8. visitor

George's POV:

The morning sunlight cut through the curtains in slanted beams, catching the dust motes floating lazily in the air. George sat on the edge of the narrow bed, tugging a shirt over his head, when a sharp knock sounded at the door.

Before he could say anything, the door creaked open, and there stood Theo.

George blinked, caught off guard. His hair was still sleep-mussed, and he hadn't even found both socks yet.

Theo stepped into the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

Fred's voice echoed faintly from the bathroom down the hall, singing off-key over the rush of running water. George could only imagine the steam clouding the hallway.

He turned back to Theo, raising an eyebrow.

"Morning," George said, voice still a little rough with sleep. "Something up?"

Theo didn't answer right away. He shifted his weight slightly, folding his arms across his chest. His expression was unreadable; not angry, but not exactly friendly either.

George tensed subtly.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

Theo nodded once, curt.

"I just wanted a word," he said quietly. "About Talwyn."

George's stomach twisted, even as he tried to keep his face neutral.

"Alright," he said slowly, "what about her?"

Theo took a step closer, his arms still crossed, voice low but firm.

"I know she can handle herself. She's strong. But she's been through enough... and I'm not exactly eager to watch her get hurt again."

George opened his mouth, but Theo cut him off with a hard look.

"I'm not trying to be a prick," Theo said. "I get it. You care about her. I can see it. She's different around you." He paused, jaw ticking slightly. "Happier."

George's chest tightened, because hearing someone else notice it made it all feel terrifyingly real.

Theo shrugged once, like he was trying to shake off how serious it sounded.

"But if you screw this up..." he said, voice dropping lower, "you're going to have to deal with me."

George smirked, despite himself.

"I think I could take you," he said lightly, trying to ease the tension.

Theo's mouth twitched, almost a smile, but his eyes stayed steady.

"Maybe," he said. "But you'd never see me coming."

George chuckled under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

"You really care about her," he said, almost more to himself than to Theo.

"She's all I've got," Theo said simply. "Just... don't mess this up."

George met his gaze squarely.

"I don't plan to."

There was a beat of silence between them, a mutual understanding, cautious but real.

At that moment, the bathroom door flung open with a gust of steam, and Fred stumbled in, towel slung low around his hips, hair dripping.

"Merlin's beard, it's like a bloody sauna in there," Fred muttered, then blinked at the sight of George and Theo staring at each other like they were about to duel.

Fred raised an eyebrow.

"Am I interrupting a moment, or...?"

Theo shook his head, stepping back toward the door. "No moment. Just a conversation."

Fred smirked.

"Right, a conversation." He turned to George with a mischievous grin. "Are you breaking hearts already this early, Georgie?"

George just laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, and if his cheeks were a little red, well, neither of them said anything about it.

Theo only gave George a final, unreadable look before slipping out into the hall.

Fred glanced between the door and his brother, eyes narrowing shrewdly.

"What was that about?"

George just shook his head and grinned. "Nothing important," he said, and he almost believed it.

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George had barely gotten down the stairs, hair still a little damp from a rushed shower, when he heard the unmistakable sound of someone knocking, loud and sharp, at the front door.

He didn't think much of it at first. Maybe Bill dropping by, maybe one of the endless parade of Order members needing a word with Molly or Arthur.

He wandered toward the kitchen just as Fred, no shirt on, passed him on the stairs.

"You get it," Fred called lazily. "I'm not dressed for company."

George rolled his eyes and pulled open the door.

And froze.

Mattheo Riddle stood there, a smirk on his lips that didn't touch

His hands shoved casually in the pockets of his jacket, expression a lot softer than before. His dark eyes flicked past George and landed on Talwyn, who stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs.

He smiled at her, a real smile, soft and familiar in a way that made something ugly twist in George's gut.

"Talwyn," Mattheo said again, this time with something almost like relief in his voice. "You look... safe."

Talwyn swallowed hard but gave a small nod. She didn't shrink back, but she didn't exactly move toward him either.

"I'm not here to cause trouble," Mattheo said, gaze flickering briefly to George, like he knew exactly what George thought of him. "I just... needed to see you. Make sure you were alright after Theo left without a word."

There was an earnestness in his tone that threw George off for half a second.

"I can leave if you want," Mattheo added, his voice dropping quieter, more careful. "But if you'd let me, I'd rather stay. Just for a little while."

George's fists clenched at his sides. He opened his mouth, hell no already forming on his tongue, but footsteps on the stairs cut him off.

Theo.

Theo, who took one look at Mattheo standing there, relaxed like he owned the place, and went rigid.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Theo snapped, already storming the rest of the way down the stairs.

Talwyn flinched slightly, and George instinctively shifted closer to her.

Mattheo didn't move. He just looked at Theo like he was the most predictable thing in the world.

"Relax, Theo," Mattheo said easily. "I'm not here to start anything."

"How the hell did you even find us?" Theo demanded, practically vibrating with fury.

Mattheo shrugged, smirking slightly. "There's only so many places you'd run to when you're scared and need protection. Not that hard to figure out if you know you lot."

Theo's hands curled into fists, his face turning red.

George watched the exchange carefully, every muscle in his body tight. He didn't know whether he wanted to punch Mattheo or drag Talwyn upstairs and away from him.

Talwyn, meanwhile, was standing perfectly still, her arms crossed tight over her chest like she was holding herself together by force.

"I didn't tell anyone else," Mattheo said, more seriously now, like he knew how fragile this situation was. "I swear it. No one followed me. No one knows but me."

He looked at Talwyn as he said it, like the promise was for her and her alone.

George hated how her face softened, just a little.

Theo stepped in front of Talwyn then, blocking her fully from Mattheo's view.

"You don't belong here," Theo growled.

Mattheo's eyes flashed. "Maybe not. But she gets to decide that, doesn't she?"

The words hung there, heavy and ugly.

Then, before anything could explode, they heard footsteps and the warm, unbothered voice of Molly Weasley coming closer.

George barely managed to school his face into something that wasn't complete hatred before she rounded the corner, tea towel slung over her shoulder.

"Oh!" Molly said brightly, blinking at Mattheo like he hadn't just dropped into the house like a ticking bomb. "You must be another friend of Talwyn and Theo's!"

Mattheo, damn him, smiled with easy politeness and stepped forward. "Mattheo," he said simply, offering his hand out.

No last name. Smart. George stiffened slightly, but if Molly noticed, she didn't show it.

She beamed, taking Mattheo's hand without hesitation. "Molly Weasley. You're very welcome here."

Arthur, appearing from the back doorway, gave a similarly friendly, if slightly bewildered, smile. "Another guest, eh? Always room for more!"

Mattheo nodded, flashing a small grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Thank you. Sorry for dropping in uninvited. I just... missed them and I was worried."

George saw the way Mattheo's eyes darted toward Talwyn, and the way she looked down immediately, twisting the hem of her sleeve in her fingers.

Theo looked like he was chewing glass.

"You'll stay for lunch then, dear!" Molly declared, bustling toward the kitchen. "Fred, Ron, set another place, will you?"

"Got it, Mum," Fred called back from somewhere upstairs, amusement clear in his voice.

George didn't move. Neither did Theo. Neither trusted themselves to.

Talwyn, after a moment, murmured, "It's okay... he can stay," so softly George almost missed it.

Arthur clapped Mattheo companionably on the back, steering him further inside. Forced politeness radiated off both adults like steam. If they'd caught even a hint of what Mattheo was, they weren't showing it, and George wasn't sure if he was relieved or furious about it.

As they all started awkwardly making their way toward the dining room, Theo fell into step beside George, voice low and murderous.

"One wrong move," Theo muttered, eyes burning holes into Mattheo's back, "and he's leaving through the bloody window."

George didn't answer.

Because if Mattheo even looked at Talwyn wrong, he wouldn't be waiting for Theo to make the first move

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Lunch at the Burrow usually felt chaotic in a warm, familiar way. Today, though, it was chaos edged with something sharper, like a storm hanging heavy over the table.

George sat stiffly, his plate untouched, while Molly bustled around with her usual bright energy, setting platters of roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and fresh bread down onto the crowded table.

Talwyn sat across from him, pressed between Theo and Ginny, her shoulders drawn tight, her eyes fixed firmly on her food like she could avoid everything happening around her if she just stared hard enough.

Mattheo, of course, looked perfectly relaxed.

Too relaxed.

He lounged at the far end of the table, spinning his fork between his fingers and wearing a smirk that George wanted to wipe off his face. The adults, Merlin bless them, didn't seem to notice the thick, choking tension that filled every inch of the room.

"So," Arthur said, attempting polite conversation as he reached for the potatoes. "Mattheo, is it? Whereabouts are you from?"

Mattheo smiled easily, scooping food onto his plate. "Bit of here and there," he said vaguely. "Didn't stay in one place too long. Don't see my father practically ever and my mum is always gone. Usually stay with my Aunt and her family now."

Talwyn's hand clenched around her fork so tightly George thought it might snap in half.

Molly, oblivious as ever, gave a kind laugh. "Oh, well, you're very welcome here, dear. It's so nice seeing friends of Theo and Talwyn's. Family's important in times like these."

George caught the slight flicker of something in Mattheo's eyes, amusement, almost. Like he found it funny.It made George's blood simmer hotter.

Mattheo leaned back, propping his elbow casually on the table. "Yeah, Tal, Theo, and I go way back," he said, voice lazy, like he had all the time in the world to twist the knife.

"Childhood friends?" Fred asked, glancing between them with interest.

Mattheo gave a slow, maddening smile. "You could say that."

Talwyn flinched almost imperceptibly, and Theo, who had barely spoken since sitting down, shot Mattheo a look that could have burned holes through the tablecloth.

Fred, still clueless, chuckled. "Bet you got up to loads of mischief together, yeah? Seems Theo and Tal did."

Mattheo's gaze slid back to Talwyn, lingered, before he turned it onto George. Dead on. Like he knew.

"Yeah," he said smoothly. "Got into all kinds of trouble. Talwyn was always the one dragging me into it." He paused, letting the silence stretch just long enough to draw attention. "First crush, first kiss... y'know. All that sappy stuff."

George's stomach twisted violently.

The fork in his hand screeched against his plate, and he quickly dropped it, muttering something under his breath.

Across from him, Talwyn went absolutely still, her cheeks burning.

Theo set his glass down harder than necessary. Ginny, sensing the shift, pressed her lips together, eyes dancing with unspoken amusement.

Molly gave an awkward little laugh. "Oh, young love. So sweet at that age."

Arthur nodded along, clearly missing the landmines scattered around the room. "Nice to have someone who's known you for so long."

Talwyn finally looked up, her eyes darting nervously to George, then away just as fast.

George gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. He wanted to say something, anything, but every word felt dangerous. Either he'd end up starting a full-blown fight at the lunch table, or he'd end up saying something he couldn't take back.

Mattheo, for his part, looked infuriatingly pleased.

"So," Mattheo said, slicing into his chicken like he hadn't just dropped a bomb, "how long you lot been staying here, then?"

Theo was the first to respond, voice tight. "Long enough."

"And you're planning to stay for...?"

"As long as we bloody need to," Theo said flatly, giving Mattheo a glare that could have peeled paint.

Another heavy pause.

George shoved a piece of bread into his mouth to keep himself from telling Mattheo exactly where he could stick his smug grin.

Fred, clearly sensing something was wrong now, gave George a sidelong look but said nothing.

Talwyn finally spoke, her voice soft but steady. "We're just... trying to be safe. That's all."

Mattheo's eyes softened slightly when he looked at her, but when he turned back to George, they sharpened, like he knew exactly where to dig the blade deeper.

"Good," Mattheo said, his voice a touch too casual. "Would hate for anything bad to happen to my life long friends."

George snapped the stem off his carrot without realizing it.

Ginny and Ron let out a tiny, barely smothered giggles behind their hands.

Molly, desperate to break the ice, clapped her hands together. "Who wants dessert?"

Everyone answered far too quickly.

They barely made it through dessert.

George didn't even remember what he ate. His hands itched the whole time, either with the urge to throttle Mattheo or drag Talwyn away where no one else could look at her like that, talk about her like that.

The second Molly excused everyone to go relax before chores, George was up, sliding his chair back a little too forcefully. He caught Talwyn's eye across the table and jerked his head subtly toward the stairs.

She understood instantly.

Without a word, she slipped away, threading through the Weasleys and disappearing into the hallway. George followed a beat later, ignoring the way Fred arched a brow at him or the way Theo and Mattheo seemed to tense as he moved.

He caught up with her at the bottom of the staircase, grabbing her hand and tugging her up the steps with him, their footfalls fast and quiet. Neither said anything until he pulled her into Charlie's old room and shut the door behind them.

For a beat, they just stood there, breathing hard.

Then George spoke, low and rough. "You were gonna tell me about that, right?"

Talwyn flinched. "George-"

"Childhood crush? First kiss?" he cut her off, voice sharper than he meant it to be. "You didn't think that might be important?"

She stepped back like she'd been struck, arms folding tightly across her chest. "It didn't mean anything, George. We were kids."

"He doesn't look at you like it meant nothing," George bit out, raking a hand through his hair.

Talwyn stared at him, her chin lifting stubbornly. "And you think I want him here?"

George opened his mouth, then closed it again, chest heaving. He felt like he was burning alive inside his own skin, jealousy and fear and want all tangled together until he couldn't tell them apart.

"I don't care if you kissed him when you were six," he muttered, stepping closer, the anger bleeding into something rawer, something hungrier. "But if he thinks he can just show up here and take you away-"

He cut himself off, his hand cupping her jaw almost roughly, tilting her head up to look at him.

"You're mine, Talwyn," he said, voice low and shaking.

Something in her gaze broke, softened and sharpened all at once, and then she surged up and kissed him hard.

George groaned against her mouth, all the tension snapping like a whip. His arms wrapped around her, hauling her close, their bodies crashing together like they didn't care about the consequences anymore.

Talwyn fisted her hands in the front of his shirt, pulling him down harder as he walked her backward blindly until her legs hit the edge of the bed.

They tumbled down together, George bracing himself above her, breathing her in like she was oxygen and he'd been drowning.

His hands slid down her sides, rough and desperate, before he pulled back just far enough to whisper against her lips, "Tell me you're mine."

Talwyn blinked up at him, cheeks flushed, eyes wide and shining. She reached up and brushed his hair back from his forehead, the gentleness of it making him shudder.

"I'm yours," she whispered fiercely. "I've always been yours."

A broken sound tore from George's throat, half laugh, half groan, and then he was kissing her again, deeper this time, hands everywhere. His fingers slipped under the hem of her shirt, stroking the warm skin of her waist, and she arched into him, gasping quietly.

Talwyn put her hands under his jumper, finally feeling his warm chest. He shivered at the touch of her cold hands, it felt euphoric. 

He pulled away fro a moment, unzipping his jacket that had nothing under it. She looked all over his body, like he was art. He had never felt so beautiful, just by the way she looked at him. 

Before got onto of her again he mumbled a locking charm and a silencing charm, just to be cautious. 

Talwyn's hand slid down to the waistband of his jeans, fingers trembling slightly as she hooked them under the fabric. Her gaze flickered to his, a silent question in her eyes. She wasn't sure how far they should go, but she didn't want to stop.

George's chest rose and fell, his breath quick and shallow. "Don't stop," he whispered, his voice strained, like he was barely holding himself together. "You're driving me crazy, Talwyn."

Her fingers were already slipping underneath his waistband, and when she made contact with the warm, firm skin beneath, they both let out a breath at the same time.

"I can-" He started and then immediately got nervous. "I can take these off if you want."

Talwyn blushed and smiled, that god damn smile was enough to make his heart skip a beat. She nodded quickly and George stood up, undo the buckle of his belt. 

Talwyn took off her shirt and shorts, laying down in nothing but her underwear and bra. 

Merlin, she was gorgeous. He had never seen such a perfect woman. The way she laid beneath him was enough to get him off, but he wanted more. 

He kissed her neck, her chest, down her stomach. Her soft skin was warm against his lips and she moaned from every kiss. 

George pulled up again, looking at her in her eyes. "We dont have to do anything more if you dont want to."

Talwyn shook her head. "I want to. I really want to. I just haven't gone all the way before, but I want to. I want it to be with you."

George's heart fluttered. "I haven't either."

It was true, George had made out and done things with some girls, but he had never had it get this intense, knowing it would lead to more. 

"I want it to be with you too." He told her, a small smile on his lips. 

Talwyn grinned, her face pink. She sat up, not breaking eye contact with him while she unclasped her bra. 

He stared at her body in awe. He couldn't help but reach out and squeeze her breasts. He bit his lip as he did, stifling a moan just from touching her. 

He then sat up, taking off his boxers. He knew he had a big dick, there was no reason not to admit that to himself. In fact, he was quite proud. 

She looked down at it, her breath catching slightly at the sight of him. 

Instead of getting back on top of her, George got on his knees beside the bed, sitting in between her legs. He looked up at her, his eyes filled with lust and longing. He grabbed the hem of her panties and slid them down, revealing all of her. He breathed deep as he stared at her, he was starving for this, starving for her. 

He kissed her thighs, making trails up them until he reached her pussy. He started gently kissing it before being more rough. 

She tasted like something he had been craving but never known where to find it. 

He moaned into her, causing her to be just as noisy. She tugged at his hair and he looked up at her as he continued. She threw her head back when he hit the right spots, making him know exactly how to please her. 

After awhile, she tugged on his hair harder than grabbed his draw, leading his face back up to hers. He obliged and connected his lips with her, letting her taste herself. 

"I need you," She whispered between kisses. 

He smirked into the next kiss. "Good thing I know the perfect spell."

He mumbled a charm that would protect them from pregnancy, seeing as though there were no condoms around. 

She smiled at him, clearly just as nervous as he was. 

"Are you ready?" He asked, his nose brushing against hers. 

She nodded before placing another soft kiss against his lips. 

He leaned back, grabbing his length and lining himself up. He looked at her again, making sure she was ready. She help onto his biceps as he pushed himself in slowly. 

Both of them moaned just from that. He started slow, not wanting to hurt her. After a bit though, he sped up and started to go harder. 

"Fuck, Tal." He groaned. "You feel so fucking good."

She became a mess under him, her legs slightly shaking and her moans growing louder, and he loved it. 

He wanted to make her as loud as he could, her sounds were everything to him.

He grabbed her legs, lifting them up so they were against his shoulders. She moaned louder in that position, covering her mouth with her hand. He quickly pulled her hand away from her mouth, holding it down on the bed. 

"I want to hear you," He told her, not stoping his movements. 

After that, she let herself be loud, and gods, he loved it.

"Just like that, George." She moaned as he found the perfect pace. 

"Yeah?" He asked with a smirk. "I'm not finishing until you do."

She whimpered under him, grabbing the blanket under her for stability. He brought his hands to her boobs, grabbing them hard to hold himself up and continue his pace. 

She started moaning more and more before he watched her unfold below him. Watching her cum was better that he had ever dreamt, and he had thought about it a lot. 

Just as she did, he felt himself reach the edge. His thrusts became more sloppy and stiff as he finished, his moans becoming louder. He slowly stopped after he finished insider her, resting on top of her once he finished. 

She brought her hands to his hair and raked her fingers though, his now messy, red locks. The touch was comforting and soothing, something he wished he could feel forever. 

George stayed still for a moment, his chest rising and falling in slow rhythm as he breathed her in, savoring the warmth of her body beneath his. He wanted to stay there forever, in that quiet, intimate space where it felt like nothing else mattered but the two of them.

Finally, he pulled back just enough to look down at her. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair a tangled mess around her face, but there was something in her eyes, something vulnerable, yet filled with trust. It made his chest tighten, a strange mixture of emotions he couldn't quite put into words.

"You're amazing, you know that?" he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face with a tender smile.

Talwyn chuckled softly, her lips curling into a gentle smile. "I could say the same about you," she replied, her voice light, but the meaning behind it heavy.

He smiled back at her, his heart full of things he couldn't quite express yet. "I never thought I'd end up like this," he admitted softly, almost as if he was speaking to himself more than to her. "With you, I mean."

Talwyn's hand gently cupped his cheek, her thumb grazing over his skin. "I'm glad you did," she whispered.

There was a long pause, both of them just savoring the stillness, the calm after the storm. But the world outside the room hadn't stopped turning, and they both knew it was only a matter of time before they would have to face whatever came next.