Sketchbook ~ George Weasley

Chapter 15 - Sincerely Paige

Dear David,

    I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner. A lot has been going on at Hogwarts. It definitely lives up to the drama. I'm glad you wrote and I miss you too, but I don't think I'm going to make it a habit. In fact, I wasn't even planning to respond, but I think you deserve that. I'm getting used to things here and I'm moving on. You should too. Amanda is kind of cute if you look at her from the right angle. Maybe we can meet up over the summer. I still want to keep in touch. I'm sorry again.

                                Sincerely,

                                    Paige

A tear slowly slips from my eye as I look over the letter. How stupid can I sound?

"Hey," I hear as someone gently taps my shoulder. I look back to see Hermione with a concerned look in her eyes. "You've written a lot of those, haven't you?"

When I looked down, I didn't expect there to be so many crumpled up pieces of paper.

"Yea, I guess so," I say. "How do you break up with someone for the second time through a letter?"

Hermione takes a seat on the edge of my bed and smiles softly, "I'm not sure I know how to help you with that one."

"I don't even know why I'm crying," I sniffle.

"Breakups are hard."

"That's just it," I say. "I don't even care we've broken up. All I can think about is Fred and George, and the way they looked at me when they found out I was keeping something from them."

"Maybe you should go talk to them?" Hermione suggests. I start to nod, but then shake my head.

"I don't even know where they are," I say.

"Try the astronomy tower," Hermione says. She stands up and starts to walk away.

"How do you know that?"

"I have my ways," she says.

I smile. "One of them just happened to say they were going there while you were nearby, huh?"

Hermione smiles. "Just go and don't come back after curfew."

"You are going to make an excellent prefect," I call out to her as I walk away, making my way all the way to the astronomy tower. When I got up there, I could see only one lone Weasly twin leaning on the rail, looking out at the sky.

"You had to pick the highest place at Hogwarts," I say, leaning on the rail and slowly catching my breath. I am so out of shape.

"Paige?" George asks. He jumped slightly at the sound of my voice and turned towards me. Before he said anything, he leaned closer towards my face. "Were you crying?"

I nodded.

George leaned away from me and looked back towards the sky. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't know the boy meant that much to you."

I laugh a little bit, "He doesn't."

George looks back at me, his eyebrows sort of knit together, but he doesn't say anything. I sit down on the ground.

"I care more about the fact that you and Fred were mad at than I ever cared about David and I think that's the saddest part of it all," I say. George tentatively moved to sit down next to me. I sat facing him while he sat facing the sky. He never looked away from me, though.

"I mean, I was with this guy for two years, you know?" I say. "Couldn't even have a conversation with him where he didn't mention quidditch."

"You said you were going to write him back," George says. I gave George the letter that was in my hands. The one that I wrote to David. He slowly scanned over it and I waited quietly for him to finish. When he was done, he started laughing.

"It's not funny," I say, but I couldn't hold back my smile.

"This is the worst break up letter I've ever read in my life," he says. I rip the letter back from his hands.

"Yeah, how many break up letters have you even read?" I ask.

"I've left behind a lot of broken hearts, love."

"I'm sure," I shake my head. "I hate you two. I've been here for what? Three months. I'd be more miserable if I had to leave this place than my other school and I was there for three years."

"We have that effect on people," George says. He moved slightly closer. "You know, though, you don't have to keep secrets from us."

"Why?" I ask. "Do you keep secrets from me?"

"Well," George stumbled. "I guess I have a few."

"Okay, then," I say. "You have your secrets and I'll have mine."

"You mean to say you're keeping secrets from me?" George asks.

"You just admitted to keeping secrets from me," I say. "You can't even be mad about that."

"Well then, love, what's your secret?"

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." I lean in closer to George smiling, challenging him almost.

George looks away from me. "Maybe it's okay to keep some secrets."

Then I slap George's arm. He grabs it and looks at me, holding his arm away from me as if I were about to rip it off.

"Oi, what was that for?"

"Pass that on to Fred when you see him," I say. "So you both know to never read one of my personal letters ever again. Understood?"

"Aye Aye, Caption," George says, still rubbing his bruised arm.

I turn my body so I'm facing the sky and lean my head on George's shoulder.

"I love you," I say. I could feel George's entire body go tense under me.

"What?" he chokes out.

"You're one of the best friends I've ever had," I say.

"Right," he breathes out almost as if he were holding his breath before.

                                                   

"I love you too," he whispered.