my inheritance (g.w x o.c)

chapter sixty-one: just breathe

We weren't in the Great Hall for long. We answered a few questions, but most people were exhausted and ready to be home. The hard questions could come another day. I went home with the Weasleys and didn't leave George's side. He was devastated even though he wouldn't admit it. I wanted to take away all the pain in his eyes, but I couldn't. So whatever he needed I wanted to be there for him. Because finally, after all this damn time, it could be about us.

Once the evening settled down and a few of the inner Order members came to the Weasley household, I sat on the couch in between George and Charlie. We were all silent for a few minutes. A mixture of emotions filled the room. Relief, sorrow, confusion. Finally, Arthur spoke.

"What does the future of the Ministry look like? Most of them have been under the Imperius for months or were Death Eaters themselves."

"We'll have to work on the entire committee," Shacklebolt explained. "Everyone's going to have to be reevaluated."

"Well, for the Minister, the option seems clear," I spoke up. Everyone looked at me. I suppose they worried I would offer up myself. "I'm sure we could all agree you should assume the role, Kingsley. You deserve it, and you will do it well."

"Thank you, Ms. Prince," he nodded.

"I'm just glad I can officially give the role away," I sighed, leaning into George's embrace. He rubbed my arm with his hand. Percy sat in the circle. As those at the table went back to the conversation surrounding the Ministry, the rest of us talked amongst ourselves. "So tell me, Percy. Now that I'm not Minister, are you going to start seeking a less professional relationship with me?"

"A what?" George asked as Percy got red.

"Oh, Percy here thought I was pimping him out," I smiled, looking up at George. "He was very concerned about keeping our relationship strictly professional so long as I was the Minister."

"Is that so?" George smirked, looking at Percy.

"But now that I'm not Minister, it would seem you have some competition. He was also very offended when he found out he wasn't my favorite Weasley." The group laughed, but Percy looked like he would have rather jumped off a bridge.

"Trying to steal my girlfriend, are you, Perce?"

"Wow, Percy, never pegged you for the type," Bill nodded, putting his arm around Fleur. "Big turn of events."

"No, I didn't realize she was, that you were, bloody hell," he groaned, covering his face. Everyone laughed again. We talked for a little while longer before everyone went to bed until it was just us and his parents who were just in the kitchen, cleaning up.

"Do you want to go outside?" George asked. I looked up at him and nodded.

"Yeah, let's go." We got up.

"Going to bed?" Arthur questioned, walking in from the kitchen with Molly.

"No, we were going to go outside for a little bit," George explained, resting a hand on my lower back. Arthur nodded, covering a yawn.

"Well, we're off to bed. Goodnight you two."

"Goodnight," we both replied. We walked into the kitchen to go outside.

"Larissa?" Molly called from behind me. I met George's gaze, silently asking what I'd done. He shrugged before we both turned around. She walked up to me but stopped a few feet away. "About what I said earlier..." Daughters.

"Don't worry," I quickly spoke up. "We all said a lot of things we didn't necessarily mean in the height of it all so-" I stopped talking when she rested her hands on my upper arms. I bit the inside of my cheek as I met her eyes.

"I wanted you to know I meant it," she nodded. "And it's okay to breathe now." She rubbed my upper arms gently. "You're safe." I couldn't even say anything else. I just quickly hugged her, closing my eyes as she muttered a surprised, "Oh." She wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you," I whispered. "For everything."

"You're more than welcome," she assured, giving me a squeeze. She turned to look at George before pulling him in for a bone-crushing hug. She whispered a few things I couldn't hear, but it wasn't my place to know. He met my eyes, and I gave him a sad smile. "I'm so glad you're both here. And both safe."

"We aren't going anywhere, Mom," he promised as she pulled away. She told us both goodnight before heading upstairs. George reached for my hand. "Come on." We ventured outside and found a space on a hill to lie down. My head was on his chest as he mindlessly played with my hair. We were silent for a while as we watched the stars. "You know, two years ago, I had no idea Orion was a word."

"You really didn't pay attention in Astronomy, did you?"

"Maybe if you didn't look so good looking through a telescope, then I would have." I moved so I was looking up at him, leaning against his chest.

"So it's my fault you didn't pay attention?"

"In every class, really. Honestly, I probably would have gotten NEWTs in every subject had it not been for you."

"But instead you got zero."

"Devastating, isn't it?"

I rolled my eyes before he laughed lightly, pulling me into a kiss. I smiled, leaning my forehead against his. "We made it," I whispered.

"God knows how."

I leaned away and watched him for a moment. "Are you okay?"

"I will be," he promised, pushing my hair behind my ear. "Eventually."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now." He pulled me closer. "Right now, I just want to remember that you're here. And that we made it."

I leaned forward, kissing him gently. "I love you so much, George Weasley."

"And I love you, Larissa Prince," he whispered. I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "I love you so much."