Two chapters in one night! :O I spoil you guys 3 Enjoy!
Lexi walked through the wreckage that was left of Hogwarts. Moments ago Harry had been successful in killing her father and Lexi felt something she hadn't in a long time. Hope. However it didn't take long for that hope to be squashed as she remembered her fiancée wouldn't be there to celebrate with her.
Tears threatened to fall again; hot burning tears that Lexi feared would never stop. She'd been crying a lot the past two years. She hated it. Hated herself for being so weak.
Unknowingly, Lexi's feet took her to the last place she wanted to be. Looking down she stared at him. His eyes were closed but a small smile rest on his lips. Percy had told her that Fred died laughing; just the way it should have been.
"You weren't supposed to die." The words slipped quietly out of her mouth; so soft no one would have been able to hear it unless they were standing right next to her.
Lexi dropped to her knees and cautiously ran her hand along his face. It was as if Fred were asleep. She prayed he would wake up at any moment but knew it was impossible. Sitting back onto her feet Lexi continued to stare at him; trying to soak in every last part of him once more. The color of his hair, the amount of freckles on his face, the curve of his lips when he smiled. Tears slipped silently from her hazel eyes when she came to the realization that she'd never to get hear him laugh or joke or even breath again.
"Lexi?" She turned slightly to acknowledge the person standing over her but Lexi didn't say anything. George sighed as he dropped down next to her and stared at his brother. They stayed in silence until Mrs. Weasley came over. She forced them to leave for the Burrow where the rest of the family would be preparing for Fred's funeral.
Lexi stared at the ceiling that night unable to sleep. The thought of attending Fred's funeral terrified her. The darkness terrified her and every time she closed her eyes, the evils that lurked in the shadows haunted her dreams. Slipping quietly out of her bed so she didn't wake the other sleeping girls, Lexi slowly crept down the hall to where she knew George would be. She knew he wouldn't be sleeping.
Peering through the doorway Lexi could see George laying on his bed staring at the ceiling like she had been. His eyes, eyes that looked exactly like Fred's, stared back at her and it took everything in Lexi to not break down again; not only of the reminder held in his eyes but the pain that George was failing to hide.
"I .. I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes …" George moved over indicating Lexi could crawl in next to him. He wrapped his arms around her protectively. The warmth calmed Lexi down enough for her to finally relax.
"I wish I was there. Then maybe he would still be here. I don't know what to do Lexi; he was my twin, my other half. Now all I feel is this hollowness inside."
"I wish I was there too." Lexi tucked her head into the nook of George's neck trying to fight the tears that wanted to fall. She could feel him shaking from the guilt and pain that was threatening to break him. At one point in the night the two friends fell asleep holding each other; trying to protect each other from the pain.
The sunlight pulled Lexi from her slumber. She stretched, groaning as her joints protested at the sudden movement. An arm pulled tightly causing Lexi lay with her back against someone's chest. She turned around to wake her fiancée up but things didn't feel right. This wasn't Fred's bed, this wasn't their flat they shared with George and her fiancée was not supposed to be missing an ear. The memories of the battle flashed through Lexi's mind so fast she couldn't catch her breath and a sob fluttered from her throat.
George's eyes fluttered open at the noise. His empty eyes stared into Lexi's before closing again unable to look her in the eye. Resting her head on his chest, Lexi tried to push the memories out.
"I'd thought it was all a horrible nightmare. That I'd wake up and be in his arms. I'd almost forgotten it all happened."
The day was a blur to both Lexi and George. Family gathered around and the funeral took place. Lexi sat in the front with Fred's immediate family. She held George's hand the entire time but heard nothing that was said. When it came time for personal speeches many family members and friends stood to speak but Lexi and George stayed frozen to their seats. Unable to move, unable to think, unable to speak.
Fred was buried under a willow on the family's property. Lexi sat before his headstone for hours until Hermione literally dragged her back into the house. They tried to engage Lexi and George into conversation but the two were content on sitting in silence. Late into the night, once everyone had gone to bed, the two apparated to their flat. They couldn't handle staying at the Burrow; where everyone tried to hide the looks of sympathy directed at them. Lexi couldn't bear to sleep in the room she shared with Fred. The thought brought too much finality to the situation. Instead she found herself curled up on the couch silently crying. She stayed that way until George carried into his room and just like the night before they fell asleep holding on to each other for dear life.
"Come on Lexi. Let's go out for just a little bit." Hermione had been trying to get Lexi to leave the flat for the first time in a month. Charlie had been successful at getting George to visit with him; he'd always been able to persuade his younger brother to do anything. The bushy haired girl however was not having as much luck.
"I don't want to Hermione."
"You need to. You need the fresh air. Please" Lexi turned to look at her friend with hollow eyes. A part of her wanted to get up and go but her pain was too much. Hermione started to whine like a little child causing Lexi to agree just to shut her up.
"Where do you want to go?"
"Let's walk through London. Put on your muggle clothes. I think a change of atmosphere would be wonderful." Hermione had been partially right. Getting the fresh air and being away from the wizarding community did improve Lexi's attitude slightly. She could still feel the emptiness but it didn't hurt as bad as usual.
They spent the day walking through the shopping districts of London and observing the tourists that loved to travel to England. It was late in the night before Hermione finally permitted Lexi to go home. George was already on the couch nursing what looked like a bottle of fire whiskey while he stared into the fire.
"Got any more of that?" He ushered to the table where six more bottles sat. Lexi plopped down next to him and opened her open bottle.
"How was your day with Hermione?"
"We went shopping. It wasn't anything great. How was your time with Charlie?" George shrugged his shoulders before he took another swig of his drink.
"Nothing spectacular. He was trying too hard. I love Charlie to death but his jokes aren't as funny as…" The pain shot through Lexi's heart and she downed the rest of her drink. Already feeling lightheaded, she reached for another but George stopped her.
"You drank that first one kind of fast…"
"So? I'm an adult." Holding his hand up in defense he let her take another drink.
Several hours and four fire whiskeys later Lexi could barely see straight. George was almost as intoxicated but he was at least able to walk straight. He caught Lexi before she fell into the kitchen table and led her towards his room. It had become a habit between the two to sleep next to each other; they couldn't sleep otherwise.
"I.. I think you.. Had too much to drink"
"I'm fiiiiine. I .. you're the one .. Who .. Had too much miiiiiister." George snorted at her comment as he fell back on to the bed. "Don .. Laugh at …me" Lexi landed next to him and tried to glare at him but she was too drunk to make the proper face.
"I wasn't laughing." Lexi turned with a retort but it was quickly swallowed as she looked into his eyes. He hadn't look at her in that way since Bill and Fleur's wedding.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?" She sat up quickly. Too quickly. The room was spinning, her stomach was churning. Without looking back she ran for the bathroom and barely made it before the whiskey shot back up just as hot as it was when it went down.