"There you are!" Aryan heard from the doorway.

She turned her head and saw her boyfriend giving her an easy smile.

"Here I am," she said. "I told you I was going to be at the house today."

"I know but I forgot there was a library," George confessed while going over to Aryan who was sitting on the couch with a book in her lap.

"I am starting to love it," she smiled while looking around.

The library in 12 Grimmauld Place was not the biggest but it was a good size. There were rows of shelves with books lined along the walls. There were five stand alone bookcases filled with more books. The couch sat in front of the fireplace that was currently closed off. On each side of the couch were two chairs that matched the couch. All the furniture was black and the curtains for the window facing the street was dark and heavy, blocking out the sunlight.

The carpet was a deep red which surprised Aryan at first since everything else in the mansion was black. Harry said he couldn't explain it either but it was a nice change from the rest of the place.

"This was closed off when we lived here the summer before my last year," the redhead said while joining Aryan on the couch. "Granger was not too pleased when she heard that a library of all places was being abandoned." He chuckled at the memory, while starting to massage the artist's shoulders.

"Hmmm, yeah I actually saw Hermione today she agreed to help me with the library, Harry mentioned that she grew fond of it."

"That's nice of you, I am sure she'll appreciate it," George said while working at the knots in her shoulders. "You're tense, what's wrong? Too many decisions because you can just fill this room with your book and force kids to read it and then boom! One room already done," he joked.

"I saw Percy today," she said. "He was at the same restaurant where me and Hermione got a bite to eat."

She heard him suck in a breath before continuing to work on her back. "Did he say anything?"

"I congratulated him on his engagement and he said 'thank you'," she answered.

"He doesn't hate you," he said.

"I know, it was just weird and he's your brother and I know he hasn't had the best relationship with the family."

She felt him stop and hug her from behind and kiss her neck and she couldn't help but smile.

Flashback:

"I feel like I am meeting your family all over again," Aryan said while running her hands through her hair.

Her and George agreed that telling the family as soon as possible was best. They didn't want one of them to find out through other people. And it caused a whole scene. Which is why they were going to Sunday dinner, three days after becoming 'official'.

The red-head smiled "mom already thought that we were together and didn't you say both Ron and Charlie told you my feelings for you," he said.

"You know in addition to being poor, our family was/is mocked among purebloods because we don't think we're above half-bloods, muggleborns or muggles. They'll accept you with open arms, especially my dad. They already love you. We're just making an announcement and if they suddenly hate the idea of us dating, oh well," he shrugged. "I love you, that's all that matters."

"You can obliviate their minds," she joked while going over to the floo.

"Says the girl who hates magic being done to her," he laughed.

"Hey," his tone suddenly turned serious which made the artist turn around. He leaned in and kissed her.

It wasn't a long kiss but it said all that she needed to hear. They broke apart and both smiled at each other.

"Now go before we're late, now that is a reason my mom will no longer like you," he joked while giving her a playful nudge.

She stepped in the lit fireplace, gave her command and was off.

George smiled while watching her go, 'this was a good thing' he thought. 'It'll be great.'

Once he cleaned himself up he looked around and saw that Aryan was already talking to Ginny.

Ginny, Charlie, Percy, Audrey, Ron and Hermione and he knew Harry wasn't going to be there due to being called away on a last minute mission. Plus he already knew, thanks to Ron telling him the day after they got together.

After everyone was seated and talking he saw that Aryan was starting to relax. After Ginny was telling about her latest game, Molly spoke up.

"Aryan, George says that you're going on your book tour soon."

"Yes, I am leaving in 2 weeks and will be gone for about 5 weeks. We're going to cities in Canada and some cities on the west coast of America and New York City," she explained.

"I should be getting a box of the book sometime next week and I am very excited to finally see it all come together."

"I am so happy that your art will be seen by so many people, promise me that you'll stop by before you leave," Molly said.

"Of course," Aryan responded while giving her a smile.

George cleared his throat, "actually mom, Aryan will be over more once she gets back because we are officially together, we're dating."

There was a moment of silence but Ginny was the first to break it.

"FINALLY! I am barely in town and even I knew you guys were eventually going to come to your senses and get together," the redhead said with a smirk.

"When?" Hermione asked.

"Ummm… the night of Harry's party. Well technically the day after, we decided to give it a try. Surprised Ron didn't tell you." She said, which made the youngest Weasley boy duck his head.

"Well frankly I am glad you two kids figured it out, thought I was going to have to slip some Veritaserum in you guy's drink soon," Charlie said with a wink and a laugh.

"I hereby give a toast to George and Aryan," Arthur said with a beaming smile while holding up his cup.

"To George and Aryan," everyone said following suit.

"You guys' are serious," Percy said looking in between the couple. "Does Fred know?"

"PERCY!" Both Molly and Aubery exclaimed.

"No, it's fine," George reassured while turning his attention to his older brother. He wasn't surprised Percy was the one to call him out, he's always been the 'conservative' one of the family.

"As a matter of fact he does, he was the second to know and the one who actually pushed me to tell my feelings to Aryan."

"Who wants to race?" Ron spoke up easily seeing that this was going to be a long conversation.

"Me!" Ginny said getting up after Ron and both going out the door.

"I'll go too," Charlie said, getting up and following his younger siblings.

Aryan, George, Hermione and Percy followed after Molly said that dessert will be up in a bit. But once Aryan was outside she saw that Percy and George were heading toward the shed.

She followed them hoping they wouldn't see and hoping that they didn't use a 'silencing charm'.

The artist went around the back and could barely make out what the two were saying.

"Need these?" She heard Charlie suggest. She turned around and saw that the older wizard had a pair of "extended ears" in his hands.

She gave him a shy smile and pressed the ears to the doors.

"Does Fred know!? Does Fred know?! What kind of question is that?! Even if he didn't know, why would it matter if he knew, I'm the one dating her not him," she heard George yell and she couldn't help but flinch, she never heard him raise his voice like that.

"I just wanted to know if he was alright with you know," Percy trailed off and Aryan could just imagine him pushing his glasses up to his face.

"No, I don't know. Why don't you spell it out for me," the entrepreneur said.

"George I'm not saying I don't like Aryan, she's great! You two really seem to get along but do you really want the unnecessary press with you two? I saw the article Rita Skeeter put out when Aryan was working in your shop that one day. That'll be your life if you continue on with this fling."

And she could just imagine the look George had on his face right now. She was also glad that they left their wands outside the shed.

"So being friends with a muggle is fine, great even. Shows I am really about unity or whatever crap purebloods say, to prove they've changed. But Merlin forbid I date one or fall in love with one! God and to think I thought you changed. How the hell were we raised by the same people!?" George yelled out.

By this point Aryan wanted to stop listening but she couldn't.

"I'm just saying, you hid away from the press after Fred died and now this will bring more press. And I mean are you really ready to start a relationship. You do have your business to think about."

"Oh, now you care about our business! Look, this isn't about me or Fred. This is about you and how your 'buddies' at the Ministry and how they will take it. Everyone thought I was going to break when Fred died and now they'll think that I'm even crazier for being pure blood and dating a muggle."

He laughed but it was such a hurtful laugh that it pained Aryan to hear.

"Listen, I give 0 fucks what people have to say. This "thing" with Aryan rather it last a couple of months, years, hell it might last forever. Is the furthest thing from a fling. I love her so much and for the first time in 4 years I feel I can breathe. That maybe just maybe, I can live without Fred physically being here. And if you or anyone has a problem with that then fuck it, I don't care. And I don't have to explain myself to you or to anyone."

She could hear him going to the front door of the shed, "oh and another thing Percy, don't refer to my girlfriend as "the Muggle" if you just got out of that bubble of yours and got to know her for yourself she is so much more than that. And also fuck blood status if I have to give up being a pureblood for her, I would in a heartbeat."

Aryan heard the sound of the door slamming and then the sound of Apparition.

She knew not to follow him or to confront Percy. It wasn't her battle to fight even though the battle was about her and George would talk to her when he's ready.

"Are you okay?" She heard Hermione ask while sitting down next to her on the grass.

"Yeah, I just wish there was a way for me to help," the artist confessed to the younger witch.

She smiled gently at the older women while pushing her curls back.

"You know what they called me in school? Mudblood," she said not giving Aryan time to respond.

"Oooo that's bad," Aryan said.

"I actually punched a guy in my 3rd year for calling me that. Well he was saying awful things but that was one of the reasons."

She couldn't help but laugh at the memory of socking Malfoy right in the nose.

"Way to go Hermione!"

"We're kind of friends now, he works two floors down from me and we often run into each other at the coffee shop before work. He's still a git but pleasant when he wants to be. He's also a pureblood and hated all things muggle for a very long time." The witch confessed.

"I haven't seen George this happy since before the war. He loves you, the way he looks at you is magic. Percy will come around, he always does it'll just take some time," the brown haired girl continued. "But I for one am glad to have someone from the same background as me, a part of my adopted family. I mean besides Harry of course."

"Thanks Hermione, I should go make sure he hasn't hexed a wall or something," she smiled trying to keep things light. She gave the witch a hug and promised to hang out with her before her trip.

Aryan stood outside George's work room and gave a deep breath. She left the Burrow shortly after talking to Hermione to make sure that George cooled off beforehand.

"Hey," she greeted while walking in. "I bought back your mom's tart; pumpkin flavored," she said, handing him the small tart and then sitting in front of him on the desk.

The wizard smiled at her while placing a warming charm on the tart, "I am guessing you heard everything."

"Charlie let me borrow some Extended Ears, pretty great invention, I think you should make an updated version though. Like an updated, pocket-sized version. Less noticeable." The muggle rambled while George just looked at her intensely.

"I want to take you on a date," the redhead more so stated than asked.

"Like a date date?"

"Like a date with music and wine and we dress up and I pick you up and we have food that you say is 'better than sex' and then we come back to one of our flats and I show you that it is not true." He ended by sliding his hands up her thighs while placing a wicked smile on his face.

They haven't had sex, they made a rule early on when she came back that they wouldn't do it to keep their friendship from being complicated. They re-visited that rule when they started sleeping in the same bed and still felt the same.

But now that they were official she was ready to break that rule, especially since she was going to be away for a month.

"When?"

"Tomorrow," he stated.

"I am going to Manchester for the day, I won't be back in town until late tomorrow night. We can do Tuesday."

"Well, Ms. Aryan Weston, would you like to go with me on a date."

"Pick me up at 7," she smiled while leaning in to give him a kiss.

"I can show that 'sex is better than food' right now if you want," he winked.

"You have to buy me dinner first," she teased. "Plus, I still haven't packed and I leave stupid early, no you will have to wait until Tuesday. Trust me, I will make it worth it." She winked. "Walk me to the floo."

"Fine," he groaned with a smile.

"I am sorry," George said seriously once they got to the floo. "I love you and I really don't care what anyone says, especially Percy."

"I know," she smiled and kissed him before stepping into the floo. "I'll owl you before I leave and then when I get back."

Once he waved her off the wizard realized that he actually now has to plan a date within the next 48 hours. He quickly wrote out a note and summoned his owl to deliver.

Less than an hour later he got the response he wanted and decided to do one more run of the store before calling it a night.

The next morning:

George stepped out the floo and called out for who he wanted. "Hermione... are you here?"

"I'll be down in a minute," he heard her yell from upstairs.

He decided to start a pot of coffee, seeing that it was still early and it didn't look like Hermonie made any yet.

"I didn't know you knew how to use a coffee machine," he heard a few minutes later.

He looked over at the witch as she was finishing up her braid and just shrugged.

"I am over Aryan's a lot and figured I learn how to use it, actually she showed me how to use most muggle contraptions." He finished explaining, while pouring himself a cup.

"I'm guessing this stop before work has something to do with her," she stated while smiling at him.

"We haven't been on an actual date and I want to take her somewhere really nice, preferably muggle," he told her.

"You know, you don't have to prove that you're 'pro muggle' to her. She loves you the way you are," Hermonie said while going over to make herself a cup.

George knew she didn't mean it as a bad thing and she was just looking after him; he couldn't help but smile at her.

"I know but I still don't want all our time spent in the wizarding world; I really want to get to know her world as well."

"So you turn to the muggle-born?" Hermione teased. "Well, you're in luck I am going to the office late because my meeting got pushed. Where were you thinking and when is the date? And I am guessing you need help getting muggle money."

"Yes, please and would you hex me if I said tomorrow?" The wizard said, giving her a cheeky grin.

She just rolled her eyes while grabbing her bag, "come on, I know a couple places that we can look at. And there's a money exchange where we can get you some bills."

By noon, George successfully made a reservation at an Italian that sounded really good and got muggle notes from the exchange. And he also let Hermonie convince him to buy Aryan a bouquet of paintbrushes, "trust me George this is so much better than flowers, she can use them and they won't die."

They parted ways to go to their separate work places, after having lunch and him thanking her for all the help. "I missed seeing you this happy. And enjoy your date, I want to hear all about it." She smiled while giving him a hug.

The following night:

"I have to say that I'm pretty impressed," Aryan mused.

George picked her up, presenting her with paint brushes which made her laugh out loud and she gave him a pack of Bean Boozled. Which he promised to try with her later on.

To her surprise they caught the Tube, which she couldn't help laughing at him when he was a little nervous about the whole thing.

Now she was sitting, drinking her second glass of wine and just finished listening to George talking about his latest project. He smiled when she said that, "I have to attempt that Hermoine helped pick the place and the paintbrushes were her idea. But the Tube thing I really wanted to try."

"Leave it to Hermoine but it was your idea for Italian, which is my favorite. And I think you had something to do with the fact they have my favorite wine."

"I might have seen that on the menu and plus tiramisu, which you are in love with," he confessed while the waiter came and placed the dessert in front of her. Which he couldn't help but laugh when she let out a little squeal.

There was a loud thunder crack and then that is when the rain started pouring once the check came and they were waiting for their leftovers to be wrapped up.

"Damn that is going to be a bitch to walk through," Aryran mumbled.

George suddenly got an idea and decided to go with it, "do you trust me?" He asked.

The artist laughed a little, "of course I trust you, why?"

"Follow me," was all he said.

They accepted the leftovers and he opened the door for her, he took off his jacket to place over her head while they headed toward the alley.

"Now, I am about to do something and you can not for the life of you, let go" He instructed in his most serious tone.

"Are you going to do what I think you're doing," she asked while accepting his hand that he was holding out for her.

He nodded and took a deep breath and the next thing she knew she felt a tug in her stomach and suddenly found herself in his living room.

"Are you okay?" He asked once he looked over her, making sure she still had all her limbs.

She was about to reply but suddenly felt an overwhelming need to puke and ran toward the washroom.

George suspected that would happen, side-along apparition was never fun and he suddenly realized that he didn't know if that was her first time. He heard her puking and decided to get a hangover potion, to help her out.

"Hey," he said cautiously, while approaching the washroom. He saw her sitting next to the toilet and couldn't help but stare.

Her hair, which was carefully pulled up in a bun with pins had loosen up and one strap from her red dress fell down her shoulder. She wore light make-up but her eyeliner, which made her eyes pop, was slightly smeared but still he couldn't help but stare at her in complete awe.

"You look beautiful," he said honestly while she rolled her eyes. "Here I only have mint flavor. It should help with the nauseous feeling. This happens with a lot of people when it comes to side-along."

"Yeah because puking on our first date is sooo attractive. And goodness no wonder Calvin never let me side-along with him." She said, while drowning the potion.

"So it has nothing to do with the fact that I am muggle," she asked while lifting herself up to sit on the edge of the tub.

He sat next to her and pushed her stray hairs out the way, "no, not at all. Just side-along is a bitch. And I should have asked. That was my fuck up." He smiled while watching the color slowly returning to her face. "Feel better?" He asked.

She nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder, her travel from yesterday, the date and getting sick finally catching up to her.

"I had a great time tonight," George said while still messing with her hair. She looked up at him to say the same but he stopped her and took her chin and kissed her on the lips.

She couldn't help but kiss him back and before they knew it she was sitting in his lap, making out with him. His hands started to travel down to her chest and dip in between her breasts.

"Hmmm...George," Aryan could barely make out while his lips were now travelling to her neck. "As much as I want this now, I don't want our first time to be on the edge of your bathtub."

That pulled George out of his trance and he lifted Aryan bridal style leading her toward the bedroom.

Later that night:

George couldn't sleep and instead of going down to the store, he decided to sit up and play with Aryan's hair.

He smiled as he remembered the events from the night. The business owner couldn't help but realize how happy he was at that moment. And it was thanks to the woman laying next to him.

"I can hear you thinking," Aryan said, taking George out of his thoughts. "What's up," she asked sitting up looking at him.

"I'm just happy," he mused. "And I'm glad we did this and hope when you get back, we can do this some more. And I mean all of tonight because that thing you did with your tongue, I definitely need more of that," he teased.

"But seriously, I'm in love with you and I'm not saying that because of what happened Sunday. But it made me realize that you are pretty special and I would be crazy to give that up," he continued.

"I like you a lot. And I would love for this to continue," Aryan said. Despite his constant love proclamation she wasn't ready to say it to him, not yet.

"You don't have to say it yet," he said, seeming to read her mind. "But Hermonie did say that you loved me just the way I am and that I don't have to prove that I am 'pro-muggle' to you". And she is very very rarely wrong." He teased.

"Brightest witch of her time, right?" Aryan said, knowing she was right, of course she was right. "But yes, I'll say it when I am ready, promise. Also, that thing with your tongue, doesn't compare to your fingers." She winked.

The wizard kissed her and she couldn't help but deepen it.

"George, you have to open the store tomorrow and barely any prep is done," she tried to argue while he was leaving trails of kisses down her body, already moving the sheet off of her.

"You're leaving for a month," was all he answered, while traveling further down with his mouth. "Plus, there's enough stuff done for the morning. I did a lot of stuff before tonight."

She couldn't argue with that, plus she really couldn't ignore what he was doing with his mouth on her thigh.

'God he's going to be the death of me', she thought before letting herself enjoy what he was doing.

With everything going on in the world, I decided it'll be nice to dive back in this story, I can't let go lol. And I decided to do like a chapter that documents the first date, since I skipped over. I was thinking of doing one last chapter (one that ends in a certain question being asked, perhaps lol). Let me know if any of you are interested. Hope all of you is staying safe and healthy and thanks for reading!