New Flames, Old Ashes

Minka sat at her office desk, putting together the last of a Dream Catcher when she heard the familiar clacking of Daphne's heels walking up the stairs. She looked up to see Daphne standing at the landing, tapping her foot.

"What? Are we out of something?"

"I've been dying all morning. Will you just tell me already?"

"So you finally cracked." Minka had watched-with quite a bit of amusement-as Daphne waited for Minka to bring up her date with George the previous night all morning. She had finally grown impatient enough to bring it up herself.

"Fine." Minka got up from her desk and headed down the stairs with Daphne who awaited eagerly, both with a box of Dream Catchers. They began to refill the shelves as Minka retold the night.

"I had no idea what he had planned originally but, his family was really sweet." Daphne was now sitting on the counter, her head resting on the palms of her hands.

"Wow, meeting the parents on the first date. Kinda forward."

"It wasn't like he meant to. He didn't exactly seem to be happy to be there at first. By the sounds of it, he hasn't been there in a while."

"How come?"

"I don't know. His sister said something odd to me as well. Something bad happened to all of them, but she said it was hardest on George. She assumed I already knew what it was."

"Maybe she means the war at Hogwarts a few years ago."

"Maybe…but something definitely felt…sad with all of them."

"Just go ask him about it. Then maybe you can share whatever is bugging you all the time." Daphne hopped off the counter and started to head towards customers that had just walked in.

"How do you know something is bugging me?"

"It doesn't take a mind reader to see that you're a cautious person. And by cautious I mean flat out afraid to get close to people. It took you a week to finally let me close the store with you. And a month to leave me alone in the store. Just fess up to your problems and listen to his."

Minka found herself walking into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes a few minutes later. The store was completely packed due to the big sale of Halloween exclusive items. All new items were emanating around the room with their own surprises and tricks.

She made her way up the winding staircase and looked down the rail to see if she could see George. She eventually spotted him telling off some kids to not set off a certain product in the store. They seemed to nod in compliance and went off to look at something else.

"George!" She shouted over the banister. George looked around for a moment and then finally caught Minka's eye. He gave a small smile, but not his usual grin. That worried her. She pointed towards his office and he nodded, holding up a finger to indicate he needed a minute.

Minka stepped into his office and closed the door behind her, happy to be rid of the crowd for a moment. She took in the silence and began to peer around the room.

Several pictures and awards hung on the walls and a few unfinished project designs were scattered across his desk. She caught something moving in the corner of her eye and realized it was in his trash can. A picture had been thrown into it, the frame now cracked and broken. The people in the picture still smiled back at her despite the destruction of its frame.

She pulled the picture out carefully from its frame, pieces of glass falling into the trash can. She felt her breath catch in her throat, and her stomach tighten. Smiling at her was a picture of George with his arm wrapped around…well…George. They were standing in front of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, flashes happened all around them as others took their picture.

Had he cloned himself? His ears were perfectly fine and he looked a few years younger. And then it hit her, 'He's been the most affected by it in our family.' He mentioned how he started the business with his brother, but she had never seen any of his siblings before in the shop.

This person in the picture with him wasn't George, it was…

"What are you doing?!" His voice came loud and sharp. Minka whipped around, the picture still in her hand.

"I was…um." George stormed over and plucked the picture out of her hand.

"That's private."

"You keep all your secrets in the trash?" He didn't reply as he shoved the picture into his pocket.

"Ginny mentioned about how something happened to all of you."

"Yeah well my sister needs to know when to keep her mouth shut." He still didn't look at her as he went to sit at his desk.

"What happened? To your twin?" George flinched.

"He died in the war." Minka felt her heart clench.

"George." She took a step toward him, her hand reaching out to touch his shoulder.

"Don't." He jumped up from his chair and took a few steps back. "Don't do that. You didn't know him, you have no reason to feel pity about his death."

"No reason. George, he was your brother! For Heaven's Sakes he was your twin! And it's not pity I feel, it's absolute devastation that he was taken from you. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, maybe because it's none of your business." It was then that he finally looked at her. "Besides, it's not like you've told me anything about you. Why you seem to hold me and everyone around you away like we're the plague! You don't need to flatter yourself Minka, not everyone is out to hurt you."

"Like you're doing right now?" She felt tears heavy in her eyes as she tried to blink them back.

"I have my secrets the same as you Minka. I wasn't ready to tell you about Fred any more than you are able to tell me anything about you. But now we'll never know when I was ready will we?"

"George, this is ridiculous! I'm sorry I found that picture! I'm sorry your sister assumed I knew something and that I was able to piece it together. But I'm not sorry for wanting to help you."

"I don't need your help with anything. I'm fine. I just wanted to go on a date with you."

"Isn't that what dating people do? Get to know each other?"

"Yeah, well, it's a two way street." Minka felt her attempts falter and all out disappear. She saw something harsh in him, and she couldn't get through to him. She began to doubt her ability to move on from her past with George.

Minka nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. "I'm gunna go. Don't expect me anytime soon, and feel free to not drop by anymore." She made her way to the door, whipping it open with fury.

"Doesn't take much for you to run away does it?" He said after her. She paused and turned around to look at him, feeling a tear roll down her cheek.

"It's not like you're giving me any reason to want to stay, are you?" And with that, she left. She pushed through the crowd, causing people to curse her out as she shoved them into displays and other people.

She stormed into her own store, marching past Daphne and anyone else in the store to head up to her office. Daphne came up moments later.

"Hey, everything okay?" She moved slowly towards Minka who was pacing back and forth behind her desk.

"You know what, yeah. It's what I get for jumping into things."

"Oh no, what happened?"

"He's just…not ready for whatever this was between us. He was clearly just pushing himself into it."

"Minka-"

"I just need you to work downstairs in the shop while I work up here okay? Please."

"Okay. Just, talk to me when you need to." Daphne headed back downstairs, glancing back at least three times.

Minka sat down at her desk, letting out a huge breath of air. She ran her hands through her hair, leaving them entangled as she rested her elbows on the desk.

She felt horrible for telling him not to come around anymore, knowing he would eventually be ready to talk about it. She also felt bad for giving him a hard time about him not telling her when she was hiding secrets of her own. Maybe she would go back over another day and tell him everything. Maybe it would make everything better. Maybe.

She worked on new Dream Catchers the rest of the day, trying to forget about what had happened for at least a few hours. Closing time rolled around and she was completely absorbed in her work, it wasn't until Daphne came back up the stairs that she realized the store was closed and Daphne had completed all the nightly paperwork.

"I'm going to head home now. Unless you wanted to talk?"

"Not right now. I'm going to stay a bit longer and work on this. I'll see you on Monday."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"I'm sure. Go enjoy your day off tomorrow." After a bit more protest, Daphne finally left in defeat.

Minka worked another hour on the Dream Catchers before her eyes began to feel heavy from staring at one spot for so long. She put a hand to her neck and moved it back and forth, trying to ease out the stiffness.

She looked out the window to see that the rest of the street had closed their doors and their lights were off, including George's store.

She grabbed her bag and jacket and decided it was time for her to head home too. She made her way down the stairs and double checked that the back door was locked.

As she walked towards the front door, digging to the bottom of her purse for the store key, she heard the door open.

"I'm sorry we're clos-" She stopped her sentence dead in its tracks as she looked up to see the person. Her throat began to tighten and her stomach clench in an agonizing pit of fear.

"Hello Minka." His voice came out in his thick Irish accent, filling her ears with pins and needles. She hoped to never hear his voice again.

"Killian." His name came out in a quiver. She felt herself swallow harshly through her clenched throat. "How'd you find me?" His tousled brown hair gleamed in the candlelight, his blue eyes blazing with intensity. His body still remained thick like a wall and his stubble had grown in more, making him look older.

"Is that really important? I think what's important is that I did find you." He took one step forward, and she took one step back.

"I left to rid myself of you." She tried to say with confidence.

"Aww, Minka. Don't say that. You miss me as much as I miss you." Another step.

"How could I ever miss you? I found you in our bed with the girl you decided I should become close friends with!"

"You know it didn't mean anything." Another step.

"Maybe not, but those bruises you would leave-on both her and me-did mean something."

Minka felt her back hit the counter. She was stuck.

"Minka, please. I came here to apologize. I want us back again. I want our life." He continued to walk toward her.

"DON'T! You stay right where you are! You will never have us back again! And you will certainly never have me again! Now get the hell out of my store or so help me I will THROW YOU OUT!" She felt her heart thudding through her chest and ringing in her ears as anger boiled through her body.

Killian took a step back toward the door, half turning. And then he was storming up to her, grabbing her arms with an all too familiar grip.

"Do you really think you can talk to me like that?" His breath came hot on her face. "Especially after what I saw? You're really going to forget about me and what we had to be with some joke shop owner?"

"Let me go." She spat through clenched teeth. She tried to free herself from his grasp, only for him to hold tighter.

"We're meant to be together, don't you get that?"

"You're psychotic, Killian. You never gave a damn about me and you never will!"

He released his grip on her only to slap her hard across the face, causing her to fall to the ground. He picked her up by her hair to drag her back up.

"If he ever touches you again…I'll kill him. And I'll make you watch."

She brought one of her hands up and punched him as hard as she could across his jaw. He staggered back for a moment, rubbing at his face. He looked up to meet her blazing eyes.

"You just remember that." He growled, and then brought his fist up to hit her across the face, causing her to black out.

…..

Minka collapsed on her couch, so many thoughts rumbling through her head as it throbbed in protest. She had awoken a little while later on the floor of her store. Killian had left and no one had been around to see or hear what had happened. She locked all her doors and windows as soon as she had arrived at home.

She tried to figure out how Killian had found her. She knew her parents couldn't have told him since they were in Australia now, and they knew not to tell him even if he did try to talk to them.

Her mind couldn't process how he had found her as it continued to ache from his hit. She decided to figure it out in the morning, wanting nothing more than to just crawl into bed for now.

All she could think about before she fell asleep was his threat of George's life. Maybe it was for the best that he wasn't ready for anything to start. It would make staying away from him a lot easier…at least she hoped.