I entered the Great Hall, looking for face that I knew; the war was finished, Voldemort was dead, as well as many other people.
A mass of red hair alarmed me; I walked towards them and saw the tears on their faces. Automatically, I began to look for him but I couldn't find him. I turned towards George and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
-Where's Fred? I asked.
Molly cried even harder and George dropped his hand on my shoulder and pointed towards the table.
My knees let go when I found him. ''It's a prank, it has to be. '', I thought. I got up and walked to the table, I put my hand on his bloodied cheek and tears started to build up in my eyes.
-Fred, it's not funny.
No answer.
-Oi, Fred, wake up! I screamed.
-He won't wake up, Frances.
Once again, I fell to the floor, sobbing. ''It can't be, he can't have… '', I thought.
-He will! He can't have died, he can't! He… He wouldn't have let me alone… It's not like him…
I felt a hand on my back and somebody lifting me, I turned my head and saw George. He hugged me and I cried even more.
-I'm sorry. I couldn't help him, I'm so sorry, he whispered.
-It's… Not your… Fault, George, I whispered back.
I clenched his shirt and continued sobbing, and eventually, my eyes dried out, there were no more tears coming out. I sighed in relief as George's hand held me tighter; he was so much like him…
-I have to… Get some fresh air, I choked out.
I ran outside, not caring if I was walking over corpses or almost dead people, I just needed to get away.
I disgusted myself, Fred and George were two different persons, even if they looked exactly the same… And there I was, using George to fill the emptiness in my heart…
Bile rose up in my throat, I held myself against a tree as I threw up. I fell on the grass, laying my back against the tree; I looked at the sky, it was already night time…
-Frances? You're okay?
It was him, it was his voice… I clenched the grass and cried…
-Leave me alone, please…
-Frances…
-Please! I'm fine, no-…
I gagged again, he sat next to me and held my hair out of my face. He patted my back and I wiped my mouth on the back of my sleeve.
-We should go back inside.
-You're so much like him…
I heard him stop breathing and he let go of my hair.
-I know, he sighed, getting up.
He gave me his hand and smiled a little.
-Come, we'll go see madam Pomfrey, you need to get a check-up.
I nodded and he helped me get up, we stayed silent until we saw madam Pomfrey. I let go of his hand when people started to stare and madam Pomfrey took care of me.
She patted my back, my legs, my arms and my stomach. She spent a good amount of time on my belly before gasping and looking at me, she sighed and I searched for George's hand.
-Good Lord…
-What's wrong? George asked. Is it that awful?
-Dear, you are pregnant.
I clenched George's hand and laughed.
-It can't be, it has to be a mistake, right?
-No, dear, you're two months pregnant.
I fainted, and the only thing I could remember was George grabbing me and calling my name.
I woke up in a smell that I knew, I tried to move but felt a pressure on my stomach. I opened my eyes and saw long creamy hands around me, these hands were so much like his… I pushed the hands and sat on the bed, I was in Fred and George's old room, it smelled so much like him…
I turned around and saw George sleeping behind me, I sighed and got up, I walked out of the room and quietly closed the door.
I went downstairs and the whole Weasleys were there, as well as Harry and Hermione. They all turned and looked at me, Molly was the first one to get up and to walk towards me. She placed her hands on my stomach and whispered…
-Is it his?
I nodded, there was no way the baby could be anyone else's. She started crying and she hugged me tightly, I patted her back and she sobbed on my shoulder.
-I'm so glad, it's all that's left of him…
I tensed up and she pulled away.
-George told us after you fainted and we decided it was best for you and the baby to stay here, I hope you don't mind…
-No, not really, there's no one waiting for me at home anymore so… I sighed. When George will wake up, can you tell him I'll be in the backyard?
She nodded and I left, it was morning already. I laid on the grass and watched the sky; he wasn't going to come back, I would be alone… My hand automatically landed on my stomach, he didn't even know he was a father…
I cried again, my fists pounding the ground, why did he had to leave? Maybe if I had stayed with him he wouldn't have died…
-Frances, wake up.
I opened my eyes and George was sitting next to me, I sat up and tried to smile.
-Thanks…
-No problem. I promised Fred I would take care of you and now with the baby…
I looked at the sky and sighed.
-I already miss him, I whispered.
-I know, come here…
He opened his arms and I sat my back against his chest, his hands made their way to my stomach and he rested his head on top of mine.
-I miss him too, you know, but this little thing here, he said, holding my belly, has a part of him inside itself, so he'll always be with you, and with us.
-I can't raise a kid by myself, especially not now… I sighed, putting my hands on top of his.
-You're the one who chooses whether you keep it or not, but if you do, I'll help you.
-Your mum will kill me if I don't keep it.
He chuckled and he held my belly tighter.
-What's so funny?
-Mum'll understand. Everyone'll understand. I'll understand.
-Yeah, right, it's the only thing that's left of him, Molly wouldn't forgive me if I don't keep it.
-It's still your choice.
I sighed and snuggled myself closer to him, I heard him breathe deeply and he placed his head in the crook of my neck.
-You're just with me right now because he told you so…
I felt his lips form a smile against my skin and he answered…
-No, I'm with you because I want to, and since Fred isn't going to be there for your kid, I willingly choose to take his place, if you want to.
-You can't be serious, I whispered.
-I am.
-We're talking about raising a kid, being his parent and all that, I'm not going to let you ruin your life because you had to take care of my kid. I'm still not sure if I keep it or not…
He remained silent but I could feel his breath on my skin, ''It should feel wrong, but it feels so… Right? '', I thought; I felt his lips pressing on my skin and then he started to suck on my neck, I pushed him and got up.
-No, we're NOT going to do this, George! You think you can take advantage of me just because I'm weak now, uh? I cried.
-Look, I'm sorry, it was stupid, I'm sorry, he apologized, getting up. It won't happen again, I promise.
-We… We should go back inside, I'm starting to get hungry.
I turned around and entered the house, making everyone turn their head towards me again.
-Oh, sweet, you must be getting hungry! Come, I'll make you dinner! smiled Molly.
-Um, yeah, I am.
She grabbed my hand and brought me to the kitchen, I sat down and she began to swing her wand around, making different plates.
-Have you chose a name yet?
-Uh? Uh, no, not yet.
She nodded and gave me my dinner, I thanked her and began to eat. ''What was I thinking, getting close to him like that! He's George, not Fred, George… '', I thought. As much as they looked like each other, they weren't the same person; George was very much alive and Fred was very much… Dead.
I dropped my fork at that thought, he was dead, and I was alive and pregnant. Of his kid.
-Thanks, that was… Great.
I tried to smile and left for the bathroom, I closed the door and locked it, I looked at myself in the mirror, my hair was a mess, my makeup was smudged and my lips were chapped.
I got undressed and started a bath, I soaked myself in the water and it hit me, I cried, and cried, and cried.
It didn't really matter whether I was heard or not, I just cried for everything that had happened. Why did he had to die? Why was I pregnant now? Why did I wanted to be so close to George? Why was I even still alive?
I heard a knock on the door and I said…
-It's busy.
-I know, can I come in? said George, I tensed up.
-Why do you think I locked the door?
-I can unlock it, you know.
-Do as you please, I snapped.
I heard the mutter of a spell and the door opened, I stared at the ceiling and I tried to muffle my cries. I bit my lower lip and he sighed.
-I know you miss him.
-You know nothing, nobody does. Even I don't understand, I don't understand why I want to kiss you, or why I want to spend my nights crying in your arms; tell me, why do I think all that?
-Because you miss Fred and I look just like him.
It was true that they looked exactly the same, but they were two completely different human-beings. They acted differently even if they used to complete each other's sentences, they were two different persons, even I knew that. I lowered my eyes and stared at the water.
-You're different from him, I know that you're George and that he's… Fred.
I sighed and covered my head in the water, I closed my eyes and made bubbles from my nose. Even if I did say that I could recognize him, it seemed like if my mind had a completely different idea.
Everything about George was so much like him, except the one missing ear. If a stranger saw both of them standing next to each other, I doubt they could say which was which.
I brought my head above the liquid and we stared at each other.
-I'm not mad at you, he said, you just lost Fred and found out that you're pregnant of his child, I understand that you're a little lost. I understand that you're mad at me for trying to have my way with you-…
-I'm not… Mad, I'm just hurt and not ready for another relationship.
He nodded and I got up, scrunching my hair.
-Can you give me the towel, please? I said, pointing a white towel behind him.
-Uh, yeah…
George turned around, grabbed the towel and threw it at me; I wrapped it around me and stepped out of the bath. He smiled at me awkwardly before leaving, I leaned against the door and sighed.
-Was this what you wanted? Me falling in love with him? Or had you planned this when you told him to take care of me? I whispered, as silent tears made their way down on my cheeks.
This story has been laying around in my room for around a year, and I never really got to upload it, 'don't really know why... And the funny thing is, it's one of the first fiction I ever finished, haha. Also, I know this chapter his huge and full of stuff but I'm too lazy to chop it up in pieces. I'll probably re-structure it in a couple months, so please bear with it for now... !
Thanks for reading :)
(I get pissed off when people ask for reviews, but now I understand how they feel... Please review, it really helps the writers! )