A/N Hi everyone. Thanks for taking the time to read my story. Now it's not very long and it is my first fanfiction so I would appreciate constructive criticism so I can improve my writing , nothing too harsh please. Well as you can see this is about George/Angelina, not a romance fanfic but I suppose it can be the building blocks of their relationship. It's up to you how you view it. Well I'm going to stop talking as no one probably reads the author's notes so I hope you enjoy!
The Great Hall was packed with the survivors and the casualties of the Battle. It was noisy. Families crying over their dead loved ones, students desperately calling for their friends hoping they had not lost someone else, moans of pain from the injured that were yet to be healed. Yes, the Great Hall was noisy but to the young man kneeling on the floor, his family surrounding him, the earth was deathly quiet. George just sat there, staring at his twin, his best friend, mind unable to comprehend that Fred was gone; somewhere he would never come back. He couldn't bear to think that he would never speak to Fred again. They would never finish each other's sentences. Never debate on what new product to introduce to the shop. In short George felt as though half of himself had died along with Fred.
He felt rather than saw his family leaving. George was glad. He needed some time alone, a lot of time. He just sat there staring at his twin. No tears in sight.
He jumped when he felt a soft hand touch his arm. He looked up into the face of one of his best friends, Angelina Johnson. Her face was dirty and bloody, tear tracks on her cheeks.
Angelina felt her eyes well up again as she saw George's expression. It was worse that tears; he look so heartbroken.
"George," she whispered not entirely sure what to say. "I'm sorry" didn't seem appropriate for this situation.
George nodded at her then went back to staring at Fred. He wasn't really in the mood to talk to her or anyone just yet.
"Come on," she said gruffly, grabbing his hand and pulling him up, "You need to get some fresh air."
"I'm not leaving him," George whispered hoarsely.
"He'll still be here when you get back, come on you need to get out of here for a few minutes," she said gently but firmly.
George sighed and grudgingly followed her out of the castle and over to the lake. She sat down at the edge of the lake and George followed suit. They just sat there in silence for a couple of minutes neither one knowing what to say.
"Who else?" he asked suddenly, not entirely sure he wanted to know.
She looked at him and felt tears welling up in her eyes but she forced them down. She has to be strong. As soon as he saw her expression he knew, at once, that another of his friends had suffered the same fate as Fred.
"Tell me Angie, who else died?" he asked pleadingly, looking her in the eyes for the first time that night.
She took a shuddering breath, "Alicia," George closed his eyes against the onslaught of emotion. Another of his best friends. "Bellatrix killed her. I saw it happen. "She swallowed hard and stared out at the lake. "It happened so fast. One minute we're duelling side by side t-then the next I-I-I heard her screams. The bitch was torturing her!" She almost shouted the last sentence.
The tears were streaming down her face but they didn't deter her. George grasped her hand as she continued.
"As soon as I heard her screaming I turned towards her and saw her writhing on the ground, Bellatrix standing over her with this – this horrible, sick twisted smile on her face. I-I tried to run towards her but the Death Eater I was duelling attacked me before I could. H-he petrified me; m-made me w-watch and I couldn't do anything! She kept torturing her for a few minutes, and then her screams stopped. She stopped twisting in pain. She just stopped." Angelina took a deep shuddering breath.
She finally turned towards George, her cheeks stained with tears. George's face was pale white. He hated the bitch that had done this to Alicia.
"George I have never felt so helpless in my life!" she said tearfully, "I had to watch my best friend die and I didn't stop it! I d-didn't…" but she could no longer continue as sobs wracked through her body.
George wrapped and arm around her and embraced her tightly. The tears he had been holding in since he saw Fred's body finally spilled out; he could no longer contain them. None of this was fair. Fred, Alicia, Remus, Tonks, everyone that had died in this damned war shouldn't have died. It was so unfair.
"I'm so sorry Angelina," he told her as she sobbed into his shoulder, "I'm so sorry."
She sniffed and removed her head from his shoulder, "I brought you out her so I could comfort you not the other way around." She laughed weakly.
George stared out towards the lake, Fred coming back to the front of his mind. For the past few minutes he had almost forgotten what had happened to his twin whilst he was listening to Angelina. Almost.
Angelina sighed and squeezed his hand. "So how are you doing?" she asked tentatively.
"As well as I could be doing I suppose," George told her, "To be honest right now I just feel kind of numb. As if I've just shut off from the world. Kind of like a part of me is lost." George laughed weakly. "Actually, it's exactly like a part of me is lost."
Angelina didn't know what to say so she just laid her head back down on his shoulder. George smiled at his friend's way of showing him comfort. He embraced her again, his head resting on hers.
"Just promise me something Angie," he sighed into her hair.
"Anything"
"Promise me that you'll never leave me. Ever"
Angelina raised her head to look at him. She raised her eyebrow, a slight humorous twinkle returning to her eye. "Did George Weasley, famous prankster, just utter something corny?" she asked good-heartedly.
George let out a small laugh, "I know, who would have thought?"
Angelina laughed a little but then stared into his eyes seriously.
"I promise."
George smiled at her.
"Now it's time for you to promise me something." She stated. George nodded.
"Promise me that you will never leave me."
George let out another small laugh, "Now whose being corny?" he teased
Angelina just smiled and laid her head on his shoulder again. George gazed down at her then looked towards the lake. After a few seconds he whispered:
"I promise."
