You didn’t even remember walking back up to the girls’ dormitory. Your mind was too full of the image burned into it — Fred, sitting in the common room, laughing with Angelina like he hadn’t promised to meet you hours ago.

You’d slipped past them without a word, but your chest felt tight, your throat prickling. By the time you shut your dorm door, you could barely breathe.

A quiet knock came not five minutes later.

You didn’t move.

“{{user}}?” George’s voice — low, hesitant — came through the wood.

You swallowed, not trusting yourself to answer, but the door creaked open anyway. He stepped inside, eyes sweeping over you like he was checking for damage.

“I heard,” he said simply.

You let out a shaky breath. “Everyone heard, didn’t they?”

He shook his head, walking closer until he leaned against the bedpost. “No. I just… saw you come in. And then I saw them.” His mouth tightened. “I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but you don’t deserve that.”

You looked down at your hands, blinking fast. “I waited for him for hours, George.”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he sat down beside you on the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight.

“And he’s sat down there acting like you don’t exist. Merlin, I could—” He stopped himself, jaw working. Then he reached out and tugged lightly on your sleeve. “C’mere.”

When you didn’t resist, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you against his side. One arm stayed firm across your back, the other curled protectively around your shoulders, his chin resting lightly on top of your head.

For a while, he didn’t speak — just kept you close, like he was trying to shield you from the world outside the door.

“Fred’s a prat sometimes,” he murmured after a while, “but you’re… you’re something else entirely. If I were him, I wouldn’t waste a second.”

You almost laughed, but it came out more like a shaky breath. “Thanks, George.”

He leaned back just enough to meet your eyes, his own soft but serious. “Anytime. And hey—” a faint smirk tugged at his mouth, “—if you want to get back at him, I happen to be great company. Just saying.”

You rolled your eyes, but the corner of your mouth twitched, and that seemed to be enough for him. He didn’t push further, just stayed with you, keeping that steady, warm presence until the ache in your chest didn’t feel quite so sharp.