Begin Again (George Weasley/Draco Malfoy)

Twenty-Four.

I found out the next morning that Harry, Hermione, and Ron had all snuck out of the castle with Ginny, Luna Love good, and Neville Longbottom. They all ended up in the Hospital Wing except for Harry and Luna. They had caught against Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic and didn't think to come get me before they left. Oh we'll, I'd get over it.
   
Harry and I went there bright and early to visit all of them. On the way there he tolde about Sirius. He was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange at the Department of Mysteries. He woke the others and told them the sad news as well, but then added that Dumbledore was Headmaster of Hogwarts again and threw a copy of the Daily Prophet at Hermione to read to us all.
    
Hermione read us all the article aloud while we listened. We were all going to make a full recovery. Luna had trotted her happy butt up to visit all of them with us and sat next to Hermione’s bed reading the latest copy of The Quibbler upside down, as she always does to pass the time.
   
“They were very complimentary about you and Dumbledore in the article, Harry,” said Hermione as she finished reading it. “I notice they didn’t mention the fact that it was them doing all the ridiculing and slandering though. Well, anyways, what’s going on in school, you guys?” She asked, looking at Harry and Luna.
   
“Well, Flitwick was able to get rid of Fred and George’s swamp,” says Harry, “He did it in about three seconds, but he left a little bit underneath a window roped off. It’s kind of like a little monument to them.”
   
“Everything seems to have settled right back down again,” says Luna not looking up from her magazine.
   
“It looks like Firenze and Trelawney are both going to share the Divination duties,” says Harry, and shrugs, “The subject is still a waste of time if you ask me.”
   
“How can you say that when we just discovered that there are actual prophecies out there?” Asks Hermione.
   
“Did you ever find out what the Prophecy even said?” Ron asks, looking at Harry.
   
“No, it got too far away for me to hear it,” he says, and I don’t think he’s telling the truth, either, judging from his reaction to that question.
   
“Yeah well, Voldemort never got to hear what was on it either, so I guess that’s a plus,” says Harry.
   
Harry left soon after that to visit Hagrid, because he had just gotten back as well, I left the hospital wing by midday. I was just in time too, because I walked up on Draco and his goons cornering Harry and I heard Draco say, “I’ll make you pay for what you did to my father!”
   
“Well I’m terrified now,” said Harry sarcastically, “I suppose Lord Voldemort’s just a warm up compared to you three.” All three of them winced at the name, “Awe, what’s the matter? He’s mates with all three of your daddies, isn’t he? Not scared of him, are you?”
   
“You think you’re such a big man, Potter,” said Draco, “You wait. I’ll have you. You can’t land my father in prison!”
   
“I thought I just had,” snarked Harry.
   
“The dementors have left Azkaban, they’ll be out in no time,” reminds Draco, acidly.
   
“Yeah, I expect that they will,” said Harry, “Still, at least everyone knows what scumbags they are now.”
   
Okay, that was enough. As Harry’s friend, Draco’s ex, and a Hogwarts Prefect, I couldn’t let them get away with this any longer. “What is going on here?” I ask, making myself known. “Draco, I don’t think that I have to remind you that you are a Prefect, and as such you are held to a higher standard than this.”
   
“He was insulting my father,” sneers Draco at him.
   
“Oh I heard,” I say nodding, “And I know very well that you know that we're aware of the kind of man your father is, and deep down you must know that we’re not in the wrong here. Now, from one Prefect to another, let go of my friend before this escalates and I have no choice but to report you.”
   
Draco sneers at Harry, but does let go of him.
   
“What is going on here?” Asks the voice of Professor Snape, he was ushering in Professor McGonagall, who was using a walking stick to make her way through the corridors.
   
“Nothing major,” I assure them, “I was just ending a dispute between students before it escalated.”
   
“Very good, Miss Fawley,” smiles Professor McGonagall, “In fact, I have been waiting to see you and the others. I have some points to give out. I wanted to give you 10 for Hufflepuff, 5 for being such a good Prefect, and another 5 for breaking this little dispute up.”
   
“Thank you Professor,” I say, giving her a smile.
   
“And Potter, 50 for you as well, for last night.”
   
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle all looked like their blood was going to boil. “Thank you, Professor,” says Harry.
   
She continues, joyously. “And of course, 50 for both of the Weasley children, and 50 for Miss Granger, and 50 for Mr. Longbottom. And we can’t forget Miss Lovegood, 50 to Ravenclaw for her, too.” Malfoy and his friends stalked off, angry at all of the points that Gryffindor had just received. “You kids have a splendid day.”
   
The last one to leave the hospital wing was Hermione, she left three days before the end of term, and we got to eat the final feast together the night before we left. I hated to have to say goodbye to my Hufflepuff friends again, but it wouldn’t be long before we saw each other again. I sat with them on the train, but when we exited I met up with my Gryffindor friends then. When we crossed over between platforms 9  and 10, we were met by some people we never expected to see today.
   
There was Mad-Eye, looking quite sinister with his bowler hat pulled down to cover his magical eye. Tonks stood just behind him, bright bubblegum pink hair gleaming in the sunlight, wearing a heavily patched pair of jeans, with a bright purple t-shirt. Next to her was my mum and dad, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were next to them. And then there was a real surprise, Fred and George, who were both wearing brand-new jackets in some lurid green scaly material.
   
I hug my parents first, giving my dad an extra-long hug, saying, “I was so sad to hear about Sirius,” quietly to him. I figured he didn’t really want to talk about it right here. He said thank you, and gave me a kiss on the head and then I hugged my mum.
   
Then the parents and members of the Order took Harry to meet his Aunt and Uncle, Hermione went to find her parents, so it was just me and the Weasley kids. George smiled so wide, looking at me with such a happy look in his eyes. I matched his happiness and hugged him so tight, and I never wanted to let go.
   
"There's my girl! I've missed you!" He says as we hug.
   
He even picked me up and spun me around and  kissed me for a good moment on the lips and I heard Ron ask what on Earth the twins were wearing.
   
“Finest Dragon skin, little bro,” said Fred, “Business is booming so we figured we’d treat ourselves."
   
"I like it," I say, smiling at George. "It looks nice."
   
He cups his hands around my face and pulls me into one more kiss. "I missed you so much, baby girl. You have no idea."
   
"I missed you, too. But we're going to see so much of each other this summer you're going to get sick of me."
   
"That's not possible," he says smiling down at me.
   
"It's like we're not even here," says Ron, scoffing.
   
"Shut up," says Ginny, sassily.
   
My mum returned then, and she said it was time to go. So I said goodbye to George and the others and we left together back to Fawley Manor in London. My mum allowed me to visit George for lunch at his and Fred's store at Diagon Alley the next day. She took me there herself, and didn't leave until we found one of the twins.
   
We found George right away and he led us around the store showing us around before my mum left. She seemed impressed actually. I knew I certainly was. George placed an arm around my shoulders and began to lead me around the store again. 
   
"Let me grab Fred and we can head upstairs." He says, but I stop him.
   
"Um, actually, I was hoping we could eat alone. Just you and me. I love Fred but we haven't had any time together since March. It'd be nice to have some alone time with you."
   
He knew what I meant by that. He knew when I said I wanted to be alone with him, that I didn't mean just to eat lunch either.
   
"Hey Fred!" George calls and his brother pops his head out of the back room.
   
"Hi Adelaide," he greets me. "Is it time for lunch?"
   
"Actually, we're going to take this one just the two of us," says George, "I'm going to take the full hour, too."
   
He nods, understanding. "You two have fun. Make me a nephew."
   
"Shut it," George says through a laugh.

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Here's part 24!

I love Fred being so nonchalant about everything.

Gotta love a supportive brother.

-Emily Winchester.