Heartbreak

Disclaimor - You already know it if you've bothered to read the other chapters

Note - Sorry this ones a little short, but it only took me a day!! A new record! And it kind of leads into the final chapter. Which will be the next chapter for those that are interested.

XXX

"Part of me is jealous ... I'd have much rather been the one in the ground instead of the one left to try and live," George paused a moment in front of everyone, his brothers casket behind him, and a picture of a playful Fred just to the side. "He was usually the one to drag me into things first, I'd be a little afraid and he'd give me this look ... and I'd know we'd be fine so long as we were together," He paused to look down and smile a little as he listened to people chuckle. He look at his mother and saw the tremulous smile that meant she was trying hard to be strong for them all. "In truth he was a lot braver than I was. I think it would be easier for him to be here without me, than it will be for me to live without him. He was always the first one in front and I was always running to catch up, not wanting to let him get ahead. He talked first, walked first, pranked first ... though that might be the only time I admit it out loud," People chuckled a little more loudly this time. "He was my best friend and I'm glad family was with him when it happened, and I'm not surprised that he went while laughing. He never was good at waiting for the appropriate time to show mirth," He smiled a little as he shook his head, remembering things his brother had done in the past. "I miss him ... I will always miss him ... and I hope that those who knew him, take a moment to remember him every now and then. He was amazing," George stepped down from the little podium to sit beside Dawn, who's hands couldn't stop playing with the rings on her finger. He watched as Lee stepped up next, his dreads drifting a little in the light wind.

"Hey all, I'm Georgie and Fred's mate, Lee Jordan. The less athletic and more mouthy of the group you could say," He introduced, bringing many peoples thoughts to quidditch games long passed. "I suppose I'm most well known for saying things as I see them. Dawn's looking hot, George is looking lovely as well, Mrs. Weasley is ravishing and well, we'd probably all look 10 times better if Fred were around complimenting and teasing too. I honestly believe that the world went mad when Fred got taken from us ... he just ... he made this place amazing. He could see things the way I never could, could just find something amazing in everything," Lee tilted his head down and rubbed his forehead as his eyes started to tear. "He was one of my best mates, you know? You never think this sort of thing can happen to you ... especially not with someone like Fred, someone who practically glowed with good humor and happiness. Especially after our fine Dawn came into the picture," The young man looked up to see Dawn was still focused on the rings. "Dawn, he loved you like he never imagined he would love anyone, and everyone knows what an imagination that boy had. I'm sorry that I wont get to spoil your kids, or encourage them to be sneakier than their parents. It would have been nice," Lee stopped not sure what else to say that would make him lose control, or make Molly and Dawn cry harder, both had tears streaming down their cheeks. Dawn was up next, she was the last of the speakers.

Standing in front of the crowd she was silent for a few minutes, just looking at the faces. "Do you like my dress? Fred picked it out and I hadn't gotten a chance to wear it ... I was waiting for our honeymoon," She paused and tried to find the words as the soft fabric billowed against her legs and out behind her, the ankle length skirt giving her a dramatic backdrop. "He's the current love of my life, whether he's here or not ... I ... I don't know what to do now that he's not going to be there burning my toast or making fun of my coffee habit as I try to explain that Starbucks isn't a joking matter. My plan had been to spend the rest of my life with him ... and instead he got to spend the rest of his life with me." Dawn looked out at everyone, with their sympathetic faces. Her family, who hadn't met him, seemed just as crushed as those that knew him well. She understood that they were feeling for her, but it made her angry for some reason.

"This might confuse some of you, but right now I'm a little pissed off at him. You know he's laying in that casket smiling. Smiling! He died with a smile on his face, as though this entire war was a joke ... which on some levels it kind of was. Which is beside the point. Or maybe it is my point. War is retarded. People dying for a cause they don't always understand, a cause their parents embodied and they just happened to inherit. A war started by some megalomaniacs need for power simply because he didn't have a happy childhood. No offense Harry, but I really wish you hadn't killed Voldemort, because right now I want to lash out and it would be really nice to just sit and torture the sad little riddle man for a few years straight, take a page out of Anya's book." She took a deep breath, pausing her rant to look around again. Xander looked amused, as did her sister. Willow looked worried, George was staring at her with his eyebrows raised.

"I'm a fighter, Fred was the lover in the relationship ... I was supposed to be with him, protecting him and his brother ... and I failed them both. Now I wont get my pretty wedding, Molly wont get her unholy terror grandchildren, George wont get to mock us about the honeymoon," Dawn stopped, her lips trembling too much as she tried to control her emotions. "And it sucks. I don't want to make the best of it, I want Fred, here ... standing next to me, making me laugh, telling me secrets, laughing at me like this was all some horrifying bad joke." People didn't know what to do as they stared at her, as she started to break down on stage. She held up her left hand.

"Don't freak out or anything, but I found the wedding ring that he said he was hiding. At first I was thinking I would wear it. I feel like a widow, you know? But I changed my mind, I want Fred to keep it. He was supposed to keep it until he put it on my finger himself ... and now it's not going to happen. This way I figure, if he's in heaven, and I go to heaven too ... maybe he can give it to me there," Dawn turned around and shoved the flower arrangements off the wood to lift the lid as people behind her started to move. "Here you go sweety," She tucked the ring under his hand and shook her head at his smiling face. She stared at him for a moment before bringing a hand up and brushing his hair lightly off his forehead. She frowned in confusion as a drop of water splashed down on his face, looking up to see a clear blue and sunshine sky. It took her a few moments to realize that she was crying. She felt soft hands settle on her shoulders. She turned to see Arthur standing behind her, smiling at her to let her know she was doing fine. Dawn stood there for a moment before gently shrugging off the hands and standing back in front of the podium. People, her people, went back to their seats, though Arthur stood just behind her, a supportive pillar of love. She took a deep breath and smiled brightly at everyone, her eyes clear again.

"To get back to my original line of thought. I'm angry. Angry at Fred, myself, this war, this country. Mostly I'm mad at Fred. You see, by dying he broke the only promise he ever made me. He knew I hated promises, that they weren't capable of being kept and all they do is hurt you. On the night he asked me to marry him, we were sitting in the back room of the shop. He was mixing like a mad scientist and I was mocking his efforts to create a soft drink that could make someone have bubbles come out of their ears every time they talked. He looked up at me and said "I promise I will never break your heart," and I was shocked ... and more than a little cynical. I told him that he shouldn't make promises he can't possibly keep. He stood up, pulled me off the table, pulled the ring out of his pocket and then put it on my finger. Then, being Fred, he informed me that he was going to keep it no matter what, which was why I had no choice and would have to marry him." She looked around the area and noticed that she was one of the few with dry eyes. Talking about the happiest day of her life on one of the saddest days made her blank inside.

"Four days ago Fred Weasley broke my heart. I don't know if it's possible to forgive him for that." She stopped for a moment and looked behind her at Arthur, who nodded at her, tears running silently down his cheek. "However, as angry as I am, as bitter as I may become, I love that man more that I could have ever imagined I could love someone, and I realize my imagination isn't as magnificent as Fred's when it comes to happy things, but that's alright," She looked over at Lee and smiled at him. Lee nodded as well.

Moments later Dawn and Arthur were back at their posts on either side of Molly, watching as Fred's wooden tomb was lowered into the ground. The brunette stood up again, walking beside Molly, Arthur and George behind them. She was supposed to throw the first clod down onto the coffin. She took the handful of soft dark loam and looked down into the hole that her lover had been consigned to. She must have stood their for a few moments because Molly called her name.

"Dawn? Dear are you alright?" Molly asked.

"I don't know if I can ever be alright ... but I do know that I can't be the first. I can't be the first to start burying him," She looked down at the woman that was almost her mother. Molly smiled sadly up and held her hand over the hole, dropping the handful on the coffin and stepping back to allow George and Arthur and the rest of the family their turns. Dawn stood tall staring down into the gradually filling abyss, the dress dancing around her, the dirt still in her hands. She couldn't let go.

"Come on Dawn," Buffy encouraged. Dawn turned her head to stare at her sister.

"You haven't had to bury your lovers Buffy, go away," Dawn told her quietly. Buffy stared at the lithe figure for a few moments before walking away, wondering if it was really the right thing to do. Xander and Willow stood with Buffy. They'd been in Dawn's shoes and knew that there really wasn't anything you could do to ease the heartache.

A hand suddenly closed gently around her fist and she looked up into the teary eyes of Charlie Weasley, a fresh burn scar snaking around his neck. He'd hadn't been back to Romania yet, so he must have gotten it at the final battle. She hadn't noticed. She brought her free hand up to his neck and concentrated just a little, allowing it to heal without a mark. She should have become a medi-witch. She'd said so before, but Fred would always laugh and ask her how she felt about the uniforms. She hated them. She also hated sick people. It made sense to stay away from that area of expertise.

"Time to let go fairy-girl," Charlie told her. He had called her that since her first Halloween with Fred and his family, dressing up in sparkles and flowers and leaves, delicate wings arching above her head and below her knees. They'd gone to a muggle dance club where no one noticed the wings were growing from her back ... literally. Charlie hadn't been there but Fred had told him all about it.

"I can't," She told him as she let her fingers unfold as Charlie's did as well. As the clumps were loosed from her fingers she collapsed and Charlie's strong arms were around her, holding her aloft as people suddenly jumped to their feet. Dawn didn't notice anything, having succumbed to the darkness that had been clawing at her heart for the last few days. Since her world had ended.