March To The Sea - George Weasley ✔️

- 1 3 4 - DINNER AT THE BURROW

LORELEI WAS HYPERVENTILATING WITHOUT REALIZING IT. George and Fred were at her side immediately as her eyes went straight to the pond where the dead grass was finally growing back. She heard them shouting at her, but her eyes stayed zeroed in on the last time she saw her mother.

Two hands were placed on her cheeks as another face moved into her line of sight. She allowed the blurriness of the face to clear revealing a worried werewolf. He stopped speaking, now smiling slightly at her.

"You're all right, Lorelei. Come on, inside. Look at me," he said when her eyes began to move to the pond again. "Stay with me. Let's go." Remus gave no room for arguing as he pulled the mermaid into the home with George and Fred walking next to her.

She felt weak. Not even a second on the property, and she felt like her lungs closed up. She needed Amatheia. She needed Sirius. She needed James and Lily. She needed them but they were not there. She felt her hands grow clammy as Remus pulled her. She called his name out softly, Fred and George glancing at her wearily.

"How do you do it? I never met James or Lily. I had a short time with Sirius. How do you live each day without them?" she choked out before they reached the Burrow's warm, inviting doors.

"I focus on the good. I focus on how they would think of me if I allowed myself to fall apart with them watching me. It's not without great difficulty, Lorelei, but it's doable," he said softly. "Molly's very excited to see you."

Lorelei knew she had to focus on the good, so she grabbed George's hand while letting go of Remus's. She knew George was patient, he always had been, but she felt as if he didn't think he was enough. With the dejected look on his face she had undoubtedly caused, she fell into his embrace. Fred and Remus left to go inside, leaving the two alone.

George wrapped his arms around her, kissing the side of her head in her hair. She sighed and placed a kiss on his chest.

"What can I do, Lorelei? How can I make it better?" he strained out, his voice full of pain that Lorelei knew she caused.

Lorelei felt tears spring in her eyes as she hugged George tighter. "I just need you to be here, just as you are," she whispered, "Promise me."

He held her tighter as the unspoken promise was made. They stayed together for a moment until Fred came out to tell them that Molly was excited to see Lorelei, so they should come in. Glancing once more at the pond, Lorelei pushed herself into one of her homes. Molly, as expected, was ecstatic to see her. They knew she was hurting, so no one forced her to speak. Ron smiled brightly at the witch before surprising her with a hug. She returned it gratefully.

Hermione was there, Lorelei noticed after she had hugged Ginny, Bill, and Arthur. Fleur Delacour showed up as well, scaring the shite out of Lorelei. She had found out that Fleur was supposed to be marrying Bill! After dinner, which went by painfully slow as Lorelei's eyes wandered to the window where the pond could be viewed, Remus stood up to leave first. She had noticed Tonks trying to speak to him all night, and he would push her away as he whispered things fiercely back. He kissed Lorelei's cheek, told Molly how wonderful dinner was, and disappeared quickly.

Tonks frowned when she stared at the table as her hair lost more of its pink, leaving a mousy brown color in its place.

Soon, Arthur received an emergency call to the Ministry, so he, too, left just as fast. Ron and Hermione went upstairs with Ginny trailing after muttering "Phlegm's driving me nuts!" under her breath as she passed Lorelei. Molly noticed the tired looks on the twins and told them to go home before they passed out on the table.

"Fred, you ready?" George asked, standing. He glanced at Lorelei with the same expression. Fred nodded, but Lorelei was still looking at Tonks.

She shook her head and glanced back at George. "No, I was going to see if Tonks and Molly wanted some tea. You two can go back, I'll be home later."

She noticed George's lips twitch when she said 'home.'

"Oh, I wouldn't want--" Tonks started, but Molly cut her off with, "Of course, let's have some tea!"

George leaned down and kissed Lorelei's cheek. "Don't be too late, love." She nodded with a small smile as he and Fred disappeared leaving Molly and Tonks in the kitchen after Bill and Fleur left for bed.

Lorelei placed a hand on Tonks's own as Molly placed mugs in front of them. "Don't let him upset you, Dora," she whispered. "I know he loves you... the problem is, he doesn't love himself. He thinks you deserve more."

Tonks nodded with tears brimming in her eyes. Molly sat down, running a hand through Tonks's hair as they all quietly sipped their tea. Tonks broke the silence by sobbing out, "I love him. I haven't loved anyone the way I love him, and he won't allow it. He won't be with me because I'm too young, I'm naive, I'm ridiculous... he's ridiculous!"

"He's a werewolf," Molly said bluntly. "He thinks he'll only be a burden and that you can find someone much better easily."

"She's right. You're beautiful. You're smart. You're wonderful at your job. He thinks he'll just bring you down because of what he is. Show him differently. Show him you don't care because he does love you. He always blushes around you or when I talk about you. He longs to not be a wolf so he could think he deserves you," Lorelei said.

Tonks went on to say how he's been acting on and off. Like earlier, he was fine with her showing up at his home. He was fine with hanging out, talking about anything and everything until she brought up their relationship or lack of. He would freeze up, tell her they shouldn't keep hanging out because she was getting the wrong impression, but Tonks said he always looked so forced when he said the words.

"He loves you," Molly said. "It's obvious."

"Well, he has an odd way of showing it," Tonks mumbled angrily.

They spoke for another two hours, glazing over Tonks's regret about not finishing Bellatrix off before she could kill Sirius, before realizing it was after midnight. Lorelei knew George would be getting worried, so she stood up and hugged Tonks. Suddenly, Molly froze while glancing at the door. She stood up, glancing wearily out the kitchen window before shouting, "Who's there? Declare yourself!"

"It is I, Dumbledore, bringing Harry."

Lorelei felt a smile grace her face at the name.

"Harry, dear! Gracious, Albus, you gave me a fright, you said not to expect you before morning!" Molly said, pulling Harry into a hug.

Dumbledore spoke to Molly as Harry was ushered in. He took one look at Lorelei before a splitting smile graced his own face. He ran forward to pull her in his arms. Dumbledore said hello to Tonks, letting Harry know they were not alone as he glanced at the tired, ill-looking, miserable witch. Lorelei would go to Remus the following day and knock sense into him, she thought. Letting go of Harry, the two were still grinning.

"Hello, Professor," Tonks said, "Wotcher, Harry."

"Hi, Tonks," Harry replied, and Lorelei was so glad to hear his voice.

Tonks stood up, placing the mug in the kitchen. Hugging Lorelei again, she said, "Well, I better be off. Thanks for the tea and sympathy, Lorelei, Molly."

As Tonks went to leave, Harry turned back to Lorelei. "When'd you get here?"

"Only for dinner. The first time I've been back since... my mum--Anyway, I have to go as well. George is probably losing his mind wondering if I'm all right," Lorelei said, hating how he began to frown. "No! I'll be back, Harry. Tomorrow, I'll visit you. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that," he said gently, pulling her in for another lasting hug just as Dumbledore left. "Because your two measly visits did not do any good for my long stay at the Dursley's."

Lorelei grinned before kissing his cheek, hugging Molly, and finally going back to her new home where her lover was waiting impatiently on the couch half-asleep. He grinned lazily when she Apparated into the home, pulling her on the couch as he was too tired to make it to the bed. They slept there, tangled in each other's limbs that night.