Warnings: George angst...car accident...distraught Hermiones....

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, just the plot and original characters.

I warned you in the last chapter that this and the next chapter will be unpleasant. So, when you're finished, please don't chase me down with fire and pitchforks?

Chapter 13: Until the Day I Die

"It's bloody freezing, Harry!" George growled when Harry stopped at a light. He clung closer to Harry, shivering on the back of the raven-haired wizard's bike.

"I told you to wear something warm!"

"How the bloody hell can you drive a motorcycle in the middle of winter?"

Harry ignored him and started driving when the light changed. He stopped in front of Fred's flat. "Here you go, George. Tell Fred and Pansy I said happy Christmas!"

"Okay," George murmured as he slid off of the bike.

"George, wait," Harry murmured. He turned the radio down, and pulled his helmet off. George turned and stared at his old friend, confused. "George, I'm begging you to tell him."

George suppressed a scowl. "I can't, Harry…he's not gay."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I thought the same thing about Ron. Turns out, Ron's bisexual…and he returns my feelings. You won't know whether or not your feelings are returned if you keep your mouth shut!"

George nodded. "I know…and maybe I will…I don't know yet."

Harry smiled softly. "Well, just think about it. Honestly George, what can it hurt?"

"I guess you're right." George admitted. "Have a happy Christmas, Harry."

"You too," Harry replied. He pulled his helmet back on and pulled out onto the street once again. If he could avoid traffic, Harry could get to Draco's and Hermione's flat before six.

George watched Harry leave, a small smile on his face. A sleek silver car zipped past Fred's home. George blinked, his eyes following the silver car as it slammed into Harry's bike. His blood froze in his veins as he watched Harry fly from his bike into a thatch of trees, and the bike wrap around a tall oak. He ran towards the trees, his heart racing in his chest.

Ron helped Draco set up the table for the Christmas dinner, his left hand massaging the ring in his pocket every few minutes. Hermione sat in the living room of her and Draco's flat, watching the television. The obnoxious commercial ended and the news came back on. The reporter's voice spoke, telling of a terrible accident that had occurred thirty minutes before. The picture of the news room was replaced with a scene of a wrecked car.

"Oh my," Hermione breathed. She couldn't imagine anyone surviving such an accident.

The scene moved on, and the camera zoomed in on a motorcycle, which was wrapped around a tree. Hermione's eyes went wide. As the camera moved closer Hermione caught sight of the sleek black gas tank. She could just make out the image of a dragon wrapped around a phoenix.

"…Hey Ron, where's Harry?" Draco asked in mild annoyance.

"He had to work and then drop George off at Fred's flat, said he'd be here around six…why, what time is it?"

"6:30," Draco replied.

"We don't know much, other than the driver of the car is in critical condition. It appears that the paramedics and police cannot find the driver of the motorcycle," the reporter declared as the camera zoomed out.

Tears welled in Hermione's eyes, and she screamed.

Draco and Ron ran from the dinning room, straight to the distraught witch. Hermione stared up at Ron. "Oh…Ron!"

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Draco begged.

Ron stared at the sobbing Hermione, a sense of dread filling him. He turned his gaze to the television.

"Oh…no…" Hermione moaned. She buried her face in Draco's chest. "It's Harry…"

Author's note: In case some of you were wondering, that is an engagement ring Ron was hiding in his pocket. I know, I know, I'm an evil person...