At the Burrow
It was late. Past midnight. Ron stood at George's bedroom door, staring at the empty room. The house around him was silent, the air thick with worry and disappointment.
"Ron?" It was Ginny. "Ron, you should get some sleep." She walked tenderly to his side and also looked at the empty room. Half-finished joke shop products lay on the floor. Posters framed the beds. It was as if nothing had happened; as if Fred and George were just gone at their shop, preparing to come home in a few hours.
"How am I supposed to do that?" Ron choked. Ginny sighed.
"We're all scared. But staying up all night, staring at an empty bed…"
"Two empty beds."
Ginny paused, searching for the right words before continuing. "Even so, it's not going to help anything. We'll look tomorrow. Okay?" Ginny put a small hand on Ron's back. Ron didn't budge.
"Why did this have to happen?" Ron whispered. "Why, Gin? We've lost them both."
"We'll find George," Ginny began, but Ron cut her off.
"We've lost him, Ginny! Face it!" Ron looked at Ginny, anger in his eyes. "We lost him as soon as he saw Fred's body!"
"Ron, don't do this," Ginny crossed her arms and looked away.
"You know it's true," Ron stepped closer to his sister. "As soon as he saw Fred. Something left him. He's not the same."
"He's grieving! He lost a twin, Ron. It'll take some time, you know that!"
"How much time?" Ron roared. "He's running out of time. You should have seen him there, in the bathroom. I've never seen him cry like that. I don't even think he knew he was crying. He just sat there, bleeding and staring at his arm. Harry started screaming and I ran down to get Mum, and he just sat there. He doesn't care anymore, Ginny. And if he keeps this up, soon he'll be dead too."
The words pierced Ginny like daggers. "Ron!" Ginny gasped, but tears filled her eyes. The siblings paused, holding their breath; listening for any sign of movement, waiting for someone to come up and make sure that they were all right. But the room was as empty and silent as ever. Ginny looked up at her brother, who stared at George's bed with rage in his eyes.
Neither could find words. Neither wanted to.
Ginny turned and began to walk away, but paused at the top of the stairs.
"You need Harry back, Ron."
"This has got nothing to do with him." Ron growled, but his voice caught. Ginny nodded sadly.
"You need him right now. Everyone needs a best friend in times like these, and you don't want to lose Harry. George lost his best friend, and you can see how that's turning out."
Ron didn't bother with a response. Ginny sighed softly and began to walk downstairs, but before she could make it back to her room, Ron spoke.
"He's special, Ginny." He spoke so softly she wasn't sure she heard him right.
"He used to laugh. George, I mean. He's his own person, but I don't think he knows that. He thinks that he's nothing without Fred. But he's wrong. He's funny, and kind, and…he's George."
Ginny nodded, looking down at her hands. She fiddled with the tie on her robe. She knew Ron was right. With nothing else to say, Ginny glanced at her brother once more and headed downstairs.
She passed her mother and father, who sat on the sofa. Arthur held Molly in his arms. Both stared into the fire with a lost look in their eyes.
She passed Bill and Fleur, who spoke quietly in the kitchen. Fleur stroked Bill's cheek.
She passed Charlie and Percy. Charlie spoke to Percy softly, who stared, stone-faced, at the wall.
She shut the door quietly to her and Hermione's room. Hermione was buried under the covers, wand lit and reading a book. But as Ginny brushed her teeth, wiped off her makeup from the funeral, and slipped into bed, she didn't hear one page turn. There was just silence.
Things had changed around the Burrow.