Daylight & Darkness by Spamandtoast
Summary: Fred ponders following George's injury.
There are massive spoilers for book 7 in this. You've been warned. But what the hell are you doing reading fanfiction if you haven't finished the last book yet anyway?
The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I don't own them. Go figure.
One other warning: Fred's a bit un-Fredlike. But seeing George injured really seemed to mess him up and I decided to run with it. It's all just post book 7 therapy anyway. And not even particularly good therapy that that
The stars overhead were beginning to fade as the promise of daylight made the birds stir in distant trees. Fred kicked a stray garden gnome, watching as it flew through the air, swearing as it's squat body disappeared into the darkness. The Order were all in the Burrow, drinking and mourning the loss of Mad-Eye.
It wasn't the loss of an eye that upset Fred. Rather, it was the gaping hole on the side of his twin's face. Fred had gotten into plenty of scrapes and tight spots, always with George as his side. But he had never known terror until this night. The Death Eaters weren't so bad really. Dad was brilliant - who knew his mild-mannered, Father who was so fascinated by Muggles, was such a vicious spell caster? His mum, obviously. She had always been the more frightening of the pair.
He and Dad had missed their port key. But by that point they weren't being paid much attention by the Death Eaters, apparently they'd figured out which one was Harry. Still, the flight back to the Burrow was tense. Fred's dad jumped at every shadow. His face was pale and tight and so unlike Dad that it kept Fred on equally high alert.
That was until his gut tightened and twisted within him. Normally that signified excitement and Fred was given a healthy dose of adrenaline, but it didn't feel the same. Fred now knew that it was the sick twisting of fear. He knew this because it was still there, even now that his family was safely home where the Death Eaters could not come.
The there was the blinding headache. It had hit him full force, and it was only the steady arm of his dad that had kept Fred on the broom. It cleared almost as soon as it came, but a dull throbbing numbed the left side of his face.
Did he know about George? Of course not. Maybe it was perfectly regular for twins to feel it when their other sibling was hurt. How could Fred know? This was the first time he'd been apart from George. And it would be the last, Fred vowed, knowing he wouldn't not keep the private oath.
He was apart from George now, after all. Now of all times when his brother needed someone sitting next to him at the cramped kitchen table; needed help hexing spiders into Ron's soup and getting a crown on Kingsley's head. He'd only get caught if he tried to do it himself...
"It's bleeding cold out here," Fred heard himself say.
Only it wasn't Fred. George was there, standing right next to him, staring up at the sky with a wry grin. They still looked the same from his angle. How long had George been out here?
Quite possibly just as long as he had. "Think we ought to go in before Mum comes out and gives us an earful?"
George smirked. "We've got five minutes tops before she notices we're gone. Been following us around all night, and I, for one, have had it up to 'ear."
"She's been following you around, you mean," Fred said, somewhat begrudgingly.
"Yeah, that's what I said. She's been following us around."
"Is there is an us," Fred muttered, hoping his twin would not hear it. But of course he did. He could never keep anything for George, even when he tried.
"What the hell are you talking like that for? Of course there's an us. I may be great at finishing sentences, but I still need someone to start them! And this has actually given me a brilliant idea for a new product. Chocolate, I think. Makes it look like you've lost a limb. Even if we don't sell it, just think of all the fun we could have with Mum!"
Fred smile wistfully. It wasn't a half bad idea. It would work so much better on Percy. One more Weasley part that was lost to the Dark Lord forever.
"Fred, are you alright? You haven't been yourself once since you've been back. I mean you're doing a good job of fooling Ron and all..."
Fred closed his eyes to block out his face, staring earnestly back at him. But all he could see when he did that was George, covered in blood as he lay so lifeless on the couch. Terror - knowing his twin was in pain. Fear that George would never be the same, that Fred had lost half of his soul forever. Anger that Lupin had not protected George. Guilt in his selfish wish that he had lost his own ear as well so his twin wouldn't have to be alone in his suffering.
"No," Fred finally answered, opening his eyes to block the memories. George was standing next to him now, so close that their identical noses were almost touching. His warm brown eyes mirrored Fred's own, right down to the emotion they contained. George had exactly 32 freckles on his long nose. Just like Fred.
"It doesn't seem fair, does it?"
George grinned. "That I'm better looking than you, even without an ear? Don't worry, mate, I'll still help you find girls."
"I'm being serious, George."
George's smile didn't waver. "That's what worries me, Gred."
Fred couldn't help but laugh at that. Gred and Forge. That wouldn't change, would it? Even maimed, even different, they were still the same, still one.
Still... "I'm afraid, Forge."
George kicked his foot back, connecting with a garden gnome. It squealed and scurried off to a safer distance. "Tonight went badly. The coming months, years are going to be bad. And your ear... I never thought you'd actually get hurt. Even knowing we would separate tonight, I never thought we'd be apart. And now we're-"
"Different," George finished. "Good Lord, Fred, it's only an ear! I can lop yours off if it'll make you feel better about it."
That was enough and Fred embraced his brother, clinging tightly. George hugged back. That was his George. Always knowing what Fred needed. Humor. A shoulder to cry on, even though George should be the one who was upset. Didn't he understand? Didn't he realize what being different really meant?
They weren't the same. George was missing a piece of himself. It was not the only piece of George that would be lost. Something much, much more important would be ripped away and that piece would not be laughed off as easily. Losing that piece might well destroy his twin.
Fred feared for George. He would have the much harder job ahead of him. All this pain, all because of Fred-Knew-Who and his bloody Death Eaters. Damn them all.
"I love you George," Fred whispered. George had to hear the words that had never needed to be spoken between them. He had to know.
George nodded and let Fred cling to him. Finally, as the first rays of light began to spread across the Earth, Fred released his brother. "So now that you've got that off your chest, let's go stir up some mischief."
Fred grinned, feeling like himself for the first time since he had taken the Polyjuice potion. "What does his Holeyness have in mind?"
George rolled his eyes and swung a lazy arm around Fred's shoulders. "Now since when have Gred and Forge ever successfully planned a prank alone?"
Fred walked with his twin, side by side, back to the Burrow. He threw one last glance over his shoulder, enjoying the sunrise. He only hoped the sun would rise for George too.