( george and marina's first date! )
— october, nineteen ninety six
( during chapter forty two of wild )

[cw: some sexual content, mentions of sexual manipulation]

SHE WAS SO NERVOUS. Nervous he wouldn't show up, nervous he wouldn't have a good time if he did show up, and nervous she wouldn't have a good time. She was at the pub, one she'd been to many times in her youth. The Three Broomsticks was much different as an adult on a weeknight than it was on a Saturday afternoon during the trips to Hogsmeade. It was quiet and dimly lit. That was a good thing to Marina because if he didn't show up and she ended up crying, no one would see.

But he showed up. Her face lit up more than she would've liked to admit when she saw him walk in. He smiled too as he sat next to her.

Marina was so surprised George had even asked her out in the first place. She never thought of him in that way, at least she never thought she did. When she was silly and young and thought Fred was all that and he broke her heart, George was there for her. She didn't think it was strange that they were twins and she had feelings for both of them. They were such different people and Marina wasn't a vain girl, so how they looked didn't matter.

He had been writing to her a lot after he left school and she broke up with Graham. They had been like pen pals the whole summer as she desperately tried to find solace in another man's company. But no other man succeeded in making her feel safe and comfortable and going further than a kiss or two made her anxious beyond belief.

George had such a calming and welcoming presence that any fear she ever had her entire life went away the second George sat down across from her.

"Hi," she smiled.

"Hi," he said, "you look really pretty. Well — you are really pretty."

She blushed, "Thank you. I'm... glad you came."

"Aren't I the one who asked you on a date?" He teased.

Marina shrugged, "You could've been pranking me or something."

Marina liked that George didn't seem to think she was dumb for saying that. He just reassured her how much he's always liked her and that he would never do something to hurt her or make her feel bad.

Their conversation was effortless. They didn't even hesitate to jump into a discussion. It started simple, them catching up on each other's lives. Marina was very proud of George and how well the shop was doing. She felt slightly inadequate since all she was good for at her job was coffee runs. She would work her way up to the top though... hopefully.

They got their food, but barely paid that much attention to it as they were so lost in conversation.

"I was really excited when you asked me out, George." Marina told him.

"I was really excited when you said yes," he shrugged. "I still can't believe this is actually happening. I've liked you for a long time now... nearly a year. I wanted to ask you out earlier but..."

"Sorry," she said quietly, "I wish I —"

"You don't have to talk about it. I know you don't want to. Tell me about your summer. I know you told me in your letters but I want to hear you say it out loud. I like the sound of your voice."

George was so sweet it almost scared Marina. Sure, he could be harsh when he needed to be and at his core he was loud and bold... but Marina saw the gentle side of him many people overlooked. She wondered as they spoke into the night, if it was all too good to be true.

"Alright," Madame Rosmerta sighed, approaching their table, "We're closing in ten. Sorry, lovebirds. Here's the bill. You can leave the money on the table. Have a nice night."

"Thank you!" Marina said, shyly.

George looked at her as Madame Rosmerta walked away, "So... do you just want to go back to mine? Rory and Fred should be asleep because they're fucking elders so we don't have to worry about them."

"Y-Yeah! Okay!"

Butterflies entered Marina's stomach at his request. They were the good kind, although she began to feel very nervous at the same time. She wondered what George's intentions were with bringing her back to his flat. He could just want to fuck her, that was very likely. If he did, she would probably disappoint him with all her anxieties about sex and freak out and ruin everything. But it was George and she didn't want to ruin things with him.

She found she couldn't control her reactions when men touched her. They were involuntary reflexes. Sometimes she felt like she wasn't in her body, but observing it from the outside.

She just hoped it would be different with him.

He paid and they stepped outside the pub. Marina didn't realize it had gotten so late. The streets of the village were empty and there wasn't a sound but the October wind a few drunkards on their way back to their homes.

George looked at Marina and held out his hand. She grabbed it and together, they apparated to his flat. It was dark, but George didn't mind and led her into his bedroom. He sat on his bed and removed his shoes. Marina did the same.

"Thank you for taking me out," Marina said.

"Thank you for going out with me," he said. "Do you want me to put a light on or —"

She kissed him. Or did he kiss her? She couldn't tell either way. Their lips gravitated towards each other. It felt so good. It was as if Marina was suddenly where she was meant to be her entire life. For the first time she felt clarity and a strange feeling that she was a real person and not an object. It was strange what a kiss could do.

They pulled away for a moment of air and exchanged such wide and genuine grins.

"Fuck, Mar. I've wanted to do that for ages," he sighed.

"Honestly... me too."

What happened next was expected, her on top of him on his bed. Her knees were pinned to his sides and her raven hair fell in front of her face as she kissed him. This was normally as far as she went with men. Usually after a few minutes of her on top, they'd flip their positions which triggered something in Marina and she couldn't go on.

She could feel that he wanted her. She wanted him to. But could she handle it?

George broke away from their kiss and looked up at her.

"Can I... you know — " he said making a small gesture with his hands that Marina translated to him wanting the upper hand.

"Oh! Sure!" She said almost submissively. He was very gentle in placing her underneath him. She slightly shuddered at his touch and shut her eyes. She was waiting for the fear to take over her and for the panic to sink in... but it didn't. Instead, she felt confident.

"George," she said quietly against his lips, "do you want to have sex with me?"

He pulled away and furrowed his brows, "What?"

Maybe he didn't hear her.

"Do you want to have sex with me? Like tonight? Is that why you brought me back to your flat? So you could fuck me?"

"I mean... I'm not against the idea. That's not why I brought you here though."

"Then why did you?"

He shrugged, "I just didn't want our date it end. And maybe I thought we could keep talking and maybe fall asleep together. Is that stupid? I'm sorry."

"So you don't want to have sex with me?" She asked.

"I mean... I do. I know it's sort of complicated for you though. I don't want to hurt you or anything."

"George, you could never hurt me."

"I don't ever want to."

She smiled and kissed him. He kissed her back in a way she had never been kissed. It was like there was emotion behind it somehow. She liked it, so she didn't pull away. Some of his clothes began littering the floor but Marina was still fully clothed in the light pink dress she was wearing.

"Should I silence the room?" He asked.

Marina nodded, feeling a knot in her stomach at his touch. He grabbed his wand and cast a silencing charm with a cocky grin.

They looked at each other and giggled. There was an innocent and childlike nature about it. She felt a connection with George she had never felt with anyone before.

He kissed her with a smile. It was a small peck but so sweet all the same. Then he kissed her cheek and her jaw and her neck and then down her body, over the fabric of her dress until he reached below her stomach.

"Would you like me to go on?" He asked quietly.

Marina nodded, perhaps too eagerly. She was excited though. She had only ever read about such a sensation in magazines or steamy novels. Sometimes she spoke about it with Rory or Angelina but she'd never experienced it throughout her relationship with Graham. He was very selfish and Marina didn't really know any better. She thought it was a mutual relationship for a while but soon figured out that she was giving everything she had with nothing in return. She gave him her innocence, her spirit, her laughter, her vulnerability, and her body. She was finally taking all those things back.

A cry of pleasure escaped her lips as George worked on her most sensitive area. He seemed to be quite well versed in the subject of women's pleasure for some reason, despite never having a girlfriend before. Unless he did have sort of relationship and never told her about it. She wanted to ask him about it.

The knot in her stomach unraveled as he went on and suddenly it didn't feel so good anymore. Her body didn't want to be touched in that way just yet. She lightly pushed his head away and he looked up at her. Marina was so out of breath despite just laying there, taking it all in.

"How was that?" He asked.

She nodded, trying to form a coherent sentence, "Really good."

"Want to go on?"

"Yes, please." She said clearly.

He positioned himself back on top of her and kissed her softly. She smiled as her vision became clearer again and she was coming down from her intense high.

"George..." she mumbled, "Have you ever had sex before?"

"I mean... yeah. A few times," he confessed.

Marina raised an eyebrow, "With who? You never had a girlfriend before."

George looked slightly uncomfortable telling her what he was, but he was honest anyways. "You know Kirsty? We sort of... hooked up a few times sixth year. It didn't mean anything though, don't worry."

Marina shook her head, "I don't care. I was just wondering. It sort of makes me feel better. I would feel sort of bad if I was the one you had your first time with."

"Why?"

"Because I'm all messed up and besides, I'm no good anyways." She shrugged.

"You're not messed up." George said with a small frown. "Are you scared? Do you not want to do it tonight?"

"I do." She said, "I'm scared. Is that silly? It feels silly to say. I haven't been able to get on with anyone else all summer. I went on a few dates and just ended up all nauseas when they tried anything and I'd cry when I got home."

"If you want to stop just tell me. I'll be gentle, okay? Hold on, let me just —"

He got out his wand and said some spell Marina wasn't familiar with. Graham never did any sort of spell before they had sex but she sort of figured quickly what it was meant for.

George took her hand and intertwined their fingers as he entered her. She could feel how tense she was from the nerves, but tried her best to relax. George was very gentle and very slow which helped a lot. As he moved inside her, she began to feel a strange sense of relief. It was like an anvil crushing her chest and breaking her bones was lifted off of her after months and months. She realized what a big deal it was, what she was doing. She didn't think she'd ever let a man touch her again. And there she was, having sex with George Weasley, of all people.

"Is this alright?" He asked.

She nodded, "Am I alright?"

He kissed her forehead, "Yes. You feel — really good, Mar."

That was good to hear. Graham had never really praised her or even reassured her. Sometimes he straight up told her she was no good. That was usually when she was tired or in a bad mood and didn't even want to have sex. She never saw the point in it, having sex. It didn't make her feel good. Worthy, sure. But there was no physical pleasure behind it. Except it was different with George. He was doing things in a way that would make her feel good, almost like his own personal pleasure came second to hers.

"You're beautiful," he told her. "So beautiful."

She believed him. He would never lie to her.

Her release was freeing in such a strange and emotional way. She began crying when he fell beside her after finishing himself. Marina wasn't sure why she had tears in her eyes. Maybe it was just because she had never felt anything like it before or because she was proud of herself. It was probably both.

"That was really — are you alright?" George said, his voice laced with concern.

Marina nodded, wiping away a falling tear, "I'm fine."

He sat up and began grabbing their clothes from off the floor.

"Here, let me get you something more comfortable," he said, slipping his boxers back on. He got up and pulled a tee shirt out of his drawer and handed it to her. She thanked him and slipped it on, still crying.

"Did I hurt you?" He whispered.

She shook her head, "No. Not at all. Quite the opposite, actually. It's just... I didn't think I'd be able to ever do that again. Thank you."

He wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head against his chest, hearing his heartbeat against his rib cage.

"I'm sorry you were mistreated, Marina. You really didn't deserve any of that. I'm sorry no one was there for you. That was really awful of us, including me."

"It was my fault," she said. "I pushed you all away."

"It was his fault. You didn't push us away on purpose. None of it was your fault."

She just nodded and held on a little tighter to him. They lay in the pale moonlight for a bit. He looked so beautiful with the silvery light cast across his freckled face. She didn't want to stop looking at him.

"Are you tired?" He asked.

Marina nodded.

"D'you want to stay the night?"

She nodded again.

"You know where the bathroom is? You can wash up and everything. Rory likes to keep extra stuff in the drawers incase I ever bring a girl home."

"Of course she does," Marina laughed softly. She got up, legs slightly shaking on her first few steps. She stepped into the bathroom and turned the light on. Her reflection starting back at her looked different. She smiled at herself and appreciated her beauty, all the small things she liked about herself from her dark brown eyes to her round face. This was a fresh start for her. George was a fresh start.

Marina cleaned herself up the best she could with Rory's small collection of toiletries. When she was done, she opened the door only to be met with the soft glow of wand light.

It was Rory, looking half asleep which she probably was.

"Oh hello, Mar." Rory said casually. Then, she did a double take. "Mar!"

"Oh, hello, Rory." She said with a blush, "Sorry, I didn't think you were going to be up."

Rory shook her head. "Don't be sorry... I'm just... shocked. Well, no, I'm not. But —"

"I'm just as surprised as you," Marina said softly, "Rory I can't explain how... great I feel right now. I feel so free. You, me and Angie need to grab lunch sometime soon, yeah? I'll let you go now though, goodnight Rory!"

Marina smiled and went back into George's room where he was waiting for her.

[][][][][]

hehe i miss them