It had once again been a couple days since Iris had even caught sight of the ever familiar head of brilliant red that was identifiable as George Weasley. And she was starting to notice a pattern. Sure she could not say much since she was starting a pattern of her own behaviour, of which usually resulted in her slamming down more than enough money for the pair of them and then storming in the opposite direction of said red haired man who had taken a capture of more of her heart than she thought possible in such a short time. But he too had a pattern of which made Iris feel like he was running away from her. 

Every time they would have such an argument or disagreement, which would usually involve both of their dearly beloved siblings, she would not hear from him for days. Three days was the minimum it would appear as it slowly creeped into five days since she had last seen the tall man. The old saying was that distance made the heart fonder. But for Iris it would seem that this little avoidance would just make her angrier and angrier. 

She had spent hours upon hours going back over that night, trying to see what she had done wrong. Sure she was at fault for continuing a conversation where he seemed uncomfortable with the topic. But this only made her more angry. For the topic was only her own sister, and Iris was only trying to work on the steps she had been told, bringing up her sister in a positive light. Not focusing on the past but the future, remembering her as she would have wanted and not in those last few moments. The moments that forever plagued Iris' memory and would be the reason she was terrified of Werewolves for the rest of her life. Iris had purposely never mentioned George's lost twin, she would not step over that boundary as she expected him not to do the same for her. 

But here she was five days later replaying that situation over and over again, and coming to the conclusion. That if she wanted things to work out between the two of them, even if she disguised it as not wanting to be sent to prison rather than the fact that despite their arguing that she was developing feelings for him, she would never be able to mentioned Lavender around him. Not for the fear of setting him off and causing a rather unnecessary argument or fight. She had witnessed the temper that ran through the Weasley family and never wanted to see what George could do. 

This was the time she wished more than anything that the stupid war had never gone ahead. That the last 18 months had been nothing but a horrible mixed up dream brought on by a dodgy potion she had brewed as she was failing the subject. But she knew better than to wish this was all a dream, she knew better than to wish that things were different. Because she was slowly learning to understand what happened, and perhaps make paths of which she could move forwards. But it would seem that George Weasley might just be the reason she could never truly move on. Not if her freedom was on the line. 

Iris knew that there was no point bottling these feelings up anymore. She knew it was not healthy and recognised that she needed to speak to someone. And despite just how weak it made her feel admitting it to herself she knew that in this moment of time she needed someone. And the only person she could even think of going to was her best friend of 8 years. In that moment in time Iris needed Padma. 

Turning up unannounced to the Patil household was not something that was new to Iris. Rather she had made a bit of a habit of doing so in the last year or so. Iris would even admit that at one point she had 'run away' essentially to the Patil's home in Birmingham. Therefore, when she landed rather roughly on the doorstep, her apparition skills were definitely not anything to write home about, Iris had no need to ring the doorbell. Mrs Patil, who had told the young witch time and time to call her Sonia, opened the door instantly to greet her. 

"Iris, dear come on in. I'll grab Padma and put the kettle on." Iris did not respond rather following the Patel matriarch into the house, in a fashion that was ever so familiar to her over the years. She took a second to realise just how much this house had become her second home upon realising returning here in such a state felt more real than returning to her childhood home. 

It was maybe a minute at most that Iris had been sat at the dining table that she was joined by Padma. The younger girl rushing in with a heavy look of concern on her face. After all it was not like Iris to appear unexpected without at least attempting to make contact with her prior. She took a moment to study Iris before her concern turned to anger. 

"What did he do?" Padma seethed as she look at Iris. The girl having come in contact with the Weasley boy a few times during their school years, in particular during the time in their fifth year where the super secret society was created. Iris knew that the moment Padma had found out that it was George Weasley Iris was betrothed to, that the girl had mixed feelings. Padma had tried her hardest to not show these but Iris knew, she could read her best friend like a book now. Padma had a small stubborn despise for most of the Weasley family, had done ever since well actually Iris could not pinpoint when it extended past the few siblings they went to school with to the whole family. But it had been a long time, and mostly originated with Ronald.

"I just, I don't know anymore Padma. It's so stupid. This whole thing is so stupid." Iris sighed as she finished speaking for a moment, not sure just how she was supposed to properly share everything that she was experiencing. 

"Just start where ever you feel comfortable. No rush, let it out and then we can go graffiti his stupid shop." Padma was trying to get Iris to laugh, and she was slightly successful as the older girl let out a little giggle at the idea of going to Diagon alley to cause a little bit of mayhem. The girls might have been in the house of the bookworms but all it meant was that they were just better at not getting caught. 

"I told you we were going on the not-date? Yeah it was rather the meeting of two opposing enemies than anything I thought it could ever be." Iris started though she was not sure where she was heading with her story. Though she had been stuck hyper fixated on what happened and for a long while what she had done wrong, she was not able to share the event easily with another person like she thought she would be able to. 

"He didn't." Padma seemed to be jumping to conclusions, and Iris wanted to let her for a while, before she realised it would be best not to allow this. 

"Firstly he was flirty with the waitress. I know its a stupid arranged marriage but he could have been a little more considerate. Then I stupidly brought up Lavender." Iris sighed taking a sip of the cup of tea she had placed in front of her.

"What do you mean stupidly you can talk about your sister." Padma questioned her and Iris felt just a little better. If Padma felt as though she really did have a right to speak maybe Iris was not overreacting. 

"I just brought her up saying how I thought she would like the restaurant. It was this pretty high class looking place where they served those tiny little plates of food. Right up Lavender's alley. He didn't seem to like that and sure I should have stopped he looked uncomfortable but I don't know just couldn't?" Iris resorted to swirling her tea around as she spoke fixating on it. 

"What did he do?"

"Went off on one about his brother how much he would dislike me and how much of a horrible person I am. You know like one big recital of his love for me." Iris tried to joke it off, but his words had stuck with her. Perhaps she had been all of what he said she was. 

"What he did was wrong, you are both adults. If he was uncomfortable he should have said so. He should have asked you to change topics not snapped like that. He's what 21 now? He's only showing just how much growing up he still needs to do." Padma tried explaining, tried to make Iris feel better but the older girl was not sure it was really working. 

"I don't know anymore Padma I'm not happy should I just turn myself in and ask to be sent to azkaban?"

"Iris don't act rashly. This is just a bump in the road you both need to work on to overcome. You cannot go forward when you're unable to really talk."

"It's just. I feel so alone without her here, and I'm just supposed to pretend that everything's okay for his sake?" Iris no longer could look at Padma. The guilt she felt was overwhelming. Her best friend had been there constantly throughout the months and here she was saying it was not enough. 

"I will never understand Iris what you're going through. I could never imagine it. But perhaps together both you and George. Maybe together you can work out who you are without either of them around." Padma's words were encouraging and they made Iris feel a little better.

"It's just so silly. This is not the first time something like this has happened. George has barely given me anything over the what two and a bit months. Yet I feel totally enamoured with him. I should be so mad that I never speak to him again, yet something shouts at me to just walk down to his shop and demand we just talk it out and work out how we move on." Iris finally, finally admitted aloud for the first time how she felt. 

"It's not silly. I'm not surprised you have these feelings Iris. George Weasley is exactly everything you ever described wanting in the person you date. He's ambitious with a good business head on him, he's hard working, he has this sense of humour that will make a lot of the harder times easier. Physically he's tall and very easy on the eyes. Sure he's acting like a dick but didn't you like the idea of a little bit of a chase? Think about it they kind of found you your ideal man, you just need to knock away at the barrier he put up when he lost his twin." Padma's words were as usual pretty much completely accurate. The ministry had really been able to find someone who almost identically fit with the kind of person she had always dreamed off. And maybe they also found someone who had experienced a similar trauma to her who could help her heal. 

"Yeah they did find me what I wanted. But enough about the difficulties of my love life. How are you and Roger?"

"He's a dream Iris, a dream. Small penis but a dream." Padma had caused Iris to laugh with her words, of course that would be the thing she focused on. 

"Can he use it though? Size doesn't matter if he can use it."

"Oh yeah he can use it. Don't be surprised if I'm pregnant by the end of these stupid weddings."

"Padma, you're not using protection." Iris didn't want to sound judgemental, whatever her friend wanted she would support. She was just a little surprised that was all, they were only 19 after all, being a parent she wouldn't be against it just wasn't in her forefront at the present moment in time. 

"Nah I need to pop out a money sucker anyways might as well get it over with." 

"I better be godmother."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."