Flirt
“You should remember what I did before Percy. I never left my dorm room. From the second I stepped onto the train, until I took exams at the end of the year I read a chapter of the text book then rewarded myself with a chapter of voyages with vampires or-“ George cut them off the second the title came out of there lips.
“I told you!” George teased, grinning and pointing out what book they listed first.
“Not the point.” Lirum said, pointedly.
“I read your notes in the margins. You were a sucker for the romantic subplot!” He chuckled.
“Regardless, I want to make as much time for this,” Lirum said pointing between the two. “Whatever we are, but I can’t sacrifice my grades for it.”
“I respect that, but your grades don’t really matter do they? You’re already mastering your craft outside of school. It’s not like your future depends on it or anything.” George asked, carefully.
“I still want to be a capable wizard! Look at Lockhart! Not to mention, if people remember me as the person in school who used to be hard working and smart then one day just stopped. Do you think they’ll trust the wands I make? There's a reason that as far back as you go the Ollivander have been ravenclaws. Being hardworking, inventive, and creative are the cornerstones of this family.” Lirum explained “You have to work and try to learn. Even after you’ve made the first one and it works. You can’t just make that wand you have to keep trying and make different types because no two people are exactly the same.”
“I hadn’t thought about that,” George started a little bummed but understanding. “What if I do it?”
“Do what?” Lirum asked, confused.
“I could help you study, Fred and I usually watch the other house's matches but this way we’d be alternating Saturdays? One week you come watch, the next I come study?”
“You? Study? Actually study not sit there and distract me even worse? You’re very funny.”
“For you? I could.” He insisted, looking more determined than ever.
“George, that sounds about as likely as me starting to enjoy quidditch.” Lirum joked, picking up a book with a dragon on its cover.
“Would you let me try? One chance. If I’m good, no distractions, or funny business, and we actually study you’ll come to the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match?” He bargained.
“Don’t you have quidditch practice? How are you going to manage that? I doubt wood will let you skip to go on study dates.” Lirum teased, poking holes through his perfect plan.
“Easy, I won’t call it a date. I’ll tell him I have supplements, my grades are far from perfect. Teachers threaten us with it all the time. We normally keep our grades just above the line so they can’t force us to come in any extra, but your top of our class. It makes perfect sense. If I missed a few to many questions on my last test they’d force me into extra lessons, offer you extra credit in whatever class you might be less then perfect in to catch me up.” George explained, he’d put a scary amount of thought into this. He already had the whole thing mapped out in his head.
“You know everyone thinks Fred is the mastermind, but I’m starting to think he’s just the figurehead. You are wicked smart. If you applied yourself you’d probably be able to take top of out class from me.” Lirum said, putting the book they’d been thumbing through back, not having seen anything too interesting.
“Oh and I forgot the best bit!” He cheered excitedly.
“Oh yeah?” They asked, seeing his excitement.
“Percy won’t be able to be upset about us spending the extra time together. If both of our grades rise who is he to tell us to stop studying.” George bragged, finishing his perfect plan.
“Do you really think Percy would try and say something to you?” Lirum asked, looking back at the smug ginger.
“He already does constantly,” George laughed, “he believes Fred and I are the worst thing to ever happen to you.”
“Ok, under the condition you will actually study with me, as long as we’re really studying. I’ll start coming to your games.” George beamed, at their answer.
“Fred’s going to be so angry this cuts into our pranks a little bit, but I can’t think of anything more worth it.” He cheered, pulling them into a hug.
“If you're not looking for anything educational they’ll be on the far side of the room.” The older man behind the cabinet said, peeking back over at them. Quickly the pair separated a tad awkwardly and Lirum put back the latest not so interesting and outdated guide to dragons.
As Lirum hadn’t found anything particularly interesting on the shelves they’d been standing in front of they decided they should listen to him and move to the other side of the room both for a little more privacy and a new selection.
Scanning the new set of shelves they noticed a familiar pink embossed title ‘Enchanted encounters Vol. 2 Leliana’s song’. They could feel the blush creeping onto their cheeks before they even pulled it out if it’s place on the shelf. They timidly opened the cover to make sure it was truly a continuation of the book they’d found.
“Are you very interested in dragons?” Suddenly, they were brought back to reality by an arm wrapping around their waist. Snapping the book shut and spinning to find a slightly startled George.
“Oh uh, I-I mean it’s not something I’m obsessed with them, or anything I-I just mean, we live in a world where dragons exist. Y-you can’t tell me you don’t think that’s a-a least a little cool.” Lirum sputtered out awkwardly.
“I’m sorry, should I not have-” He questioned, attempting to read the situation.
“No! No, you’re alright-“ Lirum tried to reassure him.
“You’re beet red, I’m sorry I shouldn’t-“ He began to pull away, but Lirum stopped him.
“No, I was just caught off guard! It’s good, really.” They insisted, pulling him back towards them.
“Oh uh, W-what umm,” He cleared his throat. “What were you looking at? I just noticed the three you had pulled out before were about dragons. Then I saw something about dragons and darkspawn?”
“It was just a silly romance novel, nothing to put much thought into really. Saw the word dragon! Definitely that!” Lirum said, before suddenly realising why he’d become so awkward. They were still holding him pressed against them. “Oh-hehe, sorry.”
“Don’t be, I’m more than happy to be this close.” His hands fell to rest on either side of them. Cleverly snaking their way around them. He inched closer, backing them into the bookcase. “I really appreciate you giving me a chance. I know-“
“George?!” A girls voice rang through the small store. His head instantly snapped towards the sound, Lirum could barely see over his shoulder. Hermione stood shocked in the doorway, followed by none other than Ron Weasley.
“Hey guys…” George said awkwardly, dropping his head on the shelf.
“What are you doing in here? Where’s Fred?” Hermione asked, looking around.
“I’m busy, and he’s not here.” George Grumbled out.
“In surprised you are, I didn’t know you could read?” Ron joked, before his expression turned from confused to shocked. “Is that Lirum?!”
“Hey guys…” Lirum sighed.
“Oh!” Hermione seemed to have understood now exactly what they’d walked in on. “We should go to Honeydukes instead! Let’s go!”
“What? After you fought to drag me in here?!” He argued, staring at Hermione like a mad man.
“Now’s not a good time Ronald!” Hermione snapped, dragging him back out of the door.
It slammed shut behind them.
“We’re not allowed to have a romantic moment are we?” Lirum joked, as they wrapped their arms around him in return.
“We’ve got now? I can work with this.” He said, picking himself back up to look at them.
“Oh, and to think I thought you brought me here because you wanted to learn more about me and my interests.” They teased, their eyes meeting his brown ones.
“Oh I’d love to learn about all of your…interests” he leaned in smile pulling at the edges of his lips.
“Are you two finding everything alright?” The older gentleman asked, walking around the corner to check on them. George’s hand slipped away from their side and picked up the book they’d had earlier.
“Yeah, I believe just this one should do.” He said holding up the pink book. He turned to face the shopkeeper and began following him back towards the counter.
“Alright then, just the one will come out to four sickles.” He said, grabbing thick brown paper to wrap it in keeping it safe. When he flipped it right way round to measure for a second he looked up eyeing the young couple. “Do you know what this book is about?”
“It’s a gift for them,” George said pointing at an increasingly embarrassed Lirum. It seemed the older man was well aware of the books contents.
“Well, guess you're about the right age for it.” He said, looping the twine around it to seal it for safe travel back to the castle.
“Thank you, right we should be going!” Lirum said, snatching up the book before George had a chance too. “Have a good day sir, goodbye!”
Lirum grabbed George’s arm and dragged him out of the door. When they stepped out into the street they couldn’t miss his giggling.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice that.” He teased, walking alongside them. “Would you like to explain, or do I get to let my mind run wild?”
“It’s a romance novel.” They said full of all the fake confidence they could muster.
“The kind of romance have to sneak into the restricted section to read?” He asked, sneaking an arm around them.
“I-I have not!” Lirum yelped. “I found it, a student left it in the hall and I stumbled across it!”
“And That’s how you found out it belongs in the restricted section?” It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he was thinking, and like it or not he was correct.
“Not quite…” Lirum mumbled, trying to find a better way to explain how they’d come across the smutty book.
“How’d you go and do that then?” He questioned, cheekily.
“Adrian, the Slytherin prefect in our year, he-“ They started.
“What did he do? Are you alright?” George asked, suddenly breaking his playful facade. He became serious, worried even.
“Nothing, Adrian’s really nice actually. He just found me with it and told me I needed to return it to the library. When I did, Madam Pince told me it belongs in the restricted section. For… inappropriate subject matter.” Lirum explained, looking up at him embarrassed. They noticed he couldn’t hide the smile that came when they met his gaze.
“A Slytherin? Did I hear that probably? You think a Slytherin is actually really nice?” George stressed each question like they’d lost their mind.
“I’m not sure whether to be happy or offended you find that more entertaining than the dirty books.” Lirum said, conflicted.
“We can talk about the books later. Right now I’m concerned.” He insisted.
“George he’s a prefect, you should know he was the only Slytherin not cheating.”
“Yeah, on a team full of cheaters, that he helped. Oh, and how’d you know that? Because he told you.” George sighed looking at them “You are not a gullible person. I don’t know how you’re not seeing through this.”
“He’s helped me out.” Lirum insisted.
“How?” He scoffed.
“He helped me get my badge back after everything with Davies, and he is the one who told me not to keep going to study sessions with Percy if we weren’t on good terms.” They argued, passionately.
“He also made you cry, and that’s all I need to know.” George said, stubbornly.
“How did you know he made me cry? We never talked about it after?” Lirum asked, confused again.
“I’m sorry. Let’s just go to Honeydukes and stop fighting, please?” George asked, seeming genuine.
“But-“
“I know I’m sorry.” He sighed, pulling Lirum into a hug. “He’s your friend, I shouldn’t have been so rude. I know how you are about defending your friends. I wouldn’t insult him again.”
Lirum was conflicted, that was part of the reason they were upset, but they were more worried about how he knew things they hadn’t told him. How could they ask without ruining the date. Especially when he seemed so sincere in his apology. He seemed to have a talent for apologising for the smaller things and not the ones Lirum was actually concerned with. They felt like they should be concerned, but it was George. He’d never do anything to them on purpose.