Author's Note: Thank you guys for the love! Thank you to Collectorofkeys, Lea Theo, Melindena and philly93 for favoriting the story. Thank you to Collectorofkeys, Liljackandpepsi, Melindena, RedRiver21, ndavis77, and philly93 for following the story. Special thank you so so much to ndavis77, Team-Switzerland1008, pianomouse, and guest for reviewing. The reviews are always what keep a writer writing.
Again everything in italics is a flashback and regular font is present day. Today's song on repeat was Evanescence-Hello followed by Red-Pieces. I highly recommend listening to them while reading and in that order.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
George lay awake watching Hermione sleep, nestled in the crook of his arms. It had been almost 6 months since the first night they had slept together and it had been happening ever since. Every day and night found them wrapped in each other's arms in a drunken stupor. She had never stopped calling him Fred and he had never corrected her.
The last months had been what he considered a gift, it had been a chance to step into Fred's shoes and see a whole side to him that he had never known; through Hermione, and he could see why his twin had become so smitten with the younger witch. She had never even been so much as a blip on his radar before all of this, Ron and Fred had both been interested in her so she hadn't even been an option. In the beginning he had warned Fred that she hadn't even been an option for Fred himself.
"What are you grinning about?" George asked his twin as he sat next to him in the Great Hall.
"Just heard that our little Granger over there punched Malfoy in the nose. Right proud I am." Fred said, piling food onto his plate. George laughed at him and started piling food onto his plate as well.
"Proud big brother moment eh?" He asked. He noticed that Fred had paused, his fork halfway to his mouth, before he turned to face his twin with a horrified expression on his face.
"No not a big brother moment. Granger is not our little sister."
"She might as well be tho, we both know ickle Ronnikins has a crush on her, he'll probably make her part of the family eventually." George laughed. Fred just stared at him.
"They're thirteen George! For Merlin's sake. Besides there's no way she'll fall for Ron. She's too smart for him."
Now it was George's turn to stare at him. It was a few minutes before George spoke again, this time his voice was hushed so no one else could hear him.
"Don't go there Fred. She's not yours to have a crush on."
"She's not his either."
Hermione poked her head out of the bedroom at the sound of incessant knocking at the door. George had gone down to help Verity with the shop and it was just her in the flat. She went to open the door and was met with the faces of Ginny and Harry.
"Hermione! We didn't know if you would be here." Ginny exclaimed.
"Where else would I be? We didn't know you would be coming by today. Fred is down in the shop." Hermione moved over to let Ginny and Harry into the flat.
Ginny and Harry shared a worried look. Even though it was apparent Hermione had just showered since her hair was still wet, it was obvious she smelt of fire whiskey. They looked around the flat and noticed that there was a bottle on the kitchen table and a different bottle on a coffee table in the living room.
"George. You mean George is down in the shop." Harry said. Hermione froze and her eyes narrowed at the couple.
"Is that supposed to be some kind of sick joke?" She asked Harry.
Just as Harry went to open his mouth to respond the door that lead down to the shop opened and George walked in. Ginny went to give him a hug and noticed that he too smelt of firewhiskey.
"What's going on up here?" George asked, going to stand next to Hermione. He placed a kiss to her temple and an arm around her to stop her from shaking.
"We could ask you the same thing George." Ginny said, stressing his name.
"Maybe you guys could come over to the burrow for dinner tonight. I think it would be healthy for you guys to get out of this flat for a little while." Harry said, putting a hand on Ginny's shoulder pulling her to his side.
"I don't think that's a good idea." George said. Ginny teared up and she walked up and hit George in the chest.
"You think this is a good idea?! You are both drowning in your grief! You need your family George. You both need help." She cried.
Finally Hermione broke and pulled away from George and just stared at Ginny as if she had slapped her.
"Why are you guys doing this? Why do you keep calling him George? Stop it! George died! Don't you think Fred has been through enough?!" She yelled at them. Then she turned and walked into Fred's room and slammed the door. Ginny and Harry just stared open mouthed at George.
"This has gone on too far. It's much worse than we thought. Get her help George, or we will." Harry said, sternly grabbing Ginny's hand and pulling her out the door.
George sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He could hear Hermione sobbing inside of Fred's room.
"That was a quick bath." George said, as Fred ran into their room.
"Granger busted me. She was already in there."
"I knew we'd get caught eventually. Did she give you detention?" George laughed.
"She threatened it. But it wasn't very threatening considering she was standing there in her knickers." Fred grinned.
George spit out the pumpkin juice he had just taken a sip of and spun around so that he was facing Fred.
"Did you walk in on her?!"
"Sure did. I didn't think anyone was in there. Let me just say she's hiding a lot under those robes." Fred said, laying on his bed with a cheesy grin on his face.
George looked over to his twin and narrowed his eyes at him.
"Fred." He said warningly.
"He's had more than enough time to figure out how he feels about her George." Fred said softly.
George watched his brother's face for a while before turning back to his cauldron where he had been making a new batch of canary creams.
"You really fancy her don't you?" He asked.
"Yea I really do."
His breathing quickened as she drew him back into her mouth fully. His hands were wrapped in her curls and she was using her hands to grip his hips to help control her pace.
"Hermione…stop…"
As if she knew exactly what he was meant, she withdrew her mouth and licked the tip of his member before blowing on it gently. Satisfied with the shiver that ran through him she climbed up his body and straddled his waist.
George looked up at her, her hair falling softly around her face, her lips full and her breathing heavily. She was so beautiful. He reached up and pulled her down to kiss him, positioning her hips and gently helping her lower herself onto him. She sucked in a deep breath as he filled her and her eyes rolled back in her head as she moaned.
She rocked her hips with extra force so she was taking him in fully with each thrust. He propped himself up on his elbows and used them to push himself into a halfway seated position against all the pillows at the head of the bed, allowing himself inside her deeper. He reached around her back and brought her down to him, her full breasts right above his face. He leaned up and took one into his mouth and brought a hand to the other, massaging them both with his hands and his mouth.
She picked up her pace and he could tell she was close. He lifted his hips to meet hers and rubbed his thumb over her sensitive spot to give her more stimulation. She cried out and he felt her walls tighten over him, pumping his release into her.
She stayed upright for a few moments before slumping over and nuzzling into his side. They were in Fred's room again, in fact they never seemed to sleep or do anything else in his room. Always in Fred's. He reached up to run his hands through her hair and brushed his lips against her forehead.
"I love you." She whispered.
"I love you too." He whispered back.
"So was it everything you dreamed and more?" George teased, as Fred came back to the common room from being stuck under the mistletoe with Hermione.
"More…definitely more." Fred grinned.
"Ron is going to murder you when he finds out." George said.
"Ron isn't going to find out. Cause she isn't going to tell him and I certainly am not going to tell him and you aren't going to tell him." Fred said.
"They saw you guys under the mistletoe Fred, not even Ron is that daft."
"Right, which is why she's just going to say that it was a quick peck and nothing more."
"Just how much more was it?" George asked. Fred turned and grinned at him.
"A right proper snog if I do say so myself."
Three weeks after Ginny and Harry had dropped by they were awoken to another loud knocking at their door.
"Open the bloody door now before I blow it open!" They could hear Ron shouting from outside.
Hermione looked up at George questioningly. Neither of them had seen or heard from Ron since that night at the burrow where George had told everyone about Fred and Hermione. As far as George knew Ron had left shortly after that night and hadn't really spoken to anyone in the family.
They both climbed out of the bed and George went to go answer the door while Hermione went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of fire whiskey. She leaned against the wall connecting the kitchen to the living room as Ron stormed into the flat.
"You are one sick git you know that?! Where is she?" Ron demanded.
"I'm right here Ron what are you going on about?" She asked.
He turned towards her and she got a good look at him for the first time in months. His eyes looked sunken in and his skin was pale. He looked like he hadn't shaved in weeks.
"Ginny and Harry told me what was going on here!" He roared.
"And what exactly did they say is going on here?" George asked him.
"They said you two are nothing but a couple of drunks who are playing house together. That you're pretending to be Fred and that YOU actually believe Fred is still alive!" He yelled, pointing at them both respectively.
"Do NOT upset her Ron. Or I swear I'll-"
"You'll what? I think you've done enough damage George. I can't believe you would do this. Fred wouldn't want this! He would be ashamed of you!"
"How dare you tell me what he would and wouldn't want! You have NO IDEA what Fred wanted!" George yelled back at him.
"Both of you stop it! Ron are you crazy?! What is wrong with all of you?! This IS Fred! George died during the battle why do you all insist it's the other way around?! You've all gone mental!" Hermione yelled at Ron.
"Look at you Hermione! You're so drunk all the time you can't even tell the difference between them! This isn't healthy! For either of you! This has to stop now!" Ron yelled back at her.
"I know the difference! None of you could ever tell them apart! But I know because Fred has his scar! Right here…" She walked up to George and lifted a hand to the space where Fred's scar had been. She trailed off as she noticed for the first time that it wasn't there.
"Fred why are you hiding your scar?" She whispered.
"He isn't Fred Hermione!"
"Ronald leave now!" She yelled at him.
"I think you should go." George said to him, still looking into Hermione's eyes.
"No! I'm not leaving until you come with me. We're going to get you help." Ron said, moving towards them.
"Get out!" She screamed at him, she slapped him across the face as he came closer, stopping him in his tracks. His eyes narrowed at her and then moved to focus on George.
"You both need help." He said, his voice cracking. As he left, Hermione sank to the floor in tears.
"She's gone." Fred said sadly, more to himself than to George.
They had all been moved to Number 12 Grimmauld Place after the attack on the burrow at the wedding, and the twins were sitting up up in their shared room on the third floor.
"You knew that they were going to be leaving." George said softly.
"I know. I just didn't expect it to be so soon. The last thing I said to her George…I'm such a git."
"She knows you didn't mean it Fred."
"Does she though? All I've done lately is snap at her and now she's on the run for who knows how long holed up in a tent with Ron."
"She would never betray you, you know that. You're going to drive yourself mad if you keep thinking about it. She loves you." George put his hand on his twin's back in comfort.
"What if something happens to her? What if one of us dies in this stupid war? What if I never get to see her again?" Fred pulled a small black box out of his pocket and fumbled with it.
"You have to believe that it won't. She'll come back with Harry and Ron and you'll get to put that ring on her finger and be the one to make her part of the family. Mom will be overjoyed. Ginny will finally truly have the sister she's always wanted. Ron will get over being upset when he sees how happy you two are together. It will be ok Fred."
They sat in silence for another hour before going to sleep but neither of them were actually sleeping. Both lay in their beds just looking up at the ceiling before Fred broke the silence once again.
"If something happens to me promise me you'll take care of her?" Fred asked. George looked over at Fred who was still looking up at the ceiling.
"Nothing is going to happen." He stated again.
"But if something does, I want her to be happy. Just make sure she's happy. Can you do that for me Forge?"
"Geesh leave the pressure on me to make her a Weasley? That's asking an awful lot Gred. I mean she would be getting the better end of the deal since I'm the more handsome twin." He grinned over at Fred. Fred laughed and shook his head.
"I said make sure she's happy not take my place you prat. Although at least I know she'd be in good hands."
"Well you won't have to worry about it because nothing is going to happen."
"I'm scared George. I'm scared for her, for Ron and Harry, for all of us."
"Me too Fred. Me too."
"Why can't anyone accept that he's gone?!" Hermione sobbed on the floor. George just looked at her with pain filled eyes and moved to take the glass of fire whiskey from her hands.
"Why did you conceal your scar? We can prove that it's you and not George. Why do they all insist on hurting us this way Fred? I don't understand!" She shouted at him.
George felt his mouth go dry and he felt like his fire whiskey haze was starting to clear for the first time in months.
"Fred!" Hermione said loudly.
He turned away from her and walked to his room, his room not Fred's room, and looked around. It was the first time he had been in it in ages. Hermione had picked herself up off the ground and followed him but she stood frozen in the doorway, still crying.
"I'm not Fred." He whispered. If he would have turned to look at her he would have noticed the shocked expression she wore on her face.
"What are you talking about Fred? Have you gone mad? Have they finally driven you mental?" She crossed the room and turned him to look at her.
"I'm not Fred." He repeated.
"Stop it. You're scaring me." She whispered.
"I'M NOT FRED!" This time he shouted it at her. He turned and knocked everything off the nightstand. He started pulling things off the walls and breaking anything he could find.
"He's gone! He's dead! Fred is dead! I'm not Fred Hermione…I'm George. I'm George." He kept repeating over and over as he trashed the room.
Hermione watched him destroy the room, silent tears streaming down her face. George finally collapsed on the bed and started sobbing into his hands. Ron was right, Fred would have been ashamed of him.
He felt Hermione kneel in front of him and take his hands into hers. He looked at her as she cupped his hands and placed her lips on them.
"Maybe we should get you some help. Maybe talking to someone will help you cope with George's death. We can go to St. Mungo's tonight, and after we can go on a holiday somewhere warm. You always said you wanted to go on Safari." Hermione rambled in a small voice. He listened to her go on and on before he finally caught her face in his hands and forced her to look at him.
"Will you go with me?" He asked her. She nodded at him with a smile on her face.
"Of course I will Fred. You don't have to go through this alone. I'll pack us some bags, and I'm going to owl your Mother. I think they need to talk to someone as well don't you think?" She asked him, standing and heading in the direction of Fred's room while wiping her tears.
George could only nod at her in agreement. Before she made it all the way out the door he called for her to wait. She turned and looked at him hesitantly.
"I love you Hermione." George said.
"I love you too…Fred."
George sighed in relief as he saw his brother running across the hall, a big grin on his face.
"What happened to you Fred?! You were right behind me then you were gone!" George yelled out.
"I saw them! Hermione and Ron! I had to talk to her." Fred yelled back at him. George grinned.
"Did you ask her?"
"Of course I did. She said yes." Fred replied with the biggest grin on his face.
"I'm happy for you Gred! What did ickle Ronnikins have to say about that?" George asked.
"He didn't see anything. We're just going to tell everyone after this is over." Fred said.
"You don't think he's going to notice the shiny ring on her finger all of a sudden?" George yelled at him, blocking a curse coming his way. They kept running in the direction they last had seen their parents.
"She made me keep the ring. Told me to come find her when this is all over." Fred said. Suddenly he stopped and pointed.
"There's Percy! Let's go!"
George and Hermione walked hand in hand into St. Mungo's and went up the ward for grief counseling. Molly and Arthur had been more than pleased to see that they had received an owl from Hermione and the whole Weasley family had shown up to show their support.
Hermione wouldn't let go of George's hand and had shied away from everyone, glaring at Ron. Two different Healers had come out to them with nurses who had taken their bags.
"Miss Granger you're going to be coming with me and Mr. Weasley you will be with Healer Neiche." One of the Healers who had introduced herself as Healer Leaven said.
Hermione gripped George's hand tighter. He put his arm around her and kissed the side of her head.
"It's going to be ok love. I'll be better before you know it and then we can go on that safari you promised." He whispered in her ear.
"I don't want to go." She sounded scared.
"You promised me remember? You promised you wouldn't make me go through this alone?"
"I know. I'm just scared Fred."
"Don't be love. It will all be ok. We will be ok." He assured her. She nodded and unwrapped herself from him, stepping forward hesitantly towards the Healer.
"We will visit every day, we promise." Harry called out to her. She turned and gave him a small smile before disappearing into the room.
George turned towards his family and nodded at them. Molly and Arthur came forward to hug their son, tears streaming down their faces. Next he gave a hug to Ginny and Harry, who promised that they would visit him as well. Last was Ron, who was standing there with a stony look on his face.
"Thank you." He simply said. Ron stared at him for a few moments before breaking down and nodding while reaching out to hug him.
George turned and followed the other Healer into his own room. As the door closed behind him he felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.
3 months later
"So how would you describe your feelings for Miss Granger now?" Healer Neiche asked.
George contemplated his answer for a moment before smiling and answering.
"It's crazy to think about you know? After we detoxed and got physically healthy again and you guys let us start seeing each other finally, I had always thought that my feelings would have changed. That I would no longer see her through the eyes of Fred but through my own and I would go back to not thinking of her in a romantic way. But I found myself thinking that I've never seen her so beautiful as that first day you let us see each other. Because I was looking at her so clearly, I was able to see her truly for the first time. Without one of my brothers fancying her and without the haze of alcohol.
For a time I actually had lost myself and started to believe that I truly was Fred. She made me believe that I was him but I don't see it as a bad thing. I love my brother and I feel honored that she ever thought that I was good enough to be him.
I feel like she's a gift. It may sound stupid but I feel as though Fred wrapped her in a ribbon just for me. Their love for each other makes it possible for his memory to live on. Through her I feel like he's still around. Sometimes I wonder if that was always Fred's intentions when he asked me to look after her. Because somehow he always knew that we would need each other." George paused and looked thoughtfully out the window of the small room.
"You still haven't answered how you feel about her." The Healer said. George smiled and brushed his hair out of his eyes.
"I love her. I love her for her, as me, as George."
Author's Note: This was such an emotional chapter to write! Please review and let me know what you thought. I think I wanna do one more chapter, a shorter chapter, to kind of bring it all together. Let me know what your thoughts are!