"Turn to page 394..." Snape's monotone drawl came from the front of the class, slightly snapping you from your daydream.
You had somehow managed to get George as your potions partner, since somehow Fred had a different potions slot. On the first day of class, as you sat near the back hoping Snape didn't acknowledge your existence, he sat down next to and immediately began to fidget everything within reach. You found it quite annoying at first, as it was severely distracting, but as you learned to tune it out you began to find it almost...cute? The way his hands would fiddle with a quill, or his long fingers spinning the copious rings on his hands, the little doodles he would draw in the margins of the notes. Just something about it. Just something about George.
This most recent daydream had been about George, of course, he seemed to be the main character in all of your touch-starved fantasies lately. This was perhaps the most pathetic one yet, all it was was him asking you for a quill. You replayed the point in the daydream as their fingers brushed passed one another multiple times. Too many times to pine over a simple graze.
Your attention was somewhat brought back to reality again as the sounds of stools pushing out and parchment being put away filled the room.
"Test tomorrow," Snape said in a voice of disdain.
You gathered your supplies and quickly walked out of the class, you could almost feel your own hair get greasier by the second when you were in Snape's presence.
A small daydream, more of a train of thought, of the professor's hair was brought to a halt as a sudden tapping came onto your shoulder. You turned in the direction, having to crane you neck up quite a bit, to see none other than George Weasley.
"...uh..yes?" You said to him with confusion.
"Er- could you help me study for the test?"
"Oh! Oh yeah.. there's a test," you said already forgetting about it, "probably not the best person to ask about that."
"Please?" He looked down at you with almost puppy dog eyes, you heart melted instantly
"I mean if you want to."
His face lit up and a huge smile appeared, "Cool. Cool, uh meet me by the black lake after dinner?"
"Suure," you were beginning to get more and more confused.
First of all, you weren't exactly a star pupil, given the fact you were constantly imagining scenarios that would never exist. George sits right next to you, surely he would've noticed the lack of notes you took. Also, studying at night doesn't seem optimal, you could say. I mean, there's lumos, but overall it really isn't practical to strain your eyes to read a potions textbook out in the dark.
As the day passed you thought more and more of this study "date." You knew, of course, it wasn't a date, but you didn't really know another phrase for studying with someone. Hence another reason why you're not the best study..... buddy! Buddy? Anyway, you let your brain freely daydream the scenarios during history of magic, even the brightest students had trouble paying attention to that ghost. They say he took a nap, died, and then didn't even notice until several days later. He just carried on teaching being dead. Anyway, again, you couldn't help but imagine this "date" as an actual date with George. He would bring flowers, be enthralled by your beauty, wishfully ask to go skinny dipping, and give you a magic kiss to say good night.
You casually mentioned it with your friends during dinner, to which they seemed utterly confused. They knew of your poor study habits, and usually you would feign offense to this, but this was really the main reason you talked to them about this. They, as annoying friends always do, teased you about George having a crush on you. Here's where the fatal mistake of you blushing occurred, which would lead to weeks of teasing. You would do the same to them, though.
As the end of dinner came around you excused yourself early to get your textbook from your dorm before heading out to the black lake. It had somehow only now struck you that you would be out quite a bit past curfew. You wouldn't want to miss this for the world, though, but you weren't quite sure why. Sure, George is cute, but that's it. Everyone finds him cute. Probably. Surely they must, have they seen him?
As you walked out to the black lake you could slowly see his figure come into focus, looking off into the lake. You came up next to him and looked out aswell, mostly just unsure on how to start this study "date." You really ought to think of a better name for this. Study.. situation? Yeah that'll work.
He looked calmly to his left, the side where you were standing, and did an immediate double take.
"Bloody hell, how long have you been standing there?"
You giggle at his apparent total lack of spacial awareness.
"I've been here hours, how long have you been standing here?" You poke back.
You're honestly not sure where that came from, although that was only an extremely stupid joke, it was the boldest you had been in... well ever. Just something about George.
He let out a hearty laugh and sat in the grass motioning for you to sit next to him, which you obviously obliged.
You go to open your textbook, "i should warn you, I have no idea what's going on in that class."
"Well, i guess we can study together then, eh?" He casts lumos and holds his wand over the textbook.
You turn a few pages before landing on something somewhat familiar, "so, i think he might've went over this in class.. so would probably be on the test.."
"Bezoars? Yeah yeah, I remember that. They're uh.. those little gross things?" he says
"Most things in potions are gross so probably" you say nodding your head.
"Okay i'll quiz you then vice-versa, yeah?
You agree hesitantly, not prepared to fully embarrass yourself tonight.
"What's a bezoar?"
"Er- those little gross things?"
"Exactly! Name a potion that uses a bezoar"
"Um, er, well, um, i've suddenly forgotten every potion in existence."
"Maybe we should switch"
"Yeah i like that idea!"
"What's the potion of liquid luck called?" You ask him.
"Felix Felicis"
"Yup! Name as many ingredients as you can remember of it..i guess. I'm not very good at coming up with questions."
"You're wonderful," he pauses for a moment, "ashwinder egg, squill bulb, murtlap tentacle, tincture of thyme, occamy eggshell, and uhh powdered common rue."
"Godric Gryffindor how the bloody hell do you know all that? I honestly don't know what a single one of those are..."
"Um, er, i don't know," he laughs nervously, "can you give me another?"
"Oh! Here's a hard one, who is known for the creation of many love potions in the 17th century?"
"A question about love? Like the way you think, that would be Montmorency."
"Merlin's beard George why'd you even ask me to help you study? I'm not even entirely sure what a love potion does.."
"Well amortentia, the most powerful of love potions, doesn't even create actual love, rather an infatuation with someone."
"Infatuation... that's a fun word to say even if i don't know what it means"
"Infatuation infatuation infatuation" George began repeating, "yeah i suppose it is a fun word isn't it?"
"George," you laughed, "you obviously, somehow, know all this, why'd you even ask me to help you study?"
"Underestimated me huh? You'll find i'm actually the smarter twin, don't suppose you know Fred though."
"No i don't-"
"Guess i'll have to introduce you to him, funny bloke, clever too, at least when it comes to pranks, but honestly there's nothing up there"
"George but i-"
"He'd probably like you, heck who wouldn't, though?"
You faltered slightly at the compliment, "-er thanks but why-"
"Oh you're welcome i guess, not sure why you would thank me for stating something so obvious"
"but why- wait, obvious?"
"Merlin's pants is there not a mirror in the girl's dorms?" He dramatically gasped, "are you a vampire!?"
Although you were extremely annoyed at him dodging the question as this point, this made you genuinely laugh at his apparent concern for you being a vampire.
"Not since I last checked, no"
"Oh good, reckon you'd look good in the sunlight, and you wouldn't even he able to eat garlic! I wonder how Italian vampires get by, you know? Not to mention all the chur-"
"George!" You say, surprising yourself at raising you voice.
He, looking just as suprised, "er- yes?"
"Why did you ask me to study with you. Is this some kind of prank?"
"What? No of course not"
"Because i know all about your reputation"
"Well this isn't a prank"
"Exactly what someone who was planning a prank would say!" You say accusingly
"Also what somebody would say if they weren't planning a prank"
"Damn, i think we've reached an impass"
"Well I swear to you this isn't a prank, besides i would never prank you!"
"What do you swear on?"
"Hmmm, what about this kiss?"
"George what? There's no kiss to swear on-"
He cuts you off by cupping your cheek and placing his face mere inches from yours. You swear your heart stops beating, this would he a really embarrassing first kiss if you died. Can see the tomb stone already, Cause of death: cute ginger. Although out of all the ways to die that might be the best one.
"Can i swear on this kiss?" He asks, asking permission with a cheeky smile.
"I suppose that'll do" you smile at him and press your lips into his. This really came out of nowhere for you but there really isn't a reason to not just roll with it. Just like your daydream, the kiss felt like magic, almost like fireworks going off inside of you. Is it too late now to realize you may have had a crush on him?
He pulls away and gazes down at you with an expression of pure admiration, like he was taking to time to study each of your features. You took the time to do the same to his, barely illuminated by his wand.
"So, is that why you asked me to help you study?"
"I hadn't actually hoped for the kiss, but basically...yeah," he looked down at the grass.
After that studying was completely out the window, you and George just lay on you backs in the grass. You looked up at the sky with him and pointed out constellations, you talked about your family, your friends, interests, things in common, possible new holidays, anything George and you could think of. You watched the sunrise with his arm around you. He walked you to your common room and said goodbye with another perfect kiss. It was definitely a great study situation. In fact, it felt like the best night of your life, you didn't even care you were totally going to fail this potions test.
It was just something about George.