Angels Brought Me Here (George Weasley)

You Got Me

The Burrow

"Well, did you see him?" Ron had barely a chance to breathe when he walked through the door, his entire family seeming to swarm him.

"No," The mood in the room completely deflated and he felt guilty for bringing them the bad news. He looked around the room, and felt sadness for his family, his mother and father sat at the kitchen table, there in body but not spirit. His older brother leaning on his wife for support, and his girlfriend, gazing up at him with a tear in her eye.

He felt anger. Anger towards George for worsening the pain his family felt, for taking away his humour and his kindness and the familiar comfort of his presence. He had lost a brother, but it felt he had forgotten he wasn't the only one.

He seemingly forgot that his mother had lost a son, her baby, she watched as his body was carried out of the Great Hall the morning after the battle. She watched as her other son walked after the body, screaming like a mad man, and she had to watch as George had to be sedated and hospitalised for the sheer heartbreak and shock he had endured. She watched as the lid was closed on Fred's coffin for the final time. And she watched as her baby boy was lowered into a hole in the ground. And she noticed that the one person she thought would have been there, never showed his face. She doubted he even knew where the grave was.

For all George was grieving, he was the only person that could help their family move on.

"I saw a barmaid though, I asked her to keep an eye out for him," Ron stated, and Hermione looked up in confusion.

"Barmaid? I didn't know the Leaky Cauldron had a barmaid?" She questioned.

"I think she was new, she didn't know us," He shrugged.

"Oh surely she'll see him at some point, she might even be able to speak some sense into him!" Mrs Weasley's voice called out enthusiastically. Ron felt guilty that he had seemingly placed faith in his mother's heart.

"I'm not sure how she could, Mrs Weasley. If he won't even speak to his Mum, why would he speak to some barmaid?" Harry pointed out softly, defeat in his voice. Harry had always imagined life after the war would be a beautiful thing, everyone together again. But all he's done since he defeated Voldemort is contemplate how much he had lost throughout the war. His parents, Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, Tonks, Fred, even Snape. And by extension, George.

"Maybe she's really pretty," Bill tried to joke, but it didn't particularly land well.

"She was," Ron shrugged.

"Well there you go, Georgie never could resist the pretty girls," Bill confirmed.

"Yeah but Georgie would've never abandoned his family, either," Percy spoke up.

"Rich, Perce, really," Ron retorted, though the family knew he was only messing. It was bittersweet, really, usually the twins would be the ones cracking the inappropriate jokes. The whole room felt flooded with sadness and despair, and Ron could only hope that one day that feeling would fade.