• Harry Potter One Shots• (request open)

Blame • George Weasley • Part Two

The chaos echoed in their ears as Fred, Charlie and Percy ran through the rubble. Wands at the ready, they spat spells left and right. Fred was laughing, Charlie couldn't tell if it was a nervous laugh or if he was just that severe of an adrenaline junkie - she assumed both.

"Peterson, stay behind me." Fred said as they rounded an unknown corner. "George will kill me if you die." He chuckled. Charlie smiled a half smile, as much as she could muster with the war raging around them, George's last kiss still wet on her lips. She obliged Fred - she knew better than to argue him.

"You know," Fred whispered, as they crouched behind a half wall. "I hope one day I don't have to call you Peterson anymore."

Charlie chuckled, "you don't have too now. You can always call me Charlotte."

"Boring." He said simply, shooting another spell. "I hope one day, I can call you Weasley." They shared a warm smile between spells.

"Did I mention I'm retiring?" Percy joked.

"Perce, you're joking! You're actually joking! I haven't heard- WATCH OUT!" Fred yelled.

Charlie landed on top of Percy with a thud as they both coughed from inhaling dust as the wall collapsed. When the dust settled, one of Charlie's worst nightmares laid before her.

"No... no..." she dug through the rubble, jerking stones away with inhuman strength. Percy, in shock, came too and began helping. "NO!" Charlie continued to scream. With one last block, she seen Fred's face. "You okay, Freddie? Come on, let's go find George." Fred didn't respond. Charlie began to sob. "Come on, Freddie. This is a mean trick." She didn't want to come to terms with it, she didn't want to accept it - this couldn't be happening.

"Charlotte.." Percy whispered, crying himself. He placed a hand on her shoulder. She knew the severity of the situation when she heard her name, as opposed to Peterson.

"Percy, this can't be happening." She cried, flopping back. Percy hugged her close, which was unlike him, and sobbed into her brown hair. "This is all my fault."

George came too as the shop door bell dinged. He looked up from his paperwork with a smile on his face, "welcome to weas-" his smile fell, and it broke his heart. He loves Charlie more than anything, he was so thankful she was alive but every time he seen her, he also seen Fred's cold body. "Oh, back so soon?"

Charlie sighed, noticing the change in his voice when he seen her. "I lost my appetite. I just needed some fresh air." George nodded, still silent.

Charlie started up the stairs, "we can't live like this George." She said, almost underneath her breath. George cocked his head to the side and the vein in his neck tensed, she was right. But, how can he live with her when he still haunted by Fred's ghost?

"Like what?" He said, even though he already knew.

With one foot on the steps, Charlie turned to face him. "Do you blame me?" She whispered. George held his tongue in his cheek and looked down, his eyes hot with tears. "Do you blame me for Fred's-"
"No." He said simply, trying not cry.

"So, why are you treating me different? You were so relieved when you seen I was alive, until you found out Fred pushed me out of the way. I could see it in your eyes, George," Tears from both sets of eyes began pouring, "you blamed me. I could feel it. You still blame me. You don't even look at me like your girlfriend anymore, you look at me with disgust." She sobbed.

George's grief and guilt for how he was treating Charlie switched to anger - he wasn't sure why, he just couldn't process all the emotions. "Because every time I look at you, I see Fred's body!" He screamed. Charlie jumped at the rise in the volume of his voice.

"You don't treat Percy any different. You know, he pushed us both." Charlie cried. She wished Fred was here to remind them of how stupid they were.

"I don't have to LIVE with Percy EVERYDAY!" George growled, slamming his fist on the desk.

Charlie nodded, biting her lip to keep from her cries turning into sobs. "Okay." She whispered, "maybe you don't have to live with me everyday." She continued up the steps, mind set on leaving, before turning back around to face George. George opened his mouth in protest, that isn't what he meant - he didn't want her to leave. Charlie cut him off. "You know, he was my best friend. I'm hurting too, George." With that, the door to the flat slammed. George's sobs broke out as the door shut, slinging his papers from his desk.