Amortentia- A George Weasley and Adrian Pucey Love Triangle

48. Sore Subject

•Robert POV•

Julia and Mira sit together, laughing as they share an ice cream cone. Mira looks so happy here; she smiles brightly and talks about small, pointless things.

Well, they're not pointless. If she wants to talk about it, it matters. I'm glad that she's happy; I know I make her happy, but this was a different happy. The happiness from friends and the happiness of a lover: I know exactly how different they feel now that I date her.

I sit across from the giggling girls, reading from some strange paper. I usually liked digesting the news from the Daily Prophet; it was reliable and usually pretty accurate. I read from a paper called the Quibbler now; there was a copy laying at the table when we sat here. The articles were strange, yet they somehow sucked me in.

"Robby, baby? Can you get us some napkins?" Mira asks, trying not to laugh. The ice cream had fallen into her hands, melting and dripping through her fingers.

I wave my wand and the ice cream flies back onto the cone; with another wave the mess is cleaned. "This is a wizard street, love. We can use magic." I tell her with a smile.

She blushes and nods. "Right. I'm sorry, I forgot."

She acts a bit strange, when she talks to me. Since the manor, she has been a bit tense around me. She thinks I'm upset at her. She thinks that I'm angry at her for not telling me that she dated Adrian.

She didn't have to tell me, it only just surprised me a bit to hear. I don't care about her past, or whoever she went out or hung out with. I know she was burned before, was George's first response anger? Was Adrian's? Is this why she was so worried that I might be upset? That's not who I am, I'll have to show her.

"I'll be back." I say, standing from the table.

The girls nod and continue talking; I am able to walk away from them without much protest. I feel Mira's eyes on me and look back. Her eyes are sad as she watches me walk away.

I hate seeing her sad; it nearly breaks my heart. It was my job to make her happy. It was my responsibility to make that beautiful smile stay on her lips. I'll have to talk to her later and set things straight.

I enter a small shop, not reading the name on the storefront. I had never been to this alley, I didn't know any of the shops here. I just need to think a bit.

•George POV•

"What did you guys talk about?" Charlie asks me. He lays on Fred's bed crookedly, his short legs dangling off of the edge.

"Who?" I question. I sit on my own bed rolling a blunt, focused on the small thin paper in my hands.

"Mira's boyfriend." He says.

I rip the paper. I sigh, setting it down and looking to my brother. "Why are you asking?" I spit, grabbing a new paper.

"Just wondering. You two were gone for quite a while. Thought we'd end up finding one of you dead." He laughs, sitting up to face me. Godric, Charlie knows exactly how to step on every nerve someone has.

I start my task over, shrugging at his comments. "I apologized." I say, not wanting to give up more.

If I'm honest, I was a bit of a dick. I was a bit standoffish in the beginning of our conversation, trying to get under his skin. I had tried to figure out what he was thinking more than trying to be sincere. I felt bad about halfway through; he thought I meant every word I said. I had apologized, telling him there were no hard feelings. Part of me meant it.

Part of me hated him. Truth is, he was better than me in every aspect. He was smart, he was kind, he was genuine. Sure, he was naive- but that only made him more likable. He was gentle with Mira, he was patient. He had a giant internship at the most important organization in the United Kingdom.

He was better than me. He had the only thing I really wanted. Her. My little comments I made about her yesterday fell on deaf ears. He didn't care. He wouldn't react. He was too mature. And I hate him for it.

I've torn another paper. I set the tray down, slightly upset. "Calm down, little brother. He's a cool guy. Don't ruin this for Mira." Charlie says nonchalantly.

"Oh, you care about her wellbeing all of a sudden?" I burst. Charlie didn't care- he just wanted to be a knob.

"Oh, shut up. I've cared about her for so long, we all have! Can't you see that? She's like our sister, mum loves her more than she loves me." He spits back. "Don't ruin that for her too."

"Why do we have to fucking talk about Mira?" I say, standing up from my seat. "Everyone just always wants to talk about her." I don't know why I stand; I sit quickly.

"You are so annoying. Fine, then, we won't talk about her. What would you like to talk about, then?" He says, completely calm.

"I don't know. Why don't we talk about your girlfriend?" I taunt.

"Mira's not your girlfriend." He retorts.

"You've never even had a girlfriend." I say back. He hadn't- that much was true. He was like Fred; he liked to have a girl for a night and then send her off. Pricks.

Charlie's cheeks grow completely red. "Shut up." He says.

"What, Charlie? Have I struck a nerve?" I instigate further. "Poor little Charles, never had a girl to call his own. Maybe Charlie likes boys, maybe that's it."

Suddenly, Charlie jumps from his place on the bed. He lands on top of me, his hands on my chest. He starts to hit me, his fists landing on my chest and face.

I push him off roughly, trying to hit him back. The door to my room flies open, and Bill runs in quickly. Suddenly, Charlie flies off of me. He lands on the ground with a thud; Bill had magicked him across the room. "What the hell are you doing?" Bill yells.

"What's your problem? I was just fucking with you." I shout to Charlie. My upper lip feels hot, and I touch it to find blood on my fingertips.

"My problem? That's not a joke you prick! You're an arse! You're an insufferable little twat who thinks his life is harder than everyone else's!" Charlie yells, standing back up. Bill holds him back, not allowing him to come back after me.

I didn't think he would be so angry. Yes, I was trying to get under his skin... and I reckon I succeeded. I didn't know that it was such a sore subject. Did he like boys? It's not like I would care, that didn't matter. He was still my brother, I just wanted to mess with him.

Heavy footsteps pound against the stairs. Those are mum's footsteps. I run to the bathroom and grab some tissue, trying to stop the flow of blood. She probably heard the shouts; I have to clean up the blood before she comes in. It had already gone past my chin and leaked onto my shirt, I'd have to change that as well.

My room is now silent- Charlie and Bill have probably already left. Of course, they'd leave me to deal with our lovely mother.

"What's happened? Blood on the comforter, as if that doesn't stain. And what the hell is this? George!" My mother's shrill voice burns my ears. Great.