I do not own any of Harry Potter, and I only own the character Rian. Everything else, fortunately, belongs to Ms. J.K. Rowling.
RPOV
The next few months were difficult for everyone. Pregnancy wasn't easy for me, and I was bedridden for a few months, and though Fleur became pregnant as well, I was treated like a sacred vessel. I suppose because it was Fred's kids. Everyone else seemed to move on relatively well, except for George, though there were moments when there was a nearly tangible pain between everyone, noticed especially when we were all together.
George, true to his word, did stay with me quite often, though it was a while before he actually resembled himself, physically and mentally. However, finally having the twins was a wonderful distraction for everyone. I didn't meet one person who wasn't taken with them. Of course they had the Weasley hair, from the moment they were born, but both had my gray eyes, which was a very odd combination. Mrs. Weasley swore that Fin looked just like Fred, and Giselle looked just like me, but I couldn't see it, though I trusted her judgement after seven children. George visited the house every day, sometimes sleeping over. I liked to think that Fin and Giselle helped him function after Fred's death as much as they helped me, especially since he became much more cheerful once they were born. He even asked Daisy on a date, and they'd been together ever since. Actually, cheerful was a bit of an understatement. George seemed to take to the twins like he had once taken to jokes. He told his first joke since Fred died to Giselle one night when she was being particularly belligerent toward bedtime. I don't know if it was his voice, or something else, but ever since then they'd listened to George like he was a puppet master.
One night, a few years later, on the anniversary of Fred's death, Fleur invited me to her house for a stay, while Bill stayed with George. I knew they were trying to keep us away from the rest of the wizarding world, because today was a day of great celebration. Charlie, Ron, and Harry were staying with George too, and they all volunteered to watch the twins. They were nearing six, and needed looking after more than ever; they were as rambunctious as I reckoned Fred and George were when they were children.
I passed Bill as he was leaving. I saw him quite often as well, since I brought the children to visit Fred nearly once a week, if I could. He kissed my cheek and bid me a good weekend before Disapparating. I smiled before heading into the house to see a full spa laid out. Ginny and Hermione were there as well, and Fleur hurriedly informed me that Daisy and Angelina were on their way.
We had a wonderful day of it all, and stayed up late, as though we were still teenagers. Once they all fell asleep, I walked to the window and looked up at the clear sky. It was getting near spring weather, but the nights were still frigid especially near the ocean. Even so, I was itching to get outside, so I bundled myself up as tight and thoroughly as possible and made my way to the little path that led to Fred's grave. I stood by it for a moment before sitting down comfortably.
"It's been a while since it's just been us, hasn't it?" I murmured. I scooped a bit of the dirt off the ground and stuck in the orchid I'd picked from Fleur's garden.
"That's better, isn't it?" I said, pulling my knees to my chest. "Listen, Fred, I'm going to move on. I'm bringing the twins as often as possible, of course, but I'm done. I'm done grieving. I mean, I will always love you more than anyone in the world, but you're not here anymore. Just, hold on until I meet up with you again, please? Give me a chance later on, but now, here, I want to be happy again. I've been stubbornly hanging on, and it's too much. I can't live like this. Everyone else seems to be able to function, and be happy, and it's not that I don't want to hold onto you, but I can't. I can't keep going on like this, it's killing me. But I'll always love you."
"You sure you won't get tired of me?" asked Fred wryly, sitting next to me. I closed my eyes. I hadn't seen or heard him in years, hadn't mistaken my imagination for his flesh and voice. Not since his funeral. I'd dreamed about him, of course, but none so real as the apparition in front of me now. And he was quoting my own words back to me. Words from back when, deep down, I thought it impossible that either of us would die. "So this is it, eh? Alright, alright. But if you go off and find some bloke, you'd best not say a word about my flirting."
I had to pretend as though he wasn't there, because he wasn't. Not really. But I couldn't help the tears that started falling down my face.
"Ah, love, please don't cry," said Fred in a pained voice. "I don't like when you cry if I can't be there to comfort you."
"Fred," I said, turning toward him. I leaned against his chest, and it was like he really was there. He could have been there. I cried into his chest for a while, and he stroked my hair, and it was like those years without him vanished in a second. I wasn't sure how long I cried against him, how long I let him comfort me, but soon I saw the sun begin to rise, and I wiped my eyes and sat up. Fred watched sadly, seeming to know what was coming.
"Always," I continued, determinedly pushing him away, pushing him out. "No matter what happens, you have to know that I will never, ever stop loving you. There will never be a day when I don't think about you. I will remember every joke you ever told me, and I will keep this ring until the day I die, and the memories beyond that. But I'm going to give others a fighting chance. So, cheers, Fred. Goodbye for now, but we will meet again."
"I love you," he whispered, and I smiled as he disappeared.
"Love you too," I whispered back, and curled up on the ground beside the body of the man I would never stop loving.
