A/N: Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews, they were greatly appreciated – and thanks for reading! Please review. And be warned, this chapter is rather sad.

Old friend, why are you so shy?
Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light

I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded
That for me, it isn't over – Someone like you, Adele.

The debris of the fight lay scattered around the steps to the Astronomy Tower, all that remained of what had been a short yet horrific battle. Mercifully, no-one had died, but there was Bill's injury to contend with, among others, Fred was sure.

He was still looking for Viria. He hadn't seen her at all, and neither had Ginny, who was sat at Bill's bedside. She said they had been separated, and she hadn't been able to find Viria after that. She didn't seem concerned though, pointing out that Viria could look after herself, and was probably with Luna and Neville right at that moment. Fred wasn't so sure. He was starting to panic. If anything had happened to her...

"Are you Fred or George?"

Luna Lovegood had skipped up to him, smiling her vague smile but with a strange shadow in her grey-blue eyes. She was looking up at him inquiringly. Fred, quite frankly, was not in the mood for the oddities of Luna Lovegood.

"I'm Fred, Luna, and if you don't mind, I'm a bit busy right now. I'll see you later, okay?" he made to walk away from her.

"Are you looking for Viria?" her voice rang out, curious and with a slight edge to it that he had not expected. He turned slowly back around. She was no longer smiling.

"Yes. Where is she? Is she with you?"

"I don't think she wants to see you" Luna mused, and all the dreaminess had left her voice. Fred stormed back towards her.

"Luna, I came here for her. You have to tell me where she is. Please"

Luna eyed him warily for a few minutes before speaking. Fred wanted to shake her.

"She's in the hospital wing" Luna revealed at last, looking at him anxiously. Fred momentarily felt almost faint. He could not think, speak, breathe, his chest was tight, he felt a wave of nausea, and when he next looked at Luna he felt empty and looked completely stricken.

"She's...what? What's happened to her, Luna?"

"You'll have to come and see" Luna said at last, holding out a hand as if she knew that he could barely even begin to think about moving.

"You said she didn't want to see me" he replied numbly.

"She doesn't. But I think she needs to"

Viria was in a private room within the hospital wing, huddled under the duvet in a ball and shaking with sobs. A basin filled with scarlet water and a bloodstained cloth lay on the bedside cabinet. She wanted Ginny, her best friend, but Ginny was with her family, and Luna had gone to find Neville and tell him what had happened. She didn't want to be alone ever again.

Viria did not see Fred enter from under the sheets, but she tensed, and he knew that she knew he was there. The very top of her head could be seen on the pillow, the ebony curls matted and wild, and Fred tentatively moved closer, reaching out to stroke them. He felt her flinch and withdrew his hand.

"Go away" her voice was thick, and he knew she was crying. Luna backed silently from the room, leaving Fred staring down at the trembling, sheet-covered bundle that was his ex-girlfriend.

"Vi, Luna told me what happened. You can show me"

"No!" the hoarse protest came out muffled. This time, Fred was the one who flinched.

"Vi, I still love y-"

"Don't say it!" she screamed, but she still didn't move from under the bedclothes, "Don't say it, Fred, I'm hideous" her sobs were clearly audible by this point. Fred wanted to touch her, to reach out to her and pull her into his arms and hold her close, but he knew she wouldn't let him.

"It can't be all that bad" Fred replied warily. She gave a great, gulping sob.

"He's scarred me all over, Fred! Even my face. He should have killed me"

"Don't say that!" Fred growled, lurching a step closer to the bed. He saw her tense again, "I'll kill Greyback for you, Vi, I swear I will, I'll – "

"Stop" she whispered; now he had to strain to hear her, "He's scarred me, Fred, and they're never going to go away. I'll never look like I did before. No-one will want me now"

"I still want you, Vi, you know I do!" he cried urgently.

"Stop saying that! You don't want me. You never loved me; it was all a game to you. I loved you and all along I was a gamble, and now I've got nothing left"

"But I do love you, if you'd just let me explain – "

"Please, just go away. I can't do this. Just leave me alone. I don't want to see you again. I don't want to see anyone"

Fred opened his mouth to protest, but he knew that there was nothing left to say. He knew from her tone that she was serious, and she really didn't want to see him again. She would never forgive him. He would never get her back. He hovered in the doorway, wishing he could make her see sense. Wishing he could make her want him.

"Vi..." he just needed to hear himself say it, to hear himself speak her name one more time, knowing that she would never be this close to him again. This time, his eyes were blurred with tears.

"Fred, please don't do this. It hurts too much" she was sobbing louder, her whole body shaking violently, and he still wanted nothing more than to hold her.

"Why are we doing this, then, if it hurts? It's not over, Vi"

"Yes it is" she wept, "That's why it hurts. Because it's over"

There was a long silence. Still, he did not move.

"Goodbye, Fred" she whispered.

"Goodbye, Vi"