Choices

Valerie was sitting in the back of Transfiguration, not really in the mood to have McGonagall call on her to participate today. She had just gotten into a fight with her best friend Laura who thought that Valerie was trying to steal her boyfriend Jason North from her. After years of being friends she couldn’t believe that Laura thought her possible of cheating with her boyfriend. She would never do such a thing!

Particularly since she found herself constantly thinking of a certain redhead who was off limits.

Valerie was glad now that she had not admitted to her friend her secret, unwanted attraction to George Weasley, she could only imagine the rumors that would be circulating today if she had. Valerie sighed and busied herself with looking down at her book as her ex-friend looked back at her for the tenth time to mouth unpleasant things at Valerie and give her reproachful stares.

“So rumor has it you stole her boyfriend from right under her nose.” Valerie jolted her head up and found herself lock in a stare with none other than George Weasley.

“I…” she trailed off because she was literally inches away from his lips. If she just leaned up ever so slightly they would be kissing—

A deep growl from the back of George’s throat snapped her back to reality and made her glance away from the lips that had entranced her.

“I did no such thing,” Valerie told him and frowned when she he dropped his school bag on the floor and took the seat next to hers. “What are you doing?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be smart?” George lazily stretched his long legs out in front of him and crossed his ankles. “I am sitting.”

“Yes I can see that but why are you doing it next to me?”

“Were you saving this place for someone?” George’s eyebrows wrinkled cutely in confusion.

“No—.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“The problem is that you are you and I am me!” Valerie hissed as a few students caught sight of them and with wide eyes turned to tell their friends. She was tempted to just get up and move to one of the free seats but her legs didn’t cooperate and wanted to stay right there next to George.

“So did you really steal her boyfriend?” George asked not even bothering to acknowledge her statement and the fact that more than half of the class kept looking back at the two of them.

“What? No!” Valerie said a little louder than necessary, flustered by his company. “Shouldn’t you go sit at an empty desk so you can sit next to your brother?”

“Fred is sick,” George informed her. For a second a genuine look of concern for the brother he clearly loved shadowed his face before it left and the cocky smile was back in place. “I am all yours today.”

“How about you be hers?” Valerie pointed discreetly to the brunette across the aisle and three rows up who was sitting alone and clearly beckoning to George that she had saved him a seat.

“Don’t want to and can’t.” When he saw the curiosity in her eyes he added, “The situation is a bit like yours except with her wanting to be stolen away from her boyfriend who happens to be a good friend of mine. If she thinks I can do that do a friend she’s clearly lost it.”

Valerie tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, not wanting to like George even more for his fidelity but hopeless not to. She tugged her earlobe as she pondered this new side of George, would he never cease to astonish her?

“You’re going to end up like Dumbo if you keep doing that,” George broke into her thoughts.

Offended Valerie scowled at the redhead, “Are you calling me dumb?”

“No, Dumbo. You know…the elephant with big ears…no? Well I guess that’s what I get for living with a father that loves muggles,” George laughed.

“Basically you are saying that I have big ears.”

“Wow, you are getting this all wrong little lamb.”

Valerie cringed, “Stop calling me that. I hate that nickname! How would you like it if I called you….hmmm—Gingerbread! How would you like that nickname huh gingerbread?”

The arrogant smile George shot her way said everything about what he thought of her nickname for him, “You gave me that nickname because you love gingerbread isn’t that right?”

Damn! Valerie realized that gingerbread was actually one of her favorite things to eat. Titling her head as if nothing was wrong and redness wasn’t spreading across her face Valerie looked down her nose at him.

George found it funny, “I think I will keep my new nickname thank you.”

Before Valerie could come up with a proper comeback the teacher arrived. The class fell silent and turned away from whispering about George and her when Professor McGonagall entered. The teacher didn’t waste any time diving into a lecture on the art of vanishment. Professor McGonagall must have gone through a number of important information regarding it but none of it would register with Valerie.

Her whole focus—her whole being—was zooned in on the troublemaker beside her. George had decided that there was no such thing as personal space between two people, letting his legs lean against hers and placing his elbows a whisper away from her own where it lay on the desk while she unsuccessfully took notes. Valerie moved her chair over to put some space between herself and the lure of George’s warm and inviting body. However, she should have known that it would not deter George as he only slid his chair even closer. Twice more she tried to get distance between them but it didn’t work, George only followed her and when she peeked through her lashes at him she found that he was smiling and finding this whole situation hilarious. Giving up, she took a deep mental breath and tugged on her earlobe in nerves, wishing that she wasn’t so affected by George.

Was he just playing with her? Did George even feel half the puzzling emotions buzzing through her? Turning her head to the side she openly studied George as he idly cursed the Slytherin students in his boredom. Suddenly needing to know if George felt something for her as well Valerie looked around the room to make sure that all the students were watching as McGonagall’s demonstrated the spell she had been educating them on. No one was paying them any attention so Valerie dared to put her arm on the back of George’s chair. He froze, stopping in the middle of a spell that was aimed at Laura.

“What—?” He never finished his question when he felt Valerie’s fingertips lightly caress the side of his neck. George couldn’t help the shiver that went through his body which she could fell with her hand on him. He closed his eyes as he angled his head for her to have better access. Valerie let her soft fingers and nails gently trail across his fair skin. Then she reached up and indulged in her secret fantasy of touching that shocking red hair. It was so soft and the richness of the unique color held her captive. There was no doubt that he was physically just as attracted to her as she was too him.

Valerie snatched her hand away from George when she caught sight of Laura’s revolted look. Chastised and furious at herself for even letting her undesirable feelings for George out when nothing could come of them she turned her back as much as possible to George and ignored him for the rest of class.

Well…as much as she could.