Counting the Stars (A George Weasley love story)

Chapter 1

'Fred,' I say quietly through the darkness.

'What d'you want,' he mumbles back through the covers.

'I have to find her.' I hear him groan as he rolls away from me.

It was the end on the first task when I saw her, loud haired and kind eyed. Fred and I were packing up our betting station, I was bent down over the crate when something knocked into my side. 'I'm so sorry,' she said as I stood up to catch her gaze. She stopped dead still, her mouth slightly open, her hair thick with curls, her eyes wide blue oceans. 'That's quite alright,' I had said as a friend pulled her away.

I told Fred I was in love, he scoffed of course, but seeing the sincerity in my face he cleared his throat. 'What's her name?' he asks me, I shrug, 'house?' I pause trying to remember her clothes, again I don't know. 'Mate, d'you even know what year she's in?' I tell him that I don't and he wishes me luck on the endeavour, but I will find her. If you think of it this school has four houses, about 10 students per year per house, 5 of which will be girls. So let's see, 7 years by 4 houses by 5 students, that's about 140 girls. So perhaps the odds aren't as good as I thought, but I can rule out a couple of things, I don't remember ever having seen her before so she can't be in Gryffindor, and she was certainly older than 15 so that rules out 3 years. So 60, she's one of 60, that's doable.

I will find her.

The morning feels pretty rough for everyone, too much celebrating after the first task. I wake up with more motivation than ever before and rush down to breakfast before Fred can stop me. I've never been in the great hall this early, breakfast runs from 7 till 8 so everyone tends to turn up at 7.55, but I'm not the only one. Most of the teachers are in their seats, there's a group of Ravenclaws swatting for a test, a few very tired looking Slytherins who don't look like they made it to bed and Hermione.

I sit on the corner of the Gryffindor table with a clear view of the door so I can see everyone who comes in, for 15 minutes the only ones to arrive are more Ravenclaw swatters and some keen first years, and Fred!

I whistle him over and he rolls his heavy eyes. 'Not overly keen on this new routine you've got going,' he yawns as he sits down opposite me me. After a piece on toast each in silence he finally puts 2 and 2 together. 'Jeez George, it's about that bloody girl isn't it!' I glance at him nervously for a second before returning to my watch on the door. 'Geoooorge,' he waves a croissant in front of my face like a hypnotist, 'she's not interested.'

I hit the croissant out of his hand, 'you don't know Fred, you didn't feel what there was between us.'

Fred's laugh is almost hysteric, 'if I didn't know better I'd say she's slipped you a love potion! George, listen, everyone in this school knows who we are, we're kind of a big deal, so if she was interested wouldn't she have made
a move towards you?'

I stop a while to think about this, she must know who we are, everyone does. So why hasn't she done anything? I suppose it was only yesterday, she might be playing it cool. Or playing hard to get! What if she's testing me by making me find her? Something soft hits my cheek, another croissant. I snap out of my thoughts and look at Fred, 'sorry man, she's just not that into you' he says sympathetically.

'Don't they have a list somewhere, something with details of all the students on?' I ask him.

'What? So you're going to go to the library and find a book that conveniently contains a picture of every current student with name, year and house beside it?' I look at him expectantly. 'It does seem like a practical book for the school to own,' he muses.

'Probably something they'd keep very safe, locked in a room somewhere.'

'Somewhere all the teacher can access it.' I see a smirk across Fred's face as he says this. He may not approve of me finding this girl but he does approve of mischief.

I pick up the croissant he threw at my face and stuff it into my mouth as I get out of my seat. 'Come on then,' I spit through the crumbs. Fred takes a swig of orange juice and we leave the great hall together, pushing through the breakfast rush.

The staff room is on the third floor of the main building, Fred and I have broken in 4 times before, thrice for tea tampering pranks and once when we were leading a large group of toads. When we reach the room Fred puts a quick spell on the door so we can see through a small porthole. Nearly all of the teachers are in there, some playing cards, some chess, and all drinking tea.

'I'm afraid our venture has reached its end for now,' Fred says to me.

'Let's get to class, we'll try again in a free period,' I sigh and he rolls his eyes and chuckles.