Harry didn't know how long he had been sleeping but was startled awake when Ginny started yelling and whimpering in her sleep.
He darted off of Seamus' bed and sat on the edge of his own and gently shook Ginny's shoulders,
"Ginny? Ginny wake up."
Her eyes flew open and she saw Harry looking at her his face full of concern. She cried and threw her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his shoulder,
"Oh Harry. I dreamed that you were dead, you wouldn't wake up," she wept.
"It's okay, I'm okay. Nothing will happen to me, I promise," he said soothingly while rubbing her back.
"Don't leave me," she whispered, her soft breath tickling his neck.
"Never," he said pulling her away and softly kissing the tear tracks on her cheeks.
Ginny moved over to give him space to lie down beside her.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked softly.
She nodded, "I just want you to hold me. It makes me feel safe," she pleaded looking at him through her teary eyelashes.
"Okay," he said pulling the hangings closed to block out the morning sun and laying down.
He pulled her close, she rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. He ran his fingers through her hair and down her back until she fell back asleep and his eyes soon closed too.
***
Mrs Weasley sat in front of the Gryffindor common room fire holding George as he cried for Fred on her shoulder.
There was nothing she could say. She couldn't comfort him; because no one could comfort her. One of her children had died. She couldn't get her head around the fact that he wouldn't be there anymore: sitting at the table for breakfast or dinner; he wouldn't be laughing or joking with his brothers; teasing his sister; teaming up with George to prank his siblings. She refused to accept that.
"Come on George, honey," she said comfortingly, "You go upstairs and you can try and get some sleep."
He continued sobbing and began walking up the dormitory stairs while his mother watched him go. She felt so lost; she really didn't know how to help him.
Molly sank back down onto the sofa and put her face in her hands her lip beginning to tremble.
***
George was climbing the stairs when he suddenly stood outside his old dorm door; the plaque on the door now read 'First Years'. He traced his finger down the worn wood. His sobs becoming more painful; he noticed the scorch marks near the bottom from when he and Fred caused one of their 'experiments' to explode. That was one of his favourite memories from first year.
They got bored and decided to play around with their potions kit; all they had managed to make was purple sludge – well until they added the fish scales anyway. All of a sudden there was a huge explosion and the entire tower shook. When Percy had rushed in the look on his face was priceless. He and Fred had just looked at each other and burst out laughing; they'd both singed their hair black and they were missing their eyebrows. The dorm room was also a disaster: the floor around the cauldron was scorched (as was the door and the wooden bedposts nearby) and the ceiling was covered in bright pink slime.
They'd got into so much trouble and Mrs Weasley had sent them a howler. He was going to miss causing mischief with his brother. His life would never be the same. It sucked.
George slumped against the door and tears fell from his eyes – they would never stop; he would always cry for Fred.
After George wracking sobs calmed he stood and placed his hand on the door again,
"I'll miss you bro," he whispered.
He started up the stairs again coming to the top floor and opened the door. He saw the hangings drawn around Harry's bed,
'Good' he thought, 'I really don't want to talk'
He slumped over to an empty bed and threw the hangings closed, shutting everyone out. That's exactly what he wanted – to shut out the world and wallow in his grief; and no one was going to stop him.
***
"Wanna go for a walk?" Ron whispered to Hermione.
Hermione nodded and they quietly excused themselves from the rest of their company. Not that they were listening.
They made their way across the grounds walking in companionable silence. Ron couldn't breathe; the air was thick with grief and he couldn't escape it. It pushed down on his chest causing him to feel light-headed.
They began walking around the lake before Ron took Hermione's hand. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"What are we supposed to do now?" she sighed.
Ron had never been more stumped in his life, Hermione always had the answers.
"I have no idea – I was hoping you would know."
She sat, tugging Ron with her and looked over the vast calm water.
"I was sure I was going to die in this war, after all I am a Mudblood," she scoffed – immediately continuing when Ron opened his mouth indignantly, "I never thought about what would happen after. This doesn't seem real, you know?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I know. I can't believe Fred's gone 'Mione," he said his voice becoming heavy.
In a last ditch attempt to stop his tears from falling he grabbed Hermione tightly and crashed his mouth to hers. He sucked her bottom lip and forced his tongue in her mouth,
"Ron-kiss-we-kiss -don't-kiss-Ron-kiss- STOP," Hermione said.
Ron pulled away and ran his hand across his face, catching the tears that were falling,
"Sorry..." he mumbled from behind his hand.
"It's okay. I love you, but Ron, you can't use me to forget. We have a lot to talk about; we need to talk more about us, okay?"
"Mione..." he began before getting interrupted by a patronus in the form of a weasel,
"George is gone!" Mrs Weasley's panicked voice rang out before the patronus evaporated. Ron and Hermione exchanged glances and ran back to the castle; at the same time Mr Weasley, Bill, Charlie and Percy started up the marble staircase to Gryfinndor common room having just received a patronus themselves.
***
George tossed and turned on the four-poster bed. 'This is stupid' he thought. He felt trapped inside his head. He wanted to forget and he wanted to be alone. He really didn't see that being an easy task as no doubt everyone would be heading back to the Burrow that evening.
He let out a long sigh... 'I need a drink'.
He didn't know where to go. He definitely didn't want to go back to his flat...all of Fred's things were still there,
'But so is my stash of Blacklabel Firewhiskey'
Coming to a decision, he apparated outside his flat. He raised his wand and summoned his Firewhiskey which came zooming out of the high window. He then went to the Leaky Cauldron, finding a party in full swing. Really not something he wanted to deal with. He didn't bother to find Tom the landlord to pay for a private room, he just went and found one – he wouldn't care, if he was still alive he'd be too happy to worry about room payments.
He found a particularly gloomy room at the end of the corridor and locked the door behind himself with a soft click.
The room was lit with a dull oil lamp in the corner and a small fire in the grate. He threw himself into the armchair that gave a perfect view of the flames. He cracked open the lid on his first of four bottles,
"To Fred!" he declared glumly pouring the liquid down his eagerly awaiting throat.
***
Ginny sighed and stretched. Opening her eyes she saw Harry lying beside her peacefully with his arm around her waist. She slipped out from under his arm and made her way for a shower.
The hot spray felt wonderful on her body but it did nothing to soothe her mind. Her head was buzzing and she soon felt hot tears escaping her eyes and mingling with the water. She thought about everything; from Fred, to Tonks and Lupin, to Colin – especially Harry. Harry confused her most of all. She knew how she felt about everyone else – gut-wrenching sadness; but Harry? She just had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach – life was going to be different now. She didn't know what direction to take her life in – now she had options.
She turned off the shower and quickly cleaned up her clothes. She walked back into the dorm and found Harry awake, eating sandwiches off of a large plate.
"'Iya," he said around a large mouthful.
"Hi, where did you get the food?" she asked, automatically helping herself.
"Oh, Kreacher brought it. I called him when I woke up."
Ginny nodded. They sat in silence and it felt – awkward. Ginny kept avoiding Harry's eyes and shovelling in more sandwiches before he could interrupt her long enough to ask a question.
"Well, erm, I'm just gonna go and get cleaned up..." Harry said getting up.
"'Kay, I'm going to go and see mum, I'll see you later," she said making her way towards the door.
Harry huffed as the door closed behind her. She was being distant – so what the hell had changed? Last night everything seemed to be getting back on track and now she was acting like she couldn't stand to be near him. What the actual fuck can a twenty minute shower do to a girl to get her to change her attitude so suddenly? He sulked off towards the bathroom, all the while coming up with a plan to corner her later.
***
Ginny walked into the common room to be met by the sight of her mother slumped over on the sofa, obviously having just fallen asleep. She stirred as Ginny made her way to sit on the armchair beside her.
"Oh - yawn - hello, dear. How are you? Do you need anything?" she asked in a rush.
"No-no mum I'm fine," she smiled weakly.
"Oh, Okay," she sighed, "Is George asleep?"
"I dunno, he wasn't there when me and Harry woke up. Why?"
"I sent him up to get some sleep! Where is he?"
"I dunno, probably in another dorm or something..." Ginny trailed off as her mother started on the stairs.
She heard her walking up every flight before throwing the door open, followed by a shout of, 'George?' and then the door being slammed again. She heard this seven times before a thunder of footsteps and her mother's reappearance at the foot of the stairs.
"He's gone, Ginny!" she screamed before raising her wand and sending her patronus of to the rest of the family...
A/N: Hey sorry it took so long to update...uni has been crazy!
I hope your enjoying the story so far or whatever lol! I'll try and make the next chapter update faster...this was a really hard chapter to write coz I really just wanna get them home to the burrow lol...next time!
please please review it makes me wanna write more if I know if people are enjoying it thanks ly!