A/N: I tried to make this one a little longer, because the last one was so short. I hope you enjoy!
The next morning, Harry woke as somebody walked softly through the living room. He sat up, glancing at Ron, who had fallen asleep on an armchair, his head resting on his shoulder at an awkward angle. Harry got to his feet, pushing the blankets that covered him back onto the couch he had slept on.
Ron snored loudly, startling himself awake. His long limbs jerked and he looked up at Harry, "Morning."
Harry grinned, "Morning."
They walked into the kitchen together, yawning and stretching.
George sat at the table, his head in his hands and a slice of toast with jam on the table in front of him.
"George!" Harry's voice seemed unnaturally loud in the small room.
George flinched, his shoulders moving inward.
"Sorry," Harry muttered, sinking into a chair at the opposite end of the table.
The back door swung open and Fleur breezed in, holding an armful of clean laundry. She stopped for a moment, then smiled, "Good morning."
"Morning," Harry and Ron grunted.
George stood, sliding the toast across the table to Harry. He slipped out the back door, closing it softly behind him.
Fleur looked over her shoulder, gazing out the window at the young man. She turned back to Harry and Ron, tears brimming in her eyes. Wordlessly, she hurried out of the kitchen.
Ron turned as Hermione and Ginny walked in.
"Is Fleur okay?" Hermione asked, sitting next to Ron.
Harry sighed as Ginny bent to kiss the top of his head, "I think she's worried about George."
Ginny turned, looking out the window at her brother. George was sitting in the grass, staring out at the sea. "Ron," She turned to him, "Maybe you could try to talk to him again?"
Ron glanced at Hermione. She nodded encouragingly, clasping his hand with hers. He got to his feet, "It's worth a try."
He walked out the back door, shutting it behind him. He breathed in, smelling the ocean air.
George looked up, his hollow eyes drawing Ron forward.
Ron sat down a few feet away from George. He didn't say anything, he just sat.
George moved a few inches away, locking his eyes on the horizon.
Ron wasn't sure how much time had passed before Fleur came out, but judging by the numbness in his fingers, it had been hours.
Fleur draped a blanket over Ron's shoulders, whispering, "Thank you," into his ear.
She gently wrapped another blanket around George, ignoring the way he flinched away from her touch. She lightly squeezed his shoulder, then turned, rushing back inside.
Hours passed. Ron's stomach growled fiercely, and his throat was raw and dry from breathing in the cold, salty air for so long. His numb fingers wrapped the blanket tighter around his shoulders. He glanced at George, and frowned when he saw how violently his brother was shivering. Groaning, he rolled to his knees, his stiff joints cracking as he moved. He crawled over to George, his frozen hands reaching out and pulling the blanket tighter around George's body.
George's eyes slid open, red and watery. He looked up at Ron, his faintly blue lips trembling.
"Come inside, please," Ron said.
George got slowly to his feet, his hands shaking. He staggered toward the house.
Ron was sure to stay a few feet behind George, in case his brother needed his help getting inside.
George stumbled slightly and Ron reached out, firmly grabbing the man's arm.
George pulled away, looking in the opposite direction.
Bill pulled the door open as his brothers approached, ushering them inside.
George rushed through the kitchen, draping the blanket over the back of one of the chairs. He ran up the stairs, his bedroom door slamming closed a few seconds later.
Ron sank into one of the chairs, rubbing his freezing hands together. Hermione sat beside him, setting a mug of hot tea in front of him. She took his hands into her own, rubbing her smooth palms over his numb skin.
"Are you alright, Ron?" Bill asked, sitting at the head of the table.
Ron nodded, his teeth chattering.
"How's George?" Harry asked. He was crouched in front of the fireplace, his wand clutched in one hand, the fire he had just lit blazing.
Ron shook his head, "We didn't talk."
Fleur set a bowl of hot stew in front of Ron. She handed him the fork, "Eat."
Ron obliged, spooning the stew into his mouth.
Ginny sat opposite him, biting her lip. She hugged one knee to her chest, "George is going to get sick if he keeps going outside. It's getting colder out."
"I noticed," Ron muttered, shoving another spoonful into his mouth.
Hermione rolled her eyes, one hand tracing circles on Ron's back.
Harry got to his feet, brushing soot off of his knees. "So, what's going to happen now?"
Everyone was silent.