Awakening (Fred Weasley)

EIGHT

After the final fight between Harry and Voldemort, which Harry won, the healers from St. Mungo's came to Hogwarts to bring all the injured to St. Mungo's.

The Great Hall was crowded between the injured, dead, families, and healers. Sobs and heated discussions filled the air. Smiles weren't seen.

Sirius Black and the entire Weasley family, with the exception of George, were crowded around the unconscious forms that were Elle Black and Fred Weasley. They were waiting for Elle and Fred to be taken to St. Mungo's.

George Weasley was in the Hospital Wing.

He was sobbing. He was holding his wife's hand as if it was the only thing keeping him alive. He tried to ignore the growing coldness of her hand. It wasn't the baby, they said. It was her wounds from the battle, they said.

His wife, his world, is dead.

Harry walked over to join his godfather, Sammy, and the Weasleys. He was scared to see who it was they were surrounding.

He was right to be scared. His stomach plummeted when his gaze landed on the unconscious form that is his cousin. Beside her was her boyfriend.

No, no, no. This isn't happening.

Remus and Tonks were dead. They left a son behind. Wasn't that enough of a sacrifice?

Sirius stood up and shakily walked to his godson. He placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, making Harry look over at him. They locked eyes before Harry crumpled into his godfather's arms.

Everything was his fault. Nobody would have died if he hadn't of come to Hogwarts to start the battle. Elle, Fred, Tonks, Remus; they would all be fine if it wasn't for him.

At least that's what Harry thought.

Harry held on to Sirius until two healers came over to take Elle and Fred to St. Mungo's.
-----
Sirius and Harry stayed at Elle's bedside. Sirius and the Weasleys had requested to have Elle and Fred put in the same room.

All the Weasleys were present except for George and Bill, who offered to go find George.

Meanwhile, George had chased off anyone who tried to pry him away from his beloved wife.

George barely registered the sound of the doors to the Hospital Wing opening and closing. He barely registered the sound of heavy footsteps coming in his direction.

"George," came his brother's voice.

"What would Betty say?"

George still didn't give his brother a reply. He was too overcome with grief to say or do anything.

"You have a daughter who's waiting to meet her father, George."

"How am I going to raise a child by myself?" George finally whispered.

"You won't be doing it by yourself. You know you have all of us, right?"

"I lost three of the most important people in my life today, Bill. I can't function right now. She deserves a better father than that."

"Fred and Elle are alive. You didn't lose them."

"What?" George didn't want to get his hopes up.

"They're alive and in Saint Mungo's."

George turned and looked at his wife. He still hadn't let go of her hand.

He heard the baby start to cry in the make shift cot on the other side of Betty's bed. He shakily let go of Betty's cold hand and got up.

He slowly moved over to the baby. He stared down to the red haired baby girl. His red haired baby girl. Gently, he picked the baby girl up. It was like magic; she immediately started calming down.

George thought about what Betty wanted to name her. Callie. Callie Elizabeth Weasley. He at least wanted his daughter to share his wife's name. After all, this tiny human was a live connection to his wife.

"Hello, Callie. I'm your daddy," George finally whispered.

George didn't want to leave Betty. He couldn't stand the thought of it. But, he had to. Someone had finally came in to usher him away.

Bill gave the person a look, which made the person stop before they said anything.

George looked at Bill. "Take me to Fred and Elle."

He cradled Callie in his arms as Bill nodded and led them to the fireplace. Since they were traveling with a baby, they had to use the Floo network.
-----
Bill entered the room before George. He looked at Elle, who was awake for the time being. He swallowed.

"Betty... didn't make it," Bill finally let out.

Elle seemingly stopped breathing. Could this get any worse? First I find out that Fred is in a coma and now I find out my best friend is dead. Betty. Elle immediately started crying. She brought one hand up to her face to hastily wipe the tears away.

George finally came in. His eyes landed first on his twin, then on Elle.

He felt like he couldn't cry any more tears. He felt like he sobbed all his tears away earlier. If he could've cried, he would've been sobbing.

Elle's gaze went from George's face down to the baby in his arms. This only made her cry harder. George, feeling helpless, handed the baby to Molly who didn't complain. George wordlessly went to Elle's bed, sat beside her, and allowed her to cling to him as she sobbed.

Everyone, sensing they wanted to be alone, left the room. George finally broke down and started sobbing again.

While Elle clung to his shirt, he buried his face in her shoulder. The best friends were both broken-hearted over the same things. They were the only ones who understood how each other felt.

They stayed like that until they both stopped crying.

Elle finally pulled herself together. "Is it a boy or a girl?" she whispered.

"Girl," George responded.

"What name did you choose?"

"Callie Elizabeth," George told her.

Elle almost broke down at the mention of Betty's full name. She loved the fact that he named her what Betty wanted.

"Can... can I see her?" Elle asked timidly.

George nodded and got up. He went out to the hall and came back in the room with Callie in his arms.

He brought her over to Elle, who smiled sadly. "She looks just like her mother. Except the hair, of course."

George nodded, smiling at the baby who already had him around her tiny finger.

"Can I hold her?" Elle whispered. She tried to ignore the fact that George wasn't speaking. She understood. She was the same way when she found out her mother had been killed.

George handed her over to her godmother without saying a word.

Elle smiled as she took the tiny human in her arms. "Hi, Callie. I'm your godmother. Prepare to be spoiled, princess," she said in a small voice.

Elle got teary eyed between thoughts of Betty and imagining what her and Fred's children would look like.

She started to get weak, so she handed Callie back to George before she fell back into unconsciousness.