First laugh
AN: Hey Guys, I just want to thank everyone who reviewed, followed and favorite "The Woman Who Can't Be Moved." That was my first fanfiction and knowing that people liked my writing really brightened up my day. At first, I wrote this as a two-shot, but I had so many ideas so maybe I'll add in an extra chapter or two.
Thank you to my beta, Ava Miranda Dakedavra for helping me with this! I know that you're really busy with life outside fanfiction but I'm so grateful you took the time to do this so thanks!
I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR "SAFE AND SOUND" BY TAYLOR SWIFT!
ENJOY :)!
One year, six months, 12 days, 14 hours and 13...14...15...16 seconds
That was before he lost the most important person in his life. The gear that made a clock move, that ingredient that completed the potion, the sneer that his late potions teacher professor Snape had before he gave him two weeks' worth of detention.
It had been 2 years, six months, 12 days, 14 hours, 26 minutes and 45...46...47 seconds before George Weasley lost his twin.
And when the spark of life fell from Fred's eyes, George's eyes lost that spark too. Not only that, the former prankster had grew skinnier, his hair grew all over the place- he had to tie his hair back like his older brother Bill. Something his mother tutted at when she saw George at family dinners. His eyes were not dull- a Weasley's eyes were never dull. They just look sad. Hopeless. Like young Teddy Lupin when he visits his parent's grave or Ron when he realizes that The Cannons weren't going to compete in this year's Quidditch World Cup (But in honesty, his little brother should have seen it coming)
But worst of all was after that horrible day that cost George his twin's life, George never laughed again.
Sure, there was a smirk or a tiny smile now and then but the Weasley family (with of course Harry and Hermione- they ARE honorary Weasleys after all) never hears the cheerful bellow of laughter from the once playful, mischievous twin since that day.
But, George had to admit, he had the most stubborn family in the world.
Every single person in his family had tried to make him laugh. Bill grew hair all over his body so long (in honorary of the twins' constant teasing about it) that he looked like a furry monster and tried to scare George with it, hoping that'll it'll at least omit a chuckle from him. But George only smirked, and that was when instead of scaring the miserable twin, scared his mother instead who screamed and started beating Bill up with a frying pan because she thought he was some random magical creature that strew into her house.
Charlie- the next prankster (after himself and Fred of course) turned everyone in his family into dragons- even George, but that ended with a punch to Charlie's face by Ginny as Ron accidentally blew fire from his nose and set her and Hermione's room ablaze.
Percy and Ginny who next to George, missed Fred the most, decided to instead of pranking the whole family ("because look at how well that went, Percy muttered to George looking at the giant bruise on Charlie's face") pranked Ron instead- because Ginny claims that Ron gives out the most funny reactions when being pranked. George had to admit, it was pretty funny to see his baby brother's face turn the shade of a bright red tomato when he just so happened to turn into a canary or being chased by spiders but that ended when Percy came up with the idea to spike the peanut-butter cookies (Ron's favorite) with a truth potion and it ended up with Hermione eating them instead. George heard how Hermione was bullied because of her looks and it got to the point when the girls from her primary school threw her into the mud claiming that she need to be with "her own kind" which resulted into the bushy haired girl to run up the stairs and George punching Percy in the face which gave him a dark bruise on his eye identical to Charlie's as he rushed upstairs to comfort his girlfriend.
They started dating in Hermione's sixth year and have been together since then. When George was mourning for his lost twin, Hermione was with him, rubbing soothing circles on his back and muttering words of comfort in his ear. She didn't back away when he grew all moody- and George loved her for it. She was also the only person who didn't try to make him laugh in which he was grateful of- he knew she knew that she wouldn't push him to get all better; to wake up one day and be like his old self. He knew that she was the best girl a guy like him could ask for and it would be almost perfect if his mum kept nagging at him at every chance she got to ask him about marriage and when George finally admitted that he will propose to her soon (though he didn't give her any specific details) his mum squealed and started making baby booties as he left the room.
After seeing Bill all beat up, and Charlie and Percy sporting matching black eyes, the family slowly stopped, which George was grateful of. He just wanted to relax and snuggle with Hermione. He was just pondering on the shampoo she was using when Hermione popped in, a frown marring her beautiful face. She sat down, received a kiss from George and laid her head on his shoulder and huffed.
"I," declared the bushy brown-haired girl, eyebrows knitted, arms crossed, "brewed the polyjuice potion in my second year, perfected the Wolfsbane potion a year ago AND found a potion to cure splattergroit before the symptoms kick in but I cannot make a BLOODY cake!"
George almost chuckled at Hermione's useful wording but stopped himself just in time. He sat up and gave a warm smile at his girlfriend.
"Cheer up love, I bet whoever is going to eat your cake will love it."
She scoffed, "Then I hope you'll expect low expectations."
He stared at her blankly and his girlfriend raised an eyebrow, "You forgot?"
His mind went over the specific dates he should know in his head, "Happy Anniversary?"
"Not even close," She replied dryly.
He glanced over at her and she sat there with a look of amusement on her face.
"Well, since you enjoy seeing me suffer, I suppose you won't tell me."
She laughed, her voice like a tinkling bell and he wished that he could laugh along with her but he knew that it'll cause unwanted pain. Pain that he wants to keep bottled up because he knows that once he makes that first laugh, he'll have to accept that he's gone- and he's not coming back.
Hermione pointed at the calendar on the wall and said, "Today's March 31, which makes tomorrow..."
Oh right.
That day.
Frankly, he wished that tomorrow will never come. He'll be turning 20 years old, the big two-zero. His first birthday after the war, the first birthday after losing Fred.
It suddenly hits him that he'll be older than Fred after today. George will keep growing older and older while Fred will stay the same. When George will be 99 and hobbling about, Fred will still be 19. Forever.
He couldn't take it. He jumped up which startled Hermione as her cushion was suddenly gone. She gazed up at her boyfriend, her caramel colored eyes shined with worry and confusion. "George?"
He started to blubber random words but Hermione must've gotten the gist because she took him by the hand and led him to his room, "Why don't you go to sleep? It's pretty late and I'll bring some tea and we can be together."
She tucked him into bed and she planted a kiss on his forehead and stood up to leave to prepare the tea but George stopped her, "No tea. Not this time." he croaked.
She frowned, "Then do you want anything else? Coffee? Butterbeer? I'm not getting you Firewhiskey because I'm defiantly sure Ron has a stash hidden for tomorrow. How that boy has some alcohol hiding from his own mother is horrible. Why I ought to..."
George silenced her with a small peck on her lips and gave her a watery smile. "You're ranting again."
She blushed and smiled, "Sorry, old habit." She held his hand, "Well? What do you want?"
He gazed up at his love wondering how exactly had he been so lucky to have her.
"Sing."
She blinked then smiled, "Okay, which one?"
He pondered, "The same one you sang to Freddie and I..." She beamed at his correct grammar, "...Last year when we couldn't sleep before you guys left at Bill and Fleur's wedding."
She sat down at his bed, her hand still in his, fingers intertwined and she sang, her voice like a breeze on a sweet summer day,
"Just close your eyes.
The sun is going down.
You'll be all right.
No one can harm you now.
Come morning light.
You and I'll be safe and sound."
AN:In case you don't know, the song Hermione was singing was "Safe and Sound", I don't own it! REVIEW PLEASE :)!