March To The Sea - George Weasley ✔️

- 6 7 - SLEEPING DRAUGHT

LORELEI STARED AT THE CEILING FROM HER SPOT IN GEORGE'S BED. She began to wipe her eyes that were still raw from the night of crying as she had yet to sleep. It seemed unreal, the story her mother told her. When she wrote to the three men she wrote to, she was a blubbering mess. She had received immediate responses from two. She knew she wouldn't get a response from one as she had sent it to the bottom of the ocean, but she was okay with that. It wouldn't be the last time she wrote to the dead James Potter.

George was sitting up next to her leaning against the wall, as he had just awoken a few moments before. He slept next to her throughout her restless night, per her request, when she couldn't stop crying. He hadn't gotten much sleep either because he wanted to be there for her, but he had dozed off almost an hour ago. He now watched her just as Fred did from his bed. The twins were worried about their mermaid. She hadn't been this silent all night. There was at least a whimper or a sob, now it was silent.

When she was up furiously writing her third letter, she had sobbed the loudest, the twins noticed. Fred and George did not know who she was speaking to in her three letters, and they both longed for any information. They knew she was not in the right mind to tell them anything, but they hoped she would trust them with the information soon.

George rubbed his eyes, his long hair falling over his hand as he did so. He was so tired, but he wouldn't change being there for Lorelei for anything. The silence was broken first by the chirp of birds outside, but it was broken by another sound. Fred and George jumped at the sudden voice.

"You need a haircut--both of you."

Her voice was thick with grief, and it croaked to show that she had spent the entire night crying. Fred and George both began to think of anything that could've caused this type of reaction. Knowing they promised themselves they would wait, they kept quiet. They just hoped they wouldn't be waiting long, for they were growing anxious not knowing how to help Lorelei.

George rolled his tired eyes playfully. "Says you. Your hair practically reaches your bum at this point."

Lorelei rolled over on her side to stare at Fred who was in her line of vision now. "Well, I'll cut mine a bit if you cut yours."

"Not a chance, sweetheart," Fred replied with a tired smirk.

"I'm sorry. I kept you both up all night. I should've dealt with it on my own."

"It would make everything better if you just tell us what was bothering you. I feel useless, Lor," George said in a defeated voice, standing up after climbing over her body. He remembered when she had asked him to sleep with her in the same bed while full of tears. Even though he knew better, his face had gone as red as his hair. Fred smirked at his brother's reaction and all too happily told the girl to jump into his bed. George, after glaring at Fred and inviting her into his bed, had been a complete gentleman, of course. There wasn't a rogue thought in his mind, especially since she had only cried the whole night after writing those letters. Speaking of: "Who were the letters to?"

Lorelei stared at both twins now that George took a seat next to Fred. They were so similar, but they were so different. She could see the difference in their eyes that she had always noticed since she had met them. She noticed one had more freckles than the other, and the way they sat was completely different. Lorelei only sighed and looked away. "Remus was one of them."

"I figured that. And the others?" Fred said as curious as his twin was. It was no secret they were curious at this point, but they were also very worried about her.

"Snuffles and Prongs," Lorelei mumbled expecting them to only recognize one name, but they wouldn't understand. Maybe they would think she was mad, she thought. George's eyes widened in confusion and Fred coughed as the tension grew thick in the room. Maybe they thought she was lying to them. "I'm not lying."

"I didn't say you were," George said quickly, not wanting to upset her again. Maybe she just needed sleep. "Are you talking about the Prongs from the map?"

"Mhm." That was all she replied with.

George saw how tired she was. He knew they were getting Harry today, but she was in no way fit for that. "Look, Lor, you stay here and sleep while we go get Harry. When you're a bit more awake, you can tell us everything. All right?"

"If that's what you want," she mumbled while turning to look at the ceiling again. George hated how defeated she sounded and looked.

Soon after Ginny had knocked on the door to wake them up, the twins both kissed Lorelei's forehead before going to change to get Harry. Lorelei found it difficult to find sleep, but she swore she could feel her eyes straining to close; she felt awful. Not even five minutes passed before George came back in the bedroom with a cup of something steaming.

"Sit up, love," he coaxed her. She sat up and pulled blankets to pool around her. "Drink this. It's a tea; though, I have added a sleeping draught from Mum's cupboard."

Lorelei took the cup eagerly; she just wanted to get some sleep. George watched her movements that seemed robotic as she wolfed down the liquid, obviously not caring about the heat. She leaned her head on George's shoulder making him smile a moment later. The flutter he felt in his chest was growing.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For everything. You should've questioned me all night, but you and Fred just let me cry. You consoled me even though I took up all your bed. I feel awful that you and Fred got no sleep."

"We'd do it again. I-I'd do it again. As for my bed, I was rather comfortable," he finished with a smirk causing her to giggle shyly. He couldn't help himself, but he loved seeing her eyes brighten...even if it was for a second. "Drink up. Dad wants to do some errands before going to Harry's. I'll be gone all day, but Ginny and Mum will be here. Charlie and Bill are coming at some point. Granger, too."

Lorelei frowned at the lack of a brother. Percy had begun his work at the Ministry leaving his family mentally in the process. He still lived at the Burrow, but he was not involved in the Weasleys family functions any longer. He barely glanced at Lorelei nowadays, and it hurt.

Lorelei finished the last drop of tea and already felt her eyes drooping. She felt George take the mug from her and lay her down. After pulling the blankets up, he gave her a lasting kiss on the forehead. He saw her smile as he left, and he couldn't ignore the flutter for too much longer.