Flourish and Blotts//George Weasley

10 ~ Contract

"We have a problem."

Aurella scoffed and attempted to get up again. She could go join Kira and the others, she could head back to the carriage even, if it mean that she didn't have to face George. Aurella had decided the best way to deal with it would be to ignore it entirely, and here he was, sitting across from her in the tiny little booth away from prying eyes.

George only tightened his grip around her wrist.

"I think you have a problem," Aurella responded, refusing to look him in the eye. "I am not part of it."

Realizing he was starting to make her wrist red, George loosened his grip, but the way his gaze fixed onto the side of her head had her stilling on her seat.

"No, I assure you, we have a problem."

Aurella finally turned to look at his freckled face. His eyes were a gleaming shade of brown, watching her with an unusually sharp gaze. Instead of the usually cocky humour on his face that she had grown accustomed to, there was a dark seriousness.

Drumming her nails on the wooden table, Aurella sighed, trying for all her manners to appear carefree as if his appearance here didn't suddenly remind her of last night's kiss and how his mouth tasted. "What do you want?"

George was suddenly sheepish, reaching a hand up to rub the back of his neck underneath the collar of his jacket. It was a worn brown colour, something Aurella was fairly certain she had seen on Charlie before. "Angelina is a gossip, and I overheard her talking to some students about what happened last night."

Aurella pursed her lips in an attempt to keep her face from flaming. A little bit of gossip wasn't great, but what did she care if some Hogwarts students knew that George had kissed her?

"So?" She responded, staring at him. The door to the pub opened and with it came a rush of cool autumn air. A few Hogwarts students, wearing long cloaks, bustled inside.

"She was telling Beauxbatons students. Specifically Henri."

Aurella stiffened momentarily, only to quickly relax before George could notice. How was she supposed to have any chance of dating Henri again if Angelina was telling him that Aurella was kissing other guys? Being at a new school was already overwhelming, but having her chances of dating Henri-- her safe space-- ruined because George had kissed her was infuriating.

George continued speaking when Aurella didn't respond. "I have a proposition for you."

Aurella ceased her hand movements, stilling in her chair. A proposition from George was never a good idea. Especially after how the past several years had gone. She would've told him as much if it weren't for the cunning gleam in his eye, and the way it wasn't targeted at her.

Slowly, she leaned in, aware of how some of the students in the surrounding area were starting to watch them. Lowering her voice, Aurella responded. "What are you thinking?"

If he was surprised by her willingness to listen, he didn't show it. "We get into a fake relationship," Before Aurella could protest, George continued, holding up a hand to silence her for a moment. "Here is what's in it for me. Angelina won't take the hint that I'm not interested. If I were to have a girlfriend, she would realize I'm taken."

Aurella frowned. "What's in it for me?"

A brief smile flashed across George's face when he realized that she was actually listening. Aurella couldn't believe it. How was she starting to consider it? Aurella had always thought of herself as smart, but this had to be up there with her most irrational ideas.

George waved a hand. "Henri is still interested in you,"

Aurella clenched her fist and moved to stand again. "Since you've just come to be a dick to me about Henri, I'm going to leave."

"I'm not kidding," George protested. His hand was on her wrist, warm callused fingers wrapping around her skin. She tightened her jaw. "Henri is still interested in you. I've seen him watching you, but I know his type. He is waiting for you to come back. If you want him to try and get you back, though I don't know why, you need to seem like you are no longer desperate."

Aurella scowled at the use of the word desperate, but she settled into her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. She met George's eyes. A fake relationship. Enough for Angelina to get the hint, and Henri to realize what he was missing. It wasn't normal, and that left her unsettled. 

But then again, it might get Henri back, and that was what she wanted, right?

"A quid pro quo of sorts?" She asked. 

He scowled at her and shifted, his eyes darting down to his hands momentarily-- splayed on the wooden table-- and then back to her face. "Don't speak French."

Aurella scowled. "It's fucking Latin, you loser."

"That's no way to talk to your new boyfriend, babe."

Aurella flushed and shuffled her feet under the table to kick him. What would their parents think? After years of mindless bickering, now they had suddenly had an awakening? Close proximity had had them falling for each other?

"You aren't calling me babe," Aurella snapped. "I can't believe I'm even considering this, but we need some ground rules."

George smiled, and it seemed as though the tension had lifted. His shoulders loosened and an easy smile worked its way onto his face. A hand worked through his hair, disturbing the auburn curls. Aurella traced the movement with her eyes, watching his long fingers move. "I figured you'd want rules."

With a flick of his wand, he had a piece of parchment in front of them. "Give me your quill."

Aurella frowned at him but loosened her arms. "Why do you assume I have a quill?"

George said nothing, simply tilting honey-brown eyes up to look at her. 

With a grumble, Aurella pulled a spare quill out of her pocket and handed it to him. "First rule, nobody knows. This can't work if we go around telling everyone what is going on."

George nodded but paused. "I already told Fred."

Aurella sighed and dragged a hand down her face. At least she knew Fred was trustworthy. "Fine, but I get to tell Kira."

He nodded. "We have to be seen in public together,"

"Obviously," Aurella responded. 

George paused, his eyes narrowing on her face. "You know, there is a lot of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang students here."

Aurella drummed her fingers on the table. She could see the growing smile on his face, and hated the way she was almost excited to start. Any chance of getting Henri back was worth it. "Fine,"

"Come on, my dazzling strawberry flamingo, let's go on a walk." George stood and held out his hand, somehow both an offering of peace and a threat of war. 

Aurella sighed. "Do not call me that."

George laughed, and Aurella found herself smiling in spite of herself. She grabbed his hand and he pulled her up, planting a quick kiss on her cheek. Aurella stiffened.

"Relax," George murmured, his thumb brushing her knuckles. "It's just an act."

Aurella narrowed her eyes at him. It was just an act after all, and with the way students' heads were turning towards them, his insane plan just might work.