A different beginning (George Weasley)

Chapter 9

By the time we started making our way back to the gardens, the sun had long since set and I was freezing in my bikini, the cold August air making me shiver every time it blew.
George noticed my shiver and pulled me closer, throwing his jacket over my shoulders. "Here, take my jacket."
I started pulling it off, "but then you're going to freeze."
"I'll be fine, Rose. But you might not be if you don't take my jacket."
I rolled my eyes but took the jacket, reveling in the warmness that overcame my body. We stayed glued to each other as we walked, my arm in his and my leaning on his shoulder.
By the time we made it to the movie area, Ang was setting up the movie on the projector with Lee, who didn't seem like he had any idea what he was doing, though he was trying to figure it out. Ang eyed our closeness, and her eyes widened when she saw his jacket on my shoulders, but I didn't care and I mouthed, "later" to her, and she looked upset, but she didn't bother me any more and went to put the tape in the projector as George walked me to my tent to get changed.
I took off the jacket and handed it to him, "thanks."
He handed it back to me. "Keep it. I have plenty at home."
I smiled and went into the tent, zipping the entrance shut behind me. I took off my swimsuit and changed into my skin-tight jeans and a tank top underneath George's jacket, which was insanely warm.
I went out to find the movie starting on the screen, and ang sitting by Fred on one blanket, Lee on a chair, and George sitting at the other blanket, patting the empty space beside him when I approached him.
I sat down next to him, leaning against the pillow wall we had set up earlier. I leaned my head against his chest, and he put his arm around me, making me look up at him thoughtfully. A few minutes later I was still watching him, reveling in his small smile when Lee threw popcorn at him, and butterflies in my stomach every time he pulled me closer. When he noticed I was looking at him, he smiled and squeezed my arm, making me smile back at him.
"Hey George, want some popcorn? I'm starved." I said about halfway through the movie.
"Want me to help?" He said, starting to get up with me.
"No, I'm good, you enjoy the show." I insisted, walking over to the popcorn machine, where I started a new batch in the machine, watching the movie from afar. It was a good movie, a little intense considering someone just got poisoned by her friend, but regardless, a good movie. Only seconds after I started the new batch of popcorn, Angie saw me sitting alone and jumped up to talk to me.
"So, are you finally going to tell me what exactly is going on with you and George?" Ang asked.
I felt my face turn red. "I'm not entirely sure, but we may or may not have kissed at the cottage, a lot actually."
Ang practically squealed in excitement. "I told you! You two are so perfect for one another! You have to let me be your maid of honor when you two get married."
I widened my eyes. "We aren't even officially dating yet ang, slow down a bit."
"Fine, but if you get married, you're going to let me be the maid of honor right?"
I rolled my eyes. "As long as you let me be yours when you and Fred get married. What exactly is going on with you two anyways?"
She smiled shyly, an emotion I rarely saw in my best friend. "He asked me to go to hogsmeade when we get back to hogwarts. I think I really like him Rose."
I gave my friend a hug, happy for her. Somehow we both managed to get our first kiss and date, all in the same night. "If he ever hurts you, you better start planning his funeral, cause he won't last long when I get to him."
"Sounds like a plan. If George ever hurts you, well let's just hope that never happens." Ang said, a smile on her face.
"Great." I started putting the popcorn into bowls, handing a large one to Ang, putting tons of butter on it, just how she likes it. I made another one, and I ended up just bringing the salt and butter on the side to our blanket, not wanting to make George hate me immediately.
"Salt and butter?" I asked, handing him the bowl.
"Of course." He said, taking the butter and putting in a ton of it, exactly how I like it. "What are you smiling about?"
"That's exactly how I like it too." I said, shrugging.
He pulled me in so that I was leaning on his shoulder. "Must be meant to be then."

The rest of the night passed quickly, the only fight breaking out was when Lee and Ang started throwing popcorn kernels at Fred, who thought it was raining.
When the movie ended, it was long past midnight, and everyone was basically passed out from tiredness. George walked me to my tent, and, much to my surprise, kissed me goodnight. "Sleep tight." He whispered, his mouth centimeters from mine.
"You too." I said, practically breathless as he pulled away with a smirk and walked over to his own tent, where Fred looked at me like I was an alien from another planet.
I basically collapsed on the pillow and blanket bed next to Angie, who was already dead asleep, snoring like a trucker.
I fell asleep in seconds, feeling my body drift into unconsciousness, where I dreamt about George, about our future together.

I woke up at around 7 in the morning, which was pretty usual for me. I was used to being the only one awake until 9, when my family usually decided to come eat, but to my surprise, George was already up and reading outside of his tent.
"Hey Georgie." George jumped at least a foot high, and shoved his book away, but I grabbed it. "'Much ado about nothing.'" I read, smiling.
George's face turned bright red. "I was just trying it out..." he mumbled.
I examined the spine, which was broken in several places, not to mention the battered cover and threw it back to him, sitting down next to him. "'I love you with so much of my heart that none of it is left to protest.'"
George looked at me and smiled. "Act 4, scene 1."
I nodded. "You're not the only one that reads Shakespeare. I have a whole collection of Shakespeare in the library, if you ever want to borrow a few."
"How did I never know this about you?" George asked incredulously.
I shrugged. "I have to keep up my image. Can't have anyone knowing I like to read greek tragedy." we both laughed, "how come I didn't know this about you?"
"Same I guess. Freddie would kill me." George shrugged. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Ask away."
He pulled his hand through his dark red hair. "I was thinking and.. Do you want to go on a date with me?"
I smiled and kissed his cheek sweetly. "Of course I do."