Really like how this came out. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been sitting on this for a while, I got stuck at one part a long time ago then came back to it today. Hope you guys like it! ~ A/N

-George's POV-

"I still don't understand why you won't let me just give you all of my paycheck for my part of the rent."

"We're your friends Nicole, not your landlord."

"Besides, we weren't sure what to do with this extra space anyway."

"It only has a futon right now, so you'll have to make due until I order you a mattress."

"You don't need to buy me a mattress Amber, I-"

"Would you stop being stubborn and accept the fact that you're staying with us for a while, whether you like it or not?" I demanded, sidestepping her and strolling into the room.

She rolled her eyes, but shrank to the doorway as the three of us plopped her boxes on the small desk in the corner.

Bloody stubborn witch wouldn't allow us to let her keep her paycheck for herself unless we took half of it for her rent. And even then, that was the most we could talk her down.

She sighed. "I feel like a bum..." She mumbled, settling into the futon and resting her head on the back of it, staring at the ceiling.

"Correction: you were a bum. Being a bum means you would have to be homeless."

"But I am homeless."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"No you're not, you live in this flat with us now."

"No, I'm muching off of you guys."

"Woman, if you mention being a bum, muching or your unemployment by the Ministry again, I will kidnap all of your skirts and hold them hostage until you take it back!"

"And you say you're nothing like your mother..." She muttered under her breath.

I smirked.

"Don't make me knit you a jumper too!" I warned her with my mothers famous "If you don't..." finger point. She chuckled and shook her head.

THE NEXT DAY

.:MORNING:.

-Nicole's POV-

Never having the capability to sleep past 6 in the morning, I walked as quietly as I could to the kitchen, careful not to wake anyone up.

I pulled my hair up as I looked around at the small corner, trying to guess where they might keep the tea.

"Can't sleep?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin as I whipped around to see George. His hair was messy and cow-licked as he scratched the back of it, yawning.

"Merlin... No... I've always been an early riser... ask Amber." I replied, trying to slow the beating of my heart.

He nodded, walking past me and opening a cabinet, revealing different colored boxes of tea. Just above the stove... I'll have to remember that.

"Want some?" He asked, turning his head slightly in my direction.

"Yeah, thanks... Toast?" I asked, spotting the bread box and toaster next to the sink.

"Sure."

I busied myself as I gazed absentmindedly out the window, still trying to wake up as I pulled out four slices.

I could never understand how the small shops in the Alley were still afloat after the Death Eaters. In fact, I was slightly surprised Fred and George's shop wasn't affected in any way.

It was odd; seeing it at the end of the Alley, sandwiched between the bleak, depressing shops around it. It looked out of place... so happy and brightly colored...

But before I could depress myself any further, an unwanted hand squeezed my ass.

"George!" I hissed between gritted teeth, not wanting to wake up Amber or Fred and slapping his arm.

He chuckled, putting his hands up in defense.

"Whatever it was you were thinking about, you should stop dwelling on it. You looked like you were at a bloody funeral." He snickered, grabbing two tea cups from the same cabinet the tea was in as I scowled at him.

I rolled my eyes, putting the bread in the slots of the toaster, and pushing down the lever.

"You're such an arse..." I muttered, crossing my arms against my chest.

"You love me." He smirked, drawing out the word and cocking his head so it rested on my shoulder as he scrunched his face into an exaggerated kissy expression.

I shot him a 'yeah right' look with a chuckle, pushing him off me and sitting at the little kitchen bar.

He slid me a steaming cup, and leaned on the counter, resting his elbows in front of me.

"Early riser, huh?" He asked softly.

"Sorry?" I looked to him, unsure of what he was referring to.

"You said you were an early riser... insomnia?" He explained, looking to me over his cup.

"Oh." I nodded. "Yeah... Since fourth year."

He made a sympathetic grunt.

"Second year... It's how I'd get back at Fred." He grinned. I chuckled into my cup before I blew at the steam rising off the top of it.

We were quiet for a few minutes, just looking at our tea.

The ding and springs of the toaster broke the silence as I slid off the stool and walked over to the toaster as George grabbed some napkins.

I opened the fridge and pulled out the butter as he pulled out the toast and stacked them next to each other.

"Want cinnamon and sugar on yours?" He asked, spinning an almost empty spice rack and plucking the cinnamon off it.

"You're such a kid." I chuckled, leaning on him playfully and spreading the butter on our toast. He pushed me back with a chuckle.

"You didn't answer me Ms. A-Dult!"

"Of course I want sugar and cinnamon on my toast, you mental?" I laughed, handing him the buttered toast.

He grinned, uncovering the pot of sugar and sprinkling the cinnamon.

"Mum used to always make this when we needed to go food shopping." He commented with a lopsided smile, looking down at the bread.

"My Gran did the same, only it seemed like she always needed to go shopping. She never liked staying in the house." I smiled.