Learn to Love Again | George Weasley

38. Reflections

Angelina stepped through the door to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes just before closing. George had sent an owl to her over the weekend asking if she could come over to help him with something.

Honestly, she had no idea what kind of situation she was stepping into, but she'd do anything for George. He was the last piece of Fred she had left and her closest childhood friend other than Alicia. But knowing George meant he could be asking her something as simple (though heart wrenching) as reorganizing Fred's old bedroom or something as potentially dangerous as testing out a product on her.

Sometimes it was better to just agree and then ask questions later when it came to George.

As soon at the bell above the door chimed, Charlie peered around a nearby shelf, "Oh, hey Angelina. George said you'd be coming by. I think he's already upstairs, you can head on up."

"Thanks Charlie."

Angelina made her way up the spiral staircase, and into the flat. Knowing Fred wasn't on the other side of the door was honestly the most difficult part about visiting George this evening.

She was able to avoid these feelings when she had come over for Verity's birthday party, being surrounded by all of her friends made for a good distraction. But now that she was alone, she couldn't stop herself from reminiscing.

Had it been a few years ago, Fred would have been waiting for her, hiding just around the corner so he could sneak behind her and wrap his arms around her waist the moment she entered the flat. Though she should have expected it, it caught her by surprise nearly every time. Eventually he'd let her go when she'd swat at him playfully as he ran away from her snickering to himself.

What she wouldn't give to relive those moments again.

"George?" Angelina called through the apartment.

"In here!" his distant voice called back.

Angelina had visited the twins so often after they opened the shop, she practically lived in their flat right after leaving Hogwarts. To this day, she remembered the flat well enough to know he was in his bedroom. As she approached the hallway, she found herself glancing at Fred's old bedroom door. Of course curiosity took over, making her want to see the room she'd spent countless nights in.

Even though they had broken up for the final time shortly before the twins decided to abruptly leave Hogwarts during their last year, Fred and Angelina's relationship never really was over. They were on-and-off for years, never making anything official but never falling out of love with each other. He'd dated other girls casually and she'd also attempted to move on, but for Angelina it was always Fred.

Behind that orange door was where she confessed all her deepest secrets and fears to Fred, where she told him she still loved him after a long night of drinking, and where he told her his family needed to go into hiding.

Angelina dropped her Quidditch equipment at the foot of Fred's bed before plopping down on the mattress with a loud groan. Fred, who had been sitting at the desk in his bedroom working the entire evening let out a laugh. She hadn't even said hello to him when she came in, she merely welcomed herself in as if it were her own room.

"Rough day at practice?" he asked, swiveling around to face the woman who already had her face buried in his pillow.

"They cancelled the season indefinitely." she mumbled in return.

Honestly, she shouldn't have been shocked by the news. The war seemed to have no end in sight but she still couldn't prevent herself from selfishly feeling disappointed that her first pre-season training as a professional Quidditch player had abruptly come to an end.