Finally Smiling

By. SadieAnnabethMellark

Rating: K+

Summary: Molly Weasley finally sees George truly smile for the first time on a very important day. Her reflecting back on the time after the battle of Hogwarts.

Disclaimer: I do not in anyway shape or form any thing from Harry Potter. I wish I did though!

I never thought I would see that smile again. The same lopsided grin of true happiness...at least not on his face. It was so hard after the war. We didn't come out unscathed. Before we went to Hogwarts to fight in what we all hoped would to be the final fight, I knew deep down that we wouldn't come out of this mess scratch free. But, I never pictured my twins as the victims. I never thought I would see my two oldest sons carrying the body of their younger brother into the great hall. I never thought I would see George kneel at Fred's side next to me, mourning over the loss of his twin. I never imagined that I would watch as they buried my baby boy deep into the hard earth. I never ever pictured my twins ever being separated. But, it happened.

We all sobbed for weeks. George and I sobbed for months. And in some moments in the few months after, I would walk in on one of my other children or my husband crying over Fred. But, we all eventually came to terms with the state of our family member after about six or seven months...all of us, except for George. George went hollow. He only seemed to have one emotion...depressed. He didn't smile. He didn't laugh. He didn't even attempt to crack a joke or make a wise comment. And it hurt so badly to watch. The death of Fred was the emotional death of George.

Nothing changed for years. No matter how hard we tried, George was still the shell of the person he use to be. But, how could we expect him to recover from this. We were fools to believe that we could make him whole again.

Three years after the Final Battle, George started hanging out with Angelina Johnson. She had been friends with the twins through Hogwarts and had played on the Gryffindor quidditch team with them. She also use to be Fred's girlfriend. I thought at first, he may have been connecting with her to close to somebody who knew Fred just as well as he did, but then I watched as it slowly started turning into something more. They would talk for hours on end over the floo or they would go on long walks together and talk. Letters were written back and forth almost daily. George's personality seemed to become slightly more alive at the mention of Angelina.

Six months into the friendship, he announced that they were dating. Another four months and they announced their engagement. As we had all cheered out congratulations to the couple, I saw the tiniest ghost of a smile on George's lips. It was a huge step forward.

The night before the wedding as I was just about ready to head up to bed, was when I heard him lingering in the kitchen. I peeked in on him, to find him setting at the table a bottle of butter beer in hand tears running from his eyes. And as I sat next to him at the table, I will never forget the words he uttered to me. I wish he could be here. I wish he could be my best man instead of Percy. After he said that he took a swig from his drink and then fell into my arms and started to cry harder.

The next day George seemed better, but even as Angelina walked down the isle and rings were exchanged and vows were said...George still only had the ghost smile on his face. No that wasn't the day that I saw him truly smile.

It also wasn't the day that he and Angelina had announced that they were expecting about a year later. Or when they announced that they were having a boy. No. Oh no, those weren't the day either.

It was today. June 2, 2006.

We were all sitting in the waiting room, anxious. Everybody was here. Harry and Ginny with little baby James and Teddy. Bill and Fleur with Victorie and Dominique. Percy and Audrey. Ron and Hermione. And even Charlie had made it from Romania. We had been waiting for two hours now and when I was starting to get impatient, the door to the waiting room opened and in walked George, tears of joy in his eyes and a big bright true smile on his face, with a small bundle of blue blankets in his arms.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet Fred Lee Weasley." he told us, happiness evident in his voice. Tears pricked my eyes as I stood up and hugged George, mindful of his newborn son in his arms.

"Congratulations, George. He's beautiful." I told him as I pulled away and looked down at the baby. Fred looked just like his namesake.

"Would you like to hold him, Mum?" I nodded and George passed the baby to me. And as I held my grandson for the first time, while everybody gave George their congratulations, I saw my son for the first true time once again since that fateful day that the war ended. He smiled and he laughed and he cracked jokes.

Deep down I knew that George would always miss his twin and that he would truly never get over it, but I was just happy to finally see him smiling once more...even if it was just for now.

THE END

What do you guys think? I got this idea when I was re-reading the 7th book yesterday and I couldn't help but write this piece. This was only my second one-shot ever, but I think it was okay. So, go on ahead and favorite it and review. Thanks.

S.A.M.