Disclaimer: I do not own HP.

Chapter 2:

George sat down heavily on his bed thinking of what had just happened downstairs with Hermione. He sighed and lay down on the bed; looked over at his dead brother's side of the room where his bed sat empty and he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

When he opened his eyes he saw that he was lying down beside the tree in the Burrow's garden. It was the place where he and Fred loved to spend their time together away from the family when they were little for there was a small pond nearby. The sun's ray that was peaking among the leaves was blinding him, so he got up to a sitting position. He was lost for words on why he was outside. He could not remember anything.

He closed his eyes and breathes in deeply to the sweet smell of lavenders that was scattered all around the garden; he then turned his face towards the sky. The ray's sunlight warmed his face and he was suddenly feeling more peaceful and relaxed. He was startled when he heard his name called and the voice that uttered them was so familiar that he thought it could've been his own voice. George ignored it but then he heard it again.

"Oi! George!"

George's eyes snapped open and he staggered to get up. He looked around frantically for the source of the voice. He could not believe it, was he hallucinating? Was he finally going insane? He thought. Then with just a blinked of an eye his twin brother stood just a few paces away from him.

"Aren't you going to say 'hello'? Or are you just going to stand there like a garden gnome?" Fred asked, with a smirked on his lips. George could not move he just gaped at his brother scared that if he as much blinked he could disappear. Then within seconds Fred was standing in front of him his grin wide.

"How…? What…?-" George said but unable to form a word let alone a full sentence. He was so shocked he was staring at his twin, drinking the sight of him and then he felt his tears go down his face and hugged his brother tight.

"Merlin, Fred! I've missed you so much!" George said, crying.

"I missed you, too!" Fred whispered, sniffling. After a while they both let go of each other.

"We have to talk," Fred said concern visible in his tone. Fred walked over to where the bench was and George followed looking uncertain.

"Sit down, Georgie," Fred asked his brother which the latter obeyed. Fred sighed deeply and faced his twin.

"Listen, George. I know it's been hard for everyone especially for you and mum these past months but, you have to let me go. I could not be at peace if I see you like this… it's like you're throwing away your life. Mum needs you to be strong for her, I know she was sad now but every time she sees you in so much pain her pain gets more intense, please do it for mum if not for me. I'm happy where I am now. I would have loved for us to grow old together but, that wasn't meant to be-"

"But I don't think I could go on without you, Fred"

"-you have too, George," Fred said, more forcefully this time.

"It's so hard without you, it's like a part of me died too. What if I forget you…your laughter…? I don't want to do that," George said trying not to cry, "-I…I'm…scared that every time mum looks at me she's going to see you and then her heart will break all over again. And…and I don't want to be alone." The tears finally flowed freely and his shoulders shook from crying. Fred took his twins hand and forced him to look up to him.

"Listen. You will never be alone, you will go on with your life, get married someday, have kids, be happy and you will tell them about me. And the most important thing is you will never forget me, you hear? And mum will heal faster if she sees that you have accepted that I am gone," Fred's eyes too were glistening with tears. George nodded although his heart was breaking.

"I will always be with you Georgie. I'll always watch over you, just because I'm gone doesn't mean I've left you forever," added Fred. Then he took his brother's hand once more and he place both their hands in George's heart then said, "-you'll always remember me and I'll always be here." Again George nodded silently and his eyelids felt heavy and closed his eyes. Fred whispered in his ears.

"You'll be waking up soon. Remember, I'll always be here. I love you George."

George woke with a start and looked around, he was still in his room at the Burrow and the sky outside looked dark but, he knew dawn was breaking. He got up feeling a little better for the first time in eight months. In his heart George knew that Fred was alright wherever he might be and he hoped that in time he would accept the fact that his twin was never coming back.

One morning a week after George's dream he went downstairs to get something to eat thinking that since everyone was at work no one would look at him pityingly and followed his every move. Sometimes he just wanted to scream like a banshee to show every one that he's gone insane, but he suppressed the urged to do just that, so he just avoided going down when he knew that no one was around the house. To his surprised his mum was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in front of her, her back was on the door so she did not see him come in.

She was deep in thought and George heard her sniffed and saw her wiped her eyes. He knew his mum tried her best to hide her sorrow for the sake of her children that was not killed during the war. She tried to be strong and continued to do the same routine her family got used to and it wasn't fair. His throat constricts and fought the urged to cry. George walked over to her and he put his arm on her shoulders. Mrs. Weasley turned round startled and wiped at the tears that were threatening to fall again. She smiled when she saw George.

"Oh! George. I did not hear you come in. Would you like something to eat dear?" Typical of his mum; George thought. Before she could get up and busied herself George sat beside her and hugged her tightly. The tears that he was trying to hold back came rushing in. Mrs. Weasley hugged him back, and they both cried knowing that they both needed to do this.

George gulped down the last of his tears and slowly unhitched his head from his mum's shoulder; he looked at her and apologized for wetting her dress. He had never cried like this since he and Fred were younger when their dad punished them with one of their tricks involving Ron. He felt good letting go of those bitter tears, and he knew this would not be the last. George wiped his eyes and his mum cupped his face and kissed him in each cheek.

"It'll be alright, you'll see. Fred would've wanted us to go on. We will always remember him and he would never be forgotten. I missed him very much but, I'm glad you're here," Mrs. Weasley said smiling at him and finally able to get up. George kissed his mum again and said, "I love you, mum." Mrs. Weasley's chest felt lighter and knew in her heart that everything will get better.

"Now, how's that breakfast. What would you like to eat?" she asked already making herself busy in front of the oven.

"I'll just have some toast mum. I'll be right back. I just want to go outside for a bit." Molly nodded and watched him leave the room. As George stepped out he noticed the sun was shining brightly and the sky was as blue as it could be, just like the colour of Fred's eyes. George thought wistfully that maybe Fred was looking down at them. At the thought of his twin George heaved a heavy sigh and went back inside.

The person sitting on the kitchen table was no longer his mum but the girl who was avoiding him ever since that night. Hermione's bushy brown hair was held back tightly in a ponytail. George could not help but stare at her thinking how beautiful she looked even without make-up on, he also noticed how red her lips were even without any lipstick on, he wondered how would it be like kissing Hermione Granger; he smacked himself for thinking something unpleasant towards his younger brother's girlfriend. He approached her slowly and called her name but she didn't hear him for she was deep in concentration reading some reports.

"Good day, Hermione," George said this time a little louder. Hermione startled by his voice knocked down her tea cup and the contents spilled on the table; she grabbed her books and folders with reports in them so that it would not get wet.

"Merlin, George! You gave me a fright. I…I didn't hear you come in," Hermione rumbled nervously trying to clear up the mess. Despite her nervousness George found her pretty and flattering. She was muttering to her self when she chanced a glanced at him and saw a smirk on his face that she found attractive. She looked down rather fast and berated herself for thinking such a ridiculous idea.

"Do I make you nervous, Hermione?" George asked rather pompously. Hermione looked up and saw that same smirk on his face. She also noticed his face was a bit gaunt and he had dark circles under his eyes.

"No…no… why would you. I mean, I'm not…you're not. Oh, for heaven's sake. No George you don't make me nervous but, while you stand there with a rather pompous attitude it annoys me," replied Hermione rather fast then regretted it when he saw the look on his face.

"I'm sorry…I…I didn't mean to be rude. I just have a lot of things in my head right now." George unhitched himself from the sink but, did not say a word rather he took his wand out and siphoned the liquid off from the table. Hermione smacked her head for not thinking it.

"Right," George said after he was done. He sat in front on the chair and just stared at her.

"What?" Hermione asked. She could feel her cheeks starting to burn from the intense look George was giving her.

"Nothing. I'm just surprised that you're not with my brother and Harry, you three seemed to be attached on he hips."

"Well, for your information we are not. As it happens I took the day off work to relax." George gave her a small smile. And told her that it doesn't looked like she's doing some relaxing especially if she was still working even when she was off work. Hermione sighed exasperatedly but closed the book she was reading. They sat there for awhile both lost in thought. Then Hermione asked him if he was alright.

"Why would you think I was not alright?" George countered back.

"Because I can see that you're looking like you've lost some weight and there are dark circles under your eyes and if you needed someone to talk to you know I'm always here. I know it takes time to heal but, I can see that you're not really taking care of yourself. We all loved Fred but do you really th-" Hermione did not finished her sentence for George stood rather abruptly to Hermione's surprised. Then he looked at her like she was insane. She did not know that he would react in such a way. One minute he was making a joke then the next his mood changed.

"Forgive me, Hermione but, I just lost my brother. I know you're trying to help but, please don't. I'm dealing with it the best I could," George said storming out of the room. Hermione's cheeks burned from humiliation she could not believe what just happened. Maybe she needed to get away from here. She could start looking for her parents while everyone was still in mourning.

A/N: Okay, my friends who lives inside the computer. Please tell me what you think, that means give me some review whether it's bad or not but, please no 'flame'? BTW thanks to the ones that put this story on their 'story alert' and to the ones that reviewed so far