Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling

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A/N Merry Christmas Everyone! Here's a brand new chpater! Hope you enjoy! Getting close to the end here...thinking maybe three chapters left after this one!

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SnowAngels

Chapter Twelve

The Storm

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"I hate the day after Christmas" George groused as he tried to work his broom into a tight corner. His attempt to dislodge a random chunk of Trick Christmas Coal seemed futile and he couldn't resist cursing the someone who had broken off the chunk from larger piece in a struggle to get the last one. "People come in here like mad men trashing the place."

Luna looked up from the box of miscellaneous odds and ends that she was pricing for the next day. "You must make a lot of money though, even with the prices being lower."

"I do." George grinned triumphantly, finally freeing the piece and sweeping it into the dust pan. "Doesn't make them less annoying though."

He turned around, his attention caught by the sparkle of Luna's promise ring. He loved seeing it on her finger, it was visible proof that she would be his wife someday. He looked forward to that day with hope that he never would have thought possible only a week before. He knew his family had been shocked by the promise ring and outwardly, it did seem a bit soon. The truth was, he was in no hurry to marry, he wasn't even in a hurry to put a diamond on her finger, he was happy enough that she wore the simple silver and garnet promise ring. After all the months of uncertainty and loss, all he needed was the promise of happily ever after to make him content.

"Well, the worst is over now." Luna grinned as George approached, her mega watt smile making his heart flip in his chest. He pulled the box from her hand and sat it on the counter next to her, and then took her hands in his.

"Hi." He grinned and pulled her close for a kiss.

"Hello yourself."

"I hate to say it, as much as I am enjoying being alone for the moment…" He nodded out the window at the storm that seemed to be kicking up more and more fury with each passing second. "… but if we are going to get back to the Burrow, we need to go now."

He had just pulled her off the counter and gone into the store room for their cloaks when his fathers head popped up in the office fire.

"Dad…were on our way out, tell mum…"

"No George…" Arthur's head crackled in and out in the fire. "Stay put. Whatever you do, don't try to apparate, people are splinching themselves all up and down the country because of the high winds. The ministry is having a mess trying to get people out on Thestrals to help them."

"Okay." George nodded "We'll go to Luna's."

"Be careful, this storm is putting put out fireplaces that are connected to the Floo network so make sure her fire isn't connected before you go!"

"Okay dad. Dad, you're not going out there…"

Arthur's head crackled and then the fire vanished and refused to be relit.

George turned away, hoping fervently that his father wasn't foolish enough to actually go out on a Thestral in the storm. There were younger men at the ministry for that, let them risk their lives, his family had lost enough already.

He picked up their cloaks and walked swiftly from the room. The last thing he needed was to start thinking grim thoughts, the night was going to be long enough as it was. A sudden grin quirked his lips as something suddenly occurred to him, he was stranded in Diagon Alley…alone with Luna. How bad could that possibly be, or rather, how could that possibly be bad?

"Luna, we have to go to your flat." He forced a serious tone into his voice. "The floo network has gone down and it isn't safe to apparate because of the storm. Is your fireplace connected to the network?"

"It is." She nodded "The ministry connected it because I am still a minor, they were supposed to be checking in on me over the holiday but since I was staying with your family, they didn't have to."

"Any chance they closed the connection?"

"I don't think so." She shook her head "I am pretty sure they would have told me if they had."

"Damn it." George paced back and forth, trying to come up with a solution that wouldn't require their having to go upstairs. He hadn't been up there since before Fred died, Bill had gone to collect Fred's best robes for him to be buried in and since then, no one had so much as broached the subject. But with the fire out, it was starting to get cold in the shop. The wind and snow lashed against the large shop front windows and the draft made the candle flames flicker. George had a couple blankets in the back room, but they wouldn't be enough.

"George." Luna reached out and took his hand in hers. She knew the internal struggle he was suffering. It wasn't fair that he should have to suffer like that, particularly not because he was worried about her. "Maybe we could make a ring of blue bell flames, like your dad did the night we went skating."

"It wouldn't be enough." He ran his thumb down her cheek, his heart bursting with emotion. That she was willing to give up her own comfort for him, it spoke volumes about the kind of woman she was. "Besides, I have to do it sometime; I can't keep running away can I?"

He let go of her hand and then gave his wand a flick, locking all the windows and doors and putting out the candles. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring of keys, then took her hand and crossed to a small locked door. The lock turned and the door fell open to reveal a flight of stairs, George winced and closed his eyes.

"It's okay George." Luna reached out a hand and gently caressed his cheek. "You're not alone."

She smiled gently and kissed his cheek in the same place where her hand had touched only a moment before, then she took his hand in both of hers. Her back to the stairs, she lead him up them slowly, until they had reached the top. Luna pulled the keys from his free hand, and then using the same key on the ring that she had seen him use downstairs, she unlocked the upper door and let it fall open.

The room was mostly dark, only a trace of phantom light filtered in from the street below. It had a dank and musty smell from being closed off for so long. If not for the storm outside, Luna would have loved to open the windows wide, to allow the fresh, crisp, winter air to breathe life into the room that felt so oppressively sad.

George stood in the doorway, frozen in place and unwilling; or perhaps afraid, to step inside. Luna gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"It's okay George. I promise." Then, as she had with the stairs, she took his hand and lead him the rest of the way inside. She took off her cloak, and then his, hanging them on the hook next to the door and then she pulled out her wand and gave it a flick, bringing the oil lamps to life.

But for a thick layer of dust, the room was amazingly clean; considering that two young men in their early twenties had lived there. Luna suspected that this was George's doing, he was the kind of person who liked things neat and orderly, it only stood to reason his housekeeping would reflect that.

"I'd better get a fire going." George said, coming out of his daze somewhat. He went to another door, this one leading to a small porch with a set of stairs that led to the side walk, and came back a moment later with an arm full of wood.

"Would you like some help?" Luna offered, squatting down next to him.

"You must be freezing." He looked her over, she was wearing a short sleeved white sweater that made her eyes darken to a deep sapphire blue, but it did little to keep her warm. He nodded to the closed door on the left of the fireplace. "I have some extra blankets in my closet."

Luna smiled and stood once again, going to the indicated door and pushed it open. Like the front room, it was dark and musty smelling from having been closed off for so long, but it too was neat and orderly; giving proof to what she had assumed. Granted, she had no idea what Fred's room looked like, but she was willing to bet, and bet heavily, that George was the one responsible for the overall neatness of the flat.

George's personality screamed out from every corner of the little bedroom. A neatly made double bed sat in one corner, made up with soft blue sheets, a darker blue quilt and a mountain of pillows. At the foot, a soft yellow blanket lay folded neatly. Atop his dresser was an array of personal care products, a comb and a brush and several pictures of his family; more than a few of just him and Fred. The most surprising thing of all was a framed picture of Hogwarts. There was nothing special about it, it wasn't a Quidditch team picture, no Fred or George, in fact…there was no one in it at all. Just the castle…and even stranger, nothing moved, not a single tree or branch. Luna picked up the picture to look closer, perhaps there was something she was missing.

"Surprised?" George stood in the doorway, an unreadable look on his face.

"Curious."

"You knew Colin Creevey of course." George moved to her side and took the frame from her, looking at it wistfully. Luna nodded.

"When he first came to Hogwarts he had his muggle camera. Fred and I were… curious." He smiled with the memory. "It was a beautiful morning, warm for late September. The leaves were at the peak of color, the view breathtaking from the Owlery. Apparently, Colin thought so too. He let us try his camera, this is the picture I took that morning." He sighed sadly and turned away, motioning with his finger for her to follow. She didn't have to ask to know where they were going.

Fred's room, while not as neat as George's, was surprisingly clean as well. The bed was mussed as if he had just gotten out of it, a pair of jeans lay over a chair, a basket of laundry still waited to be put away in front of the dresser. Like George's room, Fred's personality rang from every corner. Fred had been the wilder, the louder of the two. Fred's desk was covered in burns and scratches, there were spots and gouges on the walls from experiments gone wrong…or perhaps right, depending on the intent.

As she stood in the middle of it, Luna couldn't help but realize that George was sharing something incredibly personal with her. This was the first time he had been back in Fred's room since his death…and he wanted her with him. It meant so very much, so much that it made her want to cry.

George walked to the dresser, a dresser adorned much like his, that in fact held many of the same pictures. He picked up a framed photograph, walked back to her side and then handed it to her. It was taken with a muggle camera, the exact same as the one that she had found in George's room. The picture was exactly the same but with one vital difference, Fred had included George in his picture. Luna looked up and smiled.

"He loved you."

"I know." George smiled back, wiped at a tear that threatened at the corner of his eye and then nodded. "And I loved him … I still love him."

"Of course you do, that isn't the kind of thing that goes away just because someone dies."

George nodded again, raising the photograph to his face to blow off the accumulated dust.

"He still loves you, you know, even if he isn't here anymore, he loves you in Heaven."

"Do you think so?"

"I don't think so, I know so."

George leaned in to kiss her, and then brushed the back of his fingers down the side of her face, wishing more than anything in the world that he could see things the same way she did. Luna was an optimist, she had the remarkable ability to believe in the unseen without doubt, no matter how many people challenged her. She was brave, and someone to be admired. Someone to be adored.

"Have I ever told you, just how amazing you are?"

"Not in those words." Luna laughed and leaned closer to rest her cheek on his shoulder. "But please don't, one of these days I might actually believe all the things you say and become horribly arrogant."

George considered arguing, but with Luna that close he could feel her gentle shivering. The fire hadn't been burning long enough to warm the entire flat yet, they would better off in front of it.

"We should wrap up in some of those blankets you never dug out of my closet. You're shivering."

"And you think cuddling with you under a bunch of blankets is going to stop me from shivering?" Luna gave him an incredulous look, then pulled away and moved towards the bedroom door.

"I should think so."

Luna turned back and winked. "Not if you are the reason I am shivering."

George watched her go, and appreciative grin on his face. One of the things he adored most about Luna was her playfulness. He sobered as he turned back, considering the room once again. Eventually he would need to decide what to do with Fred's things. He was thankful that the family hadn't taken it upon themselves to do it for him, he had half expected that he might come in here and find the room empty…they had been that worried about him over the long and horrible summer.

The room remained exactly as Fred had left it, the only thing missing was the garment bag that he had kept his best robes in. Indirectly, it was because of Luna that they had moved back out to the Burrow. Her abduction had frightened their mother enough that she had asked them to come back so as much of the family as was possible was under one roof. They had complied easily enough. The disappearance of shop keepers had been happening more and more and so they had already closed their doors. Diagon Alley had become a scary place to be by the end of December; it was strange, to think that it had been just a year, yet so very much had changed.

"George?" Luna called out from the kitchen and with a final look around, George left and closed the door. He placed the two photographs side by side on the mantle, then went to join her in the kitchen. She had pulled out a box of macaroni and some other various boxes of seasoning and mixes. They had left little food in the house, they had had no idea when they might be returning.

"There isn't much, I'm not sure I can work with this little." She turned and gave him an apologetic look "I'm sorry."

"I have some candy in the shop…but that isn't going to feed us." He leaned against the counter, considering their options. "Do you have food stocked up at your flat?"

"Yes, loads of it actually." She nodded "I haven't eaten there at all this week."

George pushed off from the counter. "Are your keys in your cloak?"

"Yes…but you can't seriously mean to go out in this storm."

"Of course I am." He looked at her like she was being absolutely daft. "It's two blocks."

"George, you can't. It's not safe."

He rolled his eyes at her.

"Then I am going with you." Luna reached for her cloak and George stopped her with a single look. Luna knew that look, this was another argument, like a few others she had had with him over the past week, that she had no hope of winning.

"Hardly the first storm I've gone out in." He went to the closet and pulled out a thick wool coat, heavy knit hat, gloves and scarf. At least he would be warmer in that than in a cloak. He went to the indoor stairwell and pulled the door open, then leaned over to kiss her goodbye.

"George, I really wish you wouldn't."

"I'll be back as soon as I can." With a quick kiss he was gone.

Luna listened to him thump down the stairs, when she heard the door at the bottom click closed she closed the upper door, kicking it stubbornly.

"Idiot." She hissed, moving to the window in time to see him walk out into the violently swirling snow. "How the hell am I supposed to marry you if you get yourself killed?"

Luna didn't move away from the window, each moment, each second that went by felt longer than the last. All she could see outside was snow, and more snow. Heavy snow carried along by the dangerously high winds. Factoring in the wind chill, it had to be far below zero, like in the double digits, and George was foolish enough to go out in it. It was stupid, they could have survived for one night without food.

The seconds ticked on and Luna's fear increased. It felt as if he had been gone hours but a glance at the clock showed that he had only been gone minutes, fifteen to be exact. Was that enough time for him to go two blocks, grab some food, and then come back? Surely it had to be…but then, he had probably taken some time to warm up, even without a fire, it had to be warmer in her flat than it was out in the storm. There was a loud pop and the street lights went dark.

'Wonderful' she thought spitefully, now George wouldn't have even the slightest light to guide him.

Another ten minutes passed, twenty-five minutes now...surely that was more than enough time, it was only two blocks. Luna twisted the silver and garnet ring on her finger, her eyes locked on the darkness outside…she could no longer see the street below.

"George, if you don't come back… I swear, I'll never forgive you."

It was too long, much too long. Luna whirled for the door, grabbing her cloak as she passed the hooks by the door, then yanked the door open.

"Where do you think you're going?" George growled at her through madly chattering teeth. "It's freezing down there, get inside."

Luna backed up and let him in, closing the door behind him. She dropped her cloak on the floor and then turned to throw herself into his arms.

"Don't." he pushed her back gently. "You'll get yourself chilled. Let me get this stuff off."

His face was a horrible deep red from the cold, wind bitten and raw. His eyes bloodshot, his lips blue. Even under the heavy gloves, his hands were red. His entire body shook with violent shivers, so badly that he couldn't manage the buttons on his coat. Luna pulled the bags from his hands, set them on the floor, and then unbuttoned the coat herself.

"You're frozen." She pulled him to the fire and then pushed him down into a chair, kneeling in front of him to pull off his shoes. "I told you not to go out there."

He shrugged nonchalantly and grinned down at her, "I'm hungry."

"Yeah?" Luna looked up at him angrily, it had only been twenty-five minutes...but she had lived and died a thousand deaths in those minutes. It had never hit her before, letting George into her heart also meant opening herself up to the possibility of more loss. If something happened to him … she couldn't even think the words. A sudden ferocious fire leapt into her eyes. How dare he be so nonchalant about something that was so vital to her?

"Well, you're stupid too!" she spat angrily as she rose to her feet. If she had found something close enough, she might have thrown it at him.

"Luna." George looked up at her, flabbergasted. "What did I do?"

"Nothing." She picked up the bag and went into the kitchen. She had always been an angry cook, chopping and slicing had always seemed a more constructive way to take out her anger than hexing the hell out of the people who annoyed her…considering how lengthy that list could be at times.

George wasn't the type to just let her walk away. He was out of the chair and standing in front of her before she could take two steps.

"Tell me what's wrong."

"Go back under the blankets."

"Not till you tell me what's wrong."

"George…" Luna looked up at him and her anger dissolved. She had always been that way, quick to anger, but even quicker to let it go. It wasn't George's fault that she was afraid of losing someone else she cared about. She moved closer and put her arms around his still shivering body. He was still so cold. "You're freezing, you need to go back under the blankets."

He pulled the bag out of her hand, lifted her up into his arms and carried her to the chair by the fire and then sat down with her in his lap.

"Did you really mean it when you said that you would marry me someday?"

"Well…of all the things to ask." A flare of anger rekindled; Luna looked at him indignantly "Of course I did."

"Then if you are planning on being married to me, you can't hide things from me." He gave her a stern, stubborn expression. "That is not the way I do things, and to be perfectly honest, I didn't think you did either."

"I don't."

"Then tell me why you were mad a moment ago."

Luna felt a fresh flare of anger "Because you're stupid."

"Yes, I got that part." George rolled his eyes, she could be so damned stubborn when she wanted to be. "Now tell me the rest."

"There was no real reason for you to go out in the storm." Luna braced herself for the excuses she knew were coming. " It was stupid, we could have gone without food for one night."

"But…"

Luna pulled back and arched an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted to know why I was angry?"

"I do."

"Then be quiet and let me tell you."

George couldn't help grinning. "Sorry. Go ahead."

"Thank you." Her tone was sarcastic, but her eyes were afraid. "When you were gone, I was … worried… that something had happened."

"You were afraid."

"Yes, I was afraid. It made me realize that I could lose you too and I've lost enough to last me a lifetime." She raised her chin and looked him in the eyes, her tone steely tough, her eyes still lost in the fear that he had seen settle in them a moment before. "Be as nonchalant as you wish, but your devil may care attitude about your well being pisses me off."

George was stunned speechless. She was right, so very right to be angry with him. He had always been that way, so blasé about things that should have been taken much more seriously. He of all people knew just how fragile life was now, like delicate spun glass…it could be whole and beautiful one moment, then shattered and destroyed the next. He knew that better that anyone.

"I'm sorry." He said simply, his eyes locked into hers with remorse, begging for forgiveness. " You're right, I wasn't thinking."

"You're all I have George. If I lost you, I would be alone again."

"That's not true." He shook his head and pulled her closer, her face held in his hands. "You're one of us now, a Weasley…maybe not in name, but in intention. If something happened to me, you would still have them, but nothing is going to happen to me. I'm not going to leave you."

"You can't promise that." She shook her head, her bottom lip trembling slightly. "Neither of us can."

"No…I guess we can't." George looked to the fireplace at the two pictures that sat side by side. Next to them was a picture of him and Fred as babies only minutes old, safe in their mothers arms. Their whole lives had been in front of them, hopes and dreams not even dreamed yet, now one of them was gone. It was a brutal reminder that what Luna was saying was true. It was far too damned true. "All we can do is live the best we can while we can."

"Carpe Deum." She whispered. George nodded slowly, his thumb brushing her cheek gently.

"Carpe Deum."

Like an ever present shadow, the words were there again. The words that had been at the tip of her tongue since the moment of their first kiss. She…they both…had been fighting them since. In their minds, they knew it was too soon, even with the promise of a future on her finger now, their minds screamed

'TOO SOON!'

Their hearts…their hearts were another matter. Their hearts knew that the words had been building, not since their first kiss, but from the moment George had followed her that night in Diagon Alley. If asked, neither would say that they believed in soul mates… that was far too corny, far too impractical for thinkers like them. At least that was what they would have said a week ago, before they met one another again. Now, well…now they weren't so sure about anything anymore.

That wasn't exactly true; there was one thing they were very sure of. Life was too short, life was unfair, and life very rarely gave second chances. It kept coming back to two words…the words that were Luna's mothers favorite words of wisdom.

Carpe Deum….Seize the moment.

The words mixed together in Luna's mind, her mothers wisdom and the words she was afraid to say and was afraid to not say at the same time. The words stood between them, floating on the air as they stared into one another's eyes, pale silver into light brown, and Luna realized that it was already too late, the words were already out there, they had been for a long time. The act of saying them was just a technicality.

She closed her eyes and kissed him softly on the lips, loving the feeling when his hand slid from her cheek and into her hair. In a moment she would pull away, she would look back into his eyes and then she would say what she needed so desperately to say, what she had been forcing herself not to say for the past week. Once the words were spoken everything would change, it would be better, but it would still be different. The commitment between them would be more real, it would be more complex. She wanted that change, she longed for the deeper bond it would bring …but for just a second more, she basked in the simplicity.

With a deep breath she pulled away, brushing his cheek with her fingers as she did. She opened her eyes, looking deeply into his once again, and then she smiled.

'Where do you stand on destiny George?'

Molly's words reverberated in George's ears…he had been telling himself for days that it was too soon, but as he looked into her eyes…he realized, if anything, it wasn't soon enough.

"I love you Luna."

A trickle of tears broke from her eyes as she laughed, it was so fitting, so much like them… as always, George had understood. He had known what she was thinking the whole time. Her throat was tight, and she swallowed, hoping the motion would loosen it enough to give her the ability to speak.

It was hoarse, barely a whisper… but it was enough.

"I love you too George."

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Chapter Thirteen Preview

The continuing

storm brings unforeseen

complications.

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