Eloise loved being around Ginny. In many ways, the girl reminded her a lot of Fleur back in their school days. Being utterly fearless and opinionated without fear of what anyone would think of her were traits she knew the her best friend possessed, as well as the youngest Weasley.

But she didn't dare make the comparison out loud.

Even though they got on relatively alright now, Eloise had been made well aware of their differences in the beginning of Bill and Fleur's relationship many times over. Part of her worried that comparing the two would somehow reopen old wounds, even all these years later.

So, Eloise sat quietly across from Ginny in the tiny flat she shared with Harry, scribbling down gift ideas and party supplies they needed for Molly's fiftieth birthday at the end of the month.

It seemed as though the anniversary party she had helped plan for Bill and Fleur her first summer in England had made quite the impression, as Ginny deemed her the only person who'd make the day as special as it should be, according to the redhead in the letter she sent to her a week ago.

Eloise's quill moved quickly against the parchment as Ginny dictated all of her ideas. Some were far more outlandish and unrealistic than others. Including sending an owl to Molly's favorite singer, Celestina Warbeck, to ask if she'd be interested in coming to perform. The suggestion was written down regardless of Eloise's doubts in its success. They could par down the list later to a more achievable plan, hopefully.

Morning turned to early afternoon before they even realized it and the door to the flat soon opened to reveal an exhausted Harry trudgeding in from another day of Auror training. Apparently Saturdays were not made for rest when it came to the Aurors. Harry quickly shed off his jacket and threw it over the back of the sofa before approaching Ginny and placing a quick kiss to her temple.

"Are you going to pick that up?" Ginny asked, rather than greeting her boyfriend.

The look on her face distinctly mimicked Molly's as she gestured her head over to the sofa. A laugh fell through Harry's lips as he rectified the situation with a flick of his wand, sending his jacket to the nearby coat rack within seconds. A satisfied smile formed on Ginny's face as she took a sip of her tea.

"Alright today, Eloise?" Harry greeted.

Even though she had been around Harry plenty of times over the last few years, they rarely spoke directly and she couldn't deny that she still remained a bit star struck by him. Although she did her best to not make it noticeable to him, knowing her, she probably wasn't doing the best job.

"Fine, thank you." she replied politely before returning her attention to the parchment in front of her.

Ginny smirked at her before turning her attention to her boyfriend, reaching up to ruffle his already disheveled hair, "I thought training went until noon today."

Harry's brows furrowed as he tried in vain to fix his hair, "It did, it's about half noon now."

Ginny's brown eyes widened as she glanced over her shoulder at the kitchen clock, "Godric, we've been at it all morning. Why don't we go down to The Leaky Caldron for lunch? My treat."

Harry distinctly knew that 'my treat' really meant he would be paying for lunch as all of Ginny's wages from her first season playing reserve for the Holyhead Harpies had gone to purchasing brand new Quidditch equipment. Not that he minded, though. The boy had more Galleons than he knew what to do with sometimes which made him exponentially generous.

"Alright, but let me shower first." Harry requested before leaving the room and vanishing down the hallway.

Ginny's eyes followed him until he was out of sight, only then did the redhead glance at Eloise who was still pretending to review their list of ideas.

"How's George been?"

People always seemed to ask Eloise that and she began to wonder if anyone actually went out of their way to ask him if he was doing alright, or if they all had silently agreed to consult her first.

"Very good, actually." she replied as she met Ginny's gaze, "He's been keeping busy."

"I imagine so, since Charlie's not back until next week." Ginny nodded as she rested her chin in her hand, "Harry says Ron's been contemplating the idea of quitting Auror training to offer to help out at the shop."

As casually as she said it, the revelation still piqued Eloise's interest. Ron helping out at the store would certainly help with her and Verity's idea to expand the shop to a wider market. But she was quickly disappointed when Ginny continued on.

"Hermione's trying to convince him to stick it out, though. They all finish up in December. I think she wants him to wait until he's actually worked in the field for a bit before he decides he actually does hate it."

"How's Harry finding it?" Eloise asked.

She decided it was best to get the focus off of Ron. The last thing she wanted to do was somehow indirectly get between the newlywed's bliss in order to encourage Ron to work in the shop – although she would definitely be keeping it in the back of her mind.

The redhead hummed for a moment as she took a sip of her tea, "I think the work suits him. Keeps his mind busy, which is good for him. I'm sure George can relate to that." she replied, sending a knowing look towards the blonde, "I know it must be difficult based on what Ron and my mate Neville have said, though. I don't reckon either will last long after training."

Being blunt was another trait she and Fleur had in common, but that comparison still remained safe inside Eloise's mind.

"They might surprise you." Eloise suggested, which made Ginny laugh as though she didn't seem to agree.

"I just wish he'd tell me more about it. But I suppose he probably can't. I imagine a lot of it is very secretive and all that." Ginny said with a roll of her eyes.

When Harry emerged from the hallway, the discussion quickly ended.

"Not talking about me, were you?" he asked, given the sudden silence in the room.

"Not everything is about you, Harry." Ginny teased as she rose from her seat to plant a quick kiss on his lips.

It wasn't long before the three of them found themselves in a corner booth at The Leaky Cauldron. It was lovely lunch, which Harry did indeed pay for regardless of Eloise's objections. He was quite down to Earth, she found. Part of her always assumed that he was at least somewhat arrogant, but no. Harry Potter was a nice guy, if not a little bit awkward at times.

A few instances occurred where he couldn't quite understand Eloise's accent, which didn't really bother her – it certainly wasn't the first time she'd spoken too quickly or mixed up a phrase since moving to England. But he always kept up with Ginny's witty remarks, especially when she ever so kindly 'translated' for Eloise.

The two of them didn't make her feel like a third wheel at all or that she was even a stranger to them. In all honesty, she and Ginny weren't close. They'd only spoken a few times and never one-on-one, but the level of familiarity the redhead had with her said otherwise. It was as though if whomever she loved adored someone, then she automatically loved that person as well.

Once they had finished lunch, it was Ginny who suggested that they all stop into the joke shop before heading back to Harry's flat. Eloise knew how busy George and Verity had been and didn't want to be a distraction, but she quickly learned that there was no changing Ginny Weasley's mind once she had decided on something.

So, the three of them began their short walk down Diagon Alley, continuing their discussions about Molly's birthday. Everything was going fine until something seemed to catch Ginny's eye that made her stop in her tracks. Harry and Eloise kept walking for a bit, glancing into various shop windows before they realized they were missing someone.

"Gin?" Harry asked as he turned back towards her.

A scowl was prominent on her face, her beautiful features twisted into something Eloise would never want aimed at her. Out of morbid curiosity, she decided to follow Ginny's gaze. She was staring at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, just up ahead. Or rather, she was staring at her older brother who was standing at the door, chatting with someone.

What they were saying was unintelligible, but they all watched as George nodded at the woman whose hands were buried deep within her denim jacket, smiling weakly at her.

Eloise registered who this unexpected visitor was within moments and the lunge her heart did to the pit of her stomach at the sight was unpreventable. With short hair dark covered in her red knit cap and her warm skin that blushed pink as the autumn air nipped at her nose – she was real, and she was there, and she had George's full attention.

Alicia.

"No bloody way." Ginny muttered under her breath.

Before they could even react, the redhead was already storming off towards the girl. Harry and Eloise shared a nervous look with one another before quickly following behind.

"Oi, Spinnet!" Ginny shouted from across the street.

The brunette froze and gazed at the woman storming up to her with widened eyes, "Ginny, listen–"

"No, you listen. How long is it going to take you to realize you're not welcome here anymore?"

"Ginny, stop!" Eloise called out to her as she and Harry quickly intervened.

"It's fine, Gin." George assured his sister, who looked between him and Eloise in bewilderment.

"It's fine?" Ginny exclaimed as she turned to Eloise, "You're fine with her turning up like this out of nowhere?"

While she was admittedly surprised to see Alicia leaving his shop, Eloise wasn't necessarily upset.

When they first decided to give their relationship a chance George and Eloise had several, occasionally difficult and emotional, discussions about his relationship with Alicia and what was going through his mind when she suddenly came back into his life. It was all in the interest of open communication – something the two of them had admittedly not been the best at in the past.

Alicia returning to his life was a tidal wave of sorts, a mixture of nostalgia and lack of closure that led to codependency the second he laid eyes upon her at Angelina's birthday party.

It was all difficult for Eloise to stomach, knowing that for a time George had relied so heavily on the mere memory of his relationship with Alicia to help him cope, as if she wasn't good enough. However, he made it very clear that he didn't harbor any feelings for his childhood sweetheart anymore, nor did he at the time of her return.

Alicia was just a piece of his past that he felt like he could still salvage if he tried hard enough. If he could manage that, maybe he could feel Fred's presence once more.

But that wasn't the case.

Once he realized he was holding onto his broken past instead of focusing on his future – on Eloise – he let Alicia go. It was a decision that wasn't necessarily mutual at the time but their friendship finally came to an abrupt and messy end. 

However, in learning all of this from George, Eloise also learned that he had made Alicia one more promise. If she could see things from his perspective, he'd open the door one more time for when she was truly ready to discuss everything civilly and finally part ways with mutual understanding.

Ginny, however, did not know about any of this.

"Yes, it's fine." Eloise replied in earnest and Ginny looked almost offended that she wasn't upset.

Harry finally stepped in and placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, suggesting they browse the shop. Despite her objections, he had coaxed her into the bright purple building, only after sending an apologetic look towards George.

Once it was just the three of them, the awkwardness of the situation finally sank in. The three of them had only been in the same vicinity a handful of times, each of which Eloise did her best to escape from as quickly as possible. There was a silence growing, looming, creating an uncomfortable tension none of them knew how to break.

Until Alicia spoke.

"Did you want to go for coffee?"

When Eloise looked up, Alicia was looking at her. Asking her for coffee. Instinctively, she glanced at George who merely shrugged.

Alicia was observant enough to see Eloise's reservations, so she quickly clarified, "I was going to send you a letter this evening. But seeing as you're here now, I thought we could talk."

This wasn't part of the plan George had told Eloise about. It was always just meant to be them resolving their issues, closing the final chapter of their history. The look on his face showed her that he hadn't any clue that Alicia was planning to chat with her either.

"Sure." was all she could think of to say.

Of course she had her worries. What could Alicia possibly want with her? Would she warn her about George? His one fatal flaw that would make their relationship fail, just as his and Alicia's had. Would she apologize to her? Or maybe Alicia would try and demand an apology from Eloise for destroying what was left of her relationship with George.

With all the anxiety racing through her mind, there was no use in attempting to come up with an excuse.

So, she agreed.

"I won't keep her long." she smirked at George before looking back at Eloise and gesturing her head towards the coffee shop.

The walk to Night Owls was silent. There was no tension or animosity, just... awkwardness. An uncomfortable feeling of two people who had so much to say to one another all while wanting to say nothing at all.

Alicia held the door open for her as they entered and Eloise felt a relieving sense of comfort as she saw a familiar face behind the counter.

Eloise was on a first name basis with redheaded barista, Stephanie, thanks to how frequently she stopped in on her way to the Ministry. In some way, the girl who made her tea every morning felt like a friend while being a complete stranger. She smiled brightly as they entered and quickly began preparing Eloise's tea before they even approached the counter.

Alicia was quick to make her order, a black coffee with one sugar, and offered the woman behind the counter enough to pay for both of their drinks without consulting Eloise first. It was a nice gesture, but it somehow worried her more that what Alicia wanted to tell her would hurt her in some ways. As if paying the three Sickles it cost for her tea would somehow soften the blow.

They took a seat by the window and Eloise began watching shoppers pass by outside, just so she could avoid the inevitable conversation. It wasn't long before their drinks arrived at the table and there was nothing left to prolong what Eloise had been avoiding.

"I wanted to apologize." Alicia stated plainly, as if being as straightforward as possible was the only way she know how to combat these sort of situations.

Eloise, however, was not as forthcoming with her feelings while being put on the spot. A mere "Oh." was her only response as she lifted her tea to her lips.

The awkwardness returned to the air as silence fell between them once more. Eloise didn't dare inquire further and part of her hoped that Alicia wouldn't bother clarifying. She was more than content to leave the conversation there, as vague as it was. But Alicia clearly had other motives.

"I was unfair to you, and rude, and all these things I'm not – or wasn't before." Alicia paused, clearly having a hard time forming the words in a way she felt was right, "What I'm trying to say is that... George and I have a complicated history, but that's what it is. History."

Alica's brows furrowed as she moved her gaze away from Eloise and locked them on the dark beverage in front of her whose color matched her eyes. The silence loomed once more before she took a long sip of coffee, looking as though she was contemplating something.

Eloise could tell Alicia was still hurt, still bruised by the love lost and all she had done to play a part in its demise. For a moment, it was almost enough to make her sympathize with the woman across from her.

"I'm the past. I think I've finally gotten a grasp on that." she finally spoke as she brought her eyes back up to Eloise's.

The blonde didn't respond right away, in all honesty she didn't know what to say. Part of her felt a bit odd to sympathize with George's ex, but she more than anyone knew how hard and sometimes impossible it was to let go.

"I don't know much about you and George." Eloise replied before pausing briefly, "But I do know you meant a lot to him."

A weak smile formed its way to Alicia's lips before her eyes fell once more. As their gaze broke, Eloise took in a deep breath of relief. The gaze of the woman who once held George's heart was too hard to hold, even if she had just admitted to knowing she had no place in his life anymore. So, Eloise looked away once more instead placing her focus on the shoppers passing by outside.

"I meant a lot to him, but you mean a lot to him."

At this, Eloise finally met her eyes. There was a friendliness behind the cold exterior. She thought she could see the bright, young sixteen year old that had captivated George's heart all those years ago if she looked hard enough. Still, Eloise remained completely silent.

Alicia chuckled awkwardly, cutting the silence, "I was going to write to you to tell you all this and I think that might've been easier."

Eloise could at least admit that reading a letter from Alicia wouldn't have been nearly as uncomfortable. But she also knew it took a lot of nerve and courage to want to speak in person, so the least she could do was hear her out.

"I'm listening." was all Eloise said and Alicia nodded in return.

The brunette took in a deep breath and set her coffee aside, "I just wanted to keep him in my life. I knew he didn't want me there anymore, not really. But I thought if we could be friends again, I'd feel less guilty. If I just kept coming around, I thought he'd eventually forgive me without me having to admit to everything I did wrong."

A sad chuckle fell from her lips, "I didn't want him back, Eloise. I want you to know that. But..." another pause as her face fell, and Eloise was beginning to understand that Alicia was not an expert in apologizing.

"But?" the blonde urged.

"But I wanted to keep him away from you." she admitted while avoiding her eyes.

Eloise's heart sank, all the worries she had months ago had just been confirmed, "Why?"

"Because I knew once you two got together, I would be out of the picture for good." a slight smirk formed on her lips as she met Eloise's eyes, "And I was right."

Alicia didn't look upset at the revelation, which was a relief to say the least. At one time, the idea of Eloise being in his life had clearly bothered her – the evidence was in all of their few short interactions. But now it seemed that Alicia had taken the time to reflect on everything that happened over the last year.

"You're good for him." Alicia stated earnestly, "Merlin knows he deserves to be happy, so I'm glad he has you. Genuinely."

While Eloise certainly didn't need or desire Alicia's blessing, she did admittedly appreciate the closure it brought to her. Long gone were the days of worrying about her presence. Now, she was just a relic of George's past as he was with her as well.

"Thanks." Eloise replied a bit awkwardly.

In all honesty, she didn't quite know how to respond. But Alicia didn't seem to mind. She merely curled up the corner of her lips before finishing off the rest of her coffee that had begun to grow cold.

"Well, I think I've kept you long enough." she said as she turned to grab her jacket off the corner of her chair.

Eloise watched with furrowed brows as she wrapped herself in the warmth of her denim jacket.

"O-oh, alright." Eloise stammered at the woman's abrupt departure.

Though she couldn't complain, she didn't have much desire to stay in the woman's company either.

Once her knit cap was pulled over her mane of dark waves, she glanced down at Eloise with a slight smile, "Thanks for listening."

"Oh, erm, yeah sure. Anytime"

"I'll... see you around. Or not, who knows?" she laughed before giving Eloise a short wave and quickly disapparting once exiting the cafe.

Before Eloise could fully wrap her mind around the encounter, Stephanie came by to collect the empty mugs from the table. As personable as she was, her kind smile helped ease Eloise through confusion on the matter.

"Catching up with an old friend?" the redhead asked.

Eloise chuckled and shook her head, "More like an old friend of a friend – sort of."

Understandably, Stephanie looked a bit confused but she didn't press on. Instead, she attempted to make idle chit-chat, though what she said was anything but mundane to Eloise, "She used to come in all the time to buy orange cranberry scones – always two of them. I haven't seen her in quite a while."

The barista seemed to have an incredible memory. As if any customer who came in more than once was permanently etched in her mind.

All Eloise did was smile and glance at the pastry case. She knew George had an affinity for those in particular; she learned about it when they were in France together visiting all of Eloise's favorite bakeries. But she was more than content with allowing that to remain Alicia and George's memory. She had plenty of time to make new ones with him, leaving her mark on other areas of his life.

"Did you need anything?" Stephanie asked as she caught Eloise eyeing the pasty case.

"Could I get two chocolate croissants, please? To go."

Stephanie smiled in a way that made Eloise feel like her mind was being read, "Sure thing."

The barista made her way behind the counter, flicking her wand towards the pastry case as she placed the dirty mugs in the sink. The croissants made their way into a small white box, printed with their logo on the lid. As Eloise got her purse out to pay, Stephanie raised a hand to stop her.

"Don't worry about it."

Eloise frowned slightly, "I couldn't possibly-"

"Sharing is caring." she interrupted as she held out the box to her.

Eloise hesitated, but ultimately decided to take it from her as she got the feeling that Stephanie ultimately wouldn't give her a choice in the matter, "Thank you."

The redhead brushed her off with a smile, "No worries. See you Monday?"

With a nod, Eloise replied, "Of course."

With that, she made her way back to the shop, hoping she wouldn't find Ginny interrogating her older brother. Instead, anticipating that she would find him up in his flat, eager to hear all about her chat with Alicia – only if she was willing to tell him, of course. So long as he was there with an empty stomach and open arms.

Either way, she couldn't help but smile to herself because she knew no matter what, he would be waiting for no one else but her.