O to the W L-zzle

[mischief_george]

It wasn't often that George Weasley waffled over something. He might sit back and let a lot of things wash over him, but he was far from indecisive. And yet, he found himself going back and forth over what he should send out with an owl to a girl

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[mischief_george]

Hey, he would beep her nose every bloody day if it got him hand holding. And George was a red-blooded British male. He had no pride. Pity kisses were perfectly acceptable.

Leaning in to her lips, he moved one hand to lightly trail down her back, fingers sliding along her spine. He was one big shiver and goosebump, all from just a simple kiss. Oh, Merlin, he was in so much trouble. Grinning goofily at her, he struggled to get his mind away from thoughts of doing things other than sitting nicely in a movie theater. Like how her hair would feel running through his fingers. Or how the skin just along her cheek just seemed to be begging to have kisses scattered along it.

Right. He really needed to just switch off that portion of his brain, now. Giving her hand a brief squeeze, he lead her out into the night. The theater was only a couple of blocks over and a broomstick wasn't exactly inconspicuous in Muggle London, so walking it was. "Ah, we're doing good so far," he nodded. "Comedies are a nice start. But please," George suddenly looked at her, mock-terrified, "don't tell me you want to see something with that American bloke, Eddie Murphy? Because I think that might just be the end of the evening if so. It pains me to say it, but a bloke has to have standards."

They slipped through one of the passageways and soon blended into the crowd wandering down a street of the Muggle side of things. "Since my brother and I moved to London, I've gone and seen a movie every week. Did you know that you can't actually get singing popcorn? It's very disappointing."

[busty_robin]

"Wait a sec." She stopped on the sidewalk, grinning, eyes bright, at George. "This is my first time in London." Steph looked around, half amused, half gaping. People -non-costumed, non-magical- people were walking around. There was traffic, gutters, and gum on the sidewalk. There were children, and couples, and holy hell when had cellphones gotten so small?

There was life. Normal, everyday life. She took it all in before shaking her head clear. "Sorry. You were talking about Eddie Murphy? I can live without him, I think. And it's absolutely tragic about the singing popcorn."

[mischief_george]

What? Stopping, George boggled at Stephanie for a moment before grinning broadly at her. "Why didn't you say so?" It was seriously mind blowing to him that someone would not know London, at least in passing, so he took a moment to stop and think. "Right. You, missy, are now in for the George Weasley London Tour in Ten Minutes, patent pending."

Hmm... Turning in a slow circle, he then pulled her gently down the street. "This is a sidewalk," he told her gravely in his best Tour Guide voice. "If you look to your left, that is a window. Behind the window is..." he checked, "a lot of random rubbish and some pans." He paused for emphasis. "London pans." His fingers still threaded with hers, he kept on walking. "Now up ahead, you'll see a street light. Run on eckeltricity." George leaned in to whisper in Stephanie's ear. "My Dad works for the Ministry in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts division. Collects plugs. He's mad about eckeltricity."

As they made their way towards a grocery on the corner, George pointed over across the way. "That's a bobbie. They're Muggle Aurors. Sometimes they blow whistles and rush about. I've no idea why." George looked faintly amused by this. He found most of the things that happened in Muggle London completely baffling.

[busty_robin]

Steph went along with the tour, letting out various exclamations of "'Ah-hah', 'Mmm', or 'yes, I see, quite a window'", trying her best to keep a serious face. "Eckeltricity? Well, that's very advanced. Back home, we make due with electricity." Hee!

Heeeey. Comparing what their Dads did for a living. Surprisingly, not a topic Steph wanted to breach. Ugh. Even dead, Arthur Brown could ruin a perfectly good time. Instead, she scrunched up her face and said, "Muggle? Is that some sort of random British slang?"

"I think they do that when someone breaks the law, George." She nudged him in the side. "If they're ever whistling at you, it's a good idea to pay attention."

[mischief_george]

George stumbled to a stop, nearly tripping over his own feet in his shock. "Random British slang?" he repeated, jaw dropping and free hand held to his chest. "Merlin's bollocks, girl, are you a Witch or aren't you?" Glancing around, he leaned in, trying to keep his voice low. Which was hard, with the laughing. "Muggles are... Well, they're them." He waved his hand around at the street. "The non-Wizards."

Anything Muggle kind of confused George. His dad was always bringing home plugs and rubber ducks and other random things - frankly, he didn't see the point. "They, you know, can't use magic or any of that. Weird. Like, my dad told me they have to actually clean things by hand." George looked completely horrified by this. "Without magic."

Shudder.

Looking over at the bobbie with amusement, George laughed once, loudly. "Oh. Oops. That explains a lot, actually."

[busty_robin]

"I'm very new at the witch thing, thanks!" See how she wasn't laughing, there? She didn't mind being laughed at when things were actually funny. But this was...it sounded like something you'd name a cutesy animal. Steph looked around, with a scowl. "They just look like people to me."

"Weird?" she repeated. Goodbye handholding, hello arm crossing. "What the hell is so weird about cleaning things by hand? The majority of the human race gets along just fine without magic."

[mischief_george]

Wha--? What just happened? Looking completely confused, George blinked rapidly, trying to catch up. "It's... I don't know! I just never saw anyone do it!" One second they'd been fine and the next moment Stephanie looked like he just insulted her mum. "And there are rubber ducks and plugs and cars, and I just think it's all...rather funny?" he trailed off helplessly.

He had absolutely no idea what he might have done. But obviously something had gone wrong somewhere. "And people are born Witches, you know. I mean, even if your parents are Muggles, you're a Witch. It's...just the way it is! You're one of us!"

[busty_robin]

"Well it’s not! And it’s messed up that you think so." Okay, she was getting pissed. "It's a way of life. You don't laugh at people’s ways of living. It's bad enough that you guys get this freak genetic gift, but then you patronize the people who don't have it? That's severely messed up.

Oh, and that next bit did. not. help. "George, I was 'Muggle' - and that's stupid ass name - for seventeen years before dy-" not a first date topic, even if this date was rapidly coming to close "-before coming here. So if they're weird, then I'm weird. You say I'm one of you? Your world didn't do shit for me. My mom - my wonderful, non-magical mom - raised me just fine without magic. And god knows magic would've made things easier, but we made due with the resources we had, and I won't have some boy I barely even know belittle that!"

Steph took a deep breath. She was very, very angry, and that never led to good things.

"I'd like to go home now," she said, taking off her hat and handing it back to George.

[mischief_george]

George was completely over his head. No doubt about it. His jaw was dropped somewhere along the ground and his eyes were wide, completely horrified and confused and sorry, though he hadn't the first idea what to be sorry about. But whatever it was, he was, deeply.

Taking the hat back wordlessly, he looked down at it and then back up to Steph, at a loss. "A-all right," he nodded, his expression for all the world one of a kicked puppy. He didn't know what to say, had no idea where he'd gone wrong, so he simply turned and started back towards his shop. George's stomach was all in unpleasant knots and his throat was tight. He desperately tried to think of something to say, anything to make this better. But he came up with nothing.

Hesitating, though, before they pushed through the barrier back to Diagon Alley, he paused and looked at her, expression earnest and hurting and slightly bewildered. "Stephanie, look, I... I was raised Wizard, all right? We live in the Burrow - that's this rubbish, tumbling down old house in the country, held together with magic and wishful thinking. I have five brothers and a younger sister. The only exposure I've had to Muggles, at all, is what my dad tells me from work and the Muggle-borns I met at school. I... Merlin, I'm sorry if you..."

He swallowed hard and dropped his eyes to the ground, scuffing at the sidewalk with his toe. "Magic doesn't make everything better," he muttered. For once he didn't look cocky or jovial; for once being a Weasley - they of the 'freckles and more children than they could afford' - actually appeared to affect him. "We made do with second-hand books and rubbish clothes and Ginny got jumpers made from our old trousers. And other pure-blooded families got their end in, making fun of dad, because he wouldn't kiss arse to move up in the Ministry. Because he likes Muggles and he wants to help. And..." Wow, he never talked this much. Not about anything serious. Blowing out a breath, George laughed kind of helplessly and looked up at the sky.

"And I hated it. I hated being poor, and I hated myself for thinking that. So I worked hard. And Fred and I opened the joke shop and... And I never really had time for girls. Or, you know, learning how to hold a conversation, apparently." He winced and looked at her. "But I like you, Stephanie. And I didn't mean... It's just... It's odd to me, to try and imagine growing up without, you know? It was hard enough with magic. I just...I don't know. It seems really odd, I guess."

Then, shrugging, he lowered his head again, looking thoroughly sad. "Anyway. I'm sorry." Then he pushed open the portion of the wall that would lead them back to Diagon Alley. "I'll take you home."

[busty_robin]

A part of her felt terrible for George, knew he was completely out of his element, and maybe it wasn’t fault, the whole foot-in-mouth thing.

But a much bigger part of her was hurt. Really hurt that this guy she’d known for less than week could make her feel this bad. And a part of her that she tried so hard not to listen to was screaming, reminding her that this is what people DID, and she KNEW it. You let them in, you let your guard down, and they hurt you.

Her dad did it - every single time he was out, promising that he was going legit, that things were going to be fine from Here On Out. Batman did it, The Birds did it. They kicked her out, and whenever they asked her back, she went, because she wanted to believe that this time it would be different. She’d be better. She’d be so fucking good that they’d want her.

But she couldn’t change. She tried so hard, but she couldn’t. She could bulk up, get some speed, memorize facts, put on a new costume, but in the end, she was still Steph. That’s all she’d ever be and that had to be enough, and some days it wasn’t.

And just like there was no way to change the fact that she was Stephanie Brown, there was no way to change the fact that she hadn’t grown up a wizard. And anyway, she wouldn’t change it, even if she could. If George thought that the first seventeen years of her life were something to laugh at, then the hell if she was going to give him a chance to hurt her too.

And damn it! He had kind of talked about her mom. She just...she didn’t know what to say. She nodded, and walked through the door.

Only...

"I know what it’s like," said said, still walking. "To have people make fun of you for something you can’t change. For something that shouldn’t be mocked in the first place. Just because they’re looking for someone to tease, and you’re there, and you’re different - your family's different-, so it might as well be you." She looked everywhere but at George.

"My dad was in prison," she said quietly. "And that follows you. People just...people are bastards, and they expect you to fail, and if you do it’s because you’re a con's kid, and if you don’t it’s this bright, shiny, amazing thing because you’re a con's kid, and you just don’t ever get away from it. Not ever."

"And I’m sorry you had to go though that. Your dad sounds like a nice guy, and that’s not fair."

[mischief_george]

Stopping, he just looked at her. Then, not over thinking it, because he'd talk himself out of it or be convinced it was the wrong move or a thousand other things, George simply pulled Stephanie into a hug. One hand was splayed against her back, holding her to him, and the other pushed up into her hair slightly, making soothing circles against her scalp.

"I'm so bloody sorry," he murmured into her ear. "That's not what I meant. I never, ever would mean to make fun of you or who you are, Steph, I swear. I think you're sodding amazing."

Then he laughed a little, shortly, and pulled back to look down at her, brushing a lock of her hair away from her cheek. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. You seem absolutely brilliant, and no one like you should ever have to deal with that. And I'm sorry I'm such an idiot and didn't think. Unfortunately. That's what happens when you're raised in a house of blokes. Foot-in-mouth syndrome." He smiled hopefully at Stephanie, just a bit hesitant. "Very sad."

And now he was just babbling and being all sappy and it was just embarrassing. Straightening up, trying to salvage some of his manly reputation, George glanced around. No one there. Other direction? Still clear. He ducked his head and kissed her, softly, on the cheek. "And even if we never made it to the movie, this is still the best date I've ever been on. So thanks."

Then, nervously, he backed away and turned to keep walking towards where he'd stashed his broom. But he couldn't keep from grinning a little.

[busty_robin]

She stiffened, a little, at the hug. But damn it, she was so tired of hiding everything about her life, and maybe it was okay to admit this one thing, even if he might go back and throw it in her face when she did something typical of criminal's daughter. She wrapped her arms around George’s waist, taking a deep breath, trying to center herself. Trying to refrain from doing or saying something she’d regret.

Trying not to care that his hands were in her hair, and that she didn’t have time for any of this, and if he ever found out how messed up she really was, he’d run screaming.

"No one should have to deal with that. Period," she said, reaching up and running a hand over his cheek. "And I’m fairly certain they make a breath mint specifically designed for that foot-in-mouth odor."

This wasn’t okay. She felt like crap, and George was partially responsible for that. But she was tired, she didn’t want to be angry tonight, and did she mention the tired thing?

Steph was asleep the second they were in the air, tucked away quite comfortably in George's lap, head resting under the crook of his neck. At the very least, she trusted him not to let her fall off and die.

And if she did die, she was so going to haunt him.

[mischief_george]

His arms wrapped around Stephanie as if she was some precious, fragile thing, George flew back much more slowly then the trip out had been. He told himself it was because it was harder to fly with a girl all in his lap. Right. Or, maybe, he wanted to prolong the feeling for as long as possible. Whichever.

Far too soon for his liking they flew up to Gryffindor tower. His broom hovering outside, George carefully swung up onto the ledge of Stephanie's window, pushing open the glass and carrying her inside.

Her shoes were eased off and she was settled into bed. Hey, he was an older brother. He knew how this worked. Tucking her in, George knelt beside the bed, pushing a bit of hair back from her forehead. "Good night, Stephanie. Thank you for going out with me." He grinned at her. "And thanks for not pushing me off the roof. Right smashing of you."