despondency - George Weasley

{six}

Chapter Six

"I really ruined that outing didn't I?" Astrid sighed. Her and Felix were walking Gwen back to her apartment, they each had one of her arms around their shoulder. Astrid couldn't help but feel disappointed in herself, she finally had something good, a job that wasn't horrible where she worked with people she actually liked. She didn't even want to think about what they thought of her after the fiasco at the Leaky Cauldron.

"You're fine kid, don't let it bother you," Felix said, causing Astrid to roll her eyes for two reasons. The first being he was only a year older than her, and second being she didn't believe any of them would want to be her friend after the awkwardness she had caused.

"I just shouldn't have said anything," Astrid said shaking her head while adjusting her grip on Gwen. Gwen was short and skinny, but being as she was barely conscious, they were holding her dead weight which wasn't exactly the easiest task.

"We all had to learn at some point or another that the George Weasley we know today is not the same one he was before the war. No one faults you for that," he reassured.

When the trio finally reached Gwen's flat, Astrid struggled to find her key among the many pockets and zippers in her bag. After many minutes of searching, she finally pulled out a long bronze key which let them enter the apartment.

The interior was not quite what Astrid was expecting. She wasn't exactly sure what she thought she was going to see, maybe crazy colors and weird trinkets. Instead, she only saw earthy colors and was surrounded by more plants than she had ever seen in her life. Gwen's flat was like a forest; countless maidenhair ferns were hanging from the walls and ceiling, and dozens of cacti, succulents, and ferns were scattered across the floor and every table and shelf.

Astrid could hardly believe that she was in a flat just outside of Diagon Alley, rather than a cottage deep in the woods. Delicate looking watering cans flew across the room to quench the thirst of all the hungry plants, a small yellow one flying so fast that it almost crashed straight into Astrid.

"Cool, isn't it," Felix said with a grin, gently placing Gwen on the moss-colored sofa, which Astrid found herself questioning whether it was just moss-colored, or in fact covered in moss. After making sure Gwen was safely on the couch, he walked over to the kitchen area in the corner of the room, Astrid didn't notice it at first as it was hidden by many plants.

"Want some coffee? or Tea? Water?" Felix asked, turning on the navy gas oven, which made a sound like it was ready to explode when he put the heat on.

"Would she be okay with us using her stuff?" Astrid asked worriedly, after the mess at the Leaky Cauldron, she didn't want to step on any toes.

"Trust me, it's fine, " Felix said, turning a picture that was facing him on the counter around so that Astrid could see it, "we've been best friends forever, we basically live together."

The photo was of the two at the Yule Ball. Though she never really spoke to them, Astrid did remember them from Hogwarts. They were both in Hufflepuff, and both a year above her. In showing her this photo, Felix had hoped to calm her nerves about upsetting Gwen, but rather, it brought back a buried memory to the surface of her subconscious.

It was a week before the ball, and she was paired up with George for a Transfiguration project, McGonagall had forbidden Fred and George from ever working together again. Astrid sat at the table in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room, while George sat in one of the plush scarlet armchairs, his feet resting on the table she was working at. While she wrote, George would throw in ideas, but mostly he would make silly and outrageous remarks. Though he didn't find himself spending much time with Astrid, he enjoyed the moments they did have together, she laughed at every joke, even the bad ones.

Astrid didn't know this, but George felt like the was the unfunny twin. Fred always had the best one-liners and he felt like he was always following Fred's lead. With Astrid, he didn't feel like that.

George didn't know this, but every time they talked Astrid was truly at ease, which didn't happen much for her. She was constantly nervous and doubted everything about herself. When she talked to George, she felt seen, she saw someone she aspired to be like and longed for the confidence she saw in him.

As they finished their project, Astrid rolled up the parchment and the two got to their feet. George stretched his long arms out as he stood up in a dramatic fashion as if he had been stuck in that chair for years.

"Good work Avery," George said with a wide grin, he only ever called her by her surname.

"Thanks," she replied with a smile, George shot her a wink and began to walk away when Astrid blurted out, "Hey, George? I was just wondering if...."

Astrid never got to finish her sentence; at that very moment Alicia Spinnet made her way down from the girl's dorm and called out to George.

"Weasley! Care to be my date to the ball?" she asked, her group of friends surrounding her began to giggle in excitement as they waited for his response.

"Of course! You made a great choice Alicia, you could find no better date," George said with a chuckle, the group of girls erupted in happy squeals as they retreated back up to their room.

"Now what were you-" George began to say as he went to turn back to Astrid, but she was nowhere to be seen. George's eyebrows knitted together in confusion at her sudden disappearance. He tried not to let it bother him, but he couldn't help feeling off as he went to tell his brother he had scored a date to the ball.

Astrid decided not to go to the Yule Ball. She also decided to try to avoid George as much as she could. She knew she never actually asked George to the ball, he probably didn't even know she wanted to ask him, but she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. What was she thinking? Even if Alicia hadn't asked him, he probably would have rejected her. They weren't real friends, they only talked in class or when other circumstances gave them a reason to interact. From that moment on, she sat on opposite sides of class as the twins, avoided Quidditch and all things that had to do with George. She couldn't decide if she did this to save herself from embarrassment, or if it was to see if he'd go out of his way to talk to her.

He didn't.

---------

A/N

Idk how I feel about this chapter, but it's a chapter! I'm really rusty when it comes to writing so I apologize.

I know no one really keeps up with me anymore or will read this but I'm really enjoying writing again, and although it's not great, it's keeping me busy and distracted which I think we all need right now.

Hope all is well.

xoxo