Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter—JK Rowling does. All I own are the books (which I need to reread. Urgently.)

Dedication: To Anie (Avindara Nirvene). Merry Christmas!

Warning: Extremely emo.

It was Christmas again.

Fred Weasley stared down from the Heavens, watching his family.

It had been ten years since his death.

Nine since his family had gotten over it.

All except George. Poor, miserable George, who still mourned his dead brother.

Though Fred had to admit—it had stung that the rest of the family had gotten over his death so fast.

Eventually, his only little sister got married to the famous Harry Potter.

Dear little Ronnykins and Hermione Granger got hitched soon after.

Charlie got married to whatshername, too…

Even Percy got his act together, and married his girlfriend.

And only George was left. It was only recently he had decided to get out of his shell—before, the only thing he got out of the Burrow to do was run their shop—nowadays, he tried to get back his old self. Smiling, joking, he was almost back to the old George.

But Fred knew better.

His eyes—George's eyes—were dead.

Though he smiled, it was never real.

Though he joked, he did it less than half-heartedly.

To others, he'd recovered.

To Fred, he hadn't.

And as time went by, George started dating again.

This Christmas night, Fred watched as George proposed to her.

She agreed—all too happily.

And as Fred looked on, he knew…

"Isn't it cruel?"—he muttered, wishing George heard his words, knowing he wouldn't—"you're just lying to her. Don't you see? You won't achieve anything by running away. You'd just be hiding from your fears; but in the end, you'll still have to face them, won't you?"

Fred turned away, not being able to look at his twin anymore.

"Just accept it—I'm dead, you're not—and get on with your life. Stop mourning. Stop deceiving. You'll be able to do what I never managed to do; live long and happily, die old, with lots of people who care about you. Please, don't let this chance slip by…"

A tear slipped down his face, unoticed.

"…just because I did…"