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The week leading up to the Christmas break at Hogwarts was filled with a nervous kind of energy. The castle was abuzz with excitement for the holidays—students were making plans to head home or stay at the school for the break, and everyone seemed caught up in the seasonal cheer. But for Y/n, the festive atmosphere only highlighted the unease she felt every time she crossed paths with George.

They were no longer avoiding each other, at least not in the way they had been before. But now, it felt like there was an unspoken pressure between them. They hadn’t discussed anything explicitly. There were no grand confessions, no promises made, just... moments. Small, fleeting interactions where the tension between them was undeniable, but neither knew how to move forward.

On one hand, it was better than the hostile interactions they had grown so used to. On the other hand, Y/n wasn’t sure what they were supposed to be doing now. She was used to having the upper hand in her relationships, used to keeping people at a distance. But George? He was different. His persistence, his patience—it was throwing her off balance.

---

It was the night before the students were meant to leave for the break, and the common rooms were filled with chatter and laughter. The Slytherin common room, however, had a different kind of energy tonight. There was an excitement in the air, but also a quiet anticipation, especially as Y/n’s thoughts kept drifting to George.

She wasn’t sure why, but it had become a habit lately to check for him, whether it was in the corridors or across the great hall. The idea of it made her feel both frustrated and... confused. Why did he have this effect on her? She wasn’t used to feeling so uncertain.

"Y/n!" Cora’s voice broke through her reverie, and Y/n turned to see her friend standing near the entrance, a mischievous grin on her face. "What are you doing over here, looking all lost in thought?"

Y/n shook her head and smiled, though it was a little forced. "Nothing. Just... thinking."

Cora’s eyes narrowed, clearly reading the subtext. "Right. Thinking about George, aren’t you?"

Y/n shot her a warning glance, but Cora was undeterred, moving closer with a knowing smile. "It’s fine, you know. I told you already—it's obvious. You’re not fooling anyone, Y/n."

Y/n sighed, sitting back against the arm of the couch. "I don’t know what I’m doing. I agreed to try, but now… it feels like there’s so much space between us. Like we’re both just waiting for the other person to do something."

Cora’s expression softened as she took a seat beside her. "It’s because you’re both terrified, that’s why. Neither of you knows how to act when the rivalry is gone, but there’s still a lot of history. But you’re here, right? You’re talking to me about it, which means it’s on your mind."

"I didn’t think it would be like this," Y/n admitted, running a hand through her hair. "It’s confusing."

"Of course it is," Cora said with a small laugh. "But, here’s the thing—sometimes the best things in life are the ones that make you feel like you’re standing on the edge of something you can’t control. Maybe that's where this is going. Maybe that’s the challenge."

Y/n let out a breath, considering her words. Maybe Cora was right. Maybe it wasn’t supposed to be easy. But that didn’t mean it didn’t feel… frustrating.

---

Later that evening, after most of the students had turned in for bed, Y/n found herself pacing the empty hallways, her thoughts racing. Her feet led her instinctively toward the entrance hall. The flickering torchlight cast long shadows across the stone floor, and the echo of her footsteps was the only sound that accompanied her.

As she approached the grand staircase, she froze. George was standing there at the base of the stairs, his arms crossed loosely over his chest. He was alone, and his gaze seemed to find her immediately, as if he’d been waiting for her.

Y/n’s heart skipped a beat, and she forced herself to take a deep breath before walking down the stairs toward him.

"George," she said, her voice steady despite the rapid beating of her heart.

He smiled when he saw her, though there was something almost shy about it this time. "Hey," he greeted, his tone warmer than usual. "I was just heading out for a walk, thought I might run into you."

Y/n raised an eyebrow, trying to keep things casual. "Is that so?"

He shrugged, still grinning. "Yeah. I wanted to talk."

Y/n nodded, her pulse quickening. "About what?"

George looked at her seriously now, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity she wasn’t used to. "About us. I don’t want to pretend like this is just something that’s going to happen on its own. I know things have been awkward, but… I can’t ignore it anymore."

Y/n’s throat tightened, and she swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," George said, stepping a little closer, "I’m not asking for anything big, but I don’t want to keep dancing around this anymore. There’s something between us, Y/n. You can’t tell me you don’t feel it, too."

For a moment, Y/n was speechless. Her thoughts were a jumble, but she couldn't deny the truth in his words. She did feel something between them, something that she was still struggling to understand, but it was there. It had always been there.

"You’re right," she said quietly, her voice almost a whisper now. "There is something."

George smiled faintly at her words, and there was something in his expression—something open and vulnerable—that made Y/n’s breath hitch. It was the same look he had worn the other night when they had been talking in the library. That raw, honest look that made her realize just how much of herself she had been keeping locked away.

"So, what do we do about it?" she asked before she could stop herself, her heart beating faster at the weight of the question.

George took another step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "We stop pretending like we’re not on the same page," he said softly. "We take a chance, Y/n. We see where this can go. But only if you’re willing to take that step with me."

For a moment, Y/n didn’t say anything. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words and possibility. Her thoughts raced, but something deep inside her told her that this was the moment. The moment she had been waiting for, the moment where everything could change.

And as she looked up at George, seeing the sincerity in his eyes, she made her choice.

"Okay," she said, her voice steady now. "Let’s try. Let’s see where this goes."

George’s face lit up with a smile that made Y/n’s heart flutter, and without thinking, she found herself taking a step toward him.

"Really?" he asked, his voice almost disbelieving.

"Really," she confirmed, offering him a small, tentative smile. "But don’t get too excited, Weasley. We’re still figuring this out."

He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with something she couldn’t quite place. "I’ll take it," he said, his tone light but filled with relief. "I’ll take whatever you’ll give me."

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Y/n allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t a bad decision. Maybe, just maybe, they were finally taking the first step toward something that didn’t feel quite as impossible as she had once thought.

As they stood there, the uncertainty between them slowly began to melt away, replaced with something new. Something tentative, but real.

And for once, Y/n wasn’t afraid to take that next step.