"So, you've cracked then?" George asked as they were in his old bedroom at the Burrows. They were lounging about on his bed and she enjoyed lying against him with his arms around her. It had been a couple of days since she returned and she had avoided talking about everything since she saw both George and Fred so angry that it actually scared her.
Rose just couldn't take that on top of everything that was going on underneath her seemingly impervious shell. She wasn't even sure what was going on anymore and had even started to doubt if she had made the right call. She had taken a peek into the future and she knew for a fact that if she stayed that Dru would die. Or if she'd chosen a different thing to do, Ginny would. Or Lavender. Neville, anyone for that matter. There had been no other way, but a part of her still nagged about it.
"Cracked, not broken," Rose finally spoke and sighed as she tried to climb inside of George, which was of course impossible. "I don't know how to explain my reasoning without sounding like an arrogant twat."
"Well," George chuckled and caressed her back. "I can't wait to hear what you have to say, usually when you talk you sound like you're withholding things unless you have to empty your head, but even then, you usually don't... how to say this? Emote?"
She looked up to him with a smile. "I emote. I just don't let go... well... not that much."
"Exactly," he softly kissed her. "But I love you anyway."
"The fact that I show some emotion is a feat of itself, you know. Grandfather never really cared about how I was feeling and father didn't really understand why I was upset because I couldn't tell anyone about him."
"I know," he smiled at her and kept caressing her back. "But you don't have any problems with the feeling of love. Everything you do is driven by love," he said carefully. "And there's been anger, you always scare me when you're really angry."
"You can easily take me," she chuckled. "And I've done well in the last year or so."
"Yes, I can easily take mum too if I want to but she's my mum and I don't know who's scarier when angry. You or mum." George laughed.
"Well, I've cracked."
"Yep."
"I'm usually good at going on, you know. If I'm afraid, hurt or sad, I just keep going and make sure everyone else is okay. I mean, the day when... I calmly helped Dru with her cracked ribs and then I comforted Lavender and Ginny because they were sad and entertained the first years. When I was in bed that night I was wondering what the hell I was doing, because something horrible had happened and I just kept going. Just like when Grandfather got killed, or father taken away, I just kept going. I cried for a day or two but I shrugged it off. Because other people would need me. I ignored everything about myself."
"What changed?"
"The realisation that I wasn't functioning at all. I saw that I had become a danger to my friends if I would have stayed at Hogwarts," she said slowly. "I mean, there would be errors of judgement. On our first day back after Christmas, Alecto Carrow struck me in the face with her wand and I didn't even flinch. I didn't feel fear and she's one scary lady."
"You know what I think?" George said after a while. "I think that on top of all that there's this underlying feeling of guilt, that you think you need to redeem yourself somehow for the things that your father did."
"A child is not responsible for their parents actions."
"Yeah, I know, and you've been saying that a lot, but I don't think you believe that yourself. You just keep going and going and..." He sighed and tiredly rubbed his hand over his face. "You've been hurt enough. Emotionally and physically. Your grandfather and you have done a lot of good and I think you've balanced out your family."
"He hurt Dru."
"Yeah, he did, but what did you do in the years after that? You became this force to be reckoned with. I think your head is finally telling you that enough is enough. Let someone take care of you for a while."
"Yeah..." Rose sighed and closed her eyes. "But I didn't break."
"Thank Merlin you didn't because that would have broken me."
Neville had quietly observed Dru for a couple of days and noticed that she was trying to distance herself from everything. He took her to the greenhouses to go and check up on Joey, and when he noticed that they were alone he sat down on one of the tables and watched her play with the plant. "How are you feeling, Dru?"
Dru shrugged. "I'm alright." she was leaning with her back against the table.
"Are you?"
Dru nodded and turned around to put Joey back on the table. "I miss Rose."
"Yeah, me too." Neville sighed. "I get it that she felt like she had to leave but I think we could have dealt with her, or with whatever she saw happening if she'd stayed."
Dru looked at him. She moved and leaned on his legs with her arms. "I don't know, She needs George too much. She doesn't function well with all this without him."
"Or maybe she finally realised that she needs to take care of herself first, who knows? We should ask her one day." He caressed Dru's hair. "To be honest, she was getting a little bit too reckless."
Dru shrugged. "She's always reckless. Just like you."
"I'm not reckless," he chuckled. "I always know what I'm doing, just sometimes it goes a little bit wrong."
Dru laughed and looked into his eyes. "You are reckless, but don't worry, I think it's rather sexy."
"Oh really now?" He smiled at her. "Maybe you're right, but I'm always careful when I'm being reckless."
"No you're not." Dru shook her head laughing. "You never care about yourself when you're trying to protect someone else."
"No, because someone else would be in trouble," he chuckled and softly kissed her. "I must say though, Rose's half cracked speech made everyone a bit more careful. I rarely see a student out by himself."
"Just be careful, I want to enjoy you a bit longer." Dru smiled as she kissed him back. "Or at least enjoy some of my favourite Neville-parts."
"Hey, ever since she went, I have been a good boy. And on top of that, wounds on top of wounds that are already on top of wounds don't really feel that good," he chuckled.
Dru smiled and walked to the blackboard to look at some of the notes the younger students were making. "It seems a lifetime ago that we were making our notes." Dru sighed.
"Ah, yes, a really long time."
Dru closed her eyes and bit her lip. "The world has changed so much. I don't know how long I can cope in this world."
He got off the table and walked towards Dru before wrapping his arms around her. "As soon as this war is over, all will be okay again, I promise."
"Neville, it's war." She turned around so she was facing him and put her head against his shoulder. "War can last years, I don't know how I'm supposed to make it through that. I'm not that strong."
"You don't have to be," he smiled and softly caressed her back. "You've got me."
Dru smiled. "Yeah, but if this is going to last years, I'm only gonna be a burden to you."
"Dru, let's get one thing clear." He said as he looked into her eyes. "You never were and you never will be a burden to me, you got that?"
Dru bit her lip, trying to fight back the tears, she didn't want to say yes, but was not afraid to say no right now. "I...don't know."
"Well, you'd better get used to that then, because no matter how bad you think of yourself, I will not listen because it's all a lie." He cupped her cheek with his hand and smiled at her. "And I won't even get angry with you if you want to take the day off from taking care of everything. Everyone deserves a day off."
Dru bit her lip as she shook her head laughing. "Alright." she kissed him. "I'll try and be nicer to myself. Although I still don't get why a hero like you want with a trampy girl like me."
"Because you're not a trampy girl," he caressed her hair. "Whoever told you that you are, will meet up with those words later and it won't be pretty."
"You promised you'd leave it alone."
"Ah," Neville gave a nod. "You honestly believe a word that comes out of his mouth?"
Dru shrugged. "He had some true points." she muttered as she looked at the floor.
"Goyle is a liar, so I doubt it." he made her look up to him again. "You are not a tramp. You are beautiful and you are loved."
"Alright, answer honestly and just with yes or no. Are my skirts shorter than everyone elses?"
"Haven't noticed."
"You're not being honest." Dru got herself out of his arms and walked back to the table and leaned on it.
"I am being honest. I don't know if your skirts are shorter because you're the only girl I look at and Hannah is a prude."
"Fine, do I always walk on high heels?"
"Yes, what's wrong with that?"
"Yes or no, do I always twirl my hair?"
"Yes, it's cute."
"Do I flirt with everyone?"
"Absolutely not."
Dru looked at the table. "I do, I flirt and twirl my hair, I walk around on high heels and in short skirts, so he was right. I was asking for it."
"No you weren't. They are sadistic and evil and they were after you for years now just because you've switched sides."
Dru was crying softly, not to let Neville noticed it. She looked to her left and saw the Venomous Tentacula. If Neville had his eyes off her long enough, she could get herself bitten hard enough for it all to over. She moved her arm a little so get in reach of the plant. She bit her lip to prevent her from screaming when the plant would bite her. She took one more deep breath and lifted her arm.
"Oh wow," Neville said and pulled her back against him and turned them around so he was between the plant and Dru. "I can't believe it, you're actually giving up! Alright, let's give up. The both of us. Right now. Because the world is shit, everything is shit and will be going to hell soon enough. There's no future to fight for."
"Neville..."
"No, I mean it. Let's quit. Let the Carrows inflict whatever the hell they want on the students at Hogwarts. Oh no, better yet! HA!" He said and made a turn on the spot. "I know! Let's just go to Malfoy manor and wave a white flag around and do the easy thing by giving up and become mindless drones who won't be able to feel anything!"
"I can't feel anything anymore anyway." she said as she looked down to the floor.
"Oh, all the better! I'm going to call the boys and tell them that they can have you then." He spat at her and walked towards the door.
"No!" Dru screamed in fear and let herself drop to the floor. "Please don't." Her lip was trembling. "I'm sorry. Please don't go. Don't leave me."
"See? You do feel something," Neville said and sat down on the floor before pulling her into his arms. "It's okay," he softly caressed her back. "Let it all out."
Dru put her head in his lap and just cried. "It was so bad. I was so scared."
"Shh... it's okay," he soothed her. "You're safe now."
"I just wanted to die, to make it stop." she sobbed and moved so she was lying now. She closed her eyes. "He told me he was going to do it again in few days."
"Not if I can help it," he said bitter. "You're going to be alright, he won't hurt you again."
Dru turned on her back and looked at him. "I'm..." Dru closed her eyes. She felt dirty, she could still feel him and she feared that Neville would one day feel the same.
"He won't lay a hand on you again, I promise," he softly kissed the top of her head.
"Will you?"
"I said I promise, didn't I?" he smiled at her. "As for laying a hand on you... only when you're ready. I promised you that too."
Dru nodded. "Could you lay your hand on me a little?" she asked softly.
Neville placed his hand in hers. "Wherever you want," he smiled sweetly at her.
Dru sat up. "Kiss me, the way you used to." She looked at him before she gently kissed his lips. "But just kissing and feeling me up, nothing more yet" She moved so she was sitting in his lap.
"Oh, I can definitely do that," he smiled at her and kissed her tenderly as he started to caress her back.
George was sitting in at the kitchen table. It was nearly 3 in the morning but he couldn't sleep. Fred had been sleeping in Ron's room since Rose got back, giving her and George some space, but George couldn't sleep, he was too afraid he might hurt her, or touch her the wrong way by accident. He sighed and took another sip of his tea.
"Here you are," Rose said softly as she shuffled into the kitchen in George's socks and shirt. "Can't sleep?" she asked as she sat down next to him and softly caressed his hair. "I didn't kick you, did I?"
"No." He chuckled. "I'm more scared of kicking you."
"You're not a kicker," she smiled at him. "Ginny is, but you? Nah."
George leant on the table with one elbow and rested his head on his hand. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable if you slept in Fred's bed? Or If I would?"
"Why?" She cocked her head. "I did kick you, didn't I?"
He caressed her hair. "I'm scared that I might touch you the wrong way and you'll get another nightmare like you did a few days ago."
"That had nothing to do with you touching me, George. Even if you hadn't touched me, I'd probably had the same nightmare anyway. I want you to touch me, I need you to." she climbed onto his lap and softly kissed him. "And I can't sleep if you're not in bed with me."
"But I can't, Rose. If you're lying next to me, you do things to me." he gently kissed her and moved her a little bit. He didn't want her to find out how aroused he was just by having her sitting on his lap.
"That's good, doesn't it?" She said softly as she traced his jawline with her index finger. "That means that you still want me after..."
"Rose, I will always want you." George groaned. He put his forehead on her shoulder. "But mum told me to give you time, that you would be scared and that I shouldn't rush things."
"I'm scared, yes," she gave a nod. "But not because of you. And yeah, I don't feel like... well... myself anymore but that doesn't mean that I can't help you out if you need it. All you have to do is ask." Rose smiled at him. "You're my husband, you're allowed to ask."
He caressed her hair and looked at her with eyes filled with hurt. "How can I ask you to do something like that? I only want you if you really and I mean really want me to."
"I... I want your hands on me, George," she said softly. "And I don't want you to leave the bed in the middle of the night because I'm all alone then and I think that Nev... Crabbe can get to me still."
George swallowed hard and nodded. "I won't leave the bed anymore at night, I promise."
"If you do something I don't like right now, I will tell you, I promise, just don't be afraid. I feel bad enough as it is."
"Rosie, we don't need to do anything right now, I mean...I don't want you to anything because you think I want you. I can help myself. I can't wait for you to really want me."
"I have two hands to help you out," she smiled at him and softly kissed his lips. "Willingly."
He tenderly kissed her back as he carefully placed his hands on her hips. Trying his best not to hurt her.
She gently broke off the kiss and finished his tea for him. "Come back to bed?"
George wrapped her legs around him before getting up with her still in his arms. "I am now." He walked her back to the bedroom, before carefully putting her back on the bed. "Are you sure you don't want me to sleep in Fred's bed?"
She pulled him into the bed with her and pulled the covers over the both of them before she snuggled up to him. "I'm not afraid of you."
"I'm afraid of myself." He muttered while carefully putting his arms around her.
"I won't break," she chuckled and softly kissed him before running her finger up and down his chest. "I need your hands on me, George. Make me forget."
George moved so he was hovering over her and kissed her deeply. He wanted her so bad, but he didn't want her to freak out, because there was a chance his touch triggered a memory. "Tell me what you want me to do to you. Step by step."
"Touch me like you always do." She kissed him and pulled him closer to her. "Don't worry."
He let his hand slip under her shirt and caressed her sides as he started kissing her neck. "I always worry." He chuckled through his kisses.
She closed her eyes and sighed happily. She needed him to be gentle and soft and caring as he always was. Crabbe had simply tired her out with torture and then just jammed himself into her and she needed George to be just George.
"Can I take your shirt off?" He asked as he was already unbuttoning her shirt. He had missed her so much, that he was having trouble holding himself back. Right now he just wanted to rip the shirt of her and ravish her, but he knew he needed to take it slow.
She chuckled and looked at what he was doing. "Seems to me you're already helping yourself."
"You're too beautiful to be hiding away in this shirt." He grinned as he helped her out of it. "God, you're gorgeous.' He sighed happily and placed a kiss between her breasts. "Can I play with them again?"
Maybe she wasn't ready for this yet. She took a deep breath and caught him by surprise when she flipped the both of them over so she was sitting on top of him. She kissed him tenderly as she caressed his chest with her finger tips. "I'll help you," she whispered in his ear before getting off of him and started to take off his pyjama pants.
"Rose, are you sure about this?" He asked worried as he cupped her chin. "We can stop if you want?" He had felt her hesitation when he wanted to touch her breast.
"I have no problems with touching you," she smiled reassuringly. "Let me be a good little wifey and help you."
George nodded. "Can I caress your thighs?" He asked softly.
She shook her head as she started to pull off his underwear as well. Rose felt sorry for him. It was so clear that he had physically missed her as well and she couldn't give him what he needed, not exactly what she needed. She was horrible.
"Alright Rose, I'll just touch you in my head. My hands on your thighs, moving up to your side. then cupping those beautiful breasts of yours." He smiled at her.
"Stop it," she said with a small voice and tried not to cry.
"Rosie." George sat up and put his arms around her. "I'm so sorry. You said you wanted to feel my hands on you, so I thought if you could picture it, you might get what you need." He placed a kiss on her shoulder. "Why don't we just go to sleep, sweetie?"
"No," she shook her head as tears were running down her cheeks. "I need to be a good girl and help you."
"Rose, stop this." George said a bit angry.
"Don't you want my hands on you? Am I that dirty?"
"I don't want you to touch me because you think you have to. And you're not dirty. Rose, you can feel my cock pressing into your leg. I want you bad, but only if you truly want me. I would kill myself if I let you do anything like that."
"You don't want me to help you out, to make you feel good?"
George started crying and held Rose close to him. "I just want my Rosie back."
"I'll take a shower if that would help."
"Rose, stop this." George sobbed. "I want you, I want to make love to you, you're still my beautiful, gorgeous Rose. But you don't want me! I can't do this."
Rose was still crying as she put the shirt back on. "I do want you, but sadly your hands and your attentions aren't a magical cure and I... if you want me to I can surely try to hold it together long enough for you to get what you want, but that won't work either. I can't help but feeling like I'm wrong. Dirty. A whimp. Not worthy of you. Not anymore, because I let you down, I got into trouble and I couldn't get myself out of it."
George laid down on the bed and pulled Rose as close to him as he could. "I love you, Rose." He kissed her neck. "I love you so much."
"What if I'm unfixable?"
"Then I will still love you."
"I just need a bit more time..." she said after a while.
"Take your time. I love you." he gave her another kiss in her neck. "I love you, Rosie."
"I love you too, George," she smiled as she softly planted a kiss on his chest. "I'm so sorry..."
"Don't say that. I love you."
"I'm still sorry."
"And I still love you."
She chuckled and softly kissed his lips. "Are you okay though? I mean... you're not going to leave the bed to help yourself are you? Because I'm actually a bit tired and..."
"I can't promise anything, but don't worry, I'll only need 15 minutes and then I'm back. Still loving you."
"Just warn me then, when you leave."
"I will.' George kissed her neck and just held her for while. After ten minutes he kiss her lips. "Rose?"
"Hmm?" she said sleepily.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"I love you so very, very much, I need to go to the bathroom, I'll be back in 15."
"Have fun," she said softly as she felt his weight leave the bed and pulled her pillow over her head. She started to hum the Hogwarts song as she waited until she'd fall back asleep again or George coming back to bed.
George crawled back into their bed and pulled Rose back in his arms. "Yeah, I loved you a whole lot."
It was that she had heard the door again otherwise she would have jumped straight out of bed. "Shame I missed that," she chuckled and put her arms around him.
"When you're ready, I'll make it up to you."
"When I'm ready, I'll have to make it up to you," she yawned.
"Go to sleep, Rosie. I'm not leaving the bed again."
"I love you."
It had been a little over two weeks since Rose had left. The seventh years had a two hour free period and Neville and Dru were sitting alone in the common room. Dru was curled up in Neville's lap, while he was softly kissing her neck. Dru sifted and suddenly realised how turned on Neville was.
Neville sighed. "Sorry, Dru. you're just too beautiful to not get turned on."
Dru giggled as she moved again without thinking about how that would cause even more friction on Neville's cock.
Neville groaned and gave Dru a kiss on her lips. "Sorry beautiful, I know Lavender says it's very rude to announce this, but I have to go upstairs and help myself." Neville put her on the sofa next to him and gave her another kiss. "Don't worry, with you in my mind, I don't need that long." he whispered huskily in her ear, leaving her blushing.
Dru saw Neville leave the common room and thought about what he just had said. She knew he wanted to be a gentleman, but she felt it bad for him too. She wanted to help him. She bit her lip as she realised how she could do that and got up from the sofa, before slowly walking up the stairs.
Dru could hear Neville panting outside the dormitory. She tiptoed to the bedroom and slowly opened the door.
Neville was lying on his bed, his pants on his ankles, with his eyes closed, helping himself. He was so busy with himself, he didn't noticed that Dru was entering the room.
She gently crawled onto the bed, sat down next to him on her knees before removing his hand and put her hand around his cock instead, working it in the same speed he was.
Neville looked up in shock. "Dru, what are you doing?" He asked hoarsely as he tried to sit up, but the buzz in his head was holding him back, the buzz liked her hand working him.
"Shhhh." Dru said as she pushed him back down again with her free hand. "Let me help you."
"You're mad.' he muttered, but let himself fall back into the pillow. He knew he probably shouldn't let her do this, but it felt so good, so much better then when he or Hannah did it. He couldn't stop himself from letting her help him.
Dru felt a sudden burst of longing appear in her body. She had been wanting him for so long now.
Neville enjoyed what she was doing to him with his eyes closed, but suddenly his eyes opened wide as he felt her lips on the tip of the cock, he looked at the ceiling and he groaned as she took his erection in her mouth. "Oh god, Dru." he moaned, trying his best not to buck his hips into her.
Dru had her eyes closed as she was working his length. She felt light headed and the butterflies were working on overdrive in her stomach. It felt so good getting lost into this moment, into Neville. She felt as his hand buried himself in her hair and pulled on it a little bit, giving her more stimulant to work even harder.
"Dru, I'm coming." He moaned and he felt her lips disappear as she finished him off with her hand. He came hard and panted. "That was amazing." he smiled, still trying to catch his breath.
Dru had placed her forehead on his leg, she took was trying to catch her breath. It had felt so good. "Yeah, it was."
Neville popped himself onto his elbows and looked at Dru. Suddenly he realised that she had missed being physically close to anyone, to him. And that what she needed now more then ever, was somebody to make her feel good about being touched again. Somebody to show her again that sex could be nice and gentle. She needed to feel loved in that way again. He let go of her hair and gently caressed it. "Dru." he said softly.
"I'm fine." she was still panting. "Just give me a minute." She didn't want to let go of the butterflies in her stomach just yet.
Neville sat up, took hold of her arms and gently pushed her on her back, before pulling his pants back up.
"Neville, what are you-"
"Let me help you now." He said softly before sweetly pressing his lips against hers. He could feel that she was a bit hesitant to kiss him back, and he gently waited for her to kiss him back. he didn't have to wait long, because Dru couldn't control her longings anymore and soon she buried her hands in his hair, pulling him deeper in their kiss.
Neville unbuttoned her shirt so her upper body was exposed. He left her shirt on, because neither one of them took their clothes off, for anything other than a shower these days. He kissed her just above her breast. "God, you're gorgeous." he muttered as he applied pressure on her heat with his hand.
Dru moaned when Neville pulled her panties to the side, before putting two fingers inside of her at the same time. He was a bit more rough with her than Fred used to be, but still in a very loving way that made her feel good about the way he touched her. Her body arched itself to him as he started pumping his fingers.
With his free hand he pushed her stomach down and continued to kiss her torso. He liked the way her body responded to him, how it tried to arched itself to him, it was a real turn on for him, but he had to keep himself in line. He was going to get her off, but that was it. She probably wasn't ready for more and he didn't want to risk doing anything she would later regret.
"Neville, I..." She squirmed, as she tightened her grip on his hair.
"Are you okay? Do you want me to stop?" he asked as he brought his face up to her, a bit worried he might have done something wrong.
"Yes and hell no." She smiled and kissed him fiercely.
"Good." He chuckled and removed his hand from her stomach and caressed her hair as he started to kiss her neck. He could feel her grasped as her body tightened and released around his fingers, before it shuddered and calmed down again. He removed his fingers, but continued to kiss her neck and her shoulder.
She turned so she could face him and crawled against him. "Thank you, I needed that." she said with with a soft voice.
He put his arms around her and held her close to him. "Thank you." He gave her one more kiss in her neck and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of having her so close to him.
Dru looked up to him. "I love you, Neville." It felt strange to say it, it was the first time she had told him she loved him, since they had gotten back together. But on the other hand it felt right, like she was back where she belonged.
"And I love you," he smiled at her.
Dru smiled back at him and softly kissed his lips, before sighing. "I wish I could stay like this, for the rest of my life. Just in your arms." She nestled her head in the crook of his neck. "I'm safe in your arms."
"As much as I want you to, it'd make our daily life a bit harder, wouldn't it?" Neville chuckled and caressed her hair.
Dru chucked and then sighed. "I know but when this is all over, we're going to spend one day a month, every month, just in bed and not doing anything else."
"Deal," he nodded.
George came down in the kitchen and gave his mother a kiss. "Rose is still sleeping. I gotta go run some errands. Could you keep an eye on her?" He sounded tired.
"Are you okay, Georgie?" Fred asked worried.
"Nope."
Molly walked up to her son and looked up at him. "Has she kept you up all night again? Oh sweetheart, I'm sure Fred could run your errands. Sleep on the sofa."
"No, she's been sleeping like the little Rose that she is." George smiled weakly. "She's just messed up." He tried to hold his tears back and looked at his brother. "You need to prepare yourself for the worst when Dru comes back."
"Oh, I am," Fred gave a nod. "And I'm already planning on beating the crap out of Goyle on the platform when I'm going to pick her up."
He smiled at Fred. "You need to take care of your wife, not Goyle. If she's a messed up as Rose is, you need to..." George sighed and closed his eyes. He knew tears were coming, fast.
Molly put her arms around him and caressed his back. "It's alright, sweetheart, let it all out."
"She told me to put my hands on her again last night, but she..." George put his head on his mother's shoulder. "I told her no, but then she thought she wasn't good enough anymore. But she only did it because she thought she had to, for me. I couldn't let her do that."
"I think it's very brave of her to at least wanting to help you out," Molly said as she caressed his hair.
"No, mum. You don't understand." George got himself out of Molly's hold and sat down at the kitchen table. "She didn't want to. She was repulsed by the idea of me touching her, but she wanted to do it, because I want her. It felt...if I had done it, I would have raped her all over again." George let his head rest on his arms and sobbed.
Fred put his arm around her brother and just held him. He didn't know what he could possibly say to make George feel better right now. When he looked up, he wasn't surprised to see that Rose was sitting on the bottom of the stairs. He smiled at her, knowing she was probably sitting there the entire conversation.
"I wanted to give you a handjob and you said no..." Rose said softly from her spot on the stairs. "Of course I feel like I'm not good enough anymore."
"Rose, you've always been too good for me. I could never do anything to hurt you, no matter how much I want you." George looked up to her, still crying.
"How does me helping you hurt me?" She chuckled as she made her way over to the kitchen.
"Rosie, you didn't even want to hear me talk about touching you and then you want to give me a handjob while you hate to even look at my wand."
"I've always loved your weird sense of logic," she said as she crawled onto his lap. "Touching me or talking about touching me is apparently something very different from me touching you," she put her arms around him and softly caressed his cheek. "I was doing alright until I freaked out because I kept seeing myself touched by you and... it's not that I don't like it, but I... my body is just... I disgust myself."
George put his arms around Rose. "And I hate myself when I hold you the wrong way for even a second. You mean too much to me."
"Yeah, give me that list of errands and I'll do them, Georgie, you two make me want Dru back right now." Fred said as he held his hand out.
"She'll be back in just over a month and then she's all yours again." George said and smiled at Fred. "There's no list. I just wanted to be out of Rose's way." He held Rose closer to him. "Fred, when this is all over Rose and I are going to look for our own flat."
"YOU WHAT!" Fred said. "You told me to not go and I fought with Dru over it, for you, while I was ready to go. And now you tell me you want to leave."
"Things have changed now, haven't they?" He said to Fred.
Fred hit George on his head. "You moron! I fought with my wife for days to help you, for something you wanted. And now all you have to say is things have changed?"
"Well, Rose wants to move out and I want to make her happy."
"Not helping," Fred shot at his brother.
Rose managed to get off George's lap and started to make some tea. When did she say that she wanted to move out? Had she been talking in her sleep again?
"Why are mad at me? You wanted to move out with Dru on your own. You told me last summer, so now you can."
"Georgie, you're not being fair. You can't do this to me, I fought with Dru, my wife, over the fact that she wanted to move out and she had me convinced that it was a great idea but you said that it wasn't and that it was better this way because we'd be together and stuff like that. You're not being fair. You two are not moving out. Dru and I are."
"So, then everything is fixed." George shrugged, not understanding why his brother was mad at him.
"Oh you better hope everything is fixed and not that you've cost me my marriage because then you're dead."
"Look, I'm doing what's best for me and my wife. Maybe you should do the same." George said.
"Unbelievable," Rose muttered. "You two are unbelievable, seriously."
Both Fred and George looked at her, seeing her leaning against the kitchen counter with her arms crossed over her chest.
"You two really like to sabotage each other and each other's lives, don't you? Has it always been this way or just since you both got girls?" Rose said angrily. "I can't remember me saying that I wanted to move out, all I can remember is that in the beginning, Lupin said that it would be a great idea if I'd share a flat with Dru, and that was years ago. And on top of that, I'm sorry George, but Fred's right. I've kept myself out of this as much as I could, but we (she could have chosen to say 'you' but decided not to) were the main reason that Fred and Dru were fighting during Christmas." She turned around and continued making tea.
"What did we do? Dru was meddling into things she shouldn't. Fred and I decided when we are going to live apart, not her. I need Fred. If you wanted to move out and Fred wouldn't want me to, I would have stayed too."
"You both have your priorities wrong," Rose said simply and took her mug of tea to the den to curl up under a blanket in front of the fire place.
"Rose, Fred is my twin, my right hand, you know that." George got up and sat down next to her. "You know how much I need him, after my ear thing, I just couldn't stand to see him go yet."
"George, when I was your girlfriend I could understand all of that. As your wife, I think you have your priorities wrong. Dru was right."
"Right about what? She married Fred, half of a twin, she of all people should know what that means. She's half part of a twin, or so she says."
"You know damn well that Draco's not her twin, you idiot," Rose said and got up. "Who do you go to when you have important decisions to make? Or when you're thinking about making an important decision and have to talk to someone about the fact that you're thinking about it? Or, you know, who do you go to when you have an intimacy problem?"
"Well, first Fred or you, depending on the nature of the problem and then to the other. Why?"
"Ask your mother."
"Mum?"
Molly sighed and sat down on the sofa, pulling Fred with her as well. "You boys are inseparable, remember all those efforts your father and I made to separate you, make sure you'd do something on your own without the other?"
"We hated it, mum." Fred replied. "We hated it."
"Yes, you did," she gave a nod. "But sweetheart, your wife came to me the day before Christmas to talk about how on Earth she was going to make you see sense that your priority shouldn't be your brother anymore now that you've married. And I told her that I didn't know."
"I wanted to move out with her, but George wanted me to stay. What else could I do?"
"Yes, 'but George'. 'But Fred'. You wanted to move out with her, so you could have started to look for a flat for you and Dru together and just moved out. He'd still be your brother."
"Mum!" George cried out. "Are you seriously trying to turn Fred against me?"
"No George dear," she smiled at him. "The same counts for you. It's all about you and Rosie, but if Fred doesn't agree then you're not doing it. And if the both of you has something in his life that the other doesn't like, then you both are willing to do everything it takes to change it and make sure that nothing comes between the two of you. It's a good thing, family first. But you're both married now. Both to two wonderful young women and you're going to start a family of your own. By continuing to throw each other off, you're risking that your women will end up resenting you."
"Rose." George sat down next to her. "You won't resent me, will you?"
"It's actually quite embarrassing to hear you talk to Fred about the problems we had last night in bed while you could have easily waited for me to talk about it with me," Rose said softly. "I'm used to a lot and I'm very patient and I know that you and Fred are close but you have to draw a line somewhere."
"I'm sorry, Rosie." George pulled her in his arms. "I won't do it again." He gave her a kiss on her head.
"She's already resenting me, isn't she?" Fred looked at his mother.
"I wouldn't know, sweetheart." Molly said and caressed Fred's hair.
"Rose?" Fred asked insecure. "Is she?"
"Not my bump." Rose shook her head, remembering the conversation she had with Dru. "You're going to have to talk to her about that."
George lifted Rose off the floor. "I'm going to make it up to you today. Where would you like me to take you? Any place you want." He smiled at her.
"You don't have to make up for anything. I just think you owe Fred, and Dru, an apology as soon as Dru gets home."
"I will, but now I'm going to take my mother's advice and put my wife first. So London? You always love London? Or the beach?"
She pointed at the sofa. "Sofa."
George sighed and looked at Fred and Molly. "I'm willing to take her anywhere and my wife wants to be on the sofa."
"I'm not ready to go out yet, George," she smiled at him. "But surprise me one day."
Molly chuckled and pulled her son off the sofa. "The sofa is all yours."
George gently put Rose on the sofa. "Where do you want me, your highness?"
"No, this is too weird," Rose giggled and turned beet red, something she hadn't done in ages. She grabbed one of the throw pillows and put it against her face.
"What's weird?" George chuckled as he sat on the edge of the sofa and leaned over her. "I'm just sitting here."
"Take advantage," Molly squeezed Rose's shoulder reassuringly. "I'm taking Fred out to pull some cauliflower out of the ground."
Rose lowered the pillow, revealing her red face. "If you want, you can massage my feet?"
George got up, lifted Rose's feet and sat down before placing her feet in his lap. "One massage for milady coming up." After a while George asked Rose. "Do you think Dru will forgive me and things will be alright between her and Fred?"
"I hope so," Rose sighed and wiggled her toes.
