“You should leave,” Daphne whispered, her words so quite that he was sure if he had not been fully suppressed in the moment that her words would have gotten lost in the breeze, “everything I let myself enjoy eventually gets ruined. I won’t let you be ruined by my burdens. Life has to be good for you, being with me will only do the opposite”.
“You’ve made my life good, Greengrass”. George said diligently, afraid to say the wrong thing that would scare her away.
His answer was only met with silence.
Trying to lighten the mood, he silently chuckles, “I wouldn’t want to be ruined by anyone other than you anyways”.
Finally, George watched half- heartedly as his witch emitted a little scoff at his poor attempt to alleviate the mood and finally met his eyes.
Those beautiful blue eyes. He would beg to merlin himself for the opportunity to wake up to those eyes for as long as his heart lives.
Her eyes were like ice: cold and relentless, but when given the opportunity they held so much more. When met with care and love her eyes resembled a memory of his as a kid, when he would paint with Ginny. The mix of water colors on his canvas. All the variety of blues mixing together to create a mosaic that resembled closely to the northern lights.
As harsh as Daphne was to herself, and as much as she loved to self sabotage, George wouldn’t let this go. He wouldn’t allow it. Not this. She was to valuable for him to simply leave and forget, she deserved everything good in life. He couldn’t imagine a life without her. She used to call him daft for wanting her, but he knew deep down that as daft as he really was when it came to school, Daphne was the only answer he’s ever felt confident in choosing.
Still staring up at him, appearing to be analyzing his face for any signs of regret she finally spoke. “How do you know that this is what you want?”, he looked as her fingers gestured between them, “How are you so sure that I am worth enough to deal with?”
“I’ve never been so sure ever in my life,” George exclaimed softly. This is the tone she needed, no harshness in moments of vulnerability, she needed this moment to look back on. “any challenge you give me is worthwhile. Do you know why?”
He watched as she waited a few moments, contemplating any answers that were whirling around in that ruminative mind of hers before slowly shaking her head.
George raised both of his hands to gently cup her cheeks and said “It’s because you hold so much value to me Daphne. I lie awake most nights thinking about how the mere thought of a life without you, Daphne Clémence Greengrass, holds no meaning. So sure go ahead call me daft, call me a complete nutter for wanting you, I don’t mind. As long as I get to say that I’m yours my life is utterly fulfilled. Whether you truly replicate those feelings is up to you but I’m begging you to let yourself be happy, be merciful if you will, if not with me but with someone else.” Lifting his thumb he softly glided it along her rising lips, “So long as that beautiful smile of yours never vanishes. I can endure any pain.”
Painfully long, Daphne continued to stare up at him. No words appearing to emit from her lips anytime soon. Scared he had come off to strong George quickly stammered to ensure her that everything was at her pace. “Daphne I-“, his words were cut off by the sudden presence of Daphnes lips on his.
“You’re so nice to me”, she said as she softly pecked his lips. “I haven’t felt that in a while”, she admitted while repeatedly pressing those soft, lushes lips to his own.
He kissed her back. More fiercely, more passionately and with much more love than she could imagine. One of his hands that were gently cupping her right cheek was soon grabbing the back of her head, threading into the softness of her hair to pull her in closer to him. He wanted more of her. He wanted her love, her thoughts, her small laughs that she often tried to hide, those gentle smiles she gives people but not everybody and especially her future. He wanted Daphne in his future.
Fisting the front of his jumper, her knuckles had gone white. Now on her tippy toes, she was eagerly mirroring his passionate kisses. Each movement of his lips precise and relentless. She felt his love. Wanting more she lightly began to suck on his bottom lip emitting a moan from George. His hands had now been occupying her hips, finding purchase from them, like a anchor honoring its duty to withhold something from leaving. He brought her closer.
Removing her lips from his, he suddenly groaned at the feeling of loss. But that feeling soon turned yearnful as she began to press featherlight kisses to his neck. Murmuring soft affirmations as she went along. He had picked up a few “ I love you’s”, as she had been kissing along his collarbone, but that affectionate feeling soon turned into a dull ache in his chest when he picked up on one sentence she seemed to be vividly repeating, as if she couldn’t believe it herself.
“You’re so good to me”
A sharp pain gripped his chest. Sorrow. He wanted nothing more but for her to see her worth. She deserved good. And he would be the one to give it to her.