AN: If you recognise the characters, they do not belong to me. I will put them back when I've finished with them, I promise.
I can't spend time with my family any more. Just seeing them reminds me of what I'm missing, and I don't mean my ear.
I've been spending nearly all my time with Katie, my girlfriend, who never had a problem telling Fred and me apart, even when we first met, and doesn't treat me as though I'm the remaining half of what used to be one whole. She always saw the differences between us, never the similarities. Maybe that's why I asked her out, I don't know.
It doesn't bother her that my body's covered in scars, because hers is too. It doesn't bother her that one of my ears has been cursed off – she tells me she loves me anyway, whispering into my remaining ear late at night.
I don't feel like half a person when I'm with Katie, she makes me feel complete.
…………………
I remember the first day she dragged me to the shop in Diagon Alley. There were hordes of kids waiting outside for it to open. They said my ear was "cool", asked if Katie was my girlfriend, and said they were sorry about Fred. Kids are so much more accepting than adults.
Katie and I couldn't stock the shelves fast enough that day. I reckon we sold out of almost everything, and that's a lot of stuff. Katie just laughed when I told her I was amazed by it, and remarked that a lot of people needed these jokes to cheer them up at the moment. She was right, as usual.
…………………
I'm going to ask that girl to marry me. She makes me feel normal again, and though I'll always miss Fred, I can live my life when I'm around her. She even yelled at my mum once, to stop her talking about how much everyone had lost in the war. If you've ever met my mum, you'll know just down brave you have to be to do that. And Katie is. She looked death in the face more times than I can count, and lived to tell the tale.
…………………
I wasn't certain if she'd say yes, but she did. And in a few minutes, we'll be getting married. She called it "the beginning of the rest of our lives", and I think that's very fitting. We are making a fresh start, moving on. Living our lives.
If Fred could see this, he'd be happy for us, I know he would.
AN: Do I really need to ask you to click the lonely review button? Surely that forlorn look speaks for itself.