One and only ; George Weasley

34

I glanced up as George sat down next to me, looking at the pocket watch I sat with in my hands. I had opened it and inside, on top of the glass where it showed the time, there was a picture. A picture of my dad and I from when I was around two.

"Was that your fathers?" George asked, rubbing his hands together while his eyes landed on the pocket watch.

"Yeah." I nodded. "He gave it to your dad when he died. Trusted him to give it to me when I was old enough. I turn seventeen next month. Your dad told me he believes I'm ready."

"And are you?" He questioned. "Ready to have it?"

"I am." I nodded.

"I didn't know my dad was there when yours died."

"Neither did I." I sighed and looked at him. "Did you know we met before we started at Hogwarts?"

George watched me and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"My parents babysat you, Fred and your older brothers while your parents babysat me a few times too."

"I wasn't aware of that."

"It's a small world." I breathed. "We didn't even remember each other, yet we found each other and became friends."

He smiled at me before taking the picture in the pocket watch.

"Is this you and him?" He asked and I hummed in response.

"I was two." I said. "They were planning to have another kid at the time but then dad died and years later mum remarried and had Ben. Mum took the picture. It looks ancient, doesn't it?"

"It's just been hidden for a long time." George said. "Fourteen years."

"I honestly didn't know it existed." I chuckled. "It's weird to think that he died only seven months later."

George looked at me again and grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Do you think he'll come back?" I asked. "Not my dad but..."

"You-know-who?" He questioned and I nodded, biting my lip. "I honestly don't. I mean, how can he? He died the night he killed James and Lily Potter."

"I just have this feeling." I told him. "Like... like he's not even dead. That he's alive. I don't know."

"You're scared." He stated. "That's understandable. Things at school is stressful right now and we all fear that someone will die or get hurt badly during the tournament but I am one-hundred percent sure that the dark lord is dead and he won't be back."

George handed me back the picture and I placed it in the pocket watch which I closed.

"Am I crazy?" I asked. "For feeling like this? I have one memory of him and it's very faint. I'm not even sure if it's a memory of if it's my mind playing a trick on me. I was two years old so how could I remember him? I just miss him so much and I don't know if I'm being stupid. Fourteen years. He's been dead for fourteen years, fifteen in December. Why am I feeling like this?"

George grabbed my hand again, holding it in his lap as he intertwined our fingers. "Because it is your dad. You're missing a father so missing him even if you don't remember him, is far from stupid."

I smiled at him. I was so grateful for him. He always knew just what to say to make me feel better.

"I love you." I whispered. He smiled at me and leaned in to press a kiss to my forehead.

"I love you too." He whispered back. "Tell me about that one memory of him that you have. I don't care if it's your mind playing a trick. Tell me about it."

I hummed, looking towards the window as I smiled at the thought.

"I was December, the day before he died. I came running to him with this goodnight story that I absolutely loved. I crawled into bed with mum and dad and he read the story to me while mum held me and brushed my hair with her fingers. I fell asleep to the sound of his voice. When I woke the next morning, he had gone to work and later we found out he had been killed by Voldemort so you can say it's a happy memory but also a sad one."

"If it helps, I'm positive he's looking down on you every single day and I'm sure he's happy to see you with such a handsome young fella like me."

I looked at George to see him smile smugly and I couldn't help but laugh, pushing him gently in the chest.

"Shut up, you dork."