Learn to Love Again | George Weasley

08. Firewhisky Fueled Mistakes

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content warning:
includes an intimate scene between characters
who are under the influence of alcohol,
| nothing graphic |
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It had been business as usual at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes since George returned to work at the beginning of July. But today as George was going through the usual tasks of helping customers, restocking shelves, and taking inventory, he found himself continuously checking the clock, counting down the hours to closing time. The reason for his anxious excitement was because that evening his best friend from his Hogwarts days, Lee Jordan, would be visiting for the first time since May.

The two friends hadn't seen each other since Fred's funeral, and if George was being completely honest with himself, he wasn't fully mentally present that day. He had to shut down all of his emotions and thoughts just to get through it, any words of comfort that any of his friends or family offered went in one ear and out the other, otherwise George knew he would have a full break down in front of the entire crowd. So really, George hadn't actually seen Lee since the Battle of Hogwarts itself.

"George!" the voice of an annoyed woman broke George's attention from the clock.

"Hmm?" he said, flicking his head toward Verity. The two of them hadn't really talked beyond business since Charlie walked in on her comforting him a week prior.

"I said there's a customer over by the Pygmy Puffs that has a question." Verity said impatiently while rolling her eyes at him, evidently she had been trying to get his attention for a while just to be ignored by him in his distracted state.

He nodded and left the girl standing at the counter without another word. There had been some tension between them since he had opened up to her, they hadn't really acknowledged what happened. But she didn't blame him, she thought it was quite brave of him to open up like that and she understood that it wasn't easy for him to be so vulnerable. She certainly wasn't going to treat him any differently because of it.

She rested her head in her hands as she leaned her elbows on the counter with a bored expression on her face when Charlie came up to the counter, setting down a box of love potions next to her.

"If you want to slip me a love potion, you'll have to be more sneaky than that, Weasley." Verity teased.

"I don't want to slip you anything Ver, especially since you seem to be smitten with another redhead anyways." Charlie shrugged as he opened the box to take inventory, making sure the amount of bottles matched the number on the piece of parchment in his hands.

"What are you on about?"

Charlie merely shrugged in response not breaking his eyes away from the parchment, he wouldn't tell Verity that the sight of her with his brother caused feelings of jealousy in his heart, especially since he was in denial about his own feelings anyway.

Verity's brows furrowed, she knew Charlie was talking about the scene that he had walked in on between herself and George and was growing annoyed by his suggestion that she had any sort of feelings for George.

"Charlie, I was comforting him. He was upset, that doesn't mean I'm in love with him, you idiot. That means I'm his friend. Everyone's been trusting him when he says he is completely fine when it's obvious he's not. Maybe you should pay more attention to your own brother rather than making up crazy stories about me in that stupid head of yours." Verity stated in a hushed tone, trying to keep quiet in case George was within earshot of them.