A/N- Sorry this has taken so long. I hit the wall with this story. And then I realized why. I pulled the story off course. By preventing George and Hermione from breaking up I had stalled myself. The story had naturally led itself to a point and I had instead steered off course. This will be one of the last chapters. I never got to Ron, which I intend to do; but George was like a clam and I couldn't make him deal with his depression and self-loathing. Not with Teddy in the room. This chapter does some tying up, but it won't be the last. I just have to figure out what I'm doing to Ron and Ginny (suggestions will be considered). It probably won't be pretty, but then I think they deserve some comeuppance. I would have just written more and posted a big chapter but I wanted to give you all something to read since it's been a very long time since my last update.

If you think George is acting strange, please keep in mind that often depressed individuals put on airs to hide their true pain and anguish; they don't always leave notes if they attempt or commit suicide. And I promise, I won't kill off George.

"Mum!" A crying Teddy entered the backdoor of the Haven, "I hurt my arm," the five year old said, sniffling as his hair turned a deep blue. Hermione picked him up carefully and carried him to the bathroom, sitting him on the back of the toilet, "I fell off my broom."

"You were going too high again weren't you," she said knowingly as she rolled his sleeve up carefully to look at it, "I can heal it. It's going to hurt though. Take a deep breath." He did and she cast the spell. Teddy cringed and the tears started to flow before Hermione gave him a pain potion and then hugged him, "Teddy you're going to make me old before my time."

"You're the best mum ever," he smiled.

"Well I suppose flattery is acceptable," Hermione smiled, picking him up and carrying him into the kitchen, "so who should I punish for getting my Teddy hurt?"

"Daddy!" Teddy grinned and his hair turned black and unruly.

"You just like seeing me hit Harry on the back of the head," she smiled.

"You do seem to enjoy hitting me," Harry said as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Did you heal his arm?"

Hermione sighed and turned around to smack Harry on the back of the head, "You arsehole you let him get hurt!"

"I was just trying to teach him how to fly properly." Harry ducked the second swing. "I'll make you dinner," he offered.

She looked at Teddy, "Do you think we should make Harry pay for hurting you?" Teddy nodded eagerly and both adults laughed. "Come on Teddy you and I can watch Scooby Doo while he cooks."

Teddy grinned eagerly and carefully climbed down from the counter, then pulled Hermione from room before she could do anything more than wink at Harry. As she and Teddy settled down to watch Scooby Doo, Teddy sitting in her lap, she contemplated her life now. George had been at first willing to change. But relinquishing control of his business had been almost impossible, even for the most mundane everyday activities like refilling the stock, and he'd gone back to how he'd been before after two months. Hermione had reminded him of the ultimatum and ended the relationship. The next day his things were gone. That had broken her heart. The fact that George had chosen his store over her and Teddy had hurt. Fortunately she'd had Harry to lean on, as well as Lee and Charlie who would come by and give her updates. Molly, Arthur, Percy, Bill and Fleur would also help her. George had moved back to the Burrow and into the room he'd shared with Fred. He was, by all accounts, suffering silently. Hermione had quit WWW and, with help from Harry, taken her NEWTS and then began her charms mastery.

She and Harry had become incredibly co-dependent after George left. Then Teddy had grabbed Harry's shirt when they'd been under the mistletoe the Christmas after the one where he'd broken up with Ginny and he'd refused to let go until they kissed. The two had agreed, and no one was more surprised than they were at the spark between them.

On New Year's Eve that year Hermione and Harry had received an emergency floo call after they'd put Teddy to sleep and were waiting on Percy to come babysit while they went to a dance club. George had tried to kill himself. He wouldn't talk to anyone but Hermione. She could still remember that conversation-

"George?" She half-whispered as she entered the room to see him looking out at the falling snow.

"I'm sorry," he whispered back. "I'm not strong enough."

"George you are strong."

He shook his head, "No I'm not. It was always Fred. I've tried to be cheerful, I've tried to let go, I've tried to be sad, I've tried to cling to what little remains…you were right, Hermione."

"George…"

"You were," he glanced at her, "I was doing too much, trying to be two people. I keep saying I'm fine but I'm not. You know, I really thought if I just focused on you and Teddy I'd be fine; I could just kind of move through life on autopilot."

"Where did you learn that phrase?"

"My counselor is Muggleborn."

"So are you going to get healthy?"

"I don't know," he whispered. "You look nice. Were you going out?"

"Harry and I decided to go out for New Year's Eve," she answered. "Bit of a first date, to be honest."

George buried his head in his hands, "Tell me he's taking care of you."

"He is," she nodded. "George…"

"No we could never be a couple again. Besides, I think you could do much better than a Weasley. Ron still hasn't forgiven you for not dating him."

"I know," she placed her hand on his shoulder, "George I would do anything to help you."

"That's what makes you so wonderful," he sighed. "You don't hold ill will toward exes that risk you and your son's health. You know what gave me the hint?"

"What?"

"Teddy called you mum. That was his first word. He looked at you and said 'Mum'. The smile that lit up your face…I can't recall ever being as happy as you were at that moment. I knew then. Teddy deserves a happy childhood. I can't give either of you that."

"I knew that too George. You always think people don't know what you're thinking; while I never thought you'd try to take your own life, I do know you, George Weasley. And I know that you're too much of a gentleman for your own good. We both have to move on George."

"That's why I asked for you. I wanted to say goodbye. Tell Harry that I'm glad he's there to be the father and the boyfriend that I couldn't be; I'm going to leave England. Everywhere I go I see Fred. I hear Fred. I can even smell Fred. My counselor says if I leave I should start to feel better."

"Where are you going?"
"Don't know. Doesn't matter. I'm going to start over. New life, fresh start. Lee and Charlie are in charge of the store now. I left a portion of it to everyone but Ron and Ginny. You and Teddy get a percentage of the profits every month. Don't say no, I want you to have it. Maybe every once in awhile you can create a new product? I think the guys would love that."

"I'll consider it," she smiled. "I should go. Goodbye George."

"Goodbye," he whispered, gazing outside as she retreated from the room.

"Hermione? Dinner," Harry called. She sighed and got up, helping Teddy up, "Go wash up Tedster I'll deal with your mum." Teddy ran by and Harry walked over to her, "Thinking about George? It's normal to do that today. It would have been your anniversary."

She smiled and turned to kiss him, "You, sir, are very wonderful. You know, he and I were only together for 7 months. But he was my first really serious relationship. I guess I just hold a sweet spot for him."

"I'm not jealous," Harry smiled, "I got you in the end. Much better than Ginny."

Hermione kissed him again before dragging him to the kitchen. "Sometimes I wonder if he got what he wanted."

"What he wanted was his twin back."

"I mean his fresh start. I don't think he ever believed I saw 'just George'. I don't think he thought anyone here did."

"Probably because he didn't," Harry observed as he put some fried chicken on a Batman plate for Teddy, who came running into the kitchen.

"Batman plate?"

"Yes Tedster, Batman plate." Teddy grinned as Hermione helped Teddy get a biscuit (who knew Harry was such a good baker?) and an ear of corn, "Masher?" Teddy again nodded and they put the food on his plate.

"What do you say Teddy?"

"Please and thanks Mum and Dad," he grinned before picking up his Superman fork to eat.

George Weasley sat in a restaurant, gazing at the picture of Harry, Hermione, and Teddy from the Prophet when the couple had got married. "I'm glad you're happy," he whispered, caressing photo-Hermione's face. She'd been his sole bright spot after Fred's death. Fred…George just couldn't seem to move past it. It wasn't that he tried. He had. For a really, really long time. And then he'd decided to quit trying. That hadn't helped either. No matter what he did that heartache just wouldn't cease. And George wanted it to end; he really did. Short of killing himself he didn't see how.

Hermione had all the answers. She'd know. George had gone to therapy the first time until they'd wanted to talk about Fred. George had refused and stopped going. Not that he told Hermione about that; when she'd watched him return to his old ways he'd felt a different kind of heartbreak. He'd let her down. George never wanted to let her down, but he had. All she'd asked was that he try, but like Ron as soon as the going got tough George bolted.

Teddy…that little guy had brightened his day every time he saw the little rascal. But George couldn't in good faith be the depressing black cloud hanging over Hermione and Teddy. They deserved sunshine. And Harry was that sunshine.

Harry…Harry had understood but George had shut him out too. He had denied Harry's truthful assessments. He wondered, sometimes, if Harry had ever told Hermione that George had stopped going to the counselor. He doubted it. Harry wouldn't betray a confidence.

When he'd seen them kiss under the mistletoe because Teddy made them do it he'd seen Hermione light up again; that was when George knew that it was truly over. Hermione's heart had mended and carried on. He'd known that would happen. That it was Harry had surprised the hell out of him. After the breakup George had become a hermit. Then he'd made a half-baked attempt at suicide only for his mother to walk in on him. After that no one would leave him alone.

George's depression just grew deeper. Seeing Hermione that last time when he'd been in the hospital had been therapeutic, in a way. Letting her go was easy; he could see that Harry made her happy and actually did put her first. George wanted her to be happy. Hermione always put others first; never herself. The counselors had said letting go of Hermione should mean that George could let go of Fred. But it was different.

George traveled the world for the past 2 years or so. He'd tried every method to rid himself of his depression that he could. Nothing worked. He just missed Fred too much. He couldn't even laugh anymore. George looked out over the ocean. One last suicide attempt. Then he could be with Fred and maybe see the Marauders. He stood up on the bridge and took a deep breath.

Always having to live with a smile was hard for George Weasley. He'd almost stepped off the bridge when he thought about Fred. Fred died heroically, in battle. Fighting for their future. And here was George, squandering it. "Fred would kick my arse from here until eternity," he whispered. He climbed down off the bridge, carefully, and walked back to the hotel. A new life, he'd told Hermione. That was what he'd wanted. A fresh start and a clean slate. And look at him, squandering it.

"Don't worry Fred," he smiled, "I won't let you down. Promise."

Hermione read to Teddy before tucking him into bed and entering her and Harry's room. Their relationship had been slow. Both had helped the other through breakups, and understood that Teddy really did come first. So they'd taken things very slow. Almost too slow, if Hermione was honest with herself; but finally, after four months of dating, the couple had let their relationship escalate. Neither one regretted that. From that point on they hadn't looked back. Two months after Teddy had turned four Harry had proposed. He'd decided to open up a family business of sorts; Hermione had figured out how to make Muggle appliances work in wizarding homes and he took care of the business end while she worked on the creative. They sold televisions, video game systems (portable and console), stereos, dvd players, computers…anything that ran on electricity, they could charm to work in a magical house. At first only muggleborns and half-bloods had been interested but that quickly changed. Harry and Hermione were incredibly wealthy, and all on their own; they'd barely touched Harry's inheritance beyond startup costs and bills. It was Harry's way of paying for half of the house.

Harry wrapped his arms around her, "Thinking about something?"

"How do you feel about trying to figure out how to film Quidditch matches for television?"

Harry tilted his head in thought. "That would be hard, love."

"I think we should watch some different Muggle sports and events and see how they do it; we could manage it, Harry. I know we could. Your charms skills are intense too, you know."

"Only because I'm married to you," he leaned in and kissed her. "But okay, we can see about doing it. It would give us something to do in-between trying to get pregnant."

"I think Teddy will be a good big brother," she smiled, "so long as you don't try to kill them both on a broomstick."

"I'm offended by that remark," Harry protested.

"You mean you resemble it? Broken arm, Harry."

"At least Teddy had all his bones still."

"Not making your case, love." Harry kissed her to shut her up.

Author PSA- If you are thinking about suicide please seek help, be it from a hotline or professionally so.