If You'll Have Me | George Weasley

Chapter 32

THE WALK to the lake was rather scenic. A cobblestone path led from the lake house and down a steep hill and to the still water before them. Trees were lining nearly every inch of the perimeter of the lake, but it was stretched so far and wide that the tree line hardly looked like anything more than a black line. Above it, the sun shone strong and brightly. It seemed even harsher here by the water than it did at the Burrow.

A loud splash sounds ahead of them, and Eleanor sees water splash high above the dock.

"You bastard!" Ginny yells from the water and Ron laughs hysterically from the edge of the dock. Eleanor could see the slight movement in Harry's shoulders as though he was trying to hold back a chuckle.

"Oi, Gin. I think you got your hair wet!" George yells to her, grinning widely as they step onto the dock.

The metal burned beneath Eleanor's bare feet. It was scorching outside, and she hadn't realized it until just now. It nearly reminded her of the first day that she arrived at the Burrow where not even open windows or standing fans could relieve them from the heat. The water looked refreshing, though Eleanor is cautious as she approaches the boys, ensuring she does not walk too close to them so that they could shove Elle in too. She would go in on her account.

"Get in the water. Let's see how tough you are, Ron." Ginny yells, splashing a wave of water toward where he was standing, grinning mischievously.

"Alright." Ron chuckles, kicking off his shoes. "How exactly are you planning on measuring our toughness?"

Ginny treads backward, contemplating, and responds with a smile. "Chicken. Elle, get in the water! You too, Harry!"

"I'm not—"

"The game chicken, Ronald." Hermione interrupts him, slightly shaking her head.

Eleanor sighs and unbuttons her shorts. "You're going on my shoulders, right?"

"Yeah. I've gotta be the one to take him down." She says, earning a laugh from Ron as he jumps in feet first.

"This'll be entertaining to watch." Fred grins widely and crosses his arms.

Eleanor lowers her shorts and allows them to fall on the dock. She had opted for a black bikini after seeing George's reaction to her in it, and as she turns around to look at him, she notices that he has his tongue in his cheek, grinning.

Elle looks at Harry. "C'mon. Let's see how well you fare." She smiles, feet half off the dock, just before she decides to jump in.

The water sends a shock through her body as it surrounds her. It was surprisingly cold despite the hot sun that hung above them, but as she rises to the surface and wipes the water from her face, the coldness subsides. Fred cheers for her from the dock.

Harry jumps in after her, grinning from ear to ear as he does so. He was typically quiet when he wasn't drunk, but she'd noticed him opening up more over the summer, and he had quickly become one of the people she adored the most for his humor and wittiness.

"Alright, Ron, get on Harry's shoulders." Ginny instructs him as she treads water. "We'll see who's tough."

Ron shakes his head as Harry goes under the water, lifting Ron onto his shoulders before rising to the surface again. It was a humorous sight to see them look so unsteady all of the sudden, and Eleanor has a feeling that she and Ginny had already won.

"Ready?" Ginny says from behind Elle, hands on her shoulders, and she nods.

Eleanor goes underwater and feels Ginny press her weight against her shoulders, swinging her legs up until they are hooked on them. Eleanor grabs her by the shins before standing up, planting her feet in the mushy sand beneath them.