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╰┈➤ ❝ [𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑇𝐸𝑁] ❞ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
⁺⤾·˚.⃗. [ ᴍᴇʀʟɪɴs ʙᴇᴀʀᴅ ] 𑁍ࠜೄ ･ﾟˊˎ
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The Great Hall
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
- Scottish Highlands
( September, 1994. )

           𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐃 𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘. And despite all her attempts to concentrate, thoughts of him lingered endlessly in her mind, weaving themselves into her every waking moment. For three days, George Weasley had taken up residence in her head, eclipsing even her best efforts to stay focused on anything else.

Olympia Harrington felt herself spiraling; the constant distraction was maddening. She'd known George for ages-they'd been close friends, sharing laughs, pranks, and countless memories. He was the one who made her feel at ease, a steadfast presence in her life. But now, something had shifted. His smile, his laugh, the way he looked at her-all of it seemed amplified, more vivid, and impossible to ignore. She was always in control, measured, steady. But with George on her mind, she felt vulnerable, almost reckless, and she couldn't decide if it thrilled her or terrified her. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

Olympia walked into the Great Hall for lunch with Seraphina and Elvira beside her, trying to mask the swirl of thoughts still tangled up in her mind from the past few days. Hazey fragments of memory from the night of the party still clouded her mind. She could feel eyes on her as she scanned the hall, and then her gaze found his.

George sat at the Gryffindor table, and as soon as their eyes met, a subtle shift happened. He didn't break eye contact like he might have in the past, nor did he flash his usual mischievous grin. His stare was intense, contemplative, and somehow. . . unfiltered, as if the usual wall of humor he hid behind had cracked. Olympia felt heat rise to her cheeks as her heart thudded in her chest, and she quickly glanced away, feeling as if that look alone had exposed more than she wanted.

"What is going on?" she murmured, half to herself, half to her friends.

Elvira raised an eyebrow, casting a curious look between Olympia and George. "What was that?" she asked, nudging her shoulder.

Olympia blinked, suddenly aware of how absorbed she'd been. She leaned closer to Elvira and Seraphina, lowering her voice. "Merlin's beard, he's never looked at me like this before. What did I do?" she hissed, her voice laced with genuine confusion. "Did we. . did we snog? Did we. . " She hesitated, feeling her face grow even warmer. "Go further?" her eyes widening.

Elvira's eyes sparkled with interest as she gave Olympia a wicked grin. "Oh, I'd pay to know if you two finally snogged. But you did look awfully cozy on the dance floor."

"I remember some of it," Olympia replied, her voice edged with frustration. She pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to recall more than just fleeting glimpses and sensations. "I remember. . his hands on me, and just - the way he felt when he held me." Her mind spun through half-recollections, each one fueling her curiosity. "But beyond that? Nothing. It's driving me mad."

Seraphina let out a small chuckle, her eyes warm with amusement. "You definitely didn't go that far, if that's what you're wondering," she assured, though there was a teasing lilt to her tone. "If you had, I'd have made sure you'd remember every single detail."

Olympia sighed, letting herself relax a bit. "Right, of course," she muttered. But her heart continued to race as she looked across the hall again, catching George's gaze for just a fleeting second before he looked away, pretending to focus on something Fred was saying. But the small, knowing smirk playing at Fred's lips told her enough. He'd noticed her staring, too.

Elvira nudged her with a sly grin. "You know, this could be your chance."

"Chance for what?" Olympia asked, confused.

"To figure out what's going on with him," Elvira said, glancing meaningfully at George, who now appeared to be arguing with Fred about something. "Clearly, he remembers a lot more than you do."

Seraphina added, "Or maybe he just wishes you did."

Olympia opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a shout from across the hall. Fred, seeing her glancing in their direction, took it as his moment to turn and give her a broad, theatrical wink, drawing the attention of several students nearby. George swatted him on the arm, his face darkening with what looked like a mix of embarrassment and irritation.

Olympia groaned, shaking her head. "Merlin's beard," she muttered under her breath. "This is so. . . complicated."

But despite the blush that spread across her cheeks, she couldn't deny the small thrill that ran through her.

Olympia tore her eyes away from George, feeling her heart flutter in a way that unnerved her. She couldn't help but feel the pull, but it was a tug-of-war in her mind, and she was on the losing side. She sighed heavily, looking down at her plate as if it held the answer to all her troubles.

"I can't do complicated," she murmured, almost to herself. Her voice was laced with frustration and the faintest hint of resignation. She glanced up to find Elvira and Seraphina both watching her with looks of sympathy and curiosity.

Elvira scoffed, nudging her again. "Complicated? Olympia, it's George Weasley, not advanced Arithmancy. Have a little fun for once!"

Olympia crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair and shaking her head. "You don't understand. I can't afford 'fun,' not right now. Between exams, homework, and my grades. I have to stay focused. I've got plans, and. . ."She trailed off, feeling the weight of her responsibilities settle on her like a heavy cloak. "I can't risk messing any of that up just because of George."

Seraphina raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on her lips. "Plans? Olympia, we all know you're top of the class. You can spare a few moments to breathe. Besides, if anyone deserves a break, it's you. You've been running yourself ragged since first year."

Olympia shook her head, feeling the tension tighten in her chest. "It's easy for you to say. You all think I'm fine because I'm 'top of the class,' but that's because I have to be. I can't just . . lighten up. There's too much on the line."

Elvira sighed, tilting her head and giving Olympia a look that was both soft and exasperated. "Ols, you're sixteen. What exactly are you so afraid of?"

"Failing," Olympia replied immediately, surprising even herself with the raw honesty of it. She met her friends' eyes, her tone soft but resolute. "If I start. . messing around with George or letting myself get distracted, what if I can't stay on top of things? I'm just trying to keep everything balanced. And if I add him into the mix. . ." She trailed off, unable to put words to the mess of thoughts and feelings that George stirred in her.

Seraphina's expression softened as she reached out, placing a comforting hand on Olympia's arm. "Ols, just because you care about school and your future doesn't mean you can't care about other things, too. George isn't going to ruin your grades."

Elvira grinned, leaning in with a mischievous glint in her eye. "No, he'd probably just make your life a lot more interesting."

Olympia couldn't help but laugh, despite herself. "Interesting, sure. But that's what I'm worried about. Once I let him in. . . who knows what will happen?"

Seraphina gave her arm a gentle squeeze. "Maybe that's the point, Olympia. Maybe you need a little uncertainty."

Olympia let out a long breath, feeling the tug-of-war in her mind start up again, but this time the rope didn't seem so tightly wound.

"He's been my friend forever," Olympia sighed, rubbing her temples as she tried to sort out her feelings. "I mean, our families literally spend Holiday together. We grew up with each other; he's practically family at this point." She paused, her voice dropping as she thought about how complicated things had become. "I can't just suddenly decide I want him," she said softly, almost as if trying to convince herself. "If I act on this. . . it could change everything. What if he doesn't feel the same way? Or worse, what if he does and it all goes wrong? It could ruin everything we've built."

"Yeah, but isn't Mrs. Weasley practically begging you to marry one of her sons?" Elvira teased, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.

Olympia rolled her eyes, though a small smile crept onto her face. "Oh, you have no idea. Every holiday, she's on about how I'm 'such a good influence' and how 'it would be wonderful to have me officially in the family.'" She shook her head, laughing. "But I don't think she meant it literally."

Elvira chuckled. "Maybe not, but you know she wouldn't be disappointed if you ended up with George. She practically worships you as it is."

Olympia felt her cheeks heat up, brushing off the thought with a wave of her hand. "Still, it's a big leap from family friend to . . . something else."

"And I'm sure her mind would change if she saw me actually snogging her son," Olympia pointed out, rolling her eyes with a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

Elvira burst out laughing. "Oh, I can just picture it now! Mrs. Weasley walking in, dropping her knitting, all wide-eyed and scandalized."

🦁

"So," Fred started, leaning back and folding his arms across his chest. It had occurred to him he had never asked George about the other night. "Anything else happen after you took her back to her dorm?"

George's face went a bit pink, and he shook his head, huffing out a laugh. "No, of course not. She was completely out of it. I couldn't just - I mean, she was too drunk."

Fred gave him a pointed look, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Yeah, but now that she's sober. . ."

George tried to hide his smile, but it snuck out anyway. His mind drifted to the way she'd looked that morning, the way she'd described her Amortentia scent-like him, even if she didn't fully realize it. He tried not to let the thought linger too long, but the idea of having Olympia, truly and completely, was far too tempting.

Fred noticed the shift in his twin's expression and nudged him. "Oi, come on, George. Spill it. You clearly haven't stopped thinking about her."

George chuckled softly, looking down at his hands. "Alright, yeah . . maybe I haven't. I don't know what to think anymore, Fred. She's. . . different, you know? I keep trying to treat this like it's just a bit of fun, but it's not."

Fred raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Different how? I mean I know you like her, don't you? Not just in that way we mess around with everyone else."

George let out a slow breath, finally admitting it out loud. "Yeah. I like her. A lot more than I thought I did. She's got this way about her, like she's always got it all together. . except when she's with me. And I can't stop wanting to be around her, even when she drives me mad."

Fred nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "So. . what about Amortentia? What did you smell?"

George hesitated, but there was no hiding from Fred. "I smelled. . something familiar. She always has this smell about her yknow, like a mix of fresh parchment and the kind of warm, summery air we'd get back at the Burrow. Reminds me of that times she stayed with us, how she just fit in, even though she was so out of place."

Fred grinned, nudging him again. "Mate, you've got it bad."

George groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I know, don't rub it in. I'm starting to feel ridiculous. And she doesn't even remember most of the other night. I mean, that makes it easier, but it's, I don't know. I want her to know, but then she'll probably just go back to being her usual focused self and shut me out."

Fred leaned forward, lowering his voice a bit. "But here's the thing, George. She wasn't her usual focused self that night. You and that effect on her. Whatever you're doing, it's gotten through to her, mate. And she admitted it-smelled you with the Amortentia and everything."

George's face softened at the reminder. "Yeah, she did."

"Look," Fred said, meeting George's eyes. "You've got to talk to her. Maybe she's trying to put up walls again, but if she's this affected, there's something there. Merlin knows it'll be fun watching you try to get through to her."

George laughed, though he was clearly nervous. "I suppose I can give it a shot. . eventually."

Fred rolled his eyes. "No, mate. Go find her now. I'll even clear out the library if you need some privacy." He winked.

George huffed a laugh, shaking his head. "Thanks, Fred. I might take you up on that. But. . . yeah. I'll talk to her."

He knew it wouldn't be easy, but maybe, just maybe, it would be worth the risk.

Olympia hunched over her notes, scrawling furiously, trying to drown out her thoughts with equations and figures. But no matter how hard she focused, the echoes crept in, unsettling her, especially that vague, tantalizing memory of George's hands on her waist.

Just then, a shadow fell over her parchment, and she glanced up to see Fred and George standing in front of her. Her heart skipped, but she quickly masked it with an unimpressed stare.

"Oh, not now," she muttered, gathering her things, but Fred was quicker. He rested a hand on her shoulder, pinning her to her seat with a mischievous grin. "Leaving so soon, Ols?"

She shot him a look, muttering, "Fine," and slumped back into her chair, rolling her eyes. Fred, clearly delighted, glanced at George, then strutted over to the librarian with an air of innocent curiosity. Olympia could already hear him starting to ramble about some obscure book, giving George the opening he'd clearly been waiting for.

George slipped into the chair across from her, leaning in with an earnest, slightly hesitant look. She bit her lip, her stomach flipping at his close presence. Before she could gather her defenses, he spoke.

"So, about the other night . . ." he began, his voice soft, careful.

She swallowed, eyes narrowing. "Yes, about that. What exactly happened?"

He paused, watching her, then launched into the story. "Well, you and I. . . we were dancing. A lot." A small smile played on his lips as he recalled it. "You were laughing and pulling me close. Honestly Ols you couldn't keep your hands off me."

Her face went scarlet, and she looked down, feeling warmth spread through her cheeks. George's smile widened, noticing the way she fidgeted, flustered.

"Really, you were all over me," he teased lightly, leaning in just a bit more. "And at one point, Fred swore you nearly pulled me down right there on the lawn. Told me you 'never realized how strong I was.'"

Olympia stiffened, horrified at the thought. Her lips pressed together, and she forced herself to meet his eyes, the humiliation boiling over into anger.

"Well, good thing it didn't go any further," she snapped, her voice cold and sharp. "I don't have time for this bullshit, George."

The light in George's eyes faded, replaced with something far darker. He blinked, the hurt plain on his face as her words seemed to hit him like a physical blow. For a second, he opened his mouth, as if to respond, but no words came. He only stared at her, taken aback, his expression an open book of hurt and confusion.

Olympia swallowed hard, her heart twisting painfully at the sight of his expression. But she didn't let her own emotions show. She grabbed her books, her jaw set in stubborn determination, and pushed herself to her feet. "I have homework to do," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before George could say anything, she turned and left the table, leaving him there with nothing but the echo of her words and a lingering sense of something precious slipping through his fingers.