7. busy

Sunlight filtered through the curtains in soft gold ribbons, dancing across the wooden floorboards of Charlie's old room. The warmth on her face stirred Talwyn from sleep, and for a moment, she forgot where she was. No shadows looming in the hallway. No creaking steps outside her door. Just birdsong and the quiet hum of life in a house that was full, but not suffocating.

She sat up slowly, the worn blanket sliding down her arms, and looked around the room. It smelled faintly of cedarwood and parchment, like someone had once loved it here. She pressed her feet to the floor and winced slightly, her muscles still sore, but less heavy than they'd been.

There was a knock on the door this time. Gentle. Patient.

"Yeah?" Talwyn croaked.

The door opened a crack and Molly peeked in, a kind smile already on her face. "I didn't want to wake you earlier, dear. Breakfast is ready whenever you're up for it."

Talwyn nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

Molly just gave her a knowing look. "It's Molly, sweetheart."

When Talwyn came down the stairs a few minutes later, the Burrow was alive with its usual morning chaos. Pans clanged, something sizzled in the kitchen, and gnomes could be heard rustling in the garden outside. It was a kind of disorder that felt... safe.

The table was full.

Ron, red-eyed and hunched over a mug of tea, looked up at her with a vaguely curious expression. Ginny, sharper-eyed and more awake, glanced up from buttering toast. Fred gave her a crooked grin as he shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth. George stood at the sink, mug in hand, looking at her with quiet concern the moment she entered.

Talwyn suddenly felt too big for the room. Too awkward. Out of place.

"Morning," George said gently, stepping toward her and pulling out a chair.

"Morning," she replied, sitting down quickly and trying not to make eye contact with anyone else.

Ginny arched a brow. "So you're the girl who made my brother steal a flying car?"

Talwyn blinked. "I- what?"

Fred snorted. "Technically I helped."

Ron frowned. "Wait, what?"

"I didn't ask them to steal anything," Talwyn said quickly, face going red. "I didn't even know about the car until they showed up."

"Oh, don't worry," Ginny said, not unkindly. "I think it's brilliant. Mum's the one you should worry about. She's still ranting in the pantry."

"I'm not ranting!" came Molly's muffled voice from somewhere down the hall.

George leaned over and whispered with a slight smirk, "Welcome to the Burrow."

Molly returned with a plate and placed it in front of Talwyn- toast, eggs, a fat stack of pancakes, and a few slices of apple. "Eat, dear. You need your strength."

Talwyn offered a small smile. "Thank you."

She tried to eat, but felt every glance, every flick of a curious eye. She was the stranger in their home. The broken girl in yesterday's clothes, wrapped in uncertainty.

"So," Ron said around a bite of toast, "are you staying here now, or...?"

"Ron," Ginny hissed, elbowing him hard.

"What?" he muttered. "I'm just asking."

Talwyn's shoulders stiffened. "Just for a little while. Until I figure things out."

George shot Ron a dark look. Fred kicked him under the table.

Molly swept into the room again. "Ronald, if you can't keep your mouth from being rude, I can find you something else for it to do. Like cleaning the chicken coop."

Ron paled slightly. "Right. Sorry."

Talwyn offered a faint smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Eventually, the sharp knock of wings against the window drew everyone's attention. A familiar owl, her owl, sat perched on the sill, tapping the glass with its beak.

George stood and opened the window, letting the bird hop inside. It landed neatly on the table in front of Talwyn and dropped a folded letter.

Her heart fluttered.

She recognized the handwriting instantly—Theo.

With shaky fingers, she unfolded it and read:

~

Wynie,

You're utterly mad. 

I'll be there soon. 

-T

~

Fred was watching her. "Theo?"

She nodded. "He's coming."

George sat back, his expression unreadable, but somewhere beneath it, relief flickered.

Ginny, who had been pretending not to listen, cleared her throat. "Well. That should be interesting."

"More Slytherins under one roof," Ron muttered. "What could possibly go wrong?"

Fred grinned. "I think this is going to be fun."

Talwyn wasn't so sure.

But as she glanced at the letter again, then up at George, his eyes still soft, full of unspoken things, she let herself breathe.

At least she wasn't alone anymore.

THEO'S POV:

Theo tightened the final strap on his trunk, snapping it shut with a soft clunk. The early morning sun was barely casting light through the dormitory windows, painting everything in a cool, muted glow. His fingers hovered for a second on the handle before he straightened.

The door creaked open behind him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mattheo's voice was sharp, tired but already irritated.

Theo didn't turn around right away. "Packing."

"Yeah, no shit" Mattheo said, stepping into the room. "Where are you going?"

"Out," Theo replied calmly.

Mattheo gave him a look. "You're going somewhere, Theo. Don't act like you're just taking a stroll."

Theo finally faced him, leaning against the foot of his bed. "I'm not exactly planning a vacation."

Mattheo narrowed his eyes. "She wrote to you, didn't she?"

Theo's silence gave him the answer.

Just then, Lorenzo appeared in the doorway, shirt half-buttoned, his hair a mess of sleep and suspicion. "What's with all the cryptic drama this early?" His eyes landed on the packed trunk. "Seriously? You're leaving?"

Theo nodded. "She asked me to come."

"And you're going?" Lorenzo asked, frowning. "Back to the estate?"

"No," Theo replied. "She found somewhere else to stay."

"Where?" Mattheo asked, confusion and concern on his face. 

"I can't tell you."

Mattheo took a step closer. "Why can't you tell us? We're her best friends too."

Theo smirked. "Yeah, gonna be honest, mate, this whole 'moody and tortured' thing you've been doing? Real suspicious. Not exactly the vibe of someone who's just annoyed his friend's sister disappeared."

Mattheo's expression darkened. "You want to start something with me now?"

"Not really," Theo said with a shrug, though his tone was sharp now. "But maybe you'd stop picking fights if you just admitted what's eating you alive."

Lorenzo crossed his arms, backing him up. "Seriously. You've been acting like a kicked dog for weeks. You snapped at literally everyone yesterday for asking if you wanted toast."

Mattheo's glare flicked between them both. "You don't get it."

"So explain it," Theo pushed. "Because I'm two seconds from leaving, and you're clearly not handling this well."

"You think you're better than me?" Mattheo bit out. "Because she picked you to write to?"

"First of all, I'm her brother. Second of all," Theo shot back. "She knows where she stands with me. You? You play the cold act until it suits you, then wonder why she runs."

Mattheo looked like he wanted to throw something. "What are you even on about?"

"Do you have any idea how bloody weird this is for me? Believe me, I didn't want to think you had feelings for her, but you've been walking around like a ghost since the second she left, barely asking how I'm doing with it all. So yeah, I noticed. We all noticed."

"I don't-" Mattheo stopped himself, hands curling into fists.

"You do," Lorenzo said, not missing a beat. "And you hate it. And now you're mad at yourself because she doesn't want to talk to you."

Mattheo looked away, breathing hard.

Theo's voice softened a fraction, just enough to sound real. "You could've told her. You could've told me. Instead, you watched her fall apart and made her feel worse for everything that was going on."

"I was trying to protect her," Mattheo muttered.

"Yeah?" Theo said, stepping closer. "And how'd that go?"

Silence.

Lorenzo scoffed quietly and shook his head. "Just admit it already."

But Mattheo didn't. He just stared at the floor, fists still clenched, shoulders trembling slightly from everything he didn't say.

Theo sighed, finally grabbing his trunk. "I have to go."

As he walked past Mattheo, he paused. "You still have time, Mattheo. Just don't wait until she's too far gone to hear you."

And with that, Theo was gone.

Lorenzo didn't say anything else. Just watched Mattheo, whose walls had never seemed higher, and wondered if he'd ever let them down.

TALWYN'S POV:

The afternoon sunlight had started to dip low, casting golden rays across the floorboards of Charlie's old room. Talwyn sat cross-legged on the bed, reading a book, her half-finished tea cooling on the nightstand beside her. Her thoughts had been drifting, unsettled and quiet, mostly about Theo. Wondering when he would arrive.

A loud thud suddenly echoed from the living room below, jarring her out of her thoughts. It was followed by the unmistakable shuffle of hurried footsteps, then a voice. Firm, warm, familiar.

"You must be Theodore."

Molly.

Talwyn's heart dropped into her stomach. She was off the bed in an instant, her feet hitting the floor without even registering the coldness of it. She didn't bother with shoes. She barely remembered to pull her cardigan tighter around her shoulders.

She flew down the stairs two at a time.

The moment she rounded the corner into the living room, she saw him.

Theo stood just in front of the fireplace, his trunk awkwardly beside him, one hand still resting on the handle. His hair was wind-tousled, his clothes wrinkled from travel, but his eyes, his eyes locked on hers the second she appeared.

For a long second, neither of them said anything.

Molly, standing to the side with a hand on her hip, blinked between them, clearly sensing the weight of the silence.

Then Talwyn launched forward.

Her arms wrapped around Theo so tightly she almost knocked him back a step. He didn't hesitate, his arms came around her just as fiercely, like he hadn't let himself breathe until this very second.

"You came," she whispered into his shoulder.

"You wrote," he murmured back, voice rough. "Course I came."

She stepped back slightly to look at him, her eyes already stinging. "I missed you so much."

Theo smiled at her, soft and protective and a little sad. "Not as much as I missed you."

"I'm happy you're here," Molly said as the two of them pulled away from each other. 

Before the boy could answer, a ginger man came through the front door. 

"Came as soon as I could," The man said. "Ah, these must be our guests. Arthur Weasley." The man said, holding his hand out to the both of them. 

Both of the twins took their turns shaking his hand and introducing themselves. 

Damn, the genes really were strong in this family. 

The Weasley children that were home came down the stairs from the commotion. Talwyn turned around, locking eyes with George and smiling, showing him how happy she was that her brother had arrived. 

"Theodore, dear." Molly said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You can stay in my son Percy's room. He no longer lives here and he always kept it tidy so it should be nice and cozy fro you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Theo said with a small smile. 

"Please, call me Molly." She said warmly. "Fred, why don't you go on and show Theo to his room so he can get settled before dinner."

"I'll be up in Charlie's old room. I'll check on you in a bit," Talwyn told her brother, squeezing his arm gently before turning toward the stairs.

She went up slowly, feeling a strange mixture of relief and nerves bubbling in her chest. Theo was here. Things would be better now. She could almost believe it.

Talwyn slipped back into the cozy, slightly cluttered space, picking up the book she had abandoned earlier. She curled up on the bed, trying to lose herself in the pages, but the words blurred together. Her mind kept drifting, too full of emotions, too restless.

A soft knock at the door broke her concentration.

"Hey," George's familiar voice called, and when she looked up, he was there, leaning casually against the doorframe, his hair mussed, a boyish smile on his lips.

"Can I come in?" he asked, his voice a little gentler than usual.

Talwyn nodded immediately, shifting to make more room on the bed. She scooted back against the pillows, pulling the blanket around her lap.

George closed the door and crossed the room in a few long strides and sank down beside her. The bed dipped slightly under his weight, and the distance between them felt even smaller in the quiet, fire-warmed room.

"Are you happy Theo's here?" he asked, studying her with that same soft, careful look he seemed to reserve just for her.

"Very," she said, her smile stretching wide without even trying. "I missed him. I needed him."

George nodded slowly, like he understood that need down to his bones. "I get it," he said. "I can't even go a few days without Fred before I start losing it. I don't know how you did it all this time."

"I don't know either," she admitted with a soft chuckle, curling her legs up beneath her. "Maybe I didn't. Maybe I just... held on the best I could."

George's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, something tender flashing in his eyes.

"I've never seen you look so happy," he said, almost in wonder, like it amazed him to witness it.

Talwyn smiled back at him shyly, feeling warmth bloom deep in her chest. A comfortable silence fell between them; thick, easy, charged all the same.

After a moment, George shifted, turning a little more toward her. His knee brushed hers lightly under the blanket, and he didn't move away. Neither did she.

"You know," he said, voice dropping a little lower, "I was going to tell you how pretty your smile was downstairs."

Talwyn tilted her head slightly, heart thudding in her chest. "You mean you wanted to flirt with me in front of everyone again?"

George laughed, that deep, warm sound she loved, and shook his head. "Yes, exactly. I should've told you, even if I was going yo get hexed by your brother."

"You're reckless," she teased, her voice soft.

"Only when it comes to you," he said, and he meant it. She could hear it in the way his voice roughened around the words.

Her breath caught.

Without thinking, she reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. His eyes fluttered closed at the touch, like he was savoring it.

When he opened them again, there was no mistaking the look in them.

Slowly, like giving her every chance to pull away, George leaned closer. Talwyn felt herself lean in too, heart hammering so hard it was all she could hear.

Their lips met, and the world melted away.

It started soft, hesitant and sweet, like neither of them wanted to break the fragile thing growing between them. But then George's hand came up to cradle the side of her face, and the kiss deepened. Talwyn made a quiet sound against his mouth, her fingers curling into the fabric of his jumper.

George kissed her like he had been holding back for weeks, months even, like he'd dreamed of this but hadn't dared until now. His thumb stroked gently along her jaw as he pulled her a little closer, as if trying to memorize every inch of her.

Talwyn's hands found the sides of his neck, feeling the steady, reassuring beat of his pulse under her fingertips.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing harder, their foreheads pressed together.

George smiled, his voice low and teasing. "Merlin, Talwyn, you're gonna be the death of me."

She laughed, feeling giddy and weightless. "You started it."

"And I intend to finish it," he murmured, kissing the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her jawline.

Talwyn leaned into him, her whole body humming with the electricity of him, of them.

He shifted slightly, pulling her fully into his lap so she was straddling him, their noses brushing, their laughter low and breathless.

"George," she whispered, not a warning but a prayer.

"Yeah?" he said, his hands settling gently on her hips, grounding her even as they both seemed to be spinning out of control.

Talwyn hesitated for just a second, then decided to be brave.

She kissed him again, deeper, surer this time. George responded instantly, his arms tightening around her, one hand sliding up the curve of her spine. The kiss grew heavier, needier, but still filled with that same overwhelming tenderness.

When they finally pulled apart again, both flushed and smiling, George rested his forehead against hers.

"I was doing shit in all my classes because of you," George said with a teasing smirk, voice low and husky.

"And how exactly was that my fault?" Talwyn asked with a giggle, her fingers still playing at the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I can't think of anything else but you," he said, and then he was leaning in again, rougher this time.

He kissed her like he was starved, his hands gripping her hips so tightly it almost hurt, but it was a good hurt, a grounding, intoxicating kind of ache that Talwyn didn't know she would like so much.

She grinned slowly against his mouth, earning a soft moan from his lips. George's mouth traveled from her lips to her neck, kissing gently before starting to suck softly on her skin, making Talwyn bite her lip to stifle a whimper. She was hyperaware of how thin the walls were, but the way George's teeth grazed her skin made her toes curl in pleasure.

His hands slid up her thighs, fingertips tracing lazy patterns as they moved higher, just brushing the hem of her shorts, dipping under them ever so slightly.

"George," she whispered again, but this time it came out breathless, desperate.

"I've got you," he murmured against her neck, his voice sending shivers down her spine.

She tilted her hips slightly, feeling the heat radiating between them, both of them teetering on the edge of something dangerous, something unstoppable-

Knock knock knock.

The sharp sound against the door jolted them apart like they'd been struck by lightning.

"Tal?" Theo's voice came through the wood, curious but casual.

George practically scrambled off the bed, cheeks flaming, running a frantic hand through his hair to straighten it. Talwyn pulled the blanket over herself quickly, her heart hammering a guilty beat against her ribs.

"Yeah?" she called, trying, and failing, to sound casual. Her voice came out a little too high.

The door creaked open a second later, and Theo stepped inside.

The second he did, his eyes flicked between them.

George, standing awkwardly by the bed, looking a little too disheveled.

Talwyn, still sitting there, flushed, breathless, and-

Theo's sharp gaze narrowed subtly when it landed on her lips; red, a little swollen.

He raised a brow, the corners of his mouth twitching, but said nothing. Yet.

"I- uh, I was just about to head downstairs," George said quickly, shooting Talwyn a look that was half panic, half apology. He raked a hand through his already messy hair again. "I'll, uh, see you both down there."

Without waiting for a reply, George all but bolted from the room, practically colliding with the doorframe on his way out.

The door clicked softly shut behind him.

Theo stood there for a beat longer, arms crossed loosely over his chest, a smug sort of amusement growing on his face.

Talwyn swallowed hard, looking anywhere but at him, suddenly finding the blanket very interesting.

"You alright there, Wynie?" Theo asked, the innocence in his tone absolutely fake.

"I'm fine," she muttered, picking at a loose thread on the bedspread.

Theo shifted, leaning casually against the dresser. "Mhm. You look... flushed. Little out of breath."

She gave him a sharp look, which only made his smirk widen.

"And your lips..." He made a vague gesture, grinning. "Bit red, yeah?"

Talwyn groaned, dropping her face into her hands. "Can you not?"

Theo laughed, pushing off the dresser. "Oh, I definitely could. But where's the fun in that?"

He walked over and plopped down beside her on the bed, nudging her shoulder with his.

"I'm not mad, you know," he said after a moment, his voice losing some of the teasing edge. "About you and George. If that's what you're worried about."

Talwyn peeked up at him through her fingers. "You're not?"

Theo shrugged. "You think I didn't see this coming? Hell, I knew before you probably did."

She let out a little groan. "Is it that obvious?"

Theo snorted. "To anyone with eyes, yeah."

Talwyn leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling a rush of relief at his easy acceptance.

"I just don't want things to get... complicated," she said quietly.

Theo tilted his head against hers. "Things are already complicated, Wyn. Might as well have a little happiness in the middle of it. I am worried though."

She smiled at that, soft and grateful. "I know, so am I. I just- I can't help myself. It's weird, it's like there's this pull between us. I know that sounds corny."

"I understand," He said. "You know it's really when they have you saying corny shit."

Talwyn giggled softly, "Thanks, Theo," she whispered.

Theo nodded.

There was a knock downstairs then Molly's voice calling cheerfully, "Dinner's ready!"

Theo stood, offering her his hand with a smirk. "Come on, lipstick queen. Let's eat before Mama Weasley sends a search party."

Talwyn shoved him lightly, laughing, and let him pull her to her feet.

They headed downstairs together, but as they reached the bottom, she couldn't help sneaking a glance toward the dining room, and caught George looking back at her, a flicker of something warm and secret passing between them.

Dinner was going to be... interesting.

The kitchen buzzed with warm noise as everyone gathered around the long, slightly battered table. The smell of roast chicken, potatoes, and fresh bread hung in the air, and Talwyn's stomach grumbled softly as she slid into her seat, Theo settling in beside her.

He kept quiet for the most part, offering only small, polite smiles when Molly or Arthur spoke directly to him. Talwyn nudged him gently under the table, offering a little smile of encouragement. Theo relaxed, slightly, but still seemed content to observe more than join the lively banter around him.

Fred and Ginny carried most of the conversation, their jokes and teasing filling the space easily. George sat across from her, quieter, but Talwyn caught him sneaking glances at her now and then, each one sending little flutters through her stomach.

Halfway through the meal, Arthur leaned back in his chair, looking curious.

"So," he said warmly, "Molly mentioned a little, but we'd love to hear more about you two. What was your childhood like?"

Talwyn glanced sideways at Theo, who gave the smallest of shrugs, clearly leaving it to her.

She smiled lightly. "It was... busy. Theo and I used to get into a lot of trouble together. He was always dragging me into whatever scheme he thought up."

Theo gave a tiny huff of a laugh, stabbing a potato with his fork. "You always followed," he said under his breath, but there was a faint fondness there.

"We found this old abandoned greenhouse near our house," Talwyn continued, smiling at the memory. "We used to sneak off there and pretend it was our secret base. We'd spend hours there, doing nothing important. Reading... stealing biscuits from the kitchen..."

"Talwyn always blamed me when we got caught," Theo muttered quietly, a little dry note of humor in his voice.

"Because it usually was your fault," Talwyn said, nudging him lightly with her elbow. A ripple of laughter went around the table.

Arthur and Molly smiled warmly at the two of them, clearly charmed.

"It sounds like you two kept each other busy," Molly said.

"Still do, sometimes," Theo said, voice soft, but with a small, almost secretive smile.

The conversation flowed on easily, Fred telling some story about the time George tried to charm all the spoons in the house to feed themselves, only for it to end in absolute chaos. Talwyn found herself laughing more freely, feeling lighter than she had in days.

It was during one of these relaxed moments, as plates were being passed around for seconds, that Theo spoke again; casually, almost absently.

"At least," he said, not looking up from his plate, "someone else is keeping Talwyn busy now."

There was a sharp little pause; not loud, but felt.

Talwyn stiffened immediately, feeling George go still across from her.

Ginny coughed lightly, trying to hide a giggle behind her napkin.

Fred looked between everyone, eyebrows raised in faint confusion at the sudden tension.

George cleared his throat and very deliberately focused on spooning mashed potatoes onto his plate, refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

Talwyn gave Theo a look, one that promised revenge later, but he only dipped his head slightly, a barely-there smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Molly, unaware of the sudden shift in atmosphere, simply smiled.

Talwyn focused on her plate, cheeks burning. Across the table, she dared a glance up at George, and found him already looking at her, his ears slightly pink.

Ginny, not even bothering to be subtle now, elbowed Fred and whispered something that made him choke on his drink.

Talwyn sighed quietly, forcing a bite of chicken into her mouth to avoid laughing, crying, or throwing her fork at Theo, she wasn't even sure which.

But despite the embarrassment, there was a small, secret smile curling inside her.Because for the first time in a long while, everything felt almost... normal.