Learn to Love Again | George Weasley

36. Letting Go

On a cold and drizzly November morning Eloise and Fleur were both up early, taking turns making sure Bill's birthday breakfast wasn't going to burn all while keeping Victoire entertained at the same time.

Bill was still fast asleep upstairs, none the wiser to the scene playing out just one floor below. Fleur was at the stove cooking bacon while Eloise sat at the kitchen table slicing fresh fruit, pausing every now and then to entertain Victoire in her high chair if she got fussy. But her husband enjoying a lazy morning didn't stop Fleur from turning on a record for the girls to listen to as they prepared everything for him.

"So, tell me more about this gentleman from the book store." Fleur inquired as she flipped the bacon cooking in the pan, bopping her head side to side to the tune playing throughout the kitchen.

Eloise pressed her tongue to her cheek, biting back a smile, "I told you his name is Maxwell. Besides, I don't know what more there is to say. I've only dropped by the shop a few times to see him, but that's it."

"Are you sure that's all?"

"Well, he did ask me to go for coffee next Thursday."

Fleur nearly dropped the spatula she was holding, quickly flicking her head towards her friend, "And what did you say?"

"I told him I would. Getting coffee really isn't that big of a deal." Eloise brushed off with a shrug, and she was being honest.

No matter how attractive she found Max, she really wasn't looking for anything serious with him. The company of someone who wanted to be around her and get to know her was enough to make her happy. It's not as if she was hoping to fall in love with him or anything.

Her hesitance to want to form anything serious had nothing to do with Maxwell himself. It was honestly because she was too afraid of jumping into something quickly and having her feelings hurt again. Or maybe, it was also because all the shattered pieces of her heart still belonged to George.

Either way, Eloise was more than happy to take things very slow with Max.

"Well, I can't wait to meet him." Fleur mused, bringing her attention back to the stove.

Eloise rolled her eyes, "That probably won't be for a very long time, if ever."

"Don't be so optimistic, Elle." she replied sarcastically with a laugh.

"I'm just trying to not make it into a big thing. We're just getting to know each other. There doesn't need to be any meeting of friends, or family, or anything like that."

Deciding that the bacon was cooked to her husband's liking, Fleur pulled the pan away from the stove and transferred the strips onto to a serving platter. When she brought the dish over to the kitchen table where Eloise had been sitting, she paused for a moment and studied her friend's face, causing the blonde to furrow her brows slightly.

"What is it?"

"Are you happy?" Fleur asked bluntly.

"What?" she asked with a laugh, "Of course I'm happy."

Fleur raised a skeptical eyebrow, "I'm just making sure. I don't want this to be a situation where you're trying to distract yourself from something."

"What are you implying?"

"I'm not implying anything, I'm merely observing." Fleur shrugged.

Eloise clenched her jaw slightly, knowing exactly what Fleur was truly hinting at. Of course the possibility of a budding relationship with Max was a welcomed distraction from George.