Author's Note: I started writing this back when the last book came out, and have just recently decided to start working on it again. I posted chapter 1 on another website. This is pretty much what was posted except for some minor revisions. If you have seen this anywhere else, I did not steal it. Obviously, I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this story.

To George Weasley, everything was moving in slow motion. He could see Fred, Ron, Percy, Hermione, and Harry standing around two death eaters. It almost looked like Fred was laughing. Then, everything sped up. Before he could call out, the wall collapsed. For a second he thought everyone had gotten away safely, but after he heard Percy's blood-curdling cry, he knew he was terribly wrong. He saw Ron and Percy rush to dig his twin out of the rubble of the fallen wall.

"No!" George yelled, waking up in a cold sweat before actually seeing Fred's body. It took him a minute to realize that he was back in his pad in Diagon Alley. He sat up and scanned the room, his heart still beating wildly in his chest. Even though he had not seen his brother die when it happened, he felt like he had ever since those damn dreams started. The first rays of sunshine were feebly snaking in through the window. He took a deep breath, as he realized that Fred died exactly a year ago, today.

"Bloody hell." Came Lee Jordan's irritated voice from the other side of the room. George had hired him to help run Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with him he also agreed to let Lee live with him. Lee didn't want to have to live by himself, and neither did George. George had never been by himself before, and didn't think he could stand it. At least with Lee there he had someone he could talk to. "What's wrong?" Lee asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Bad dream." George replied lamely.

"Please don't tell me that it's the one where Bill has to dress in Fleur's clothes again. Ihad nightmares after you told me that one." Lee said, shuddering.

That had been George's excuse for waking up Lee a few nights ago, he didn't want to have to tell Lee that almost every night he dreamed about Fred dying. "Sorry, mate, but it looks like you're going to have another nightmare like that tonight." George answered, laughing half-heartedly, then became serious again. "Are you sure you're okay if I don't come into work today?" He asked.

"Of course." Lee said. "But you will be back tomorrow, right?"

George nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be back early tomorrow morning. I just have to be at the Burrow today. I wouldn't leave so early, but I have to go to Bill's first."

Lee nodded, but didn't say anything. He knew that George wasn't on good terms with Bill right now.

Later that morning, George apparated to Bill and Fleur's house, Shell Cottage. He knocked on the door, and waited for Bill to answer.

"Oh… Hi George." Bill said awkwardly when he answered the door. He hadn't seen George in almost a year. He would never get used to seeing George without Fred at his side. "I haven't seen you since…"

"The funeral." George cut in, walking into the kitchen and sitting on one of the chairs around the kitchen table. "That's what I'm here to talk to you about, actually."

"The funeral?" Bill asked. He wondered if George had noticed when he had walked into his room and saw him on Fred's bed crying, but he never tried to comfort George because it was too awkward for him. 'Maybe he just wants to talk.' Bill thought.

George shook his head. "Why haven't you come back to The Burrow since the funeral?" George asked, trying to control the anger from leaking into his voice. "You've been supposed to come the past four weekends, and you never did."

"Did Mum send you here?" Bill asked, sitting across from George.

"No. I'm a big boy now, and I can make decisions for myself." George answered with mock enthusiasm. "I chose to come here. So tell me, why didn't you even send an owl to say you weren't coming?"

"I just…"

"Don't you dare say you forgot!" George yelled, standing up, pulling out his wand from breast pocket of his shirt, and aiming it at his brother. George had felt like a rubber band that was slowly being stretched as far as it could go inside of him. This was his breaking point.

Bill had also taken his wand out. "Expelliarmus!" Bill yelled before standing up to face George. "What the fuck is wrong with you, George?" He shouted.

"You don't just forget your family!" George yelled back "You might forget to send an owl back to your friend, but not your family. Especially after a family member has died, and everyone else is wondering why you won't show up for one bloody day. Are you even going to come tonight?"

"I was just going to send Mum an owl. I can't come." He answered, looking down at his feet, determined not to look into George's eyes. He knew that he wasn't going to see the mischievous boy he had once been, instead he'd see a man filled with agony and hatred. George wasn't supposed to be the one with a temper, that was Ron. George was supposed to be the carefree one who loved nothing more than playing pranks on people.

"You see. You don't even care anymore, do you?" George asked, as he tried desperately to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat. He knew this was not the best time to break down and cry. 'Come on, hold it together.' "Ever since Fred…"

"I don't need you coming into my house and screaming at me about Fred!" Bill yelled, jabbing George with his wand where George's shoulder met his torso. "I lost a brother that night, too. I'm in just as much pain as you are, George."

"Fred was more than just my brother, he was a part of me. I can never have that back." George said softly, then turned, and walked away picking up his wand before he left the kitchen. He refused to let Bill see the tears that had welled up in his eyes.

"Do you make such pleasant house calls to Percy, too?" Bill called angrily as George reached the door.

"No. I forgave Percy." George answered, without turning to face his brother. "Because he came back." Without another word, he opened the door, and apparated as soon as he got outside. He wasn't going to The Burrow, not yet. He didn't really know where he wanted to go, he didn't particularly care. As long as it was far away from Shell Cottage. All he wanted was a little time to himself before he had to face the rest of his family, and try to act brave for them.