Dracotok Story

-66-

You arrive at The Burrow after getting the news about Fred's death. Molly opens up with puffy eyes and a tissue in her hand. You throw your arms around her. "I'm so sorry Molly."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, dear. Come, I'm sure the others will be wanting to see you."

Draco follows after you, into the kitchen, where Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Percy and Harry are standing. The house hasn't ever felt less lively. Everyone is red faced. You greet them and hug everyone.

Molly comes back in the kitchen. "Ginny and Hermione are in Ginny's room. Ron's upstairs as well, and George hasn't come out of his room in... well, since we've gotten home."

Draco stays downstairs while you go see the others.

First, you go to Ron's room. He's laying on his bed. When he hears you come in, he sits up, and starts crying again.

You rush over to wrap your arms around him.

His breathing is staggered as he cries over your shoulder. For the next 5 minutes, the only sound within the silence is the sound of Ron's cries. "You remember earlier in the year when
Trelawney predicted that I'd suffer a loss that will take a while to heal?" he asks, pulling away.

"Yeah," you say, looking into his empty eyes.

"I think she was right," he sobs. "I thought I've felt pain before, but nothing compares to this." Those words break you, and you cry. "I just want the pain to stop."

You stay with Ron for an hour. He really was a
mess. You've seen him when he was a crying
mess before, but this was a new level of hurt you've never seen him at before. You try your best to comfort him and make him feel better. It was good that you came, because your best friend really needed someone to cry on and talk to.

"I think I'm gonna go downstairs" Ron says as if that's something he hasn't done in a while. "Good luck trying to get George to open up," he says through sniffles as you part ways.

Next, you go to Ginny's room. You knock on the door and hear Hermione say "come in."

You immediately go to hug Ginny. Just like Ron, she lost her big brother and there's got to be a huge hole in her chest. She's sitting on her bed with Hermione. She isn't crying, but by the looks of her face, crying has been something she's gotten farmiliar with for the past couple days. She's looking better off than Ron, but that might just be because Hermione's here with her.

You sit with them for about half an hour before excusing yourself to go talk to George. Or at least see him and try and comfort him. It seems as if George has been shutting everyone out. You can't blame him. His other half is gone. Forever. And he's probably feeling like he lost himself.

You knock on the twins room. Is it weird to call it the twins room? Just George's room now? I
mean Fred's gone, but he'll always be part of this family. Part of him is still with George, so is it really so wrong to still say they're twins? You hear no response, but you slowly open the door anyways. You hear soft cries coming from George's bed. He's laying in bed with the covers pulled up to his shoulders, facing away from the door.

"Hey George, it's y/n," you quietly say, with your hand still on the door knob. His sobs are so quiet, yet so emotionally loud. It hurts.
"My parents died when I was young, so I understand what you're going through. If you want to talk about it." There's more silence. You slowly walk over to him and sit on his bed, putting a hand on his shoulder. "He might have left, but he's never actually gone" you say.

After his sobs get more heavy, and he shifts in the covers a bit, still facing away from you.

After a while, his cries stop, and you start to stand up and say your goodbye, but George speaks. "Tell me about them" he says in such a low whisper, it's almost inaudible. You sit back down, facing the door so your back is to him.

"My mum amd dad were aurors. Both Gryffindor. They were some of the best aurors there were. I looked up to them so much, and I still do. They helped so many people." The memories aren't sad looking back on them. They're mostly happy. "One of their missions
didn't go quite as planned, and they died when I was nine. Then, I moved to live with my
Aunt and Uncle in Copenhagen. Also with my cousins, Holly and Lauren, who are three years older then me. Once they graduated, they got a house in London, so I moved with them." You take a deep breath before continuing. "I cried... for months when they died. It felt like I was never gonna heal. I'd lock my nine year old self in my room and not come out for days." You turn to face him, moving your knee up onto the bed. "You can't do what I did, George. You need to let your family help." You put your hand on his shoulder again. "You've got a big family, and you can lean on each other. You've got to let them in and let them comfort you. I swear it will help you so much." It isn't what he wants to hear, but it's what he needs to hear. "I guess I'll be going then."

"Wait" George says. He sits up to give you a hug. "Thank you" he whispers.

George came downstairs while everyone was having dinner that night. He let his family swarm him with comfort, and you exchanged eye contact, letting you know that you helped him.