She stopped in her tracks, frozen like a deer in headlights, her breaths became more and more frantic as she tried to calm herself down. She closed her eyes as she felt the chart in her hands clatter to the ground. She wanted to run but her feet planted themselves firmly in place.

"George." She said softly. "Hi," she added when a deadening silence filled the room.

"Hermione," he said again, flustered. She walked up to him, and quickly read completely over his chart. A part of her wanted to run, open the window and jump out into the street, and another part made her want to just throw her arms around him and kiss him into oblivion. She managed to achieve a strange balance of sorts, or standing there, unable to say anything.

"You look amazing," he said wincing a little in pain. Hermione then remembered what she was there for and then promptly proceeded to change his IV bags and administered more painkillers. She was about to turn and leave when he stopped her.

"Wait," he said. "Please don't go." A hint of vulnerability was coming back in his voice. Hermione stopped in her tracks, looked down at his feet, both were unsure of what to say, although both had been rehearsing this very moment for 10 years. None of them expected meeting under the present circumstances. Hermione placed the chart at the foot of his bed, and then walked over to him, putting her hand over his. His eyes seemed to momentarily light up, it was almost as if they had never said goodbye.

"So you're finally a healer?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Doctor." She said simply. "Muggle." He cocked his head, or at least tried to under the circumstances.

"Then what am I doing here?" He asked, "And why hasn't anyone noticed the big gaping hole in the side of my head?"

"You were crossing the street and got hit by a car," Hermione said simply sitting down on a couch beside him. "Your wand got crushed underneath the tires, and splintered so there was no way to really know for sure whether or not you were a wizard or a man with a stick. So they brought you here, and well, you were bleeding out too fast for me to transfer you myself, so we just treated you here." She said. And she then opened up her lab coat and showed George her wand neatly tucked inside a pocket in the back. He grinned. "I've been secretly casting that perception charm," she said.

"I had an ear-y feeling it was something like that," he winked. She groaned and rolled her eyes.

"You gotta be kidding me!" She exclaimed laughing out loud.

"Got you to smile…didn't it?" He asked. She nodded softly.

"Yeah, guess it did." She then noticed her watch. "Shit," she whispered realizing that today she had to go pick up Anna from after-school as it was Emma's day off and her mother and father were taking a few days before thanksgiving to go back to England and visit some people.

"What?" He asked.

"I gotta go finish my charting and dictations so I can--," she stopped herself, "Get home…" she stopped herself. He nodded.

"It was nice se—," he began when the person he secretly wanted to throttle ended up in the room.

"Ooo Georgie, I couldn't find your wand in your desk, I looked everywhere. I know you said not to come back without it, but I figured you would forgive me!" She exclaimed. He looked at Hermione pleadingly. Hermione walked over to the young blonde.

"I'm sorry, it's way past visiting hours," she said. It wasn't. "And also, we have Mr. Weasley scheduled for some physical therapy tomorrow so he really needs his rest." He wasn't. Hermione quickly turned to him and winked. He feigned getting sleepy as Natasha pouted.

"Aww, well I'll be back first thing tomorrow as soon as visiting hours reopen," she tottered up to George and kissed him on the forehead leaving a giant red lipstick stain, and she proceeded to walk out, swaying her hips seductively as she did. Hermione held her hand to her face to stifle a small giggle. George rolled his eyes and groaned under his covers. Hermione shot him a sympathetic look and walked out the door.

Once again, she found herself leaning against the wall out of eyeshot and groaning inwardly. Just when her life seems to get a little less complicated, a giant complication rolls in. She thought she could forget him, she thought she could get over how he made her feel, but she couldn't. She guessed it made sense, after all, she loved their daughter so much, and Anna was just a living reminder every day that George existed and deep down in her heart, she knew these feelings would never go away. She closed her eyes as her pager started buzzing indicating a new trauma arrival. Temporarily changing her mindset, she began to run.

George lay in his bed as Hermione left and felt his stomach playing pinball in his chest. He refused to let himself fall prey to these feelings once more, yet he found himself doing just that over and over again. Her smile was even more gorgeous and radiant than he remembered it. Her eyes suggested tiredness; she looked emotionally drained, as though the past ten years had taken twenty out of her. Physically she had not aged, but mentally he saw a much older than 28 year old woman standing with him. He sighed as he found a remote control; he could not be left with his thoughts for too long. Natasha informed him, through her simpering, that Adam was quite alright with George missing a few days, in fact the CEO gave the young mane up to a week off, his untarnished record helped him achieve that. Adam was currently at a business convention in Hawaii, or else he would have been the first to be at his bedside. How pathetic, George thought, I'm thinking of my fucking boss as my closest friend. He closed his eyes and thought, no reflected, on how he had exactly come on this moment. He hardly noticed the tear drop trailing down his cheek.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o

The battle was in slow motion. George did not even know where he was, the Hogwarts castle seemed so much bigger than normal. He took a deep breath and looked around, all sound stopped and people moved around him slowly. He watched as people he cared about dropped dead around him, and by some odd stroke of fate, he was left standing. He noticed the small body of Colin Creevey lying by the doorway and something snapped, anger coursed through his veins as he switched from stun to kill. Nothing would stop him now, not even Voldemort himself. Tears flooded his eyes as he passed more and more bodies of his classmates, the battle seemed to be shifting from inside the castle to outside.

They were too young. He saw the bodies of Lupin and Tonks, both of them together at last, both faces in peace. Lupin had finally been released and Tonks seemed perfectly content lying at his side. Suddenly, all he heard, all he saw was blackness as he was hit by a curse…was this death? It could not be, he was still conscious.

"Hey," said a voice behind him, a small light in the darkness.

"Fred," said George happily, "what happened mate?" Fred looked at him with concern in his eyes.

"Wait…no, you can't be here," said Fred, "What happened?"

"I dunno, stray curse I s'pose?" George said scratching the back of his head. Suddenly he noticed both of his ears were perfectly intact.

"Bloody hell mate! I can 'ear things again!" He slapped his knee. "Blimey, that's just knee slapping hilarious." Fred rolled his eyes.

"Always were the joker," he said grinning.

"So where are we?" George asked. Fred shrugged. He took a couple steps backward. When George tried to join him, he noticed his feet wouldn't move. In fact, he seemed to be moving backwards, or upwards. He did not know quite which direction he was moving, but Fred was moving farther and farther away from him.

"No," he whispered, "Fred!" He yelled, holding out his hand. Fred reached out as well, but they were just beyond the other's grasp. Unable to reach for Fred, George let out a gut-wrenching scream as he was pulled into consciousness. He woke up to Ginny's face peering over at him, her eyes were bloodshot, almost as if she was done crying and was bitterly robbed of all emotion.

"What happened?" He murmured.

"You got hit by the reflection of the avada kedavra," said Arthur softly, he felt a potion being poured down his throat and he instantly felt better. He sat up and saw the skeletal disposition of the rest of his family. He already knew. He refused to admit it, but he already knew what they were going to tell him. In that moment, he did not care whether or not Voldemort was defeated. None of them did.

Arthur placed his hands inside George's, and tried to hold back tears. But how could he not cry knowing he was about to divulge the single worst piece of news that would shatter his son forever? His hands shook as he tried to say it, but George stopped him.

"No," he said, standing up. "No." He said walking over to another table. "No," he yelled louder as he broke into a run. Tears flew down his grimy face, stinging as they mingled with the cuts and scrapes. He saw Molly wailing over a body, all he could see was red hair at this point. He the stopped as soon as he saw the face, and he did not react the way he thought he would. He thought, if this day ever came he would sink to the ground and scream a gut wrenching cry of pain that would just shatter anyone who was passing by's souls. He thought that he would be sobbing for the rest of eternity. But he felt nothing. No pain, no sadness, only emptiness.

His insides did not feel as if they would be torn apart, they felt rather numb. As if someone had taken out all the bones in his body and replaced them with rubber. He felt hollow, and yet, impervious. He sat by Fred's head and held it in his hands. Fred looked asleep, not dead—or gone. He looked so peaceful, as if he would wake up at any minute. He closed his eyes and kissed Fred's forehead softly. He moved aside the hair that was stuck to Fred's face, wiping it clean with a handkerchief he found in his pocket.

To anyone else except Ginny, he looked calm, completely relaxed and composed. But she knew how much this tore him up; she knew how unsettling this characteristic of his was. Even Arthur noticed his eyes had lost all hope; any glimmer of life present in them previously was torn out. He himself felt rather empty as he felt Minerva McGonagall's hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at the stern older woman, and she was breaking down in tears. Never in the many years he had been in Hogwarts and had his children got to Hogwarts had he seen the older woman shed a tear. He turned and put his head in her shoulder and began to sob harder than he had ever done before. The celebrations continued on behind them but it seemed another world as the Weasley family gathered around each other and sought the comfort of each other.

For George, the days passed in an unending haze. He did not know how he got from one place to another; all he could do was sit and stare. Somehow food had gotten into his mouth and he ended up showering. Most of the time he sat in his bed in his flat clutching a bottle of firewhiskey. There were moments when the pain seemed bearable, moments when he knew what happened, but mostly if he could keep himself in a stupor to stop himself from feeling anything, everything would be all right. His father came to his bedside once and asked him if he would give the eulogy at Fred's funeral. Of course he would. Who else would have known Fred better? He nodded, in a drunken haze. And just like that, even the companionship of his father had disappeared.

The funeral was beautiful. It was a cloudy day, even the weather refused to smile. Thunderclouds rolled in the distance as they all sat inside a small church. Fred's body lay in a white coffin; Molly had dressed him up in the nicest dress robes they could afford. George joined both his parents at the front of the procession, Bill behind, Charlie following him, followed by, Percy and then Ginny. The speeches read were moving, people told stories of how Fred had touched all of their lives, and then it came time for George to speak. Each step up to the podium sunk his stomach lower and lower.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the Wizarding community," he addressed, his voice rather shaky and uneven, "How can you commemorate someone who was such a huge part of your life that their absence makes even living seem wrong.

"My brother was born April 1, 1988. Since that moment, the moment we both were born, we were together. I do not want to sound pretentious when giving this eulogy, I do not want this to be about me, but you have to understand, we never viewed ourselves as separate. We have been a unit, it has always been Fred and George, or," he laughed, "Gred and Forge.

"But I digress," he continued after a moment of feeling choked. "I never understood how integral he was to my life until only a few days ago, my memories are his memories. I do not even remember a time when we have been apart long term, yet I am cursed to remain alive although he is deceased. How is that fair? How can I move on from someone who I went on my first business endeavor with, how can I laugh? Fred brought so much in my life, he was always the one who did something. I would follow, or I would be the brains behind it, but he was the only one truly courageous enough to take a stand. He initiated everything, he was always the one getting into trouble. I know my mum always tells me that when we were babies, I would do something utterly naughty and then I would manage to roll away, leaving him with the evidence and he would be the one punished.

"But Fred always took it in stride, and he provided in me the courage to face my enemies and to stand up for myself, even if it is through jokes and pranks. He always forced me to face all my problems and worries, and he really brought out the best in all of us. And for that Fred, I am truly and forevermore grateful." He nodded his head and stared up at the sky, "I hope that I can always demonstrate the courage you showed in the battle. You will always be remembered as our hero, the hero of the Weasley family. And I miss you so much," he added shakily, tears openly pouring down his cheeks.

There was not a single dry eye in the room as he looked around. Angelina Johnson sat near the front, clutching the hand of Katie Bell in a vice-like grip. Her face was ghostly in a sense, she was crying silently, trying not to sob openly and loudly. Hermione and Ron sat a few rows behind, His head was on her shoulder for once and she held his head in her hand and was stroking the top of it comfortingly. Ginny clutched onto Harry in an almost child like manner, holding onto anything in her personal darkness. He did not have the courage or the strength to observe everyone, so he walked down the stairs, down the center aisle and into the lobby of the church. He sat on a bench and had his head in his hands as he broke down for the very first time.

0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o

"George," Hermione said softly as he tossed and turned in his sleep. "Wake up," she whispered, "It's only a dream." She cooed as he shook, beads of sweat trailing down his back. Dry awful sobs filled the room as he re-lived the funeral and the death of his brother. She took a hold of his head and clutched it to her breast as he cried into her. "You're fine," she whispered. "You'll be fine"

"I can't—," George wailed, "I just can't!"

"I know," whispered Hermione, "Oh George I know. Shhhh, it's just a dream." She whispered. He finally managed to come back to his senses and calm down. Moments later, he leaned against the headboard of the bed while her head rested on his chest. He stroked her hair gently and they both sat in silence.

"How often has this—" Hermione asked.

"Since the funeral," said George. Hermione nodded. "Sorry for waking you." He said. Hermione looked up at him and shook her head. She placed a finger on his lips.

"I am here for you," she said, "Whatever you need, trust me." She smiled. He nodded clutching her closer.

During the day, they both exuded the height of professionalism, working around the store, he in the back room inventing and Hermione helping Verity with more cleaning around the store and organizing various things around. They also decided to renovate the entire storeroom, as George wanted the whole thing to be brand new. He hated stepping inside such sadness and a store that reminded him of Fred. They both worked side by side and diligently, and at night would meet at the house by the lake.

Once the door closed, they both became lovers, unable to keep their hands off of each other, needing to be with each other in every sense of the word. They constantly discovered new things about the other, different ways to make each other happier. Afterwards they would lie in each other's arms, each finally feeling some sort of content, comfort with each other, ready to take whatever life threw at them. George's nightmares had all but gone, they were much milder now, and did not leave him waking up in terror, he felt comforted and whole. Until one night, he woke up, noticing that there was no one on the other side of the bed.

He stood up and looked around the dark room for his boxers and then quickly put on his white t-shirt as he went downstairs in search for the bushy haired witch. He looked out the window and saw her sitting outside, wearing his shirt, hot cup of tea in her hands. He walked outside and sat with her on the steps.

"Can't sleep?" She asked. He nodded and pulled her against his body. She rested her head on his chest.

"You don't sleep do you?" He asked finally putting two and two together and realizing why she was always up whenever he woke up from his nightmares.

"I do," she said softly, "but only when I'm too tired to dream," she answered honestly.

"What? Why?" He asked. She shrugged and stared down at her mug, unable to make eye contact with George. He raised his eyebrow.

"Well, if you don't need my help…maybe I should just leave," he said, a small glimmer in his eye. Hermione looked up at him, confused.

"I mean, whatever you want," she said, hardly expecting getting rid of him to be this easy.

"And I'll just take my shirt with me," said George reaching around her and unbuttoning it. Hermione stopped his hand.

"Seriously?" She said. George nodded. She held his hand.

"Either you get the whole package, or nothing at all," he whispered in her ear huskily, he caressed her shoulder lightly and then continued. Hermione leaned in and kissed him, catching him by surprise.

"Not if you don't catch me first," she whispered in his ear, jumping up and running inside the house.

"Oh no you don't!" George exclaimed running after her and slamming the door. He heard her running and laughing and another door slammed shut, sounding ironically like the door of the cupboard under the stairs. He slammed the door shut with his foot and walked around the house talking loudly.

"I wonder where you could be!" He started, hearing giggling, "I mean, I don't know where to look, I guess I'll just give up and go to bed." He said pretending to walk away, making his steps lighter and lighter as he "left". He then hid behind the archway. She cautiously opened the door to the cupboard and was about to sneak up the stairs when he suddenly appeared, hoisted her over his shoulder, and as she kicked and screamed he walked upstairs and threw her down on the bed. Both of their animal instincts took over and they lost themselves inside each other.

0o0o0o0o00o0o00o0o0o0o0o

Hermione was confused, she expected her first experience with George would have been much harsher, he would yell, she would yell, there would be definite tears involved. But he seemed past emotion, past anything. He had a hot young thing as his girlfriend, and yet seemed to be annoyed with her. He had changed over the past ten years, and she could not put her finger on why.

As she sutured in the pit, she felt herself regretting her absence more and more, although it seemed like there were actually no repercussions of her exit in the wizarding community. Everyone moved on, Ron had gotten married and had kids, George had a girlfriend, she was sure Harry and Ginny had gotten married without kids, all without her. She realized how disposable she had become; maybe leaving was the best thing for everyone. After all, at least she had Anna.

She finished suturing up the patient and then sighed, she walked back up to the nurses' station, passing George's room on the way. She looked in, leaning on the doorway. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be dreaming of something truly beautiful. Even despite his injuries, she noticed how handsome he had become.

"Coming in, or staying out?" George asked after a while, getting fed up with her just standing there. He was puzzled with himself, he had rehearsed every single day what he would tell her the moment he laid eyes on her again. He would tell her that she was the most awful witch ever, how she broke his heart, and he would give her an earful. Yet, the moment he laid eyes on her, all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and hold her until the end of time. Hermione entered the room and sat by his bed silently.

"You didn't say goodbye," said George sadly. Hermione looked down at her shoes.

"I know," she said.

"I mean, I know we didn't end on the best of terms, but you could have at least said goodbye," he said. She nodded.

"I'm sorry." She said. He wanted to shrug but was in too much pain to. "Could we start over?" She asked. He cocked his head.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You, me. We live in the same city," she said, "we might as well start over. New city new us, new friendship," she offered. He smiled.

"I would really like that," he said.

"And listen," Hermione began, "There's something I need to tell you." She started hesitatingly. Her pager then began to buzz and she checked it.

"Shit," she whispered. She put her hand on his, "I'm so sorry, I promise I'll be back." She said. He nodded, curious to know what she had to tell him. She was married? She had children? He shook his head, unable to think of what to expect. Soon his nurse came in to change his IVs and he felt the drugs working as he slipped into a dreamless slumber

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Malfoy manor," Hermione began softly as she and George lay there. He was stroking her back and she nestled her head in his chest. He slid down so that they were face to face.

"What about it?" He asked.

"Bellatrix Lestrange took Harry and Ron and took them down to the dungeons. I, being the muggle born, remained for questioning," she stopped, unable to continue. He gripped her shoulder.

"Hermione, you don't have to tell me if it's too hard," he said. She shook her head.

"No, I want to." She said. George nodded and kissed her shoulder.

"Well, I was tortured, and not just with the Cruciatus, but with a knife as well," she said, feeling tears beginning to form in her eyes. "She held it to my neck and asked me questions, and I refused to answer, so the punishments got worse. I don't remember much through the pain or what happened, I just wanted to die, and I wanted it to end. It was as if a thousand knives were being sliced into me." She began to cry and he put her head on his shoulder and they lay there for a while. Anger coursed through his veins.

"I know it's over," said Hermione, "But whenever I go to sleep, I just feel that knife on my throat and a thousand others piercing into me at once, several times."

"Shhh," whispered George, stroking her hair. "It's over now," he said. "I'm so sorry." He added.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"I didn't know," he admitted.

"Why?" She laughed a little, "It's not like it's something you ask someone. Hey…were you tortured in the war?"

"No," said George seriously, "but you're muggle born, I should have assumed, and then asked, and for that, I'm sorry."

"Of all people, I think you're okay with not apologizing," she said. "You didn't know, and you've had problems of your own. Merlin knows." He nodded and kissed her forehead, entwining his hand in her hair.

"Thank you for telling me," He said. She looked down and nodded.

"No problem," she said, yawning and nestling even closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her tighter and closed his eyes as well. Hermione, for the first time in many months, slipped into a dreamless sleep.

(A/N) Here you go! I promised Wednesday, and you guys got Wednesday! :D

Anyways, now that I've kept my word, please review, I will update by this weekend.

Hope you enjoyed it, this chapter definitely made me cry, especially the part with Fred and George.

Please please please review, if I can get over 10 I will definitely update by this weekend, Saturday at the latest…although if I don't, I have huge term paper due Monday, but the reviews will make this a priority! :D Love you all bunches!