Sequel: Anchor
Status: Complete! Check out, Anchor. It's the sequel to this story.

Love Gone Mad

THIRTY-TWO

Adara sat on the edge of the sofa occupying Fred and George’s living room. She twirled her wand in her fingers; making it a point to glance over at the paralyzed body of her uncle, Lucius Malfoy. Adara knew at any moment the spell would ware off and she’d have to face him, but this time she was ready.

The body of Lucius Malfoy coiled in the corner of the living room across from Adara. Short gasps came from his throat and his eyes frantically searched his surroundings as his once immobilized physique revived.

Adara left her seat on the plush sofa and strode toward her uncle, she offered him a hand and he accepted. Lucius' legs quaked as he slowly rose to his feet; resting a hand on Adara’s shoulder for support.

“Why?” Lucius whispered to his niece; his usual perfectly straight blond hair was disheveled around his shoulders and red veins protruded past the whites of his eyes; exhaustion pervaded his stature.

“Because I couldn’t fool myself any longer, uncle,” Adara confided; her wand still at the ready. “I’m in love with George Weasley.”

The words struck Adara like a brick wall; she’d finally said it, not just to her uncle, but to herself.

Lucius Malfoy’s drained expression mixed with a look of disgust, he took a step back from Adara; his balance fully restored. “Then you are no daughter of mine.”

Adara swallowed hard, she was willing to lose everything to be with George; even her family. She did have a peace that no matter what happened Draco would stand by her side; after all, he was the reason she was standing in George’s home.

“I hope one day you will understand, Lucius,” Adara expressed with a look of sympathy crossing her face.

Lucius’ jaw clenched and he removed his gaze from Adara to his left forearm; the Dark Mark tingled against his skin. “I must go.”

With loud crack, her uncle was gone. Adara ran her fingers through the fringe that fell in her face; she’d done it.

She exhaled and slumped into the couch; beginning to worry about George. Hours past and Adara still received no word, her eyes began to grow heavy and she soon drifted off into a restless sleep.

“Adara,” someone uttered; shaking her shoulders violently, “Adara, wake up.”

Adara jerked up; wand at hand and met the dark eyes of a man she‘d never seen before.

“It’s okay, you’re safe. Put your wand down,” the man insisted, gently moving Adara’s hand, that held her wand, away from his neck.

“Who are you?” Adara asked; her eyes narrowed and scanned the man in front of her. He had a mop of graying hair upon his head and a beard, which looked like he hadn’t taken the time to maintain, resting on his strong jaw. Several scars crossed his face, gifting him with a edgy appearance.

“My name is Remus Lupin, I’m with the Order of the Phoenix and I was sent here to get you by the demand of George Weasley,” Lupin expressed as he watched Adara’s sapphire eyes widen at the sound of George’s name.

“Is George alright?”

“He ran into a little misfortune but I assure you he will be fine,” Remus answered while offering a smile to the young lady in front of him. “If you’d be so kind as to grab by arm.”

Without hesitation, Adara linked her arm with the man named Remus Lupin and apparated into a cramped living space. Her eyes met the back of several familiar people; all were crowded around sofa in the center of the room. Not a single person acknowledged Adara’s presence; all attention was glued to the body in front of them.

Adara took a few steps forward, her hands trembled; she didn't want to see what had happened to George, but she needed to be next to him. She caught a glimpse of George's body lying on a couch, while she stood on the tips of her toes; looking over the shoulder of a man whom Adara recognized from the pictures on the walls of George and Fred apartment; Arthur Weasley.

A weak gasp escaped Adara's lips when she saw the blood that stained the side of George's clothes; however, she couldn't see his face because his twin brother, Fred, knelt on the ground beside George; blocking Adara's view.

"Georgey," Adara overheard Fred speaking; his voice croaked.

The air in Adara's lungs tightened and her vision blurred from the tears that filled her crystal blue eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

Adara nudged her way through the row of people in front of her. Her eyes landed upon George, the right side of his body; from his hairline to his hands, was drenched in his own blood.

"Saint-like," George replied; his voice barely reached a whisper.

George's eyes met Adara's and a grin tugged at his cheek; his eyes held so much pain yet he had the strength to smile. Adara's knees went weak when her gaze landed upon George's mangled right ear, she placed a hand up to her lips and let the warm tears that filled her eyes swim down her cheeks.

"You see," George continued, his lips breaking a full smile and his eyes closed momentarily, "I'm holy. Holey, Fred, get it?"

Fred laughed, along with several others, at his twins comment.

"Pathetic," Fred replied; sniffling back tears, "Pathetic, with the whole world of ear-related humor before you, you go for holey?"

"Ah well, you will be able to tell us apart now anyway, mom."

Adara looked over at the women George had just addressed to be his mother; she was a beautiful witch with a smile that Adara knew she had passed down to George.

Moments passed in silence and the room began to clear out after Arthur Weasley and Remus Lupin tended to George's wound. Soon, only Adara, Molly, and George remained.

"Mom," George breathed; meeting the gaze of his teary-eyed mother. "I'd like you to meet Adara."

George reached out his hand; ushering for Adara to come over toward him.

"It's lovely to meet you, Adara. I'm Molly," the women spoke, standing up from her seat on the armrest of the sofa and pulling Adara into a warm embrace.

"I am so happy to meet you, Mrs. Weasley," Adara replied; both women sniffled back their tears. "Please, call me, Molly."

"Molly, you've raised a wonderful son," Adara expressed; lovingly gazing at George.

"I think so too," Molly agreed; stroking the hair out of George's face. "I'll leave you two alone now."

Molly scurried out of the room and into what Adara guessed to be the kitchen. In one swift movement, Adara knelt on the ground beside where George lay and rested her head on the edge of the couch, staring up into George's eyes.

"The one-eared look suits you, Weasley," Adara spoke playfully; her voice was in a whisper.

"Somehow it enhanced my already devilishly handsome good looks," George replied.

Adara continued to study George's face then felt a wave of sadness crash against her. Her shoulders began to shake in quiet sobs and Adara felt the warmth of George's hand stroke against her cheek. He didn't speak a word; he knew why she was crying.

"George, I'm sorry," Adara blurted out; clenching her head in her hands. "I can't sit here and pretend to not know what we're both thinking."

Adara felt weight shift on couch and she looked up to see George trying to stand to his feet.

"What are you doing?" Adara shrieked; jumping to her feet. "You need to lie down."

"Follow me," George uttered while slowly making his way into the door on his left. Adara obeyed and strode close behind him, worried that he would collapse from loss of blood. "Sit," George spoke as the two walked into what seemed to be a study.

George made his way over toward a wooden desk in the far right corner of the room. A lamp rested in the middle; its' light allowed Adara to see George picking up a box of some sort. She took a seat on the small gray love seat resting beside a long row of bookshelves. The room smelt musky; like it hadn't been lived in for many years.

Walking back over to Adara, George set a small brown shoebox in her lap. Adara looked at the box curiously; not understanding why George had brought it to her.

"Open it."

Out of her peripherals, Adara saw George take a seat beside her and run his fingers through his unkempt red hair. She slowly removed the lid and gazed upon the sight of notes crowding the box's insides. Adara placed a hand to her lips and closed her eyes, causing several tears to glide down her rosy cheeks. She glanced over at George, who sat beside her; unmoving and watching her closely.

Adara reached in the box and pulled out a small roll of parchment; more hot tears escaped her sapphire eyes as they scanned the sloppy black ink that filled the page.

"George," Adara whispered; not removing her stare from what she held in her hands.

She felt the warmth of George's hand touch her face as he tucked a stand of hair behind her ears, "I forgave you the second you walked out of the common room that day."

Adara's throat tightened and her hands began to trembled as she listened to George speak. Shaking her head in disbelief, Adara met George's gaze.

“I wanted to go after you, I wanted to find you and tell you everything I’ve written in these notes but I knew I couldn’t, I knew I had to wait for you to find me.”

A faint laugh escaped Adara’s lips; it had happened. She’d found him.

“Adara Rose Malfoy, I’m in love with you,” George Weasley expressed as he rested his hand on top of Adara’s; tears brimming his eyes.

And then Adara laughed; a laugh of pure joy; a laugh of radiance. She wrapped her arms around George’s neck and held him tightly.

“Will you let me prove it to you?” George whispered into her ears as he ran his fingers through her long black hair. “Let me make up for all of our lost time.”

Adara nuzzled her face into George’s neck; her tears falling upon his skin. She smiled.

“I would love nothing more,”

George pulled away from Adara; that boyish grin crept across his lips. The bliss that built up inside of him was inexpressible. Matchless.

“Then I’m going to kiss you now,” George spoke; his voice overflowed with the love he felt for the woman looking back at him.

A playful smirk crossed Adara’s lips as she watched George lean in and caresses the side of her cheek. She wrapped her arms around George’s neck and touched her nose to his.

“I love you,” Adara whispered; feeling the warmth of George’s breath colliding with her skin.

He brought his lips to hers and they shared a kiss; a kiss that was different then the others they'd shared before. A kiss filled with the longing and devotion that had been created within the two during their separation.

Adara ran her fingers through George's hair and he pulled her closer; their hearts beating against one another's chest.

George removed his lips from Adara and trailed a row a kisses across her jaw line.

Adara's gaze met George and she subtly winked at him. Entwining her fingers with his, Adara rested her head upon George's chest; listening to the steadiness of his breathing.

Molly Weasley's voice ran through the air, signaling that supper was ready. George let a grunt of protest, "That woman has brilliant timing."

Adara laughed and nuzzled her face into George's chest; the scent of his cologne lingered across her nose. George rubbed Adara's back as she whispered how they should join his family and the Order for dinner.

The two leisurely arose from the couch and headed toward the doorway. George skipped past Adara, beating her to the door, and held it open for her.

"Ladies first,"

"Thank you," Adara replied; blowing George a kiss.

The two strode into the kitchen hand in hand; receiving many glances from those seated around the dining table.

"It's about time," Fred Weasley called out; winking at his twin and Adara, who sat side by side across from him at the table.
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