After Death there is Love

Chapter 6: Take a Hint

Angelina wiped her eyes and focused on the man she thought was her Fred. It was George. She tried to pull herself together and speak to him. She wanted to speak but the words wouldn't form. Instead she looked at her surroundings. The castle was silhouetted nicely against the dark mountains and the moon light made it look majestic. It was always wonderful to sit with Fred and joke about which poor unsuspecting slytherin would be pooing themselves senseless with his wheezy wizarding wheezes products. A smile formed on her lips and she turned to look at George.

"I always loved sitting out here with him. I got to know parts of him that no one else ever got a chance to see. Sometimes I feel bad about that. I wish everyone could have known how romantic and tender he could be." George wiped the tear that rolled down her cheek and she held on to his wrist and locked eyes with him.

"This attraction that we think we feel for each other is centered on the fact that you look so much like him and he dated me. It's not real and it's not right." She let go of his wrist and stood up. He looked up at her.

"That might be a part of it Angelina. But it is not all of it." He stood as well. She turned to face him.

"Why did you follow me here? Jennifer is probably waiting for you now. You should go," she said quietly but firmly. She then turned her back to him.

"I will go." Angelina then disappeared into the night leaving George on the pitch staring into the darkness that she had disappeared into.

************

Angelina had been tossing and turning in bed for hours. She was simply unable to fall asleep no matter how hard she tried. She squeezed her eyes shut willing sleep to come to them.

Angelina’s eyes fluttered open. She was awoken by a soft kiss on her lips. Some one was sitting on the edge of her bed bent over her. She rubbed her eyes and frowned when the image of the person cleared.

“George what are you doing here? You have to leave.”

“I’m not George. I’m Fred.” To prove himself he pulled back his long red hair to show a perfect right ear. Angelina’s eyes welled with tears. She pulled herself up on her pillows and reached out to touch his face. He smiled at her and liked he always did, he wiped her tears away. He then smirked at her.

“I can’t believe you thought I was George!”

“You’re supposed to be dead Fred Weasley of course I thought you were George!” Fred smiled and kissed her.

“I can’..I can’t go on without you Fred. It’s so hard.” Fred frowned at her and pulled his feet up some more on her bed.

“You certainly don’t sound like the Angelina Johnson I know. I have never heard you say that you can’t do anything.” He ran his thumb down her face.

“I miss you so much Fred.”

“I know Angel, that’s why I’m here. I can’t be happy knowing that you’re not happy Ange. You have to move on. You’re one of the strongest persons I know. I want you to promise me that you’ll let George take care of you. He loves you just as much as I do.”

“What do you mean...I don’t understand...”

“There’s a fifty percent chance that you both would have been together but I beat him to asking you to the Yule ball. You can trust George Ange, he’s holey now remember?” He grinned and Angelina laughed through her tears. He soothed her hair back and smiled at her.

“Promise me that you’ll let him take care of you Angel.” He looked her deep into her coffee brown eyes and she nodded.

“I promise.”

He stood and moved from the edge of her bed.

“Where are you going? Please don’t go...” Fred smiled sadly at her and shook his head.

“I have to go, I don’t belong here anymore. I love you Angelina Johnson.”

“I love you too Fred Weasley...”

Angelina rubbed her eyes, they were wet. Had she been crying? It was definitely morning and she had no idea that she had even fallen asleep. She reached under her pillow like she did every morning and pulled out her picture, only there was something else under there as well. It was Gryffindor wrist band that he had given to her when she had been made quidditch captain. She had given it back to him the night of the Great War. Tears welled up in her eyes again and she rubbed the item against her cheek.

“Fred….” She whispered softly. Hadn’t it been just a dream?

She pulled the covers off her and got out of bed. She had promised Fred that she would give George a chance and that’s what she would do. It was Sunday which meant no quidditch training, but Diagon Alley would be open. She went to shower hoping that George wouldn’t mind her popping.

Diagon Alley

George had a lousy night. He had gotten no sleep at all and to make matters worse he thought he saw his dead brother standing over him that night. He ran a hand through his long red hair. He was obviously agitated. To worsen his mood he was feeling crappy about Angelina turning him down again, plus Jennifer thought he and her were in some kind of relationship. He had dug himself in deep with this one. She shouldn’t have kissed her back. He yawned widely as he took stock of his new merchandise only to turn around and almost bump into someone.

“Jennifer!..What’s that you got there?” She had made him a big cup of his favourite Blue Mountain Coffee and breakfast that she brought to him on a tray. He smiled at her.

“Wow you really shouldn’t have.” She beamed as he took the tray from her.

“I wanted to take it to you in bed, but you were already up so I figured I would let you eat while I take over from here.” George felt a pang of guilt. Just moments before he was thinking about Angelina and Jennifer had made him breakfast. He leaned over and kissed her. Someone cleared their throat behind them and he broke away.

“Ange! What are you doing here?”

Angelina felt stupid. Why had she come over here? Because her dead boyfriend told her to give his twin brother a chance in a dream. She had even worn that yellow dress he and Fred always liked her in.

“I just thought I would stop by. I’m sorry I’m interrupting you.” She turned on her heels and disappeared into the crowd. __________________