Lover ; George Weasley

Fifty-nine

"Have you ever considered finding a therapist to talk about your childhood?"

I sighed at George's suggestion, keeping my phone pressed to my ear, using my shoulder so that I could hang Leah's painting on the fridge.

Then I grabbed my phone in my hand and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"I can't afford a therapist, George." I said. "A session of sixty minutes is around a hundred and twenty to eighty pounds. I don't know how much that is in galleons but it's a lot of money."

"I—"

"No." I cut him off. "I don't even want a therapist and I do not need one either. I just need— I need her to leave me be, because she may have said I'd be cut off if I didn't go back to Malcolm, but I know that in a day or two, she'll either give me a call or show up at my door and apologise and use guilt to get me to stay in her life and what will I do? I'll walk right into the trap like always because she's my mother and I need her."

"You don't need her."

"Yes I do." I sighed out of frustration, placing the back of my hand against my forehead.

My eyes landed on Elsie who entered the kitchen.

"Mummy, can we have ice cream?"

"Ice cream?" I asked with a chuckle. "For dinner? Why don't you set the table, Elenora?"

I could hear George chuckle at the other end.

"Don't call me Elenora." Elsie groaned as she walked over to grab the plates for the counter. "You only call me that when you're mad at me."

"What? No I don't." I said, then realised it was true. "Alright, you're right baby. I'm sorry, yeah? I'm not mad at you. Set the table, please. You can have ice cream after dinner."

Elsie smiled as she walked to the dining table with the plates.

"Alright." I breathed. "What were we talking about? I forgot."

"Therapy."

"Right." I breathed. "Not happening."

"You're stubborn, you know that?"

"Fuck off." I chuckled before leaning against the fridge. "I'm not gonna leave you, you know that, right?"

"Of course I do."

"No matter what my mum says... I'm scared of her but I'm not letting her take this away. I love you."

"I know you do beautiful." He said with a cheeky tone, causing me to roll my eyes. "And I love hearing you say it."

I smiled as I pushed myself off the fridge and walked further into the kitchen.

"I love you." I repeated. "I'm completely utterly in love with you, George Fabian Weasley."

"Oh shit..." he cursed but the tone of it made me realise that he wasn't talking about what I said. "I love you too, gorgeous but I gotta go. Roxanne just spilled flour all over herself. She looks like a snowma— no, Roxi! Don't! Stay there, darling. Don't spread it throughout the flat."

I laughed softly.

"Sounds like you've got a lot on your hands right now." I said. "I'll call you tonight before bed."

"Can't wait. Love you."

"I love you too." I smiled and a second later, he hung up.

I did the same, then put the phone on the counter and watched as Elsie walked back into the kitchen, opening the drawer with the cutlery.

She stood on her toes to peak into it.

"One..." she counted as she started with the forks. "...two... three."

I smiled and watched as she put them on the counter, then moved onto the knives.

"One... two... three."

She put them with the forks then gathered them all and walked back to the table.

"Leah!" I called out. "Can you take a break from your books for a second? I want to talk to you and Elsie for a second!"

I looked towards the door to their bedroom which was open, and a smile spread on my face as Leah shortly after came running out from there.

I walked over to the dining table where she crawled up to sit in a chair, her tongue between her lips as she concentrated.

Leah had started using regular chairs instead of her high-chair. She's got a bit more control over it, but it was also about time. She's turning three in October.

Then of course, I didn't quit my high-chair until I was three.

"As you know, auntie Inez and auntie Dove became foster parents last week, yeah?" I smiled. "They've invited us over for dinner tomorrow night. It'll be a chance to welcome their foster kids to the family and maybe you'll be great friends with them."

I licked my lips as I waited for their reaction. Elsie fidgeted with her fingers while Leah looked down at the table, her eyes full of worry.

"Hey..." I approached her and crouched down in front of her. "...or... you can stay by my side all night. You don't have to play with them. We just have to welcome them, yeah?"

Leah nodded slowly and I helped her down from the chair, watching as she walked back to her room.

Then I looked at Elsie.

"What're you thinking, baby?" I asked as I sat down.

Elsie shrugged.

"Is Georgie gonna be there?"

A small chuckle left my mouth and I smiled at the thought of her having grown so close to him that she wanted him at every gathering.

"Not this time, sweetheart... but you'll probably see him tomorrow either way." I smiled and stood up.

I walked over to one of the cupboards and grabbed three glasses, walking back over to place them on the dinner table.

Later that night, around eleven, I laid in bed, speaking to George on the phone. I had put the girls to bed hours earlier and they were both sleeping peacefully. I always checked up on them before going to bed myself.

I groaned as I fixed the way I was laying, deciding to sit up instead.

"What's up?" George asked, hearing the groan, followed by the sigh.

"Nothing... my back is just killing me." I sighed, rolling my shoulders to try and ease some kind of tension.

"Been carrying anything heavy today?"

"Other than my two-year-old?" I chuckled and leaned back against the headboard. "No."

"Hmm. Need me to come over and give you one of my famous massages?"

"George, sweetheart... your kids are sleeping."

"So?

"You can't leave the flat with them asleep in their beds."

He chuckled.

"Guess you're right about that."

I let out a heavy breath as I laid back down, closing my eyes.

"I miss you."

"You saw me today."

"So? I miss you." I pouted. "I can't wait to see you when you bring breakfast with you as you stop by my office in the morning."

"Yeah?"

I hummed

"Maybe if my backache isn't gone by then, you can give me a massage."

"Oh I would love that, darling." He told me. "Though you'll have to take your shirt off for the best effect."

I rolled my eyes.

"That's not true."

"It's not." He confirmed. "I just really want to see you take your shirt off."