Chapter 12: George
Dear George,
Thank you for always making me laugh. You and Fred are the only ones who can get me to laugh for no reason at all and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. I also want to thank you for not mentioning my feelings toward Fred. I know you knew how I felt, even though I never told you. You always looked at me kind of sadly whenever Fred and Alicia were around. At that point I knew that you'd figured out my secret.
I've charmed Fred's letter so it won't open until you've read yours. I need you to understand that I did that for a reason. It's because I have things to ask of you before he finds out my secret.
First of all, please, go to Luna. I see the way you look at her when you think no one is looking. Don't you dare let her slip away. You sweep her off her feet and never look back because you know she's worth the risk. I know that since Angelina died in the war you've been doing everything you can to avoid being hurt again but, Luna isn't going anywhere. Take the risk, George. You won't regret it, trust me.
Second, please don't let anyone hate Fred when I'm gone. It's not his fault this is happening. It's mine. I waited too long to tell Fred I love him and when I finally got the courage to do something about it, he was already taken. Fred is blameless, make sure he knows that.
Third, always do your best to find ways to make Harry laugh. I worry about him and he deserves to be happy more than anyone does. Don't pick on Ron too much and don't forget that Ginny will hex you if you get too nosy.
I'm leaving you a small memory of mine. It's in the vial in your envelope. You remember that patented Daydream Charm Fred game me for free when I first visited your shop? Well, this is private but I never used it until about six months ago. I want you to see my memory of the daydream it gave me. I think it may make you smile. There's a Pensive in my bedside cabinet. It's yours to use as well as Fred's.
Take care and I love you. Don't give your mother too much grief.
Love from,
Hermione
"Why won't my letter open?" Fred demanded in irritation.
George looked up at his brother and sighed. "Hermione charmed yours not to open until I finished reading mine."
Fred looked at him incredulously. "Why would she do that?"
George ran a hand through his hair and got up from his chair to find the Pensive that Hermione spoke of in her letter. He didn't answer Fred. Instead he poured the memory Hermione left in into the basin and dived in to watch the memory/daydream.
"Hermione, love?" questioned a voice George recognized as his twin's. He looked around the unfamiliar home he was now it and spotted Fred cautiously peering into what appeared to be a bathroom at a wide-eyed Hermione. She was holding what appeared to be a little stick in her hands with utter shock written on her face. "Is everything all right?"
For a moment there was silence before two little red-headed boys came running into the hall shouting.
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" shouted one little boy whom George noticed looked exactly as he and Fred did as a child. It was apparent that the boy beside him was his twin.
Fred bent down to pick up the yelling child. "Yes, Sammy? What's that matter?"
But the child had apparently spotted Hermione in her state of shock and seeming forgotten his question. Instead he wriggled out of Fred's arms and rushed to cling to Hermione's leg. "Mummy, what's wrong?"
Blown away by the daydream, the adult George looked at the daydream-Hermione and saw her look down at her son with a smile.
"Nothing's wrong, sweetheart. Mummy's just a little surprised, is all."
"Why are you surprised, Mummy?" asked the little boy still standing beside Fred.
Hermione bent down and opened her arms for the little ones to join her. "Well, Danny, Mummy just found out something very special. A surprise for you, Sammy and Daddy."
"What about me?" came a voice from down the hall as George watched a copy of himself walk up to the adult Fred. "Don't I get a surprise from my favorite sister-in-law, too?"
Hermione laughed. "Of course, George."
"What is it, Hermione?" asked Fred. "What's going on?"
Hermione smiled and stood to kiss Fred sweetly on the lips. "We need to make more room in this house, Fred, dear. I'm pregnant."
The memory/daydream faded and George had to wipe away a tear as it fell from his eyes. Explaining this to Fred was not going to be easy.