Iris walked down the sidewalk, glancing around at all the businesses that were reopening. She took it as a sign of good things to come. As she neared the corner, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes came into view. Iris frowned slightly, taking in the boarded up windows. A giant head with a rabbit sat on top of a window, the rest of the body she assumed was hidden behind the boards. Iris stopped on the corner, assessing it. It looked like it had been something amazing once. She wish she had had the opportunity to see it in its glory days.

"No worries," she said softly to herself. "We'll get it back to those days." She gave a little determined nod to no one in particular and walked across the street, finding George standing in front of the double doors, staring at them.

"George!" she said, tapping him on the shoulder. He jumped a little and turned to face her.

"Iris, you're on time," he said. She smiled and nodded. "I have to admit it's still odd seeing you out and about as yourself." Iris shrugged.

"I'm still getting used to it as well," she said. She motioned towards the door. "Ready to go in?" George looked back and paused for a moment.

"This is the first time I've been back since…" he stopped. Iris immediately reached for his hand and squeezed it.

"Then I suppose it's a good thing I'm here," she said softly. He looked at her and Iris offered a small smile. "Let's go in together." He nodded and took a deep breath. He pulled his wand out and tapped it on the door, unlocking it. Together, they pushed the doors open. Walking in, Iris looked around at the large store. There shelves upon shelves, with stairs and ladders going this way and that. But it had been ransacked. Boxes, trash and random items were strewn all about. The shelves were mostly empty though some held random items that Iris couldn't place. Various displays were around in varying states of destruction. It was dark and everything was covered in a layer of dust and grime. Iris heard shuffling from somewhere and wondered what creature had taken up lodging. George waved his wand and suddenly the store was full of light.

"Bloody hell, they did a number here," George said, looking around at the random scorch marks here and there, the crumbling shelves and walls. Iris glanced at him, noticing the tears starting to form in his eyes. She tugged on his hand to get him to look at her.

"Hey, George," she said. He met her eyes. "It's going to be okay. We're going to get this place up and running and we're going to make Fred proud." He nodded and surveyed the shop again.

"I'm quite glad that you're here for this," he said huskily. "I'm not sure I could have handled it on my own."

"Of course I'm here for you," she said. "It's not like I have much else to do anyway." George laughed.

"And here I thought you were just sitting around waiting on me," he said wryly. He looked around. "I suppose we should start by cleaning up this junk and seeing what's salvageable." He walked over to what appeared to be a register and looked it over.

"Truthfully, I was. Even turned down a job as an auror for this," she said, turning to look around. She kicked at what appeared to be a chunk of ceiling with the toe of her boot. She jumped back when something scurried out from under it and off to a shelf.

"What? When did this happen?" he asked.

"Yesterday. The minister stopped by the flat to ask me in person. But I said no," she said. Putting her hands out, she concentrated on the floor and watched as the various rubbish gathered together in a neat pile. George watched her.

"I did choose the perfect person to help," he said with a laugh. "But seriously. You turned down a job offer from the minister? For me?" Iris turned to look at him over her shoulder with a half smile.

"Don't let it get to your head, it wasn't just you. I'm, well… not too keen on a job that has the potential to be dangerous," she said.

"But it would certainly be a better use of you gifts than cleaning up a shop and making trick potions," he said, waving his wand at the register and watching as the dust started to disappear.

"True. But… I dunno. Just didn't feel right. Not right now at least. Not with things as they are..." she said.

"Wood?" George asked, looking over at her as she concentrated on gathering together the rubbish in another part of the store

"Yea… I mean," Iris let the rubbish do its thing and turned to face George. "It's not the same. And granted, I was gone for a year - I wasn't expecting everything to be as it was before. But I thought that by now… maybe we would be… closer..."

"It hasn't been easy for any of us," George admitted. "A lot happened while you were gone. I mean, Dumbledore died. Bill and Fleur got married. Ron, Harry and Hermione disappeared chasing down Horcruxes. All of us had to go into hiding - not knowing if the others were safe or alive. Not until we all showed up at Hogwarts. Then there was the battle. We've all changed." Iris nodded, finding it hard to meet his eyes. Once again, she was reminded of all the things she missed. The things she could have helped change.

"I should have been here," she said, shaking her head. George walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders, shaking her slightly.

"Look at me, Iris. There was nothing you could do. You were in a coma, for Merlin's sake. Will you stop acting as if all the bad that happened is your fault?" he said. Iris looked at him, meeting his eyes. "What has happened, happened. You can't change that. And now… We're all trying to find our way. Figure out life in the aftermath. You will find your path, too." She nodded, feeling the tears starting to prick at her eyes. "And Oliver, he'll find his. He'll come around eventually."

"All this power and I still feel helpless," she said, smiling slightly. George smiled sadly and pulled her into a hug.

"Wood is stubborn as hell. He's probably got it stuck in his head that he can deal with it on his own. The best thing is to force him to confront it and talk. He'll fight you over it, for sure. But in the end, he'll realize he needed to talk," he said. Iris nodded.

"Are you sure that he'll… that that will work?" she asked, a bit dubious. She let go and stepped back, looking at him.

"It's always worked in the past," he said, shrugging. Iris nodded slowly. George turned and walked towards the back of the store. "I'm going to see if any of our office is still left. Keep up with the rubbish." Iris turned and continued cleaning up. After about 20 minutes or so, she noticed that George wasn't back. She started to walk towards the back of the store. As she got closer, she could hear quiet sobbing. She quickened her pace until she found an open door to an office. Pushing it open fully, she found George sitting in a chair at a desk, a picture in his hand. The other was covering his face as his shoulders shook. Iris took a deep breath, her heart breaking for George. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh George," she murmured. He reached around with his free hand and pulled her closer, rest his head on her shoulder.

"Sometimes, I just… I think I've got it. And then, I see a picture or just anything that reminds me and…" he said in between sobs. Iris teared up.

"It's okay. Just… let it out. Sometimes it's good just to cry," she said. They stayed that way for a few minutes longer until George quieted down. Iris let go of him and looked around. Finding another chair, she pulled it over and sat next to him.

"It's like… a constant ache," he continued finally. "A part of me is missing. And… I don't know how I can handle having a part of me missing." Iris took a deep breath.

"I know that feeling," she said. George looked at her. "You know about… me. How I have a connection with Harry? I had that same connection with Lily. And… I felt it… when she died. And I felt it when Harry…"

"Merlin, Iris," he said, staring at her. She took another deep breath, feeling the tears filling her eyes. She had only told this story one other time. She hadn't even told Oliver or Harry. But, she felt George needed to hear it.

"It's like… there's this invisible thread connecting us," she said, looking up at him. "I go through life feeling them there. A constant presence. And… I felt everything that they feel up until that moment. But then suddenly, it's like the thread is cut. And… there's nothing. Just… emptiness." She sat up and reached out to him, taking his hand.

"The point is… I know, George," she said softly. "And… I'm here for you. I'll help you get through this." He nodded.

"Thank you, Iris," he said softly. "Merlin, looks like we're both a right good mess." He looked down at the picture in his hand and smiled. He handed it over to her. She took it and looked down. It was one they took the day the shop opened. Both Fred and George were dressed in garish suits. They were grinning, arms around each other. They looked at each other and then laughed at the camera. Iris smiled and laughed softly, feeling the tears slide down her cheeks.

"I'll never understand your sense of style," she said. George laughed.

"Of course you wouldn't. You have none," he joked. Iris looked up at him, squeezing his hand.

"It's going to be okay, George. We're going to be okay," she said, this time actually starting to believe it. He nodded.

"I think you're the only person who says that that I actually believe," he said. Iris laughed.

"Going to hell and back tends to lend one a bit more credibility," she said, grinning. George stood, pulling her up and into another hug.

"Wood literally has no idea the gem he's got," George said. Iris stepped back from him. "But he will." She nodded and wiped her cheeks.

"So, more cleaning?" she asked. George wiped his own cheeks and nodded.

"Maybe we should get Percy here one weekend. Since he rather enjoys cleaning," he joked.

"Would go faster with more hands," Iris said. "Come on. Let's get to work."