AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy Valentines Day! Here is another angsty, rather depressing chapter. So at least it's holiday appropriate, I suppose. ;p

Perspective kept getting a bit fluid when I was putting this together. At first I wasn't sure I liked it, but after going back through and attempting to fix it I decided that it works better this way. After all, we are talking about the twins here. I thought it made a weird sort of sense for the perspective to switch about sporadically.

If this annoys people let me know and I will try to make it less confusing.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

There was never an awkward silence where the twins were concerned, in fact, there was hardly ever any silence at all. Even when the two didn't have anything to say to each other it was never truly empty air.

That was just one upside to having a magical twin, even when you were in different rooms you could feel each other, share emotions and impressions, know the others' passing thoughts. Hiding things from each other was a difficult job. Not that they needed to do it often. Sharing dreams – sharing a life – with someone else doesn't really lend itself to secrecy.

But now..

Now there was silence. Absolute all-permeating silence. In the wake of Hermione's departure a void was forming. For the first time in their lives Fred and George not only had nothing to share, but had purposely blocked each other out. Just this once they needed absolute privacy. All their life they had been sharing with each other: possessions, opinions, identity. But now – when it was looking like they might have to share a witch, share a love – Suddenly they had become selfish, become jealous of each other.

Of course they weren't oblivious, Fred knew what some of the girls in school used to say about them. They knew that having the both of them together was a popular fantasy, they had even encouraged the rumors a bit. You know, for a laugh. The twins had always been popular, especially now that they were proper famous, but they had never actually thought...

Well, they really had never actually thought about a lot of things...

What had they expected to happen? Did they plan to eventually find their own witches and move out of the flat? To forge separate lives: separate wives, separate children, separate family? Would they get too busy to be twins anymore, only seeing each other at work and on holidays? That seemed to be what most people expected from them, it was definitely what their mum expected. She didn't like their products, their jokes...George was half convinced that if she hadn't been their mum she wouldn't have liked them very much at all. It was her dream for them to one day grow up, to get to be too old or too mature for pranks, for the shop.

Even now, as divided as they had ever been, it was still nauseating to think about. A life apart, to not be 'Fred and George' any longer, it was nearly unthinkable. How could anyone expect that from them ?..but then again, how could they expect anyone to accept the idea that they might never want to leave each other? No witch would want that, to be less important to a bloke than his own brother. They couldn't expect to find someone, yet alone two someones, that would be happy living the life they wanted. Growing old and having children with not just a man, but a man and his brother, not to mention his brother's family. It was just too much to ask for.

Honestly it made a sick sort of sense, for the both of them to love the same girl. That way they would never have to leave each other. Their love for her could just be another one of the thousands of things they already shared.

Fred couldn't argue that it certainly worked well on paper.

Hermione was perfect for it too. She knew them, as twins and as individuals. She was intelligent, good with kids, useful in the shop, and gorgeous to boot. They loved her and she loved them. Both of them. It was an ideal situation...and George was beginning to think it could work... would work.

..So then why did the mere thought of it make his chest feel like it was caving in?

Was it because it would mean that he wasn't adequate? That she wasn't getting something from him, something that she could get from Fred? Yes, that was probably it. It felt like he wasn't good enough anymore, like he wasn't special.

Sharing her would never work. She wasn't like a toy or one of mum's gaudy Christmas sweaters that they could trade back-and-forth between them. She was a person, Hermione had her own feelings, her own opinions. It wasn't like they could make a schedule of who got her what days and for how many hours. What if she wanted to spend more time with George than with him, what if she would expect him to be some sort of thing on the side? One of them would always be her favorite. Even if it wasn't always the same twin, they couldn't expect her to love them equally.

Could they?

Fred opened his conflicted thoughts to George, trying to communicate the inner turmoil that words seemed so inadequate to describe. George merely shot him an annoyed look, his emotions still firmly closed off.

"You said I didn't have to worry." The quiet in his brothers voice worried Fred more than if he had shouted. It was looking like this was going to turn into a fight. It was hard to tell, they had never really been so at odds with each other before. Though if anything could spark a real fight between them, Fred had no doubt it would be her...

Hermione had just moved in with them when the signs started. The lingering looks, the poorly disguised attempts to impress her, the reluctance to ever leave her alone with George. It was enough to make him wonder how his brother had never noticed before, surely he wasn't so thick.

George had never confronted him with it, even once Fred was sure he knew. Even when the endearments started slipping out, shamelessly calling her 'love', 'darling, and 'pet'. Perhaps George had though he was joking then. Fred knew that Hermione certainly had.

When he'd nearly ruined a potion because he was distracted by the curve of her bum, revealed as she climbed up on the kitchen counter to reach their supply of expensive elvish wine, hidden way back on the top shelf. George had probably been too distracted himself to notice Fred's leering. They both found it adorable the way she still never thought to use magic for simpler tasks.

George had even joined in when Fred began to scare off any customer who dared flirt with her. Though Hermione had quickly told off the both of them for being over-protective.

Still, George had been patient. No, matter how brazen Fred's affection became his brother failed to call him out on a single indiscretion, and Fred understood. There was no reason to create a rift between by accusing him of fostering inappropriate affections. They had never lived with a bird before, this was probably a pretty normal reaction. It would all pass in a month or two.

But it hadn't passed. Not in a month, or two, or three.

It hadn't been until George began to fear that perhaps his brother might do something that he finally called him out on his actions. He had come home from visiting Lee to find Hermione nestled in her usual spot. A giant, musty old book spread open to her left. There was no room left for it in her lap, not with Fred practically passed out on top of her. She seemed utterly unconcerned with the position they were in, her fingers continuing to run idly through his hair even as she gave George a warm 'welcome home'. Fred's memory of the event consisted only of being rudely awoken by his brothers rage.

Even though they weren't really doing anything inappropriate, Fred still felt like he'd been caught .

There were no nefarious intentions on either side. Hermione had been reading, he had been tired. It had just happened. Her fingers had felt too soothing as they stroked his hair. Sleep was irresistible. Hermione had been confused at the thinly veiled hostility blossoming between them. George had lied, said that it was something related to the shop before practically dragging Fred away.

Then they had a long overdue talk. Mostly it was standard stuff, George told him to back off. Fred assured him that he would never come between the two of them. It wasn't him she wanted anyways, and he just wanted her to be happy.

George had felt bad. It was hard to knowingly put his twin in that position. To force him continually into the presence of the witch he loved but couldn't have. In the end, George had made Fred promise to keep his distance, to date other witches and focus his affections elsewhere. They hadn't needed an official vow, the twins always trusted each other.

There was no reason not to. After all, Fred had told the truth. He had fully intended to put Hermione out of his mind. But that was before she left. That was before there had been even a glimmer of hope. And now...

Now that hope was a beacon. She had practically come right out and said it. She loved them both. Both of them at the same time.

It wasn't a foreign concept, a lot of girls used to fantasize about having them both. Or about them having each other. They had heard the rumors back in Hogwarts. The word twincest still made Fred sick to his stomach, and if it had been anyone but Hermione, it was likely the thought would have disgusted him even now.

Fred was still in a serious state of shock, which was making piecing together coherent thoughts quite difficult. George couldn't seriously be blaming him for this, could he? It wasn't anyones fault.

"You didn't, I swear! It was one-sided – or at least I thought it was...Honestly, I had no idea she – urg – Even if I had known, I would have never come between you two."

"And now?"

I want her more than I've ever wanted anything before ever, but you already know that. You want her that way as well.

" Now!?" Did George have to rub it in that he would never even get a chance with her? "Now what? If she doesn't want to be with just you, she certainly isn't going to want to be with just me."

"And the other option?"

Bollocks. To say that Fred wasn't quite ready to discuss the possibility of sharing Hermione was an understatement.

"What other option?"

Coward.

George felt a sudden rush of resentment towards Fred, it was an altogether foreign experience, and George could say with confidence that he didn't like it. Although, if they were going to continue along this route, it would probably become quite familiar in due time.

"Don't be daft, it doesn't suit you."

Yes, let's share her. It won't be painful or exhausting at all, and it certainly won't end in tears.

"No, I don't think I could handle the jealousy, I mean -"

"And you think I could?"

"I didn't say that. I just think..." George had always been the more patient one, the more willing to not always have his way. The gentler, kinder twin. Though not many people knew that. Most people, friends and family included, thought the two were more or less interchangeable. "When she left you, you said you'd do anything you could to get her back." Though you didn't seem to try very hard at the time. I would have fought for her.

"Has that changed?"

Fred knew it hadn't. Not just because he knew his twin better than anyone else on the planet, but because he knew himself. Both of them would do anything for her, even if it meant competing with each other. Even if it meant living with the type of jealousy that ate away at your soul. Perhaps it would get better, less sharp, more bearable, over time.

Fat fucking chance of that happening.

"You're not wrong."

They both looked at each other and loosed a humorless laugh. It wasn't even a question, really. Though it was a long shot. It was impossible to ignore the distinct possibility that she might not even be willing to give it a chance. She had left once, at great personal sacrifice, in a misguided attempt to spare them the pain of her indecision. Would she really even consider coming back, knowing how hard it would be for each of them to watch her love the other, to know that their relationship was a constant competition. Merlin...she really had put them in an impossible situation.

Hermione was kind. Cripplingly so, often acting too selfless for her own good. Even if they offered, she might turn them down simply out of fear that she would cause them too much pain.

"Mom is going to lose it. She flipped when Hermione dumped you...what are we gonna tell her now?"

Not the truth, that's for damn sure.

Ignoring Fred's weak attempt at lightening the mood. George continued to stare at a spot on the shelf as if he found it particularly menacing. Fred was sure he had a similar 'far off' look in his own eyes.

"What if she prefers you?"

Not bloody likely, that.

"Why would she?" Fred found he hardly had the energy to stay angry anymore. It was a ridiculous idea, and he hadn't the patience for it. The fact that George even though it was possible made his heart swell with hope – before the realization hit that his happiness was caused by the same thing that would undoubtedly make his twin miserable. It was a horrible, out of control feeling, this love.

No matter how you cut it Hermione had chosen George first and Fred second. There was no reason to suspect that would change. "But you already know everything about her. You know all her guilty-pleasures and pet-peeves. You know all the trivial bullshit she'd have never thought to discuss with me because she had you." There was a brief pause for shame before he spouted his last thought. "and you know what she likes in bed." Though at George's searing look Fred hastily added, afraid his point had gotten lost somewhere within. "I'm still gonna have to learn all that. She'll be impatient with me. You'll always be her favorite."

For a moment Fred thought that he had gotten though. He could practically see some of the weight lifting from his brother's shoulders...and settling firmly onto his own. What would she expect from him? They weren't entirely identical. What if she didn't like the differences, what if he kissed her all wrong. What if he didn't –

"You don't have any scars."

That one stopped Fred in his tracks. He knew how insecure George could be about his missing ear, Fred had seen him tug Hermione's fingers away often when she tried to tangle them in his hair. Vaguely Fred wondered how his brother handled the curse scars on his chest...or the one that curled angrily around his left hip-bone. Hermione must have seen them plenty by now, they were hard enough to hide with pajamas, let alone stark naked – and surely the two couldn't have been having sex partially clothed with the lights off for two years. Hermione had to have seen them by now, hell, she could probably describe them in detail at this point. So what was George so worried about?

Verity knocked on the door, poking her head timidly into the room. She had probably heard a good deal of the shouting, considering they hadn't cast any charms.

There was still so much that hadn't been said, but it would all have to wait until later. They couldn't leave the shop unattended for so long. For now they would have to paste their uniform grins on and go meet their adoring public. After all, Fred and George occasionally disagreed and had bad days – but the Weasley twins were always good for a joke and a smile.

Usually that was no big effort...but today it sounded nearly impossible.

A/N V.2:

Hope everyone is having a good holiday.

:)