One and Only 3 ; George Weasley

242

"Wait how do I do this?" I asked my grandma as I helped her bake some Christmas cookies.

"If you do it along the sides, there is room for more of them." she said and I nodded as I pressed the heart shape down in the corner of the dough. "Why don't you roll up your sleeves so you don't get anything on your shirt?"

"Oh." I muttered. "Not it's okay. I'll just change."

"It smells great out here." uncle Fred declared as he entered the kitchen. He opened the oven to take a sniff of the cookies that were currently baking, and then closed it again. Grandma smiled as she watched her son. She hadn't been able to stop smiling around him since we arrived here two days ago. I wouldn't be able to understand losing your son, only for him to be revived eighteen years later.

"Why don't you help Vivi with the cutting?" grandma asked and uncle Fred hummed before joining me on my other side. I handed him the Christmas tree shape and he rolled up his sleeves to his elbows before he helped me cut out shapes of the large piece dough lying on the counter.

"When your dad and I were kids, we always pranked the dough when your grandma over here decided to bake."

"Don't give her any ideas, Fred." grandma smiled softly. "Her and Sammy used to be just as bad as pranks."

"Wha– not anymore?" Uncle Fred looked at me and I simply shook my head.

"Well, Sammy still loves pranks but I guess I matured."

Or had Luke break my spirit...

Oh shit. We were four days away from the twenty-sixth so I had to ask my parents soon. I put the shape down and dusted my hands off. "Can I go? I have to talk to mum and dad."

"Of course, dear." grandma nodded and I thanked her quickly before hurrying outside after grabbing my coat. I knew they'd be out here and that, they were.

"Tired of baking with grandma?" mum asked and opened her arms to wrap them around me in a warm and comforting hug.

"No. I wanted to talk to you about something." I said and stayed in my mums arms as I looked up at dad. "I've been writing with Emery. She asks if I can come stay with her for New Years."

"New Years?" dad asked.

"Yes. I know we always have baking contests on New Years eve but I mean... I'm fifteen so it's not that bad of an idea to spend it with my best friend... right?"

Dad's eyes flicked to mum who was still holding me, rubbing my arm to keep keep me arm.

"Well, both Kathy and I spent most Christmases and New Years here." mum said. "It's the same thing. You just have to stop being so protective of the kids."

"Fine." dad sighed and looked at me again. "What dates were you talking about?"

"Well, I'd be leaving on December twenty-sixth and come back on January third."

"It sounds like a nice idea." mum said. "Maybe it'll lift your mood a little to spend some time with her outside of school."

"Maybe." I shrugged and laid my head against my mum's shoulder. I actually for the first time in a long time, enjoyed being embraced. It felt nice and I felt at ease.

"There's something else we need to talk about." dad said as he stared into the darkness that surrounded the green area that the Burrow was located in. "Something Fred told us. Your uncle, not your brother."

"George, does it have to be right now?" mum asked. "We can talk about it in the morning."

"It's important, Liz." he replied and looked at mum before he looked at me. "Why does he think you throw up on purpose after every meal?"

"Oh. Yeah, he mentioned that to me." I said. "I don't... by the way. He thinks it because I go to pee after most meals. Though I told him it wasn't like that."

Oddly enough, I sounded convincing.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." I nodded. I made sure to keep eye contact with him so it didn't look like I was lying. I knew how hurt he and mum got when they found out about my self harming so I didn't want them to find out about this too. Dad is already making sure I don't have any new scars every day.

Every morning when I walk down, he asks me to come over and show him my wrists and I do. I haven't self-harmed since before the holidays started.

Okay." Dad breathed. "I am choosing to believe you but don't make me regret it."