Author's Note: I just finished reading DH again and was struck by the inspiration fairy. Here is Scene Six. This one is of Charlie and Ginny mourning Fred. Please let me know what you think! I really appreciate any feedback I get.

DISCLAIMER: I am not JK Rowling. I do not own any Harry Potter characters I am merely taking them out to play.

Scene Six: Unbearable Without You

He was slowly suffocating. Charlie had crossed the threshold and his breath had caught in his lungs refusing to be exhaled. He hadn't expected it to be this hard, though he hardly knew what he had been expecting. Memories of his long gone little brother swam in front of his face. Fred had been his favorite, though he never admitted that to anyone. While he was closest in age to Bill, he had been closest in spirit to Fred. They shared a sense of adventure and daring. Fred had always been the first to go along with whatever Charlie said or did. Although hardly anyone else could, Charlie had always been able to tell the twins apart because George was just the tiniest bit more reserved than Fred had been. Poor George. Charlie's chest constricted and his vision swam - he was still holding his breath - as he saw Fred's laughing face in his mind's eye. They had gotten into plenty of trouble together over the years. He missed him terribly though not as much, he was sure, as George did. He thought of the brief confrontation he had had with George in the garden a few hours ago. George was in pain, everyone could see it, and no one could help him. Charlie hated seeing George like that. He had only wanted to help but he was afraid he may have made things worse. They had argued and he was sure George didn't mean the things he said but they stung none the less.

Charlie was standing in the doorway to their room - the one Fred had shared with George and before then he had shared with Percy - he gripped the door frame roughly in an attempt to keep upright; his normally strong knees were failing him. He wasn't sure what it was about seeing this room that affected him so. It was empty, save some boxes stacked in the corner, an old desk, and a pair of twin beds - maybe it was the vacancy that did it. He had no particular memories of his brother here. In fact he hadn't set foot in this room since he had moved out of it and up into the attic with Bill when Ginny was born. Whenever he came for a visit, which regretfully was not all that often, he stayed in Percy's room (predominantly because it smelled better than anyone else's). He smiled sadly to himself and felt his lungs open up as he took a deep breath full of air. He felt lightheaded and feint.

"Charlie?"

Startled, Charlie whirled around; his wand was out and shining light into his attacker's face before he had conscious thought. Only, it wasn't an attacker. He found his baby sister, Ginny, squinting in the light. Her eyes were puffy and red. He couldn't tell if it was from sleep or because she'd been crying. He lowered his wand and whispered, "Nox" leaving them standing in the hall dimly lit by a few flickering candles.

"I didn't mean to startle you," she said and by her voice he knew she'd been crying.

"It's ok," he put one hand over his rapidly beating heart and took a few deep breaths. After holding his breath for so long his lungs burned from overwork.

"What're you doing?" She whispered, gazing over his shoulder.

He glanced behind him, at the empty bed room, and turning back to her, shrugged, "thinking."

"No one's seen George for hours," she told him and even in the flickering, dim, light he could see the torture on her face.

He couldn't stand it anymore. He opened his arms and she immediately fell into his embrace, pressing her face against his chest. He rubbed her back in a comforting way. "He'll be ok," he whispered fervently, though whom he was trying to convince, he wasn't sure.

"I don't think he will be," Ginny whispered and Charlie could feel her tears seeping through his shirt.

"Of course he will," he replied in what he knew to be a soothing voice, "you'll see. He just needs some time to think and then he'll come around."

"You didn't see his face," Ginny said in a broken and muffled voice, "it was awful. I'm afraid he's going to hurt himself."

Charlie just squeezed her tighter. He had seen George's face; it was what had prompted him to follow his brother into the garden after dinner a few hours before. George had looked like he had nothing to live for and Charlie had been afraid that he would lose him too. But during their argument he got the impression that George had had no such thoughts. He had been a Gryffindor after all, and Charlie knew he would never take the cowardly escape from pain; it would probably never occur to him as an option.

They stood in silence for a few minutes before Ginny whispered, "I miss him," and clutched Charlie's shirt in a desperate way. He felt tears spring to his eyes as his baby sister began crying in his arms. He knew she meant Fred, though she could've meant George too. Losing one of them had felt like losing them both. George was barely a shell of the man he had once been.

"I do too," he admitted as the first tear rolled down his cheek. He could do nothing to stop it.

"Why Fred?" She whispered and he felt a lump form in his throat, "Why? Of everyone there - ?" The question was drowned out but a sudden sob that sounded as though it were ripped from her throat. She leaned against him and he wondered if he had the strength to hold them both up.

"I ask myself that question every day," he replied quietly.

She pulled back abruptly and looked up at him. Even in the dim light he could make out the tear tracks down her cheeks and it broke his heart. "Do you?" She asked as though she didn't believe him.

He nodded, unable to speak anymore past the lump in his throat. He could feel the hot, salty, tears cascading down his cheeks.

"I thought I was the only one," she whispered in an amazed, thoughtful voice.

"You're not," his voice was much rougher than usual. He was surprised it had worked, he hadn't expected it to.

She leaned into him again and he hugged her tight. He wanted to shield her from the pain even though he knew it was impossible. It had been his job to protect his siblings. He was their older brother and on this, his most important job, he had failed miserably. He felt overwhelming shame. Why had he spent so much time in Romania working with dragons? Why hadn't he been here for his family? They had needed him and he had known what was going on - how strong the enemy was becoming. Why hadn't he moved home when Bill had? He might have been able to prevent all of their pain. Fred might not have died. Just as he was beginning to feel overcome by grief a small, gentle, voice in the back of his head reminded him that he couldn't have known what would happen. A larger, nastier, voice said he should have seen it coming. The small voice reminded him that Dumbledore thought it was good for him to remain in Romania. The larger voice said he didn't give a damn what Dumbledore thought - he was dead - just like Fred - they were both gone - and he was left to pick up the pieces of his shattered family. Charlie closed his eyes and pulled Ginny a little closer. The small voice reminded him that there was nothing he could have done to save Fred. The louder voice said he should have forced his family to stay at home - that none of them should have been there at all. But he knew that would have been impossible. He could no more have forced them to stay behind than he himself could have - not when the lives of their friends and the entire wizarding world hung in the balance. They would have fought no matter what he had said or done.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to no one in particular - or maybe to Fred - as more tears slid down his cheeks, unchecked.

Ginny pulled back from him again, "For what?"

He looked down at her and saw her grow right before his eyes. She had been this little baby once. He remembered his mother bringing her home from St. Mungo's when he was 8. She had been wrapped in a pink blanket and they were carrying her with such care he was afraid to look at her in case his gaze was too strong. But she turned out to be tougher than she appeared. He remembered teaching her how to wrestle and throw a good punch whenever the twins bothered her. He remembered teaching her how to fly on a broom and the joy on her face the first time she did it on her own. He remembered hitting Ron the first time he knocked her down and made her cry. He watched, in his mind's eye, as she grew into the beautiful young woman standing before him and he was proud of her.

"For not protecting him," he admitted in a quiet voice. He'd always been able to confide in her. She always understood and she never judged.

"It wasn't your fault," she whispered and more tears sprang to Charlie's eyes.

"It was my job," he mumbled, "to protect all of you."

Ginny shook her head, "You have been a wonderful big brother," her voice shook as she spoke, "and it wasn't your fault."

He looked away from her, unable to keep her sincere gaze. He thought of Fred and remembered the first time he tricked him into believing he was George. The corner of his mouth twitched. He remembered daring Fred to jump off the roof into the tree just outside their window and being amazed when the six year old did it without hesitation. He remembered playing quidditch with Bill, Fred, and George in the summers after he'd gone to Hogwarts. He remembered beating Fred after he'd terrified Ron by changing his favorite stuffed animal into a spider. He remembered wrestling and rough housing with Fred and George over the holidays, whenever he was home from school. He remembered convincing Fred he had to wrestle Hagrid in order to be let into Hogwarts. He remembered fighting with Fred after the end of his 4th year, accusing him of not looking out for Ginny and letting her get hurt. He remembered the passionate way Fred had defended himself. He remembered all the pranks the twins had played on the family, including transfiguring his toothbrush into a snake once, and how much life and joy they had brought to his life. He wondered if George would ever be the same again.

"It wasn't," Ginny's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He shook his head. "You couldn't have done anything," she continued.

"I know," he whispered with little conviction. He knew, of course he knew, it wasn't his fault. But knowing and believing were two very different things.

"No one blames you," Ginny continued.

He nodded, "I know," though he thought they should. He may not have been the one to strike the blow but he hadn't been protecting him. He should have been the one to die in Fred's place.

Ginny half-smiled at him though tears still leaked from her over bright eyes. "I love you," she said and she hugged him again.

He nodded slowly as he rubbed her back, "I love you too."

"I'm so glad you're home. This would be unbearable without you," she whispered.

"I'm glad I'm home too," he agreed and then he was suddenly overcome with fatigue. He yawned hugely and stretched his arms over his head, bringing them down to wipe his moist cheeks and then rub his stinging eyes. Ginny stepped back and yawned as well. "I think it's bed time," he said, regretful to break up the tender moment they'd been sharing, but desperate for sleep.

She nodded, wiping her nose with the back of her hand, something he was proud to think he taught her. He conjured a hankie out of thin air so she could dab her eyes. She took it gingerly and gave a little sniff. He knew what she was thinking. That was something he'd seen Fred do for her before and he regretted the pain it caused her to think of him.

He yawned again, suddenly drained and wondering how on earth he would make it to the room he was sharing with Percy, when she whispered his name, "Charlie?" It sounded small.

He looked at her again, "Yeah?"

"Thanks," she murmured.

He frowned, "For what?"

"For being my big brother," she paused briefly, "and for looking out for me." Then she reached up and kissed him on the cheek before turning and heading down the stairs to her room. He watched her go for a long moment until the darkness swallowed her up and he heard her door shut with a muted snap. He was filled with both love and sorrow so strong he thought he might collapse on the spot. He loved his baby sister, was so proud of the young woman she was becoming, but he missed Fred something terrible. There was an ache and a longing in his chest to see his brother again, to hear him laugh, to feel the infectious warmth of his smile. And he knew he shared his sorrow with her; that tonight, while comforting her, he'd been comforted as well. She had proved that he wasn't alone in his grief and, above all else, it wasn't his fault that his brother was dead. He'd been grappling with the blame ever since it had happened but it wasn't his to bear. He knew that now. He'd done his best to protect him. There was nothing he could have done.

With a sense of relief that was exhausting he made his way to bed, thinking of George, hoping that he would be alright, knowing somehow that he would be. They all would be. With time and learning to lean on each other, his family would survive this great and terrible loss. It would bring them closer, it already had in some ways. Percy was back home, that was an enormous start in the right direction. With every step he took that carried him to bed he knew more and more that they would be ok. They were fighters, his family, they would go on. And that thought alone brought him much comfort.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK BY SUBMITTING A REVIEW!