My Hero

I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't. The love of my life could not be dead in my arms. We had known each other since, well, forever!

I had discovered him behind a statue in a collapsed hallway. I dragged him out, and now here we were, in one of the corridors at Hogwarts. I gently grabbed his head and pulled it close to my heart. That's where he was, and where he will always be. My head snapped up when I heard Voldemort's voice ring throughout the school. He was giving us one last chance to give up Harry, which we were never going to do. The fighting outside had stopped, and it was as good a time as any to bring Fred to the Great Hall. With shaky arms, I pulled out my wand and levitated him in the air. I couldn't bear to look at his face any longer, but I would not allow him to stay here. I brought him to the Great Hall, each step taking forever. The school was in pieces. How could the world get so bad? I remembered Harry from his first year, and my third. He was so small, and so cute. Things have definitely changed. He was very brave. Braver than I gave him credit for. Finally, I reached the hall and saw the Weasley family standing, huddled together. The only one that was missing was Ron, who I assumed was with Harry. They waved me over, and their smiling faces hurt so badly. I was going to have to be the one to tell them what happened to their son.

With a flick of my wrist, Fred fell and landed in my arms. Slowly, I brought him over to the clump of red-heads. They all looked down into Fred's face, and immediately Mrs. Weasley’s smile dropped. I placed him down on the ground in front of the group, not being able to hold him much longer. I once again laid his head on my lap as Mrs. Weasley draped herself across his body, and everyone just stared. I looked around the room, and recognized some of the other casualties: Lupin and Tonks, that kid Collin Creevey, I had enough. I gently placed Fred’ head back onto the floor and stood up. I tried to escape the scene, but George grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. He may look like him, but he was no Fred. I screamed into his chest as he stroked my tangled, mess of hair.

"It's ok," he said quietly. "He's gone to a better place. He'll be happier there. Don't get upset, he wouldn't want that."

I breathed slowly in and out, trying to calm myself down.

"He's dead, George. He's dead!" I shouted at him. "How is everything ok? I, I don't know what to do! I'm so confused!"

"You're right. Everything is not ok," he said, looking at me, and I looked back at him, confused.

"Many people have died tonight, including Fred,” he began, and I bit my lip as he said Fred’s name. “He died tonight trying to save someone, and not just Harry. He was trying to save the wizarding community. And, most important of all, he was trying to save YOU."

"W-what do you mean?" I managed to choke out, my voice cracking.

"By saving and protecting Harry, this prevents Voldemort from taking over and trying to hurt others, like you."

I nodded. He was right.

"Y-you're right," I said.

I let go of him and walked outside, leaving a worried expression on George's face. I just had to get out of there. Away from the body.

I walked until I reached the lake, and sat down on the bank.

'Wow,' I thought to myself. 'It's been awhile since I was here last. Heh, this is where Fred kissed me for the first time.'

I instantly frowned and sighed. I still couldn't believe he was gone from your life.

"Fred," I called out to no one, staring at the blurry stars in the sky. How can those stars twinkle so brightly? Why did they look so happy, when he was no longer here? "Why did you have to die?"

"To protect you," someone replied from behind.

I jumped up from my seat. There, before my eyes, stood Fred Weasley.

"F-Fred?" I asked. "Is that you, or is it George pretending to be Fred?"

He smiled. "Yeah, it's me," he confirmed, walking over to me, hands in his pocket, just the way he used to. "So, this is where we had our first kiss, eh?"

I nodded, cautiously, and he laughed. Then I felt a tear slide down my face. I realized that I had not been crying all night.

"Really, it's me! Do you see a mole on my neck?" he asked, revealing his neck to me.

That was the only way I could tell the difference between the two.

"It is you!” I cried out happily, but then my smile faded. “But aren't you dead?"

"Yeah, but Dumbledore put in a good word for me with the big guy," he explained looking up at the night sky.

There were some loud bangs and crashes coming from the castle, telling me that the battle had started back up.

"Don't worry, U-no-poo dies,” he said casually. I gave him a quizzical look. "The big guy knows everything!"

He said this with a shrug, making me laugh once more, despite the tears. He came over and began hugging me, and everything felt right again.

"Fred, I'm really going miss you!" I told him, tears finally being released.

"Yeah, I know love," he said quietly, sadly. "I'll always be with you, remember that."

He lifted up my chin. I nodded, and he brought me up into a sweet kiss.

They were just as I remembered them.

"I, I love you, my hero," I whispered to him.

"Who you talking to?" someone said from behind.

I looked up at Fred, but he was gone. I was hugging air. George was standing there, looking at me with a funny expression on his face.

"No one," I answered, smiling. "Just the stars."

"Ok, well, the fight's over. You missed it! Harry versus Voldie! What a show!" he said laughing. “It’s finally over.”

"Yeah, I was preoccupied," I said, looking up at the stars one more time. I took George's hand and walked back to the castle where a victory feast awaited me.