Learn to Love Again | George Weasley

42. Countdown

New Year's Eve 1999

On the last night of 1999 George was feeling both excited and honestly a little nervous. It had been more than three weeks since he had last seen Eloise in person and the idea of seeing her again gave him mixed emotions. Of course he wanted to see her but knowing that the last time he saw her was when he basically insinuated that she was under a love potion made the situation a bit more tense than usual.

He hadn't heard from her in writing since Christmas Day, and even then she didn't really say anything at all about his invitation to the party. George tried to bite his tongue for the entire week and not ask Verity if she had talked to Eloise recently, mostly because he didn't want to give her the satisfaction. But as she was setting up for the party, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Have you heard from Elle?" he asked as he watched Verity flick her wand towards the table, charming dozens of small silver and gold illuminated orbs to float in the air above them.

A smirk immediately formed on her lips, "Yes, we write every few days."

Of course they do, he thought to himself.

"Do you know if she's coming tonight?"

Verity set down her wand on the coffee table before turning to him with her arms crossed and a knowing grin plastered on her face, "Did you invite her?"

"Did you?"

She let out a laugh, "You know I did, I told you I was going to weeks ago."

"Well, did she say anything?"

The short witch shrugged her shoulders casually, "Not really."

"Not really? What does that mean?"

"She told me she'd think about it. I decided not to push it, so she might come or she might not."

Before George had the chance to say anything else to her, the door to the flat opened. Charlie had finally returned from the shops with the drinks Verity asked him to get. But rather than returning alone, Alicia followed closely behind him helping carry what he couldn't. The second eldest Weasley child had clearly gone overboard when it came to the alcohol selection.

"Look who I ran into downstairs," Charlie smiled, "It looks great in here, by the way."

Verity rolled her eyes as soon as she saw Alicia walk in and turned her back on her to whisper to George, "I also told Eloise you invited her, so that may be a factor in it."

"Why did you tell her that?" he whispered back urgently.

"You think Eloise walking in to see Alicia here with no warning would have been a good idea?" she frowned.

"I guess not," he conceded with a sigh, "I just figured she wouldn't come at all if she knew, even if she brought her friend along."

"Maybe she won't but that's her choice. Just try to have fun whether she's here or not." she glanced over to Alicia with a thin smile as they made eye contact in passing before dropping her expression immediately and returning her attention to George, "Besides, Alicia's here and that's what you wanted all along right?"