Helpless
Chapter I : I Just Don’t Feel The Same
Summary: George finds out about Y/n’s feelings for him.
Warnings: cursing, mentions of rejection, I think that’s all.
Word count:1.9k
A/n: This was requested by my absolute bestie @just-trashs and I have decided to make it a series. This will be an epistolary series and I am super excited let me know what you think!
“You realize she’s in love with you, right?” Fred jokes. He and George are lounging in the empty common room. George is working tirelessly on perfecting their extendable ears while Fred reads a copy of quidditch for the ages.
“She is not.” George denies. He doesn’t even look up from his project. They were currently discussing y/n. Fred had been trying to convince George that she had feelings for him for months now. Every time George would brush it off, shake his head, and say they were just friends. Fred told him he was in denial. George just shook his head.
“Even if she did like me - which she doesn’t - I don’t like her like that.”
“Sure you don’t.” Fred's voice was laced with sarcasm, causing George to roll his eyes once again.
“Seriously. Fred. I don’t like her like that. And all of this hinting from you, and Lee, and Angelina is just making everything weird. I haven’t been able to talk to my friend in weeks because every time I’m around her you vultures swoop in and make it all weird.”
“Don’t be a git George. Even if you don’t like her that way; she likes you. So if you really don’t feel anything toward her, stop leading her on.”
“I’m not,” George argued.
“You are!” Fred insisted. “You got mad when she was hanging out with Davies, you flirt with her, you tell her literally everything. You are leading her on. You have never made it clear that you aren’t interested. So stop confusing her.” Fred was getting fed up. Y/n was his friend and it hurt for him to watch her pine after his twin who had no interest. He couldn’t count the number of times she had confided in him about how much George was confusing her.
“I’m not trying to!”
“Guys? What's going on?”
When the boys turned their heads they found the exact person they did not want to witness this conversation. There at the bottom of the stairs to the girls’ dormitories stood y/n, a very concerned look on her face. Which was understandable, she very rarely heard the twins argue, so when she walked down the stairs to find George shouting back at Fred she was instantly worried.
George’s face shifted into a look of guilt. “It’s nothing y/n,” Fred said. His eyes moved back to George.
“Are you sure? You two hardly ever fight.”
“Y/n, please. Love, we’re fine.” George tried. He had called her love before, but this time he noticed a strange look cross her face for just a second before she quickly wiped it away. Maybe Fred had a point. If Y/n really did have feelings for him, he could see how he could be confusing.
“Okay then,” Y/n shifted uncertainly, “I was just going to the great hall. Do you want to come?”
“I’m actually going back to the dorm. I’ll see you later.” George answered, shooting a look at Fred before making his way past Y/n and up the stairs to the boys’ dormitories.
“Fred, what’s really going on?” Y/n felt a little helpless. George had never kept things from her before. And even though he was confusing her, her feelings were undeniable, helpless.
“Y/n it really isn’t anything you should worry about. He’s just being a stubborn git.” Fred tried to ease her concerns. “Now come on, I’m starving.”
“Thought I would find you here.” George was surprised by the voice, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized it was only a matter of time before she came looking for him. No one had seen him for a few hours. When Fred returned to his dorm, he found it empty. He and Y/n searched the castle for over an hour before Y/n decided to check the quidditch pitch.
“I needed some air.” There was a long pause. “I can’t believe that bitch banned us from quidditch.”
“Is that what’s got you and Fred so pissed at each other?”
“No.” George couldn’t meet Y/n’s eyes. At this point. it was undeniable that she had feelings for him. Everyone he knew had been saying so for months. Countless instances proved so, and the fact that she knew him, maybe even better than Fred, was obvious. But even then, he didn’t return those feelings. At least he didn’t think he did. George didn’t want her to know that he and Fred were arguing about her. She was his friend and he didn’t want to ruin that, but he knew that sooner or later he would have to tell her the truth, he just wasn't interested in her like that.
“Oh,” y/n mumbled. George hadn’t realized that his inability to meet her eyes was telling enough. “You- you were arguing about me, weren’t you?”
George sighed. “He was saying that- that you have a crush on me. That I am leading you on. It got a little out of hand. I told him he was wrong but-”
“But you don’t think he is.” Y/n finished for him. George nodded. “He’s not,” she adds.
George sighs again.”Y/n-”
“It’s okay, George.” She usually called him Georgie. “You don’t have to say anything. I know you don’t feel the same. I’ve known for a while now actually. But Fred is right. It did feel like you were leading me on. I was really confused for a while.”
“I’m really sorry Y/n. I- I didn’t want to hurt you. You're my friend and I didn’t want to ruin that.”
“I get that. But I think- I think it would be better for me if we took a break for a little while.”
George shot up at that. This is exactly what he didn’t want. “Y/n we don’t have to do that. We can still be friends. I want to be friends. I don’t want to let this come between that.”
“I know George, but the truth of the matter is, you don’t like me the way I like you. And no matter what the circumstances are, that hurts. Just- give me a couple of weeks. Okay?”
“Okay.”
George couldn’t concentrate. He and Fred were trying to work on their plan for their escape from Hogwarts but George couldn’t find it in him to focus. It had been three weeks since he had talked to Y/n, and he missed her. He didn’t understand why everything all of a sudden felt terrible.
“George, are you listening?”
“Sorry, what were you saying?”
“So I’m thinking we should leave a portable swap here, in front of Filch's office,” Fred gestures to an old map of Hogwarts, “and then we'll make our grand exit while the 5th years are taking their owls. That will really piss off-“
“George. What has gotten into you?” Fred interrupted himself as he noticed George’s attention slipping again.
“Nothing. I’m fine, let’s get back to planning.”
“You're not fine. You can’t pay attention to your life, which is not like you at all.”
“It’s fine Fred.” George stands and looks at the map. “If we do what you just said we could take this secret passage to the great hall. That will give us more time, and get us away from Filch.”
Fred easily caught on as George tried to change the subject, so he decided it was time for the nuclear option.
“What does Y/n think about us leaving?”
George stiffened. “I don’t know,” he mumbled.
“You haven’t told her yet?” Fred questioned harshly.
“She is your friend, Why don’t you tell her?” The younger twin shot back.
“She’s supposed to be your friend too, George.
I mean what the hell did you say to her? Because she hasn’t spoken to you in weeks. She won’t talk to me about it, she can’t even look at you. She missed our birthday. So what the hell did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything! This was her choice! I told her I wanted to be friends. I told her I didn’t want to lose her! But she said she needed some time so I’m giving it to her. I don’t know what I’m supposed to say! How do I tell her I’m leaving when we can’t even look each other in the eye?”
“Look, Georgie, I’m sorry. And I don’t know what you should say, but if you ever want to be friends again, I suggest you figure it out.” Fred replied, before turning back to the plans.
“Y/n, can we- can we talk?” George didn’t know why he felt so uncertain. All he knew was he didn’t want to hurt her. Not again.
“Of course,” Y/n stood from her seat making her way out of the great hall with George.
“What’s going on, George?” she asked as soon as they stepped out of the hall.
“I’m leaving.” Shit. He hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that. And when he saw the questioning and concerned look on her face a sinking feeling set into his stomach.
“What- what do you mean?”
“I- what I mean is… Fred and I are leaving Hogwarts; we aren’t going to finish the term. We’re getting our shop. We have got the money for it, and there is a spot in Diagon alley open. We’re getting our joke shop, Y/n. And well, we couldn’t leave without telling you.”
“Georgie, that's amazing!” Y/n exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the ginger before she even thought about it.
A relieved sigh escaped the ginger as a large smile broke out across his face. Any uncertainty George had was washed away. George wrapped his arms around her, and for just a second everything was back to normal.
Y/n stiffened suddenly, all at once realizing that this could in fact be misinterpreted by the boy who knew she had feelings for him. She pulled away quickly.
George sighed.
“We’re making a grand exit, as soon as the paperwork goes through for the building. That’s about a week away.” George told her.
“Oh,” y/n chuckled almost sadly. It had suddenly hit her that this meant he was leaving for good. That she may never see him again.
“I’m really happy for you, George.”
“I’m glad,” the boy chuckled. “Oh-” George quickly shoved his hand in his pocket pulling out a small piece of crumpled parchment. “Here. (he handed the paper to Y/n) This is the address of the shop. So you can write to me… (George shook his head realizing how this statement might sound) I mean us! Me and Fred, Fred and I. I, um- what I’m trying to say is I want to stay in touch. If that’s okay with you?”
Y/n looked at the piece of parchment, scribbled in George’s curved handwriting was 93, Diagon Alley. “Of course it is, George.” She smiled wide.
The day for the twins' departure came faster than Y/n had expected. She was sad to see them go, but George and Fred were her friends, and this was their dream. Besides, it’s not like it would be forever. They would write of course, and in a couple of months, she would be out there with them. So despite her feelings. she watched the great escape from the crowd, cheering along as the twins disappeared across the horizon.