I own nothing. If I owned Harry Potter, do you think Fred would would have died?
Well, he wouldn't have.
But Colin Creevey still would have! I hated that kid with a passion.
----
George woke with a start. "Fred! Fred, I just had this-"
But then the cold bed made him remember. His brother, his TWIN...was dead. The funeral was not for weeks, and George had woken up, every night, from terrible nightmares.
However, this had been the worst one yet. He looked around, and even the shadows were full of memories of Fred.
All of a sudden, George knew he had to get out. Out of the room, out of the house, out of his head. He struggled to get out of bed, but his tossing and turning had wound the blankets so tightly around him that he fell to the floor. George quickly untangled himself and stumbled out of his room. He thundered down the stairs and collapsed onto the couch. Burying his face in a throw pillow, he began to sob his heart out.
"George?"
The red-head looked up. Percy was standing there in his nightclothes, holding a cup of tea. "Oh, George."
The older man sat on the couch next to where his brother was curled up. He set the tea down. "Fred again?"
George nodded as he pushed himself into a sitting position. "It was the worst dream I've ever had. I was walking down the stairs to the shop. Fred was at the bottom of the stairwell. I called to him, but when he turned around, his face was mangled. His nose was missing and the flesh was falling off. He said "This is your fault, George." Then attacked me."
Percy put his arm around his younger brothers shoulders. It was the least he could do after ditching the family. After all, behind Fred, Percy had been the closest to George. Neither was sure why, but that's how it had always been.
The sign of affection shocked George into more tears. he wrapped his arms around Percy's torso and buried his face into the crook of his neck. Percy just pulled George closer and stroked his hair.
George's sobs died a few minutes later. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had heard George go downstairs then the voices of their sons and chose to investigate. They walked down the stairs and saw Percy holding George and rocking him back and forth. The boys didn't notice their parents watching them.
"Perce?"
"Yes?"
"You were with him. How did it happen?"
George asked Percy this every time that they were alone together, which was becoming common.
"He was laughing. But deep down, he must have known what was coming. For right before he was hit, he whispered 'George.' He didn't want to leave you."
"I know, Perce...I can't go back to work. Not without him."
"No one is expecting you to."
"Can I stay in with you tonight? I can't be in mine and Fred's room."
He was silent for a minute. Mrs. Weasley leaned forward, but Mr. Weasley stopped her from saying or doing anything with a touch on her arm.
Before his voice broke into more deep sobs, George said "I can't be alone."
Percy tightened his hold on his brother. "Of course you can stay with me."
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley smiled before heading upstairs with the knowledge that Percy had things under control.
"And George?" Percy broke the silence. "You're never alone."
