Chapter 25

The minute George had apparated back to the Burrow he had fallen to the ground, his shirt now completely blood stained. The last thing he remembered before everything went dark was his mother practically running towards him with the most worried look on her face he had ever seen. She even looked more worried than the time in his 4th year when Ginny had been taken to the Chamber of Secrets; which seemed stupid. That was a far worse problem than him being cursed by a now dead Death Eater.

George P.O.V

I'm not even sure if I'm awake or asleep right now. It feels like a dream, but at the same time it doesn't feel anything like a dream, I guess it could just be reality…but I'm pretty sure this is a dream, due to the fact that I look about 15 years old and I'm standing in Ashley's bedroom. Merlin, I forgot that she had bright white walls, it's hurting my eyes just bloody staring at it, and the fact that there are vivid red Gryffindor banners all over the walls doesn't help either. Wait, why am I even here? Not that I can control my dreams of course, but this certainly seems like a weird place to come back too…hold on, what's that noise?
'George! Get out of my room!' her voice yelled 'I don't trust you in there!' apparently not much has changed in the last 5 years.
'I'm not doing anything!' my voice yells for me, I think I remember this actually – it was right before we were meant to start sixth year, I think this is when she was packing to come to the Burrow. Wait, wait, wait – surely if I can remember this it's not a dream? Is it a flashback?
Can you even have flashbacks when you're awake? I've never really thought about it. But this definitely isn't a dream – it's too real.
'That's exactly what you always say!' her voice yells again, at least I was consistent in my lying.
'Well I'm not doing anything! I swear!' my voice says again. As soon as I finish my sentence, Ash walks into the room, she looks me up and down, then frowns. Before I can say anything she looks into the trunk on her bed – searching through it, obviously finding nothing.
'I don't believe you' she stated, then walked around her room, checking every single place to see if I'd hidden anything. After that she walked right up to me, then dug her hands in the front pockets on my jeans, looking for products most probably. 15 year old me suddenly went a bright red colour...Noooooo, younger me. .even. ASHLEY IS 15 IN THIS DREAM. Think of Percy, think of Percy, think of Percy.
'Okay, for once you're actually telling the truth' she smirked
'I tell the truth a lot of the time! You just never believe me when I do'
'Because I'm never quite sure when you're lying about telling the truth or telling the truth about telling the truth' she said, both 15 year old me and current me were confused at this point.
'What?'
'Nevermind. Basically I'm never sure when you're lying or not – I still remember the first time I met you, and you said you were Fred.'
'Well me and Fred always change that around' I smirked, 'Surely you've learnt?'
'Of course I've learnt' she said, rolling her eyes at me before grinning.
'Well, I promise that I've never ever lied to you.'
'Pinky promise?' she asked, holding out her little finger
'Really? Are you 5 years old?' I smirked
'Do not insult the bond of the pinky!' she said, trying to stay straight faced before she burst out laughing. 'Just do it, okay?'
'Peer pressure' I smirked, although I still hooked my little finger around hers
'Thank you' she said 'Was that really that hard?'
'I think my manliness decreased slightly, but other than that – no, it wasn't difficult'
'Your manliness?' she scoffed 'I don't think I've ever seen you act manly' she smirked
'I resent that!'
'Oh yeah? Give me one time you've acted like a man' she said, smirking when I stayed silent
'Well there was – erm … no, that was you. How about when - …Ginny'
'Take your time' she smirked, sitting down on her bed with her legs crossed
'I am manly!'
'I'm yet to hear or see and example' she smirked
'Well what would you define as being manly?' I asked, causing a thoughtful look to cross her face as she bit down on her lip
'I'm not sure – I've always thought that being upfront with feelings is quite manly and brave and such.'
'Feelings about?'
'I don't know – anything, I guess. Like, when Fred told Angelina he liked her, in my opinion I think that was manly' she said, giving a light hearted shrug
'I thought girls hated that stuff?'
'You think that girls hate it when a guy proclaims his feelings towards a girl, showing her that he only really wants her and telling her what he likes about her? Do you not know girls, George?'
'Well, I know you … you've never really mentioned anything about who you like' I muttered, causing her to turn a light pink colour
'W-well I've never really mentioned it b-because you and Fred would p-probably tease me for it'
'I wouldn't' I said, sitting down next to her 'Tell meeeee'
'I can't!'
'Why not?' I whined
'Because – because I can't.' she said, lifting her head up and facing me
'Give me a reason' I murmured, SHIT. I REMEMBER THIS NOW.
'W-well' she blushed a deep red 'It's none of your business.'
'I'm your best friend. It's all my business.'
'Well – I, I just c-can't tell you'
'Why not?!'
'Because – erm, you're not manly enough to handle it' she smirked,
'Well, how about I prove my manliness and then you tell me?'
'I'm sure that'd be fine – but how will you-' this is it, right? This is when I have to kiss her and prove my "manliness" to her, considering she's a weirdo and won't tell me until I do. So, if I kiss her, then that's it. I've done it and then we'll just go forward from there – unless she doesn't like me and Fred was lying, would Fred lie about that stuff? Whatever, I just need to do it '-prove it?' Ashley finished, raising her eyebrows at me.
'Well, I was thinking something along the lines of this' I said, leaning forwards and kissing her.

Normal P.O.V

George woke up suddenly. He sat straight upright in bed, looking confused for a few seconds before realising that what had just happened was, in fact, a dream. He then remembered what had happened before he had fainted at the door. He then had the realisation that Ashley was most probably dead, unless in some lucky turn of events she had lived. He quickly got out of bed, picked up a jumper off the floor and pulled it over his head, then pulled on a pair of trousers. He continued to run out of his room and down the stairs into the kitchen, coming face-to-face with a very angry looking Mrs Weasley.
'George Weasley you idiotic boy!' she yelled, although he wasn't paying much attention at this point. He was already worrying about Ashley. 'You could have been killed! I told you NOT to go after her, and what do you do? Completely ignore me and go anyway! MUCH LIKE YOU ARE DOING NOW, GEORGE!' it was at this point he realised she was trying to talk to him.
'Sorry, mum' he muttered, looking down at the ground. Mrs Weasley suddenly felt sympathetic towards one of her youngest sons.
'It's alright, dear. I understand why you did it, even if I don't entirely approve of your actions'
'Is she alright?' he asked 'Ashley?'
'She's -' Mrs Weasley began
'Merlin! She really is dead isn't she?!' George exclaimed,
'George -'
'What am I going to do!?'
'GEORGE'
'What?'
'She's not dead!'
'Really?!' he said, a grin spreading across his face
'Really' Mrs Weasley confirmed, rolling her eyes slightly 'She isn't awake yet, still asleep in Percy's room, she might be awake soon though -' before she could finish her sentence, however, George had ran off towards Percy's old room, where Ashley was currently unconscious.
He entered the room to see that Ashley was lying on the bed, looking very similar to how she did in the old house, completely pale and unmoving. He had a momentary lapse of panic before remembering what his mother had told him. She was completely fine, and that she was going to wake up soon, although this didn't seem to calm him down at all. He slowly walked over to where she was lying and sat on the edge of the bed. All of a sudden there were tears rolling down his face, he quickly wiped his eyes and told himself off internally for crying over this when he knew she was fine.
'I'm sorry I didn't trust you, Ash' he said to the still figure, then took her hand in his 'I was a complete idiot and I regret it more than anything. If it wasn't for that, you'd probably still be here with me instead of wherever you are in your head right now. You have no idea how much I want you back here with me, you honestly don't. I love you, Ashley.' he added, then leaned down and pressed a light kiss against her lips, before standing up and walking out of the room.

Ashley P.O.V

This feels weird...I know I'm not dead, but I'm definitely not asleep or anything.
What's the place between life and death called? Limbo?
I'm probably wrong with that actually.
Wait, I think Limbo's the place between Heaven and Hell...

Well I know what I mean.
This is the point where I kinda wish I'd been Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor.
I would have learnt so much more without knowing Fred and George.
But then again, if I hadn't have known Fred and George then Hogwarts would have completely sucked, I probably would have ended up being friends with some stuck up Ravenclaws or something like that.
Wait…what if I had never met Fred and George? I can't imagine them not being there.
Well … I guess I can imagine Fred not being there – considering that's the situation right now, although I really wish it wasn't.
He was in my life for practically 15 years. Now he's just gone and it doesn't make any sense to me at all, how can someone be here one second, then gone the next? That's the part that always confused me about death. How quick it was. How you could be here and living one second; then the next you could be nothing. Gone.
I wonder if I'm gone yet. Maybe it would be better if I was, being gone would be easier than being alive. It's too difficult dealing with the being alive shit, everything just fucks up eventually and you can't fix it. Besides, what am I actually living for anyway? My parents don't even bother with me anymore, neither does anyone else. The only people who I think ever really gave a shit were Fred and George, but now one of them's gone and the other one hates me.
I guess I wish I could talk to someone about the fact that Fred's gone; but the only person I would want to talk to it about would be George. And I definitely can't talk to him about Fred, I'm supposed to be the one acting all strong and making sure he's okay, not the other way around.
Wait … is that what I'm living for? George? I mean, there has to be some reason as to why I haven't just completely given up yet – and George seems like the most logical reason. His two best friends can't both leave him within the space of a few months.

SO. Here you go. 'Nother chapter.
Thanks for all the reviews so far, feel free to review more though ;)
Sorry if I'm dragging this out - but I want to make sure that there's like, proper closure on it. Hence why there's currently about 10 more chapters (I apologise)
So...that is all I have to say on this.
PEACE OUT.