Falling For

Things went slowly after New Years swung by. George kept visiting and bringing me bits of home, like the remnants of Skiving Snackboxes and bits of his mother's baking. Whenever he called in, he would swoop me up in his arms and kiss me like there was no tomorrow. It was like that after Bathilda died in Grimmauld - always had to live each day like it was your one last chance to really live. In a way it was almost nice.

Noël kept me company on the days George couldn't make it over. He found it easier just to make me tea and sit me down on the window sill rather than to talk to me. I would say it was awkward but it really wasn't. Just different. Like he had poured his heart out to me and I had just said 'okay?'

But it was the morning of January the twenty-fifth. Two redheads instead of one had turned up at our doorstep. It was like Christmas had come again. It was not often that I got to see Fred as much as I used to. I was overjoyed, ushering them in with small hands.

"Tea?" I asked. They shook there heads and sat down at our kitchen table. Noël was at work that day, so I was home alone and a little alone and wishing for home. "What's wrong, boys? You're quiet. It's a little off putting."

"We need to talk about what is going to be happening soon." George had his hands folded together in front of him, his thumbs twiddling nervously. Fred just looked stoic, which in my mind was definitely not sitting right with me. When was Fred ever serious?

"And what would that be, sweetheart?" I purred, leaning over the counter to turn the jug on.

"To be completely straightforward about everything, things are turning out to be complete hippogriff shit." Fred's eyes skimmed up to me and I let my brows raise apprehensively. Fred's hair was a lovely copper colour in the light, turning his brown eyes to a dark chocolate. "And this is where you come into it all. For me anyway."

The look in my eyes must have alerted George. He nudged his brother an Fred let out a sigh annoyance.

"Is your brother breaking up with me for you?" I sniped sarcastically and George's face went blank.

"Of course not. It's just that we've been talking again about the future." George prattled on. I realised to myself that this wasn't going to be a happy visit. My face clouded over visibly, my boyfriend's hand raising to let him speak "... About what will happen if one of us dies. I know it's not the nicest thing to talk about right now, or ever, but what would happen if we did? What's going to happen to our business and what's going to happen with... You know.... The other twin..."

"Stop it." The bell from the jug ting'd just in time. "I do not wish to hear this. Especially from you two." I busied my shaking hands with pouring myself a cup of tea. The hot water from the muggle contraption spewed steam from its nozzle, warming my face and hands.

"We have to talk about it. We can't say this to mum because she'd probably flip and tell us off."

"And what gave you the stupid idea that I wouldn't do the same?" my nostrils flared as the cup overflowed the tiniest amount. I whipped my hand back and sucked my finger, the stinging increasing under the warm wetness of my mouth.

"Because we know that you really, in the end of it all, will worry about George here." Fred piped up. My hatred knew no bounds as my eyes locked on his.

"What gives you the right to even say that, Fred?" I hissed at him, the words mumbled through my teeth and finger. "You know you're a brother to me."

"But think of it this way, Min... You're an only child. You didn't grow up with a proper blood relative. You don't know what it's like to have someone you know just as well a yourself. George is my brother."

I watched my boyfriend through all of this. His eyes stayed stuck to the table, not even attempting to meet my gaze. He knew whatever his brother was saying was true, and so did I. Not that I wanted to admit that. I was not anyone's sister, and nor did I ever come close to having a twin. It made me sick to my stomach.

"Now, Mignon, I want you to promise that, if I die-"

"Please Fred, don't do this to me. You won't die." I scoffed at him as I spun two spoons of sugar into my tea.

"No, listen to me. If I die, I want you to promise me that you'll look after George. Even if you break up I trust you enought to know that you won't screw this up. Just look after him and make sure he's okay."

"Where is all this coming from?" I put the cup down. "Are you planning on dying within the next few months or something...? Because this is ridiculous. You are giving me heart palpitations and that really isnt a good thing." The hair that I had tied back into a bun had begun to fall around my face, only raising the irritation that was fogging my mind. I pulled it back into the bun, huffing the last few strands out of my eyes.

"Same thing goes for me too, Min. If anything happens to me, please stop by our house and see if thing are going okay. Not that I expect you to, you know, love him like you do me, but I just want to know that you will be willing to make sure that my other half is okay and doing fine."

"You guys have gone bloody mental. Are they feeding you right?"

"Just stop avoiding it." Fred finally snapped, earning a shocked look from me and an annoyed look from George. "We have a business to run and a family back home. If one of us dies who knows what will happen. I know you 'love' my brother and I respect that but what happens if I die?"

I could see the water rimming George's eyes. I always knew he was a bit more sensitive than his twin. Not that that necessarily was a bad thing, but I just knew that the thought of Fred dying would be tearing a hole in his heart.

"If we die, Mignon, what is going to happen to our very livelyhoods?"

"Just stop it, okay? Merlin's beard, Fred, can't you see that you're upsetting him?" I crossed my arms and Fred leant back, his face pale and eyes wandering to his brother "I will do everything in my power to help you guys get through whatever you have decided will happen, even though it won't. Trust me on this, I promise you, that if anything happens to either of you I will not leave. I will not leave you two. You are my reasons for waking up in the morning. Believe it or not, I enjoy doing your washing and making you dinner because I love you boys with all of my heart. But unfortunately if you start talking about dying my heart will not make it through the day. Now stop it. Please. For me, and for George."

"That's all I wanted to hear." Fred bit his lip and excused himself from the table, heading towards the lavatory. I looked at George, who looked at me before throwing his face into his hands. I found myself wrapping my arms around his shoulders and burying my face into his neck, planting soft, subtle kisses on the soft skin under his ear. His hand found my face and he kissed my wrist.

"I won't die." He told me. "I promise you that."

"You better not. I have so many more years left in me to love you."

"And Fred won't die either, right..?"

"Of course not. You know Fred more than I do. He's got the fight of ten men inside of him."

He kissed my hand and pressed his face into it, trailing his lips over my fingers. I kissed the top of his head and burrowed into his hair, savouring the smell while I wondered what exactly was Fred thinking.