Eternal Love

Part twelve

A few months had passed since the Battle of Hogwarts. The more days that went by, the less real it all felt. It was difficult to believe Voldemort was gone, my parents had left me, and the Death Eaters were no longer of service. But above all, it was most difficult to believe Fred Really was gone. Forever. Everyday, I missed him more, knowing I couldn't be with him. I knew he was with us in the only way possible, but all I wanted was for him to hold my face in his hands and tell me he was right here and not going anywhere. I longed to be able to feel his safe embrace again, and his touch, and his lips against mine, but that was all a fairytale. Nothing more than a dream. I knew George was struggling. He had lost a piece of himself that dreadful night. And Ginny, she just needed her big brother back. I had also never seen Percy like this, I always thought he didn't get bothered by many things, but at night I could hear him sobbing, along with George. I stayed in Ginny's room, and constantly comforted her, that I barely got any time to think for myself, except the very early hours of the morning, where I lay in my bed and prayed that this was all a nightmare. However, despite how many prayers and hopes raced around my mind, it was useless. Today, George and I were planning to reopen Weasley Wizard Wheezes, for Fred. As I sat up, I could hear George already wandering around his room, hopelessly, again. He constantly paced around his room, particularly by Fred's bed. We all were expecting it to be Fred's best prank yet, but the more I thought about it like that, the more broken I felt, as he would never in his wildest dreams attempt to scare us like that, however we still hoped it was. I crept out of Ginny's room, knowing she was still asleep, and opened the door. I walked through the hallway to George and Fred's room. I knocked quietly on the door.
"Hello?" George sobbed.
"It's me, y/n," I responded. "Can I come in?"
"Yeah."
I opened the bedroom door to find him sat in agony on the end of Fred's bed. He mourned Fred so badly. I was the only person he could open up to and feel safe, because everyone else would burst into tears. I always held mine back and remained strong so George didn't have to bottle up how he truly felt.
"Hey Georgie," I said as I sat beside him.
"I have this for you, y/n," he quickly answered.
It was a small box. He handed it to me. "Can I open it?" I asked.
"Yes of course," he laughed.
Carefully, I ripped open the box to find a blue, cotton jumper that was neatly sewn to perfection. I pulled it out and turned it over. In the middle was a golden yellow 'F'. It had belonged to Fred. "Aww, George," I sobbed. "I love it."
As I held the jumper to my heart, a shimmering tear trickled down the side of my cheek. George wiped it away and hugged me. As soon as he let go, I put the jumper on and hugged myself. It still smelt strongly of Fred.
"Come on George. We really should reopen the shop for Fred," I supported him.
He nodded. I accompanied him downstairs, where he greeted Molly.
"Morning, Fred..." Molly hesitated as soon as she said 'Fred'. George began to cry, and Molly did as well, which made me cry. "I'm sorry, George," she spoke.
It was heartbreaking watching the Weasleys forget Fred had died, and keep getting George mixed up. As well, George would always start a joke, and would wait for Fred to finish it for a second, before going quiet, remembering Fred wasn't next to him. He had also broken all the mirrors in the house, for they were only a reminder of Fred's death, because when he looked into one, he saw Fred's reflection staring back at him, and he imagined it to smile. "We are going to the joke shop," George mumbled, breaking the silence. "With, y/n."
"Okay," Molly accepted.
We used flew powder to travel quickly to Diagon Alley, where we saw the shop. It looked sad, and the mannequin at the front was still. George followed me to the front door, which I unlocked with Fred's spare key. I headed inside first, and turned on all the lights, and flicked the switch to make the outside mannequin move again. Shortly after, George came through the door. "We should start stocking the shelves again," he said.
I watched as he went out back and came back in with boxes of gummy eyeballs, fireworks, balloons with a 'W' on, explosives, muggle magic, flew powder, love potions and several of their tricks such as Puking Pastilles. I began to stock a few shelves with Fainting Fancies, Fever Fudges, Nosebleed Nougats And Puking Pastilles, whilst George stocked the stained glass statue with pink, bubbly love potions. Considering he was looking at the products him and Fred had made together, he was doing quite well to keep it together. Or so I thought. I could hear sobbing from behind me, and turned immediately to find George gazing around the shop at all the walls he painted alongside Fred, the sweets they had made, the flew powder they found, the potions they brewed. Everything in this shop they had completed together. "Georgie," I whispered. "Freddie wouldn't want us to be sad."
Despite the fact that I had told him Fred wouldn't want us to be sad, I was still heartbroken for the boy I loved experienced his untimely death. "Come on, I'm gonna open the shop."
I walked over to the door and changed the sign to 'OPEN'. People were waiting around outside to come in, because so many of them had loved this shop, especially kids. Though in all fairness, both George and Fred were brilliant with kids, so I presumed that's why they did all this. I spotted a redhead in the doorway, with two other people: a male and a female.
"Ron, Hermione, Harry!" I shouted as I ran through the shop towards them. "You're here!"
"Yeah, I've come to help out because I know George will struggle just you two," Ron assisted.
"Thank you Ron," I smiled. "He's over there." I pointed to the Muggle Magic section, and Ron nodded and pushed past a few customers.
"I'll go help Ron and George," Hermione smiled. She brushed past me and headed towards the two redheads. It was weird seeing both of them there, because when I saw two tall redheads, I always knew it was the twins, but now I would only ever see one tall one, as Ron was surprisingly short compared to George. "Harry, can I ask you something?" I questioned Harry.
"Sure, anything."
I grabbed his wrist and pulled him behind the counter, notching George quickly come over and stand near me, whilst stocking more Puking Pastilles.
"You've died technically, right?" I asked randomly.
"Well technically if you count during the Battle of Hogwarts, why?"
"Do you think it hurt Fred? You know, when he was killed? Would he have been in pain?"
Harry remained quiet for a second. "It's quicker than falling asleep," he responded.
I smiled as my eyes filled with tears.
"He would have been okay, y/n," Harry hugged me. "But I am planning on getting something for you, Ron, George, Ginny, Percy, Bill and the others. I just have to find it."
I decided not to interrogate him about what it was, especially because talking about Fred made me want to cry. I just wanted him to come home. Instead, I just said: "thanks."
He smiled as he started to walk towards George and talk to him. I presumed it was similar to what he told me as he knew George, on the whole, was extremely affected by the loss of his twin. All at once, I noticed a peculiar platinum-blonde haired boy walk inside. I tried to get closer to see who it was, when I realised. "Draco!" I raced over to him and hugged him.
"Y/n!"
"Are you okay, what's happened?"
"Nothing, Nothing," he responded. "I just missed you."
"Oh I missed you too."
"Are you doing okay?" He asked.
"Not really. I have been so upset the last few months, having to wake up knowing Fred wasn't there. But George gave me his jumper that Molly made for him for Christmas a few years ago."
"I'm sorry, y/n. It's my fault."
"No it's not, Draco."
He stayed quiet.
"Why are you here anyways?" I asked.
"Dad wants to see you."
"I don't want to talk to him, ever. Or mum. I've moved on from them now, and I'm doing better with George and the other Weasleys. Sorry."
"It's fine, I'll tell him I couldn't find you," Draco laughed. "Well, I'll be on my way then, Y/n. It was great to see you again."
"You too."
I watched as he trudged back out of the shop. I strolled back over to George and helped him stock the Ten-Second Pimple Vanishers and Extendable Ears.
"Y/n, I don't think I can keep doing this. It's too sad to look at all the shelves," he said after we stood in silence.
"Okay, I understand. I'll close the shop early." I headed over to one of the three staircases and ran up it. "Hello everyone! It's been great to see all your wonderful faces here today upon reopening! Im very sorry thought, but today we have to close now! We know it's early but it's for the best!" I shouted to the customers. Immediately, a few more people bought the last couple things, and crowded the door, before finally leaving. Ron, Harry and Hermione came up the stairs towards me.
"Y/n, George really appreciates the effort you have put in, he's just struggling a lot and can barely talk without breaking down," Ron explained.
"Okay, that's fine," I responded, as we walked back down the stairs.
Because George and I were starting to feel more pain inside us from looking at the stocked shelves, we decided to head back to the burrow.