Disclaimer: all characters, settings etc belong to J.K. Rowling

Four in the Morning

"NO!"

Angelina shot up and took in her surroundings expecting to see the ruins of what was once a beautiful castle. But instead all she saw was the bedroom of her London flat.

It's the second of May, 2000. It's been two years. It doesn't seem it. The whole wizarding world will be either mourning or celebrating today. Angelina doubted she'd be doing any celebrating. She stumbled into her bathroom and took a drink of water before looking into the mirror. Her eyes had bags under them and her dark hair was plastered to her forehead. The dream came back to her like a train hitting her. Only it wasn't a dream really; it was memories.

She was under a body-bind curse as she watched Fred killed, followed by her old teacher, Remus Lupin and his wife. Colin Creevey was thrown to the side like a ragdoll. Lavender was savaged by Greyback. Alicia was knocked out by a giant. Families were crying. Husbands and wives were trying to find each other. Children wanted to leave and go home. Death Eaters killed ruthlessly. Harry went missing. The Weasleys were destroyed.

"George," Angelina whispered suddenly having a feeling that he needed her.

She splashed her face with water and pulled on jeans and a shirt before Flooing to Weasley Wizard Wheezes. George had only moved back there two weeks ago and the shop was re-opening at the end of May. Angelina knew George wasn't holding up well being back in the place which held so many memories of Fred but she was doing all she could to help him.

The kitchen was dark as she emerged from the fireplace and it was only now that Angelina realised it was just before four o'clock in the morning and how rude it was to barge into George's flat uninvited. Would George be happy to see her? Would he mind? She shook her head. She knew he needed all the support he could get on today of all days and with resolve she walked down the hall and entered his room.

George was tangled in his sheets thrashing about but he wasn't making any noise. It seemed as if he was under a silencing charm because his face was contorted with pain and his eyes were wet. He was gripping a piece of material in one hand and it took Angelina a moment to comprehend what it was – a Weasley jumper with a large F on it. Her throat constricted and not being able to watch George in pain any longer, Angelina crossed the room and sat down on the bed taking his hand.

"George, wake up," she said having no idea how to wake him up. "It's a dream, whatever you're seeing isn't real."

It made no difference.

"George!" Angelina said slightly louder shaking his shoulder desperately. It was torturing her to see him in so much pain but she'd never seen him in such a state before and wasn't sure how to act.

Without fully thinking through what she was doing, the next moment she had climbed onto the bed and wrapped her arms around George. After a few moments he began to relax finally becoming still but then his whole body began to shake with sobs.

"Shh, whatever you were seeing was just a dream or a memory. Its not happening now," Angelina whispered.

George didn't seem to have heard her but she pulled him closer to her anyway as his tears soaked her shirt. Angelina wasn't sure how long they sat like that for before George looked up at her.

"Angie?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's me."

"I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

"Don't be," Angelina shook her head "You're only human George. Do you want to talk about it?"

George disentangled himself from Angelina's arms but held on tightly to her hand, his eyes far away. "I was at Hogwarts … Fred was there. He was blaming me, telling me I should have been there to save him or that I should have died instead. He told me he would never forgive me and he hated me. He told me, he wished he'd never met me." A fresh round of tears flowed down his face.

"George, it wasn't real," Angelina told him soothingly "you knew Fred better than anyone. He would never have even thought those things."

George looked at her "No?" It was a question.

"No, George he wouldn't have," Angelina replied.

"It seemed so real…"

"I know, I have nightmares too, they always seem real. But it's not real. What's real is that I'm sitting on your bed at about half four in the morning talking to you."

"Why?" asked George after a moment of silence.

"Why what?" replied Angelina.

"Why are you sitting on my bed at half four in the morning?" asked George.

Angelina had to think for a moment; why was she here again? "I don't know really … I woke up and I just thought you needed me."

George actually smiled – something Angelina saw him do very rarely these days.

"Well you were right, I needed woken, I needed you," George shuddered as the dream returned to the forefront of his mind. "And –" he suddenly cut himself off.

"And what?" pressed Angelina.

"It doesn't matter," George muttered his one ear going red and directing his gaze away from her face.

"I can't see why it doesn't."

"It's embarrassing."

"I didn't think George Weasley got embarrassed."

"Fine I'll tell you," George looked down at his hand that was still clutching Angelina's. "I always wanted your face to be the first thing I saw when I woke up."

Angelina felt heat rise to her cheeks and was glad her dark skin hid her blush. But at the same time she felt unexplainable joy at the idea.

"Do you really mean that?"

George met her eyes "yes."

"Because I really like the idea of seeing your face every morning too," Angelina replied not realising how true her words were until they left her mouth.

"Do you really mean that?" George repeated what she had said.

"Yes," Angelina nodded.

The next thing she knew George's lips were on her own. It took Angelina a moment to realise what was happening but when she did she responded enthusiastically. She could feel George smiling against her lips as she wrapped her arms round his neck to pull him closer enjoying every passing second more than the last. Finally they broke apart for air, both breathing heavily.

"You should turn up at four in the morning more often," George grinned at her.

"If this is the welcome I'll receive then I'll be here earlier," replied Angelina still unable to grasp how quickly there had been a turn of events.

"I like the sound of that," George laughed before kissing her again. Angelina couldn't believe how alive he looked and felt. It was as if the old George was back with a vengeance. Most days he seemed to be somewhere very far away, his blue eyes clouded over. Today his eyes were alive with blue fire. Much like the fire inside Angelina as she melted into George's lips as they fell back against the pillows.

It wasn't until after ten when Angelina finally woke up. It took her a few moments to take in her surroundings. She was lying beside George with her arm over his chest and his arm under her head. Her shirt was still slightly damp from George's tears earlier but she didn't mind. She looked up at George's face. It was so much more peaceful than it had been when she'd barged in earlier that morning. He looked years younger. As if sensing her gaze, George's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey," he whispered.

"You looked so peaceful," Angelina found herself saying.

"I was; that was the best night sleep I've had in two years even if it only lasted a few hours."

"You have nightmares every night?"

George nodded as his eyes clouded with pain "Sometimes its memories as well. They haunt me … I don't want to forget them but remembering them is just as hard because I know that that's all they'll ever be – memories."

All Angelina could do was nod.

An hour later they were sitting in George's kitchen eating a late breakfast and sending the odd look at the clock which was getting closer to two o'clock every second. Two o'clock meant the memorial service in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Neither of them wanted to go but George had little choice as the families of those who had fallen were expected to be there by the organisers at the Ministry.

"Today'll be hard," Angelina voiced what they were both thinking.

"I know," said George quietly then looked up at her "But it'll be easier than last year."

Angelina frowned.

"This year I have you," George elaborated kissing the top of her head.

"We'll get through it together," Angelina told him with a smile.

"Together," George repeated.

A/N: Okay, I know this was rather cheesy in parts but it sounded good in my head so I wrote it and I hope you enjoyed it :) I love Angelina and George as a couple and I'd like to point out I don't think she and Fred were dating at the time he died as you can tell from my other George/Angelina stories.

For anyone who reads my "The Weasley's Read" stories, a lot of you have messaged me about them but I won't be completing them as they have been removed as that story format is not allowed on FFN. I'm very sorry as I truly did intend to finish them.

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