Our Last Christmas

“Fred Weasley April 1st, 1978 – May 2nd, 1998. Beloved brother, son, and fiancée. He died a hero, and will remain a hero. Forever and always,” his headstone read. I was numb, so numb as George wrapped me in his arms and tears started to fall. I couldn’t believe it. Fred was gone, and he wasn’t coming back. I placed my left hand on my large stomach, and rubbed it. I could see my engagement ring glistening in the sun. It seemed like only yesterday that he was on one knee, proposing to me.

I bounced on the balls of my feet as I kept my gaze focused on the front door. I was nervous. I had just found out that I was pregnant. I was four weeks along, and I hadn’t noticed, until that day. It was Christmas day and he was with his family while I was home “sick”. I had a healer come by and see what was wrong. I wanted to tell him immediately, but it was Christmas and he always spent it with his family. I really didn’t want to worry him now so I went to bed after the healer left and just slept away the nausea. I would tell him when he got home, I decided.

I had woken up two hours later, feeling quite ravenous. I threw the comforter off of my legs and slid out of Fred and I’s king sized mattress that resided on the floor. I picked up the sweater Fred wore yesterday as he stayed home with me. It still smelled like him. I missed him already and he was just an apparition away. I put on his sweatpants and slipped on my fuzzy slippers as I walked through the flat. Just as I was about to walk into the kitchen, the front door swung open. I jumped as it smashed against the wall. And there, in all his adorable awkwardness, stood Fred.

My hand flew to my chest, and held onto it, as it pounded continuously against my ribcage. “Thank you, Fred, for scaring the bloody crap out of me!”

“I’m sorry gorgeous, I just couldn’t wait to see you and the door just wasn’t cooperating.” He grinned as he shut the door with his foot. He had one hand in his pocket and something about him, I don’t know what, but there was something that just told me he was nervous. “How’re you feeling, love?” I smiled as I walked into the kitchen. I love it when he calls me love. I don’t know why, I just do.

I picked up my wand and twirled it in my hands as I decided what I wanted to eat. “A lot better actually.” I smiled as I felt his arms wrapped around my waist. I sighed and leaned back into his defined chest. “I love you, you know that?”

“Mm, I know. What’re you doing?” I shivered as he leaned down and placed a kiss on my collarbone.

“I’m deciding on what I want to eat. You see, I’m feeling quite ravenous right now.” He chuckled and took my wand from my hands, turning me around. “What’re you doing?”

“I’m going to make you something. Close your eyes, and don’t open them until I say so, okay?” I nodded and closed my eyes. He kissed each of my eyelids, lifting me up and sitting me on the counter. I could hear him moving around, which was odd because I thought he was just going to use his wand. Next thing I know, I’m being picked up and being sat on a chair, I assumed. “Open your eyes, love.” I smiled and opened them.

I gasped. All along the table, there were roses scattered all along it, on a place mat there was a bowl of steaming spaghetti which is my favorite, and in front of me, on one knee was Fred. “F-fred, wha--? I stuttered out. He smiled, and pulled out something from his pocket.

“Love, ever since the Yule ball when I didn’t ask you to go with me,” I glared at him and he chuckled. “Instead asking Katie Bell, and yet we ended up dancing together. I wanted to kiss you that entire night and for a very long time after. Even during the summer when I couldn’t keep in contact with you because we were at Grimmauld Place, you were the only thing on my mind. I just couldn’t forget how you felt in my arms as we danced. It felt like that’s where you were meant to be. When we got back to school after the longest, and most tortuous, summer ever, the first thing I did was seek you out. But for some reason, I couldn’t find you. That was because you were with what’s-his-face. I swear you were trying to drive me mad. You were, weren’t you?” I giggled and just shrugged. He sighed, and grabbed my hand. “My point being that ever since we got together at the end of our 7th year, I have been the happiest man alive. If anything, over the years we’ve been together, I’ve become the happiest I could have ever been and I don’t think I’d be able to not be happy even in the darkest of times. I love you so much, and I was wondering if maybe you’d keep me happy until the end of our days, and even after that?” I raised a brow. “Will you marry me?”

I jumped up and threw my arms around him, knocking us both over. “You wanker, why would you even ask? Of course I will.” He grinned and picked me up, spinning me around. He showered my face with kisses, and I giggled in turn.

“Ella? It’s time to go.” I snapped out of my daze as Ginny snapped her fingers in front of my face. Mrs. Weasley smacked Ginny’s hand away and told her to knock it off. The whole Weasley clan was gathered around where George and I stood. Mrs. Weasley approached me and gathered me in her arms as I stared blankly into nowhere. Fred was really gone. And he wasn’t ever going to come back.

I slowly crumbled to the ground as tears rolled down my face. Mrs. Weasley followed me down and kept her arms around me. Hermione, Angelina, Fleur, Harry, and the rest of the Weasley clan followed suit.

They were my family now.