Always Remember

XV.

[Hey guys, it's been a while but... I'm back. Kind of.]

I feel like a mess getting ready to head over to the Weasley's shop. I splash cold water on my face but something about me still looks tired and sickly. My skin is sallow, my eyes look almost sunken in by how dark the skin has grown around them. I know it's from how much sleep I haven't been getting the past few days. The bed seems too empty now and I stay up all night, lying on my side and imagining Draco sleeping beside me. 

I haven't brought myself to take off the ring he gave me although I know I should. It's his family ring, the very same family that pushed us apart, and wearing it sometimes feels like hypocrisy.  I guess I'm just not ready to part ways with it, yet, I'm still in love with him. I think back to how I must have felt when he first gave it to me, the memories hazy and incomplete because of being Obliviated. Had I really never considered how his family would interfere with our relationship? Had I never wondered how terrible it would be for me to have to endure how they treated me? I guess there was no reason to dwell on it now, that was the past. Maybe I'm a completely different person than who I was before being Oblivated. Memories and experiences make you who you are, after all. 

Despite telling myself that I shouldn't spend too much time thinking about it, the thought occupied my mind as I walked up to the shop. It already looks considerably better than the charred, ashen mess it had been when it was destroyed and George greets me with a smile that nearly makes me forget how terrible I feel. 

"I think I have my work cut out for me, George, the place looks amazing already," I say and he puts his hands on his hips to proudly gaze up at the building. Some last touches of paint, decoration, and stocking the building seem to be the only things left to do since the foundation and structure are nearly perfect. 

"Thanks, it's been hard to sleep knowing that the shop was in the shape it was in so I would be working nearly all night just trying to fix anything I can. It paid off because now it's nearly finished," he says. I frown thinking about the long nights he must have spent here, how exhausted he must be right now...

"George, why don't you rest today?" I glance over at Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny playfully dabbing each other with paintbrushes, "I think we have it covered. Besides, I invited some extra help." I find myself blushing at the last part and George raises a curious eyebrow at me.

"Is Draco coming?" he asks and I have to swallow the lump that rises in my throat. 

"No, I, um, invited Noah from work," I add and George's eyebrows knit together in confusion but he doesn't question me further. 

"Right, well, all I have for you to do is restock shelves and the backroom. You can use spells to do most of the work, but some of the merchandise has no-magic protections on it so you'll have to move those by hand." George guides me to the corner of the room with a tower of boxes upon boxes. I gaze up, the balancing boxes almost seem to defy the laws of gravity. 

"I better get started then." 

It's so like Noah to be punctual, I'm only a few boxes in before he walks into the room. His smile lights up and I feel myself smile in response immediately. He walks right up to me, pulling me into his arms as a greeting. 

"Hey, I just passed George on his way out and he let me know what we're up to today." Before I could even respond he points his wand at a stack of boxes and directs them to their designated place. 

"Hi. Thanks for coming and helping out, Noah, we all really appreciate it. I really appreciate it," I say, continuing the work I had already begun to do. He doesn't respond but I see his cheeks redden a bit, maybe embarrassed at the mild praise.