"Calm down, Mum!" Ginny exclaimed as her mother frantically wrung her hands.

"Ginny, don't tell me to calm down! George is missing!" she yelled back as she began pacing around the common room.

"Seriously Mum, he can't have got that far...we'll find him," Ginny promised, "Where did you send that patronus?" She asked growing dizzy watching her mother weaving through the collection of armchairs that occupied the common room.

"To your Dad, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ron and Hermione," she counted off, "Why?"

"Um...couldn't you have just sent one to George asking him where he is?" Ginny asked quietly.

Mrs Weasley stopped and sank weakly into a thread bare armchair in front of the fire,

"Oh for Godric's sake - I never even thought of that..."

Ginny perched on the sofa next to her Mum. Molly began to raise her wand to send a patronus to George – just as her Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ron and Hermione burst through the portrait hole.

"Molly what's going on...?" Mr Weasley asked worriedly,

"Mum what do you mean George is missing?" Bill asked a crease across his brow,

"Where was he last?" Charlie asked,

"We'll go look" Ron and Hermione said together,

"Where – ow – he – can't – ow – breathe," Percy wheezed as he clutched the stitch in his side, "So – unfit – pass – out."

Everyone stopped ambushing Mrs Weasley with questions to turn and stare at Percy – whose face was steadily turning fuchsia.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Ron asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Water – water – help – breathe – can't - ow," he gasped.

Bill and Charlie grabbed Percy under the arms and led him to a chair,

"Jesus bro, you seriously need to work out," Bill said as Charlie conjured a glass and filled it with a swift Aguamenti.

Percy hastily gulped the glass and ran the back of his hand across his lips,

"Sorry Bill, it's not exactly on the top of my priority list," he spat glaring at his big brother.

"Oh shut up you two!" Ron said, turning back to his mother – earning surprised looks from his brothers, "Mum, what's going on?"

Everyone was silently watching Mrs Weasley waiting for her to respond, "I don't know where George is. I sent him up to bed a little while ago and then Ginny came downstairs and said she hadn't seen him and he wasn't in bed. So I panicked and I still don't know where he is, we need to find him." she said

"She was just going to send a patronus to George to ask him where he was, then you lot came bursting through the portrait hole," Ginny added.

Mrs Weasley raised her wand and sent her patronus away, as everyone else took seats around the fire to wait. Mrs Weasley looked around, wishing that Fred was still alive – he would have made the death of Voldemort a celebration. Now she couldn't decide when she felt worse – when Voldemort was around and Ron was on the run with Hermione and Harry (basically her other adopted children) or now when Fred was dead and grief ate at her heart.

'At least when they were on the run there was hope – there's no hope left for the dead', she thought.

***

"Cauldron full of hot strong glove – no that's no' right-t," George slurred.

He lifted his bottle of Blacklabel Firewhiskey in front of his unfocused eyes.

"OH! All F-fi-inish-shed," he slurred throwing it into the fire – causing the dying embers to spark back to life.

George had completely necked his first bottle – which was now sitting amongst the dancing flames. He was ready for another,

'Just keep it coming' he thought as his mother's patronus appeared in front of him,

"George, where did you go? You've got everyone worried!"

"Oh for God's sake!" he exclaimed lifting his wand.

'There no need to worry' he thought as he sent away his patronus.

***

"Bill, sweetheart, where's Fleur?" Molly asked her son.

"Oh, she went to St. Mungo's with Madam Pomfrey to help out. There – there was a lot of casualties," he said quietly.

"Oh, alright dear," she replied absently, staring at the floor.

She couldn't really be bothered to listen – or do anything. She was ready to go to bed and sleep for weeks – she hadn't slept, at least, since the night before Bill's wedding. She longed for night's that weren't plagued with nightmare's about her children being murdered by Death Eaters – that was when she realised, she was living her nightmare right that very moment. Death Eaters had caused the death of Fred – all she knew was that the reality was so much worse than any nightmare – this was something so couldn't wake up from. Molly was roused from her thoughts as Harry made his way down the stairs.

Harry walked right up to Mrs Weasley and everyone's eyes followed him. He looked straight into her eyes and his heart ached and fresh tears stung his startlingly green eyes.

"Mrs Weasley I – I'm so sorry...I should've – Fred didn't have to – no one did – I'm sorry – If I'd done something sooner –," he stuttered past the lump in his throat.

"Don't you dare Harry!" Molly chided, "Don't you dare do that to yourself. You've always blamed yourself for things that were out of your hands-,"

"But–,"

"No buts, Harry. Mum's right, you can't do this to yourself," Bill interjected.

Mr Weasley stood and put his hand on Harry's shoulder, "You saved us, son. We should be thanking you; you sav-."

"No," he said shrugging off Mr Weasley's hand, "I don't want any credit. I didn't do this alone," he said turning away, "Damn it! I don't want to be the bloody hero! I don't deserve it. Everyone that got hurt or – or died they're the real hero's. I just – I don't want the attention!" he yelled.

Harry chanced a glance at Ginny – she was determinedly not looking at him, her eyes were filled with unshed tears and she was biting her lip.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout. It's just so - ."

Harry was cut off when George's patronus appeared in the middle of the room, "I'm fi-ine. I'm-m at the Leaky Cauldron. I w-want-t to be left-t alone," it slurred before it evaporated.

"Uh – I think George has been drinking," Charlie said stupidly.

"Bill, Charlie, can you two please go and get him and bring him back to the Burrow. That's where we are all headed anyway. We need to get home," Mr Weasley instructed.

They nodded and kissed their mother on the cheek and gave their father a hug; and disapparated to get George

"Okay everyone let's get going," Mrs Weasley said – noticing Harry and Hermione giving each other a quick glance, "Hermione you can share with Ginny, Harry you with Ron - ."

"Oh no Mrs Weasley – we don't want to impose -," Hermione said hurriedly.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're staying with us and that's that. Let's go. Someone will need to side along Ginny -."

"I'll do it," Harry said quickly giving Ginny a significant look.

"Okay then let's go home," Mr Weasley said, "We'll need to come and collect Fred tomorrow," he whispered to Percy who nodded.

Harry stepped up to Ginny and offered his hand to her. She looked at his hand and gently took it. Harry quickly pulled her to her feet and in her surprise she looked into his eyes. Her breath hitched as she looked into those green orbs – all too soon she was enveloped into the dark compression.

A/N: I'm not completely happy with this chapter but I think it serves its purpose.

Hope to update soon x