One and Only 3 ; George Weasley

269

Simon was sat at the piano, calmly playing something random as he stared into the room. It looked like he was spaced out. He had taken off his robes. They were folded on top of the piano. He wasn't wearing his jumper either but since it was nowhere in the room, I assumed he hadn't been wearing one today. He was sitting in his black trousers, the white button-up shirt, his Gryffindor tie and a black belt that he always chose to wear. The sleeves were folded up to his elbow and I smiled when I noticed the rings on his fingers.

One of them was this thick silver ring with three small stones in it. The first one was a Tourmaline which represented his older sister as that's Evelyn's birthstone. The next one was a Garnet. That's Simon's birthstone, and the last one was a regular diamond. That's Harvey's birthstone. Simon got the stone made for himself. He explained that he doesn't know what the future brings, if he'll be close to his siblings or on the other side of the worlds so this way he gets to have them close to his heart at all times. That's why he wears the ring on his left hand because that's the hand closest to the heart.

"I'm sorry I'm late." I said, breaking him from his trance. He didn't stop the melody he was playing, instead he just looked up as I approached the piano and smiled softly. "I lost track of time."

"I hope you're not apologising for being with Sammy in the hospital wing instead of here with me." he said. "How is he? Sammy?"

"Well. Madam Pomfrey healed his rib." I said. "Though he's still in some pain from being punched in the face and kicked in the stomach."

"And you?" he asked. "How are you?"

"Me?" I shrugged. "How do you mean?"

He scooted over on the bench and motioned for me to sit. I moved along the piano, then slid down next to him while he continued to run his fingers along the keys.

"You saw your brother be attacked only months after the same thing happened to you." he said softly. "So I wanted to ask if you were okay... we didn't really see each other yesterday."

I hummed.

"I don't know. I was scared for Sammy but I'm okay now."

I placed my hands above the keys to play with him but I noticed my hands weren't as calm as they usually were when I was near music or about to play.

"You say you're okay?" he asked and stopped playing. He had noticed it too. He grabbed both of my hands and turned towards me, moving his right leg over the bench so that he was straddling it. "You're shaking, Evie."

"I'm sorry. I–"

"You're sorry?" he laughed. "For shaking?"

"Yes." I said but then frowned down at our hands. "I mean no. Of course not. That's not a reason to be apologising. I don't know what's wrong with me."

Simon scooted closer to me and one hand let go of mine. Instead he gently grabbed my chin and forced me to look up at him.

"Nothing is wrong with you." he assured me. "You're struggling right now and seeing your twin be attacked must've brought something back from that night with Luke."

"I guess." I breathed. "I mean. I couldn't do anything when Luke abused me and yesterday I couldn't do anything when Hoggard attacked Sammy."

The hand that had grabbed my chin, moved to rest on my jaw and he caressed my cheek with his thumb.

"But... things are getting better." I told him. "It's getting easier and easier to eat for each day so that's good, right?"

"It's great." he nodded, smiling at me. "You... you have some really soft skin."

I laughed, making him laugh as well. Then he dropped his hand from my face and grabbed both of my hands again.

"Have you got the song with you?"

"The song." I muttered then I sighed. "Merlin's beard. I'm so sorry Moe. I forgot it in my dorm. I–"

"You need to stop apologising." he took my face in his hand and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Have you memorised the lyrics?"

I nodded.

"Brilliant." he smiled, turning back towards the piano.

"Please don't say that." I chuckled. "Uncle Harry says it all the time."

"Oh I know." he nodded. "We both grew up with him in our lives, remember?"

He glanced at me and my smile only grew. I liked sitting here with him again. It had been such a long time since we both sat in the music room. Last year he taught me how to play the piano and the last time he told me I had gotten good at it.

"I want you to try something." Simon said and leaned forwards, placing his hand flat down on top of the piano. "Lie down on the piano with your ear against the surface. Feeling the sensations from the music can help with any anxiety or stress you feel."

"Where've you heard that?" I asked. I placed my hands onto the piano and pulled myself up before lying down on my stomach, head turned and my ear pressed against it. My eyes focused on him as he sat on the bench and looked at me with a soft smile.

"I've experienced it." he told me. "Close your eyes."

I did what he told me to and I could both hear and feel it when he started playing a slow melody. The sensations from inside of the piano hit me and spread out throughout my entire body. My body relaxed under the vibrations and a small smile crept on my face. I recognised the melody. It was the same one he played for me when I was this twelve-year-old girl who was all excited about music and he was a fourteen-year-old boy whose mum was my parents best friend. The things I felt towards Simon had started out in one of those childhood crushes which I had found ridiculous. Then I met Luke and I thought I fell in love when it was all just a manipulation. I fell in love with the illusion he had put up. That fake personality. He turned into a nightmare and I had realised that I didn't fall in love with the real Luke.

The feelings... the crush I had on Simon never left. I thought it did but now they were only stronger, though I never wanted to admit it. I knew he felt something for me too. He had straight up told me but nothing could happen. Dad would kill him.

There's only a two-year difference. I turn sixteen in five months and Simon just turned eighteen on January thirtieth.

"How do you feel?" Simon's voice came softly from where he sat. "Calm?"

"Very.

-

I love Sivi 🥺