"George? George…. George? Are you alright, dear?" Jean knocked on my door. "George? Are you still asleep? I've made breakfast…" she knocked again, receiving no answer, "I'm coming in." She pushed open the door gently, hoping I wouldn't mind the intrusion. "George," she called to me, after finding me feigning asleep. She lightly shook my shoulder, trying her best to 'wake' me peacefully.
I groaned and rolled from my side to my back, trying my best to keep her thinking that I was asleep.
"Come on, George. I've made a nice, hot breakfast."
I opened my right eye slightly and said childishly, "What exactly did you make?"
"Something good," she smiled, "now come downstairs before it goes cold!" she teased me lightly before leaving my new room.
After combing my hair through quickly, I headed downstairs in my pajamas, hoping the Granger household wouldn't mind it.
"There you are, George," Jean smiled at me again, "Go ahead and sit down, I'll serve you some food."
"Where's Mr. Granger?" I asked, hearing no other people within the house.
"He went to work a little early," she set a plate in front of me. "I'll be leaving shortly though, so the house will be all yours. You could go into town, watch the television, whatever you want to do," she slid two eggs and a couple pieces of bacon onto my plate and poured me a glass of orange juice. "It's been awhile since I've cooked for three, ever since Hermione started attending Hogwarts my opportunities to cook for three have declined."
"I hope I'm not a burden," I took another bite off of my plate- wondering what a 'television' could be.
She stopped suddenly, "Don't you dare say that, young man! You're not a burden; it's a pleasure to have you."
I let a small smile play my features, "Thanks, Mrs. Granger."
"Call me Jean, dear," she brought a smile back to her face and started to clean up the kitchen.
A while later, Jean called to me from the kitchen to where I was sitting in the living room, watching the strange Muggle box, "George, I'm going to work. Me and John will be home around six, so don't hesitate to eat lunch and some snacks- I'll make dinner when I get home."
"Have a good day, Mrs. Granger."
"That's Jean to you, young man!" she said distantly from the kitchen.
"Have a good day, Jean," I corrected myself.
She came in and waved goodbye, taking her leave through the front door.
I watched the strange talking Muggle box a while longer, then decided to get dressed and do something.
After dressing myself I left, locking the door how Jean instructed me.
I walked down the street, past a park and into the middle of the small town where I was staying. Shops lined the streets, and the sidewalks were pedestrian-friendly.
I saw housewives and young children shopping and trouble-making teenagers ditching school in alleyways.
Jean had given me a little money, so I decided to go into a café for some coffee.
I sat down, and was greeted by a very pretty face…
"Hello," she smiled, "May I get you something? A drink? Something to eat?"
I looked at her hazel eyes and tried not to sound stupid, "C-coffee would be nice."
She nodded, and I noticed how nicely her long dark brown hair looked before she said, "Could I interest you in something to eat?"
I nodded dully and told her, "Whatever you think is the best around here, I'll take it."
She smiled even broader and wrote something down on her order pad, "Okay, then. I hope you like it. I'll be back in a few with your order."
I sat and waited, going over our 'conversation' in my head. Once I thought about it, I must've sound so stupid! I'm not used to talking to girls without Fred right by me…
"Here you go," the girl put down the coffee and a plate. "I ordered you my favorite: hot biscuit with a drizzle of honey. Do you need some cream or sugar for your coffee?"
"Cream, please."
"One second," she said and walked back to the waitress station. "There's your cream," she put down the container of cream in front of me, and watched as I stirred a bit into my coffee.
She kept watching me, long after I had finished pouring the cream.
"Can I help you with something?" I asked after about a minute of her standing there.
"Uh, sorry… but have I met you? The town's pretty small but I don't think I've ever seen you around…" she blushed slightly, "Sorry for staring."
"Uh, no. I don't think you've seen me around. I just moved in yesterday at the Granger house."
"Well, good. I thought I was going crazy by not knowing your name. This café always gives me a chance to get to know everybody around here. But you're living in the Granger house? You related or what?"
"I'm just staying with them for awhile because our families are close." It was just a little lie, but she's a Muggle- so it's okay.
"Oh," she tucked a loose bang behind her ear, "Then I guess I haven't been very friendly, you being new and all," she stuck her hand out to me, "I'm Tiffany Finex. And you are…?"
I shook her hand, "George Weasley. Nice to meet you, Tiffany."
"Nice to meet you, George... and call me Tifa, will you?"
Someone from the back of the café called her, and she left, telling me to come by often and talk.
I finished the coffee and biscuit, and left the money and tip on the table.
I went back to the house, alone.
Alone.
Alone…
What to do?
I watched more of the strange talking Muggle box but was quickly bored and went up to my room… alone.
I amused myself awhile longer by trying to come up with a new product for the joke shop… but nothing quite worked the way I wanted it to.
Fred was the better twin.
He was the one who could use magic better.
He was the twin that could perfect a product…
I can't do it alone.
I began to silently cry, not letting out more than a sniffle as a sound while I toyed with new ideas for the shop. And, of course, nothing I tried in the time I was crying worked.
I cried myself to sleep, only waking up when I heard someone call 'I'm home!'
I grudgingly pulled myself upright and walked slowly down the stairs, "Hello."
"Ah, there you are George," John Granger smiled at me when I walked into the living room.
"How was your day Mr. Granger?" I said, trying my best to be polite, despite my sour mood.
"Fine, fine. A normal day in the dentist's office," he put his jacket on the coat hanger, "Call me John, George- since you'll be with us for awhile."
I faked a smile and flopped down on the couch, once again staring at the Muggle box.
"Do you like sports, George?" John asked.
"I love Quidditch…"
"That game wizard and witches play? No, no; the Muggles can't and don't watch that. I mean sports like football, racing, or swimming! Things Muggles can do, we have on the television."
"I heard Hermione talking about those strange sports once…"
"Would you like to watch a game?"
I said yes, and watched as he pointed a wand-like thing at the 'television' and it magically changed screens.
I thought Muggles couldn't use magic…
That looked like magic to me.
If only Fred could see how wrong the teachers were!
If only Fred…
A/n: An awkward George with a pretty, muggle girl is really fun to write. Hahahaha. But crying, lonely George scenes? Not fun to write.
And yes, Tiffany is supposed to be a little nosy… and for all FFVII fans, she's also physically based on Tifa Lockhart.
And for all, I am completely American; which means- I don't know what English people eat, do, or say. So I'm hoping I get this pretty close to how it is. Like, do I have the whole 'football' instead of 'soccer' thing down? Here, when people say 'football' I'm brainwashed-American-wise to think guys in spandex chasing a pigskin to score a touchdown.