Roar | George Weasley

007

February had come fast. From studying, homework to my social life, it was slightly hectic. Julian and I had another talk, discussing a rough draft of what we were going to do for the Easter Holidays. Hogsmeade was brought up, ideas of having a job there due to its closeness to Hogwarts. We decided that staying at Hogwarts was the best choice due to not having anywhere to stay. I knew some students would still be milling around, so I had to hope I'd make some new friends.

Thinking about Hogsmeade, it brought me to the present. Dumbledore had forged a note for us, McGonagall accepting our letter from our 'Mother'. Dumbledore was the only one who knew about our... predicament. Well our made up one. I cringed.

"Your rat gives me the jibes Ron." I told Ron, scrunching up my nose. If only he knew he had a freaking Peter Pettigrew as a pet.

"I bet Hermione's bloomin' cat, Crookshanks, ate him. It's in the name! The cats a bloody crook," Ron unhappily said while walking up ahead, arms crossed.

"My cat did not eat him Ron!" Hermione groaned, catching up to him.

I shook my head at the two, finding that I was now by myself. I sped up, my feet trying to make its way through the snow. George had stopped, his body tilted as he watched me amusedly.

"They-should-have-done-a-heat-spell." I enunciated each word with each step.

I huffed, pulling my beanie down. I caught up and we started trudging.

"What were you talking to Harry about before we left?" I breathlessly asked him, trying to match his pace.

"Fred and I just gave him a gift..." George vaguely told me.

"Oh-thats nice." I supplied with a smile. I watched as his long legs strode through the snow. "Your legs are too long." I mumbled, trying to take some large steps.

"Hurry up Rory! You slow poke!" Fred shouted carelessly from the front.

"Says the one with long legs!" I hurled back, my voice carrying itself through the whispers of the wind.

A few large steps later, I casually grabbed onto George's woollen sweater with my left hand. He looked at me from the corner of his eyes, the side of his mouth tilting upwards.

"Your legs are too short," he countered.

"Yeah, totally." I laughed. We finally made it to a path that wasn't entirely covered with snow. "Finally! Thank Merlin."

"Thank me. I'm the bulldozer here." He motioned to my figure behind him and how he was in front.

"The same bulldozer that loads food into your mouth at dinner?" I questioned, trying to keep a serious façade on.

"Of course, Rory! I like snow in my mouth." George joked.

"Yellow snow?" I asked him, trying to make eye-contact with him. My left hand tightened on the back of his sweater and he looked down at me. I realized we were walking much slower which made me slightly giddy.

"That's the best kind." He gave me a wink. I giggled. Why were his eyes so pr-

"George and Rory! Move your heinie's!" Fred yelled from the Three Broomsticks Inn. We started to move quicker and I let go of his sweater.

"We're coming. We're coming." George clowned, waving his hands dramatically.

I bit my lip, knowing I had no money. That was one of the reasons why I didn't want to come in the first place, but George and Fred had bugged me all week. And I wasn't one to scab or ask for money. Which was why the Easter Holiday job was happening.

We made it inside the Inn and I sighed in relief. So much warmer. We found the table where the group was easily. We both split up, being across the table from each other.

"So much warmer in here, right?" Angelina asked me from my right.

"So much better." I agreed with a nod.

I pulled my beanie off and made it hang on the back of my chair, alongside my red and gold Gryffindor scarf. I could feel that my hair was a mess, so I petted it down.

"Are we all getting butterbeers?" Fred asked, subconsciously playing with the toothpick he had gotten from the tableware box in the middle of the table.

Everybody chorused a 'yes' and I pursed my lips. "Uh... I'm not thirsty."

Fred arched his brow. "We just walked how far?"

"A lot." George came up with. 

"Cold weather doesn't make me thirsty." I lamely supplied. Stupid excuse Rory.

"Sure. Sure." Lee piped up. My face went red.

"I uh- I left my money back at Hogwarts accidentally. It's fine, honestly." My excuse was plausible, but the glances around the table made me feel awkward. George's gaze was calculative before his eyes un-squinted and a soft smile formed in his lips.

"I'll buy you one, then." George stated.

"You... you don't have to George."

"I want to Rory. Seriously, it's fine." George gave me an encouraging smile and my heart felt like it had just been squeezed tightly.

"Thank-you."

I wasn't that brainless concerning the Weasley's large family. I knew that they had pass-me-downs that went from child to child. Their Father worked long hours to provide for their family. Considering George's quickness to get me a butterbeer and use his money on me, made me nearly tear up. I'm definitely paying him back.

A waiter came around, and Fred ordered five butterbeers. My eyes met George's opposite to me and I mouthed another 'thank-you'.

'Don't worry,' he mouthed back with a shrug.

He turned his head to the side, engaging in a conversation with Fred. I noticed the slight bump on the bridge of George's nose. Looks like I just found another distinguishing feature between the two.

The drinks came around after five minutes, and mostly everyone at some point during our conversation had a froth moustache. George and Fred used it as an accessory, not bothering to wipe it off.

"I've always been into older men," Angelina had revealed quietly, before cackling. Fred's face began to tint a subtle pink.

"Oh really?" I asked her. "What draws you to them?" I teased.

She couldn't answer, her laughs making anything come out of her mouth incoherent. I giggled at her, patting her back. She finally composed herself after a minute, eyes slightly watery.

"That was fun." She commented.

The boys started a conversation and I looked at Angelina. She smiled at me, before her eyes went to around my eyes. "You're mascara's a mess." My eyes widened, my sleeved wrist rubbing.

My mascara was a mess. Harsh words said, his promises now broken promises.

"He said he wasn't going to do it again!" I yelled through the bathroom door to my Mother.

"He didn't mean it honey. It's his epi-"

"Merlin, Rory. Are you alright?" Angelina harshly whispered, eyes worried.

"Oh." I gulped, trying to control my watery eyes. "Just a random memory popped into my head." I told her.

"That happens to me sometimes as well..." Angelina trailed off.

"Anyone up for Honeydukes?" Fred questioned, leaning back in his chair.

A chorus of 'yesses' filled the air, my voice being one of them.

Hope you guys enjoyed the update. A small insight into Tom's after-effects of not being You-Know-Who. Love you all.

-Jadexx