Competition: George Weasley Love Story

o6. unbelievable

ELEANOR COULDN'T SLEEP.

She had always been fiercely protective of Eva. Eva was always shy, with her nose in a book. She was very intelligent but very naive due to Ellie's sheltering. She'll never make it. She thought; then mentally kicked herself for thinking that. She needed to have more faith in Eva, but she couldn't. It was so so out of character for her, which is exactly why her twin was so determined to participate.

Ellie slung her blankets off of her and made her way to the bathroom. She could tell by the sky slowly becoming a pale gray outside her dorm room window that it was almost morning, so she decided to stay up.

The girls had stayed up late into the night sitting by the black lake and talking. The conversation still fresh in her mind.

"Why, Eva?" Ellie pleaded. The conversation had gone in circles for the last half hour.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Eva said, her hands falling to her sides as she groaned. "I want to prove myself."

"Prove what?" Ellie argued, "You're gorgeous! Top of your class. A prefect! What else do you have to prove?" 

Eva chuckled darkly, "Of course you don't understand."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Ellie said, struggling to rise to her feet  with her crutches - angry.

"It means that I'm tired of living in your shadow." Eva jumped up and shoved a canary yellow painted nail into Ellie's chest.

Ellie scoffed,speechless, as Eva stormed away.

I'm exhausted. She thought, propping her crutches outside of the shower and bracing herself on the wall underneath the hot water. She didn't sleep maybe 30 minutes the whole night. Her mind raced - what kind of tasks would Eva have to face? Would she get hurt? Who would she be up against from Beauxbaton and Durmstrang? What did she mean when she said Ellie wouldn't understand? Hopefully she won't get picked.

•

"EVA BLAKE!" Dumbledore announced. Eva had been chosen for the Hogwarts champion. Ellie heard nothing else, sitting between the twins, she was jostled back and forth as they jumped to their feet with several other Gryffindor students. The Hufflepuff table was erupting with cheers.

"Ellie! Aren't you proud? I know it's hard to stand but you could at least clap!" Fred said, clapping louder. Ellie watched her sister prance to the front of the room looking like a Beauxbaton; but she was so happy. Her smile was the biggest Ellie had seen in years.

Ellie couldn't help but smile and start clapping. She grabbed George's arm to pull herself up, when George noticed this he put his arm around Ellie's back and helped her the rest of the way before continuing to clap.

•

EVERYONE WAS TAKEN BACK when the Goblet spit out a 4th name that night.

Ron was furious.

Eva and Ellie still weren't talking.

Harry was having his own crisis.

But, on the bright side, Ellie has permission to put weight on her ankle now.

"Ev," Ellie said, reaching out for her twin as she walked by with a group of Hufflepuffs. Eva had became quite popular since becoming a champion, of course.

"Save it, Eleanor." She said walking away.

Ellie's mouth fell open. Eva had never been this mad at her; which only infuriated Ellie more. Eva didn't understand what she was getting herself into, now it was too late.

Ellie stomped into the Gryffindor common room and flopped onto the couch. George had been plotting ways to confess his feelings to Ellie, but as touchy as she had been lately with the Eva situation he figured now wasn't the best time.

No, not touchy. She was the devil. She was hateful.

Ellie didn't mean to take things out on George, or anyone for that matter. Her stress levels were through the roof and anyone that came in her path felt her wrath.

"Hello, love." George and Fred said in unison, hoping Ellie was in a better mood today. Ellie gave them a nod before resting her head on the couch. Fred caught a glimpse of Angelina exiting the common room and followed suit, feeling there was nothing more he could do with Ellie.

George examined Ellie. She was exhausted. He was sure she hadn't slept since Eva's name came out of the Goblet. "Ellie, talk to me."

"I don't want to talk, George." She snapped, all she could think about was how much danger Eva was in.

"Hey, stop taking this out on me." George demanded, irritated. He loved Ellie; but there was no sense for how cross she was being with not just him, but everyone.

"I'm not taking it out on you." She replied, her voice raising.

"Yeah, you kind of are. You've taken it out on everyone. Poor Neville is afraid to even look at you after your outburst the other day." George said back, his volume and tone matching Ellie's. Ellie felt slightly guilty, she had snapped at Neville the other day when he congratulated Eva. He didn't deserve that. No one did.

"Stay out of my business." Ellie said through gritted teeth. George was the last person she wanted to hurt, but she felt as if she was at her breaking point and she didn't know how else to deal with it.

"You've been a real bitch." George said before even thinking. He didn't mean it offensively. It was just the truth. George felt guilty, but did not apologize. He seen anger wash over her face.

"You are unbelievable, George Weasley." She said, tears in her eyes. George's heart broke. He had never made Ellie cry. She ran out of the common room, leaving George bewildered and guilty.

Ellie ran to the lake. She flopped down on the cold wet grass and sobbed. She wished her mum was still alive. She wished Molly was here. It was easier to vent to Molly in person than through letter, and besides, Molly didn't need to be concerned with their drama. The only person Ellie wanted to talk to had just called her a bitch. She buried her face into her knees and cried.

"Ellie?"

Ellie whipped her head around to see her twin. Eva's face fell. Ellie never cried. She always kept a strong front; Eva was the one who was always over emotional. "Ellie, what's wrong?"

"Oh, so you're going to talk to me now?" Ellie hissed.

"Ellie." Eva said, tears forming in her own eyes. "I shouldn't have said all that to you the other night."

"I'm just so worried about you, Eva. You've never done anything like this." Ellie sobbed, "you're my best friend. If I lose you.. God, I don't even want to think about it." Ellie sobbed harder, "i haven't slept. I haven't ate. I fought with George." She dug her head into her knees. "Merlin, I fought with George." She repeated as if she couldn't believe it.

Eva wrapped her sister in a hug and hugged her tightly. "I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Ellie. I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too." Ellie sobbed, vulnerable. She cried into her sister's hair. Ellie thought about George. She thought about his face when she raised her voice and she thought about his words, how they felt as if someone had sliced her heart. She felt differently towards him than she did anyone else and his words hurt the most.

"I think I'm in love with George." She cried,

Eva nodded. "I know, dear. I know." The girls shared a chuckle.