Spellbind

8. What With One Thing... Or Another." Pt. 2

A/N:

>>>>> = Time Skip
<<<<< = Flashback
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George Weasley POV:

[You See It?...Don't You?]

"Uh-huh." I swallowed a gulp of air.

My lungs started to burn, and all I could do was stare into her silver eyes. My pulse beat loudly in my skull, my lips parted and somehow I managed to breathe. How? How was I going to tell her? What if I mean nothing to her, now? What if she rejects me? Had she really liked me as much as I am fond of her now? If so, how did she go on so easily? Is it possible I fell harder than she could have ever imagined? Do I still appeal to her? Will she still have me? My chest felt tight and my eyes started to sting. Will she accept my feelings?— Accept me.

"You two studying, at this hour?"

I had been so thrilled at my good luck that I happened upon her. I hadn't considered the solemn truth: that we would not have this moment forever. We both caught our breaths at the sound of my brother's voice. A little annoyed he pulled me away from her gaze.

"Nah," I managed to say, my throat dry from how nervous she was making me feel. "Just talking, Niyla was writing a letter to her father."

Saying her name sent a whit of excitement and- oddly- a sense of satisfaction, through my body. My eyes flashed back to her, her cheeks and ears were scarlet. I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling; so I did still have an effect on her. Does that mean I still have every chance as I once did before?

"Ah," my brother stood at my side, palms facing downward on the table. "Want us to accompany you to the Owlery?"

My smile showed then, unable to hide my inner contentment, for my brother's idea. I'll take any seconds gifted to me with her.

"I haven't actually written anything," her voice was low.

My brother sunk into a chair next to me. "We can wait."

"There's still half an hour before breakfast," he added.

"Uhh-Right, sure, I guess," she stammered.

I ignored the side glance from my brother, knowing he'd prod me for details later. I watched her carefully, taking everything about her into consideration. My eyes grew round as the depth of my feelings for her seemed to deepen. My heart knocked violently against my ribs; watching her was sure to be dangerous for me. Perhaps staying away from her had been a good thing.— I denied the idea of us ever being a thing for so long, now, I want nothing more.

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After she hastily wrote her letter to Remus, we gathered our things and headed to the Owlery. Collecting glances and whispers as we walked through the halls, though all I could do at this moment was study her uneasily; ignoring the curious eyes of the others. The sky was metallic with a bit of purplish hidden in its gloomy blank slate; the turbulent wind forcefully churned the clouds.

I had only taken notice of the sky's appearance because it made me think of her eyes. Besides that, I hardly paid attention to anything else. All the while walking and watching her tie a letter to her owl's leg, I couldn't manage to keep my mind off everything she did.— The way she moved, how insanely lovely she looked. I was definitely mental, to have overlooked her beauty for so long.

I guess my brother had realized I was watching her for a bit too long, because he nudged my arm. My eyes flashed to him, he raised an eyebrow suggestively and I felt my face grow warm. He grinned playfully.

"Should we head to the Hall?" He asked, over the sharp winds coming in from the glassless windows.

"Yeah," she responded.

She stood from where she had knelt to greet her owl, but stumbled on something. I instinctively reached out to catch her.— As I should have done years ago, when she claimed to have fallen for me. We were standing a few inches apart, her,— maybe I could go on now, by starting to internally call her by her name— Niyla looked up into my eyes. Her stark gray eyes seemingly resuscitated something within me, the novelty of the feeling was like being drunk. My whole body felt like it was warming up near a welcoming flame, and then like all the warmth collected somewhere deep within me.

"Careful," I said unthinkingly, partly to myself.

This new emotion was unfamiliar, but I was clever enough to realize what it was.— An internal call for physical gratification. My feelings for her were so obvious to me now, no way to mistake them, steeled in my heart in a way it beats only for her now. I want her and my body knows it too. But I will wait for her as long as it takes, just as she once waited for me. But in this moment I wanted to give her a sign that I was spellbound by her, wholly with everything I could ever say I was. It was impossible for me to not passionately like Niyla Black Lupin.

I wasn't thinking of anything but a simple gesture to show her; that her feelings aren't being ignored anymore. To silently tell her I can't imagine she'll ever be able to comprehend how much I've grown to adore her.

I remembered she didn't like being touched, but now she wasn't wincing away from me. Does this mean I'm one of the few she can tolerate getting close to? I decided to test this, and reached for a thick lock of her hair, pulling it behind her right ear. My heart picked up in rhythm as she didn't grimace from my gesture. Scarlet raced across her face.

"Sorry," she breathed.

I reluctantly let her go; and we walked in awkward silence to the Great Hall, my brother's face screaming for answers to my seemingly unhinged action at the Owlery.

"See you in Potions," my brother said to Niyla as she turned toward the Slytherin table, once we were in the Hall.

"See you," she called out over her shoulder.

"You need to control yourself,—" Fred snickered, the moment Niyla was a good distance from us. "—You nearly gave her a heart attack."

I looked at him skeptically. "Hardly." I continued walking to the Gryffindor table.

The instant we sat, Angelina found her way to the empty space to my left. She wrapped her arm around mine and began prattling on about something. I hardly heard a word, thankful my brother was engaging in the conversation. Angelina had always been a little handsy with me, and it was something I had grown used to. Tolerated since she made no indication she thought of me as more than a friend. And when some would joke that we would make a good couple, we would both laugh it off, never taking their comments seriously.

But...Perhaps if I was to confess my feelings to Niyla, I should not be seen with another girl clinging on to me. I quickly looked toward the Slytherin table, desperately hoping she wasn't looking at me. In a fraction of a second her pearl-gray eyes steeled rigidly into place. There was no trace of any emotions on her face as she looked away. Had she just waited one more second she would have seen me pull my arm promptly from Angelina.

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I teetered fiercely between insanity and despair, when Fred and I walked down the steps to the dungeons and saw Niyla hugging Malfoy. I hesitated in the center of the room; I was afraid my jealousy would come out a bit too harsh if I was anywhere near her right now.

"Trade seats with me today," I pleaded with my brother.

"Okay," he smiled sympathetically. "S'not like she'll notice the difference. Right?" He joked.

I could only manage a slight smile. I turned from him and plopped onto the chair he usually sat in.— Snape was strict with me and Fred, never letting us sit together because of the distractions we'd cause to the class if we were allowed to be next to each other, during the lesson.

I strained to keep my eyes off them as they laughed about something, surely she found out it was Fred who was with her.— She could always tell us apart. Suddenly the frustration I felt overwhelmed my jealousy. Just as I was about to force myself to look away, Niyla glanced in my direction. My brows angled downward; how frustratingly beguiling her eyes were. How easily they could dissolve me and what I was feeling. Her eyes flashed toward her potions book in an instant, her ears turned crimson as my heart thudded agonizingly against my ribs.