Hey, readers! I'm back with another Harry Potter one-shot. I know I've been posting them a lot but what can I say...I'm an obsessed fangirl. Anywho, I do plan on updating some of my other stories, and continuing my one-shot series (if you read them, you know which ones I'm talking about). I will post updates on stories as much as I can, but college is busy work, along with job hunting. But thanks for reading this. I wanted to really explore Harry's Grief in 5th year and George's after the Battle of Hogwarts, so that's how this story was born. I really hope you enjoy it and I will see you at the bottom for a short little notice. :).
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related it belongs to J.K. Rowling, I just own the plot bunny
Harry looked at the reading girl next to him with a smile. He didn't know how he got so lucky as to have her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she smiled widely at him. She asked, "How was your day at work?"
He sighed "Boring. It seems that since the war ended there aren't a lot of bad guys to capture anymore."
She nodded and answered "That does sound boring. But there is always bad with the good, so don't worry, I'm sure you guys will have more to do in no time."
He smiled "This is why you've always been smarter than me." She giggled and he kissed her forehead.
He asked, "Is George still coming tonight?"
She nodded and answered "Yeah. I think you can help him."
He asked, "Really?"
His wife nodded and answered "Yeah. You can help him the way I helped you once upon a time."
He whispered "I'm grateful for you every day for that. I love you Hermione Jean Potter."
She smiled and answered, "I love you too Harry James Potter."
She kissed him when a small voice asked "Daddy?"
Harry looked up and saw their son James standing there. He asked "Yes son? Why aren't you in bed?"
James said, "I had a bad dream and wanted to make sure you were safe…" Harry smiled and opened his arms for his son to come and hug him.
James hugged him tightly and Harry answered "I'm fine James. All safe and sound."
Hermione hugged James too and whispered "We are all fine; mommy, daddy, Remus, Ruby. All of us."
James breathed a sigh of relief before hugging his parents one last time and letting his mother lead him back to bed. Harry sat there for a few minutes grateful to have such an amazing family. Hermione was his rock and he would be lost without his beautiful wife. And James Sirius, Remus Dobby, and Ruby Minerva... they were beautiful kids and his life along with Hermione and he wouldn't change any of that for the world, his family was perfect and that was all there was to it.
Just as he heard Hermione coming back to the living room there was a knock on the door. He stood up and headed for the door wondering why George was early. He opened the door and saw that it was indeed George Weasley standing there looking lost and crestfallen.
He said "Come in George. Let's sit and have a cup of tea shall we."
George entered the small cozy house and followed Harry to the kitchen where he started to make tea for the both of them. As soon as they had their tea, they took a seat at the table across from each other sitting in a temporarily comfortable silence.
Harry asked "What can I help you with George? You owl seemed pretty urgent."
George responded, "I needed to talk to somebody about Fred."
Harry nodded in understanding and asked, "Have you tried talking to your family?"
George looked at him and answered "I thought about it, but I knew I needed to talk to you more. You are the only person I know who has lost all of his close family, and I knew you would be the only one who could help me because...well you are the only who has died."
Harry nodded and answered "I see. Well, why don't you lead the conversation, and I will help you in the areas that you need it."
George nodded and took a deep breath "I'm not coping well Harry. I find it hard to get out of bed everyday, hard to eat, to smile, to breathe, and there feels like there is a huge gaping hole in my chest that hurts so much."
Harry nodded grimly and answered, "That George, is a combination of grief and depression."
George whispered, "Most days, I just want to die to join him."
Harry put a hand on George's arm and answered "Don't, I know you want to see Fred and be with him. Trust me, I know. But suicide is not the answer. I promise. You have so much to live for, and plus George, Fred wouldn't have wanted you to join him that way."
George said, "I know, but the more the feeling comes, the more tempting it becomes."
Harry answered "Don't give into that temptation. What you need to do, is allow you to grieve but you have to start living again. Start with hanging out with your friends and family more, open up the joke shop again, start finding things you enjoy; live George; if not for you, then for Fred. Because the moment you choose to die, is the moment that you depression beats you and the moment that your grief becomes that of your loved ones. Death is a permanent solution to a temporary feeling or problem."
George smiled wryly "You seem very wise on this subject."
Harry pulled back his hand and pulled up his sleeve and waved his hand over his wrist. George's eyes widened as a long thin white scar appeared on Harry's wrist. He answered George's unspoken question "It was after Sirius died. I felt the exact same way you did. Tonks blamed herself, but she had no idea how wrong I thought she was and how much more I blamed myself than her. I blamed Snape, and Dumbledore and I refused to open up to anyone about him, and if anyone mentioned his name I could practically feel my heart squeezing and my breathing stop. I hadn't heard from Lupin and I felt alone even when surrounded by friends or McGonagall and Dumbledore, so one night I had enough."
George was staring at him with his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open as Harry continued "I waited until everyone in the dorm went to sleep before I opened my trunk and pulled out the note I wrote on a spare piece of parchment, and a piece of glass from the mirror Sirius gave me and went down to the common room. I sat down in front of the fire where I had talked to Sirius the year before and breathed deeply. I thought about my parents, and Sirius, and all the family that I didn't get to meet and laid the note down along with my wand and the Marauder's Map. I sliced my wrist with the glass making sure to cut deep enough that I would definitely be dead by morning, I guess I didn't think about certain people in Gryffindor Tower that would be absolutely damned if I didn't make it. Hermione came running down the stairs a few minutes later and found me, she summoned Dobby and sent him to McGonagall as she tried to stop the bleeding. I passed out before McGonagall got there but I woke up in the hospital wing and was surprised to see Hermione and Lupin there. They helped me through my depression and grief, and while the hurt is still there especially since I lost Lupin, I know that I have something to live for."
George wiped away the tears that had been sliding down his cheeks as Harry finished "I talked to my parents and Sirius and Remus when I had the stone and I still miss them and it still hurts that they aren't a huge part of my life, but now I listen to Hermione read to our kids, or my kids laugh as they play in the yard and accidentally make flowers grow or vases levitate and I know that life can and will get better."
George smiled and said "Thanks for sharing that with me Harry. I appreciate it. Can I ask you a question?"
Harry answered, "Of course George."
George asked, "Does death hurt?"
Harry smiled slightly as he answered, "No, it's quicker and easier than falling asleep."
George smiled slightly and looked up as Hermione entered the room.
She said, "I'm glad to see you boys are talking to each other."
She sat down on Harry's lap as George smiled at her. Hermione said, "You know George, it does help to talk and reminisce when you're ready."
George smiled "Thanks, Hermione."
She nodded and answered "Harry and I will be here for you if you need us."
Harry nodded in agreement "Absolutely George."
He said "I can't thank you enough for the talk Harry. It has definitely made me feel less alone and lost."
Harry smiled "I'm glad."
The three stood up from the table, and Hermione and Harry walked George to the front door. He opened the door and stepped out to walk past the wards to apparate home.
Hermione said "You're always welcome here George. Whenever you like."
He hugged her and answered, "Thank you 'Mione."
She kissed his cheek and pulled back.
Harry hugged him and said "Remember George, keep fighting this because it will get better. And there's something Sirius told me that I want you to remember."
George pulled back and asked, "What's that?"
Harry quoted "The ones that love us never really leave us, we can always find them in here." He pointed to George's heart and he let out a small smile which Harry returned. George turned and left with Harry and Hermione watching him. He felt a little bit lighter like he could breathe again and he knew that someday he would see Fred again. Harry watched him go before heading to bed with Hermione knowing that without her, he wouldn't be there to kiss her goodnight.
She kissed his scar and whispered, "I love you forever and always Harry James Potter."
Harry kissed her forehead and answered, "I love until eternity end Hermione Jean Potter."
They fell asleep while unbeknownst to them the loved ones lost in the war watched over them with proud smiles on their faces.
I'm BAAAAAACKKKKKK :D. So, I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it. Please leave me a review to tell me what you think, and yes constructive criticism is allowed and even welcome. Forewarning; flames and rude reviews will NOT be tolerated and will be reported or removed respectively as there is a difference between constructive feedback and being plain rude. Thanks again for reading this.
Public Service Announcement by the author: Suicide is a serious concern and rising issue. So if you or a loved one are having suicidal thoughts, please do not be afraid or hesitate to call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 1-800-273-8255 or text "Go" to the Crisis Hotline at: 741-741. Please get the help you need; if not for you, then for your loved ones around you. My inbox is also open to anyone who needs or wants to talk about anything at all, I won't judge and I will always listen.
Thanks again for reading this, and feel free to check out any other stories you see that you think you will like. Take care, and see you again soon.
Xoxo ~Creaturess of the Night~