked at Emerson carefully. "Well you could..." he trailed off and scratched behind his ear. "We have an extra bed in our dormitory."

Emerson froze at George's words, her spoonful of porridge just a couple of inches from her lips. Did George really just invite her to sleep in his dorm?

"Of course you can say no," George quickly added as he took in Emerson's shocked expression. "I just figure if you didn't want to sleep in your dorm then you could sleep in mine—I mean ours."

George fumbled over his words, which Emerson found adorable. His freckled cheeks were turning pink and he quickly looked down at his breakfast. She smiled at him, and after a few moments of consideration she nodded.

"Sure," Emerson said, bringing him up to look up at her with a surprised look. "I mean Fred's off in the infirmary so he won't be sick anymore. I'd much rather sleep in your dorms than be on my death bed with Alicia and Angie."

With a smile, George nodded and resumed eating his breakfast.

It was nice talking with just George. Of course, Emerson adored Fred with all her heart but it was nice to be with the person that she was in love with. All she had to do was push her self to tell him.

Despite knowing that George liked her as much as she liked him, there was still this gnawing fear in Emerson's gut that kept her from asking him. It really shouldn't be this hard.

All she had to do was ask him to Hogsmeade on a date. Or she could simply say "Hey, George I like you. Let's go snog in a broom cupboard."

As Emerson was deep in her thoughts, Fred waltz up. He looked happy then ever now that he could breathe through his nose and lift his arms with ease.

"Well, well," Fred said as he sat down next to his brother. "What are you two up to?"

"Emery's going to sleep in our dorm tonight," George informed him. Fred looked over at Emerson with raised eyebrows and she simply nodded in response.

"Angelina and Alicia are sick and they refuse to go to the hospital wing," she said. "I've been sleeping on the couch in the common room so I don't get sick and George offered to let me sleep in the spare bed in your dorm."

There was a moment of silence, so Emerson added "Of course if that's alright with you and Lee."

Fred laughed. "Of course that's alright with me! You should definitely not be sleeping on the couch, that is very bad for your back. And we don't want you getting sick either because the Quidditch match is next week."

As George turned back to his food, Fred gave Emerson a sly wink. Her cheeks warmed up and she quickly attempted to conceal her blushing by resting her elbows on the table and covering her cheeks with the sleeves of her robes.

"How's practice?" Emerson asked, the silence was making her anxious.

George scowled at his food which Emerson raised an eyebrow to. George loved Quidditch, why would he hate the idea of practice?

"What's that look for?" Emerson furrowed her eyebrows at him. George's face softened and he just shook his head.

"Oliver's going mental," Fred told her. "We're playing Hufflepuff next week instead of Slytherin because they're seeker is apparently too injured to play."

"If we don't win the cup this year," George said. "Oliver is actually going to kill us."

Emerson rolled her eyes. "Don't let him get to you. He's just mad that he can't control everything."

"Still mad he can't shag you either," Fred said.

"Stop saying that!" Emerson and George said loudly at the same time. They glanced at each other for a moment before looking back to Fred.

Fred shrugged. "It's true. But let's get to Potions before Snape beets Oliver to killing us."

When Emerson went to her dorm after classes to gather her things for the night, Angelina was laying on her back with a tissue sticking out of her nose.

"Oh Ang," Emerson walked over and looked at her friend with a concerned face. "You should probably see the nurse."

"Never," Angelina said nasally. She sat up, her braids were in disarray around her head and drool was dried on her chin. "Madame Pomfrey is just going to give me some cinnamon flavored potion that's going to burn my nose and make smoke blast out of my ears."

"Well I'm gonna sleep in the twins room if that's alright," Emerson told her. "I don't wanna get sick."

"I don't blame you," Angelina laid back down and pulled her blanket up to her chin. "Good night, Em."

Emerson quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She was anxious about sleeping in the twins' room, even though there was nothing to be anxious about. She'd just be sleeping.

As Emerson walked to their dorm, she was met with some odd stairs by other Gryffindor boys. Of course it wasn't against the rules for girls to visit the boys dormitories, though it wasn't a usual occurrence.

When George opened the door after Emerson knocked, he gave her a big smile. Behind him, Fred and Lee were playing a game of Exploding Snap in their pajamas.

"We're about to get ready for bed," George said as he walked her to the fourth bed in their room, which happened to be a few feet away from his. There was also an extra pillow and blanket rested upon it. "I know you get cold at night," George added when he saw Emerson smile at it all.

It was all so sweet. She literally wanted to grab George and kiss him. But Fred and Lee were there.

So as Emerson climbed into bed and snuggled into her blankets, she watched George climb into his own bed. She smiled at him and continued to do so when George closed his eyes and fell asleep.

get ready friends ;)