Gwen Bennett Song didn't surround herself with many people. She didn't go out of her way to make new friends or to be seen by others. She actually preferred to remain in the shadows and unnoticed. She was fine with what she already had; a small grou...
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George paced. Because that was all he could do. Because he was nervous. And the door by which he was walking up and down wasn't doing anything to ease those nerves. Nor was the note he held in his hand. Because there was only one explanation for it. Oliver had told her. He'd told his sister about George liking her and now she'd invited him to their classroom so she could spare him the humiliation of shooting him down in public. That was the only explanation for it.
For a moment, he thought about not going in. He could pretend he never got the note she sent during their shared Transfiguration class and put it off for at least a little bit longer. But then he remembered the moment it landed on his desk, and he read it, her neat handwriting telling him to meet her after class. And the way he looked up at her right after only to catch her head snapping in the other direction. She knew he'd gotten it. And he couldn't just not show up.
"Okay, Georgie. Go in, listen to her, and then it's done. Rip the band aid off." He told himself, taking a small sigh and shaking off his shoulders as his hand reached for the doorknob. Pushing the door open, he stepped into the classroom before he had a chance to back out. And as they always did, his eyes instantly fell on her form where she stood by one of the open windows, watching the seeds of a recently blown dandelion floating through the air in front of her.
She hadn't noticed him entering, and for a moment, George just watched her. Taking one last moment to let his thoughts wander, focused on what he'd known for so long. She was absolutely and most certainly the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. He'd soon have to stop letting himself think like that after she told him she didn't feel the same way. So, he let himself watch her one last time. And then finally spoke up. "Hi."
Wide eyed, she turned on her heel to look at him. "Hello." She said in a somewhat strained voice as she watched him close the door. "Thanks for, uh... Thank you for coming. I'm sorry if you had something else to do. I won't be long, I promise."
"It's okay. I have time." George said and then seconds later scolded himself for it. He could have used it as an out. Told her he did have somewhere to be, and he couldn't stay long. That way, once she said what he so didn't want to hear he'd have an excuse to run away. "So, uh... What was the wish?" He asked, trying to find something to talk about as a somewhat awkward silence fell over them. He wasn't used to awkward silences with Gwen. Silences, sometimes. But they were never awkward.
"Oh, it was actually about... about you... why I called you here, I mean." Gwen revealed somewhat hesitantly, making George's heart speed up just a bit. Was she wishing it he wouldn't make it difficult? That he didn't ask her to the dance or admit to his feelings and make the situation worse? "Did Oli mention what I needed him for at breakfast? What we talked about?"
"No, no he didn't." And there it was. George knew it was something to do with that conversation that Oliver had insisted on keeping secret. He was letting his sister handle the situation. Although George had to admit, maybe it would have been better to know early on and have more time to prepare.
"Oh... Well, we talked a bit about you." Gwen revealed, biting the inside of her cheek. She was trying so hard not to be a blubbering rambling mess. And at the same time also wondering whether he could hear how fast her heart was beating. "And the Yule Ball."
"You know, you don't have to say anything." George jumped in before he could stop himself.
"I... I thought you didn't know what we talked about?" Gwen asked in surprise, colour draining from her face. She feared he did know, and he knew what she wanted to say. And because he knew his answer would be know he was trying to spare her from the embarrassment. Or he was trying to spare himself the awkwardness of having to say no.
"I don't, but I... I have a theory." George admitted reluctantly.
"Oh... And... What is your theory?" Gwen couldn't help but ask. She hated it. She hated that little, tiny part of her that was hoping she was wrong in her suspicions.
"He told you, didn't he?" George asked with a sigh, eyes staring down at his own feet and very successfully missing the way in which Gwen's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Told me what?"
George's eyes snapped up at her in surprise. Was she playing along to save him? "He told you about my..." Nope, he wasn't going to say it. Not if there was a small chance that Oliver actually didn't say anything, and he was wrong. "My secret." He said simply.
"He did tell me something, but... it wasn't a secret." Gwen revealed, making the heavy weight suddenly fall from George's shoulders. She didn't know. She didn't know! A part of him struggled really badly not to do a small happy dance in that moment. She wasn't going to tell him to leave her alone! "Why would you think he told me a secret?"
"Oh, no reason. None at all. No one told me anything about anything." His happiness and relief momentarily impeded his ability to lie and he didn't even have to see the dubious look on her face to know she didn't believe a word of it. "Okay, so someone might've mentioned it had something to do with your date to the Yule Ball."
"And you don't want me to tell you anything about the Yule Ball." Gwen said, and it sounded more like a defeated conclusion than a question that had George pausing for a short moment as he wondered why that was.
"No, no, I didn't mean that." He quickly corrected. But then again... What if she wanted to tell him someone else had asked her? George couldn't stop the thought from crossing his mind as Aurora's words echoed in his head. "What... Uh... What did you want to say about it?"
He would not let himself think she was going to ask him. He would not. He would not. He would... And then the repetition stopped, and four simple words passed through his mind. To hell with it!
"Gwen, would you go to the Ball with me?"
"Would you like to be my date to the Ball?"
They spoke at the same time. Both saying the words with such speed, without even taking a breath or a pause. Their voices joined together. And then silence. They stared at each other in surprise, words running through their heads as they both tried to wrap their minds around what just happened.
"Did you just ask me to be your date?" George asked her in surprise.
"Did you just ask me to be yours?" Gwen replied back.
"Well," George couldn't help but smile as he finally started to understand the situation. "I did tell you someone was bound to ask you, didn't I?"
"You..." And once again, Gwen stumbled over her words in surprise. "You've wanted me to be your date since the dance lesson?"
"From the moment McGonagall said the word Ball." George said honestly, unable to wipe the smile from his face as he stared down at her. He was pretty sure her answer was clear at this point, but a small part of him just needed a bit more clarification. "So is that a yes, Miss Song?"
And then a wide and happy smile spread over Gwen's own face. "I would love to, Mr Weasley."
