Author's Note: This is an AU where Fred does not die.
"Hey Fred?" George asked his twin.
"Yeah?" Fred replied. They were sitting in their joke shop, which had just closed for the day. It was the first day of business since Harry killed Voldemort and the place had been packed.
"I was thinking about asking Angelina out." George said.
"Johnson?"
"Yeah, what other Angelina do we know?"
"I don't…oh," Fred burst out laughing. "You had me for a second. I thought you were serious."
"I was," George said, looking at Fred strangely.
Fred stopped laughing abruptly. "You're kidding."
"I'm not. I just said that."
"I know but I only have one ear. I could have been hearing wrong." Fred joked halfheartedly.
"I only have one ear, too and I heard myself fine." George said, also trying to break the tension that had been present since his announcement.
"But she's my girlfriend," Fred was obviously confused.
"Just because you went to the Yule Ball with her doesn't make her your girlfriend." George contradicted.
"She's more mine than anyone else's."
"That doesn't even make sense."
"If she's not my girlfriend then whose girlfriend is she?"
"No ones. She's single." George stood up. "I'm going to bed."
Fred stood up, too and grabbed George's arm. "We're in the middle of a discussion right now."
"A discussion I don't want to have." George tried to pull away but Fred wouldn't let him. "And I'm tired."
"I don't care if you're tired I want to make sure you don't steal my girlfriend. I asked her out first and we never broke up so we're dating."
"Asking her to the Ball is not the same thing as asking her out. Neville asked Ginny but they were never dating. You guys just went as friends."
"Whatever. At least I got a date," Fred shot back.
"I could've if I'd wanted to. We're identical, remember. If someone was willing to go with you someone would be willing to go with me."
"I always thought I was the better looking twin," The twins seemed to temporarily forget they were in the middle of an argument.
"No way. The girls always liked me better." George said laughing.
"Mum never could tell us apart though."
"Yeah I always found that kind of sad. I bet she was relived when I got my ear cut off. But then you went and got yours cut off, too."
"I wonder if Mum was mad about my ear."
"Probably. It's better than you getting killed though."
"Oh don't pretend you don't wish I had been," Fred said remembering the purpose of the conversation.
"Why would I wish that?"
"There'd be no one between you and Angelina."
"Oh that. I'm not going to let anyone between us now either."
"Oh really? I'm already there."
"I'm obviously stronger, and a better wizard. I didn't nearly get killed."
"But I didn't get killed. I missed death by an inch."
"Exacally. Anyway, you'll never get the girl you want. I bet Angelina would much rather a marry me. You'll probably get stuck with Luna or someone."
"How can you say that? Luna's brave and smart and…"
"And what?"
"I don't know but I wouldn't mind her."
"Well then why don't you go ask her out?"
"Because she's…you know…not exactly the marrying type."
"Oh that's real nice," George said sarcastically.
"Like you should be talking, at least I'm not stealing anyone's girlfriend,"
"I'm not stealing anyone's girlfriend! She's not yours!"
"How do you know she isn't dating anyone else?"
"Is she?"
"I don't know, she could be."
"Wouldn't that be funny? Here we are fighting over her while, for all we know, she could be seeing someone." George forced a laugh.
"We should send her an owl asking."
"Good idea. I'll get my owl." George stood up and started upstairs.
Once again Fred grabbed George's arm. "No way. My owl will take it."
"Why should yours get to?"
"Because it was my idea to ask her out."
"Yeah, but—"
"And my idea to write her."
"Fine, we'll use your owl," George agreed, "But you can't ask her out for yourself."
"I know, George. The point is to figure out if she's available." Fred ran upstairs and returned with his owl, Errol Jr. Errol Jr. was a large grey owl with big eyes. Fred and George had both gotten owls shortly after they opened their joke shop. Fred had had no idea what to name his so he decided to name it after the family owl. George, however, had named his Cow to make fun of Ron and his owl Pig.
George pulled out some parchment and a quill. After a few minutes of writing he looked at Fred. "How does this sound?" he asked.
"Dear Angelina,
I was wondering if you have a boyfriend. If not, I know someone who'd love to be yours.
Love,
George"
"Oh so subtle. Do you think you could make it any clearer what you want?" Fred replied.
"Oh, alright." George wrote again.
"Angelina,
Hi. I was wondering if you'd like to meet Fred and me at the Leaky Caldron Sunday around noon. Reply by return owl.
George"
"Is that better?"
"Yeah. If she has a boyfriend she'll probably be busy."
George gave the letter to Errol Jr. and said, "Take this to Angelina." Errol Jr. flew off though the open window. "I really am going to bed now,"
"Yeah, me, too."
"A few days later Errol Jr. returned with Angelina's response.
"George and Fred,
I'd love to meet you Sunday! See you soon!
Angelina,"
George read allowed. "Well that's good."
"Yeah," Fred replied.
"She obviously likes me better since she put my name first," George said, unable to resist adding to the argument.
"You wrote the letter," Fred protested, "she didn't have to include me at all."
"Whatever."
When Sunday finally came both boys were very nervous. They spent quite a while in their rooms combing their hair and making sure they looked alright. When they walked out of their rooms at the exact same moment they laughed. They were wearing the same thing.
"Even when we're not trying we're still identical," George said.
"We don't have much choice, you know," Fred replied, "we were born that way."
"You know what I mean."
Fred rolled his eyes, grabbed George's arm, and apparated.
Once inside the Leaky Caldron the twins looked around for Angelina. Since it was still ten till twelve Angelina had not arrived. The twins found seats and waited. Ten minutes later, at exactly twelve, Angelina walked in.
They ordered drinks and Angelina said, "You were early."
"We like to be," George said.
"It's better than being late." Fred added.
"Oh, I wasn't late, was I?" Angelina looked worried.
"Oh no!" Fred said quickly. "You were right on time."
"On time is even better than early," George said.
"Oh good!" Angelina sounded relieved. "So what's going on with you two?"
"Nothing much," both twins answered simultaneously.
Angelina laughed and the twins joined in. "I love it when you guys do that, say the same thing at the same time."
They laughed for awhile then Angelina said, "How's business going?"
"Pretty good," George answered.
"We've been packed," Fred added.
"People are very excited that we're open again," George continued.
"We don't have a moment of peace."
"Well that's good, isn't it?" Angelina asked.
"Yeah," Fred said.
There was silence for a long minute. Finally George said, "What's happening with you?"
"Just normal stuff," Angelina answered.
Once again there was silence.
"Do you remember when I asked you to the Yule Ball?" Fred asked."
George kicked Fred under the table.
"Oh yeah," Angelina laughed. "You just yelled it across the room."
"It worked though," Fred replied. "You said yes."
"How could I say no? I mean I'd feel awful and anyway you're a nice guy, why wouldn't I say yes?"
"Would you have gone with me if I had asked you first?" George asked. He didn't want Fred to think that Angelina liked him better.
"Probably," Angelina answered. "For the same reason I went with Fred. You guys are twins after all."
"I'm much better looking, though," Fred said as if seeking reassurance.
"Actually it took me four years to be able to tell you guys apart," Angelina admitted.
"That's actually good. Our Mum still can't tell us apart," George replied.
"That's because you always say you're Fred," Fred explained.
"And you say that you're George," George protested.
"Well yeah, but it is pretty funny."
Angelina laughed, "You guys are awful."
"We try," they said at the same time.
For over an hour they sat and talked. Finally Angelina said, "I really should go. I have to meet someone at two."
"Who, your boyfriend?" George teased.
"Oh no, I don't have a boyfriend," Angelina answered.
As the three walked to the door George whispered to Angelina, "Same time next week, just me and you?"
"Um…okay," Angelina said. She was confused but she tried not to show it. Fred and George were always together. She didn't know what was going on between them. Everything they'd said seemed to be a competition, as if they were trying to out do each other.
"That went well," Fred said after Angelina disapparated. "We figured out what we wanted to know."
"Yeah," George said feeling slightly guilty.
"I'm going out for a couple hours," George said the next Sunday.
"Where?" Fred asked.
"Oh, no where," George answered innocently. "Just for a walk."
Fred looked at George strangely. "Okay."
George apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and sat down to wait for Angelina. When she arrived and sat down she asked, "Why'd you come alone?"
"Oh you know I…Fred and I are not as close as we used to be."
"Oh, I always loved how you guys knew each other so well you could finish each others sentences. I guess even twins like you grow apart." Angelina smiled sadly and made George regret saying anything.
"Yeah," George agreed. "I miss those days. Before the war, before Voldemort came back. Everything was so easy."
"Yes it was."
For the next hour the two traded memories of happier times. Finally, although he regretted it, George said, "I better go, Fred will be looking for me."
"Doesn't he know where you are," Angelina was even more confused. It was one thing for George to come see her alone, but another not to tell Fred about it.
"He knows," George lied. "But he still might wonder when I'll get back.
"Well bye then."
"See ya."
When George returned Fred asked, "How was your walk?"
"What? Oh great," George answered.
"Glad to hear that. I'm going to ask Angelina to meet me next Sunday. I want to talk to her. By myself. I know you don't want me to, but I need to."
"It's fine," George said feeling guilty. If Fred could admit he wanted to meet Angelina alone, why hadn't George been able to?
"Good."
"What's going on with you and George?" Angelina asked, while sitting in the Leaky Caldron for the third time in three years.
"Nothing," Fred replied. "I mean I guess we're growing apart but nothing more than that."
"Oh, is that all?" she didn't sound convinced.
"Yep."
"I can't believe it."
"I try not to think about it."
"I can't believe it," she repeated.
"You just said that," Fred said.
"I know. I want you to know how wrong it is for you guys not to be as close as you used to be."
"I know. I wish it could be like it used to be, life was so easy back then."
A small smile came over Angelina's face as she remembered having a similar conversation with George. "Yes it was."
Several times she felt the smile tugging on her lips when Fred recounted the same memories as George. But when he stood to go saying, "George will be mad if I'm gone too long" she remembered why she was so upset at them. She wasn't stupid, she knew that they were fighting over her, but what could she do?
Later, when she was alone, she thought about what she could do. At one time she had liked Fred. She had been pleased when he'd asked her to the Ball, but those were the feelings of an innocent sixteen year old girl. She was older now and those things were behind her.
She knew what she had to do; she couldn't let herself come between Fred and George.
The next day the twins were standing behind the counter in their joke shop when Angelina walked in. Both boys looked up expectantly as she made her way to the counter.
"Hello Angelina," they said at the same time.
She rolled her eyes. "You two need to stop."
"Stop what?" they said in unison.
"You know what. You're fighting over me."
"We are not," George answered.
"We'd never," Fred added.
"You would, and you are. I just want you to know I won't see either of you, ever again. You shouldn't let anything come between you, especially not a girl." Angelina spun around and walked out.
"You know, I've been thinking Fred," George began. "There are other girls in this world. Why should we fight over one?"
"I was thinking the exact same thing, George," Fred agreed.
Both twins smiled and went back to helping customers glad to know that nothing could break them apart.