You & I (George Weasley)

The One After it All Ends.

We didn't return home until early that evening. We had all wanted to try and get the school back in some sort of order but it wasn't going to be easy. It was going to take a while.

McGonagall eventually shooed us off of the premises, telling us all to go home and get some well deserved rest.

We could have gone back to the flat, Fred and Anna too but instead, George apparated us back to The Burrow which I really didn't mind - I think we had all wanted to together after what we'd gone through.

The house was crowded but it was quiet as people went off to get changed or disappeared just to have a few moments alone but when George pulls me towards the stairs, I catch sight of Sirius sat in the sitting room and I tug him to a halt.

When he follows my gaze, I know that I don't need to say anything and he gives my hand a gentle squeeze before he continues his way upstairs.

Sirius is cradling a glass of firewhisky in his hands and he doesn't look at me as I take a seat beside him and for a few minutes, we sit in silence.

I didn't quite know what to say now that I was sat here. What do you say to someone who's just lost another of his best friends?

"I'm sorry," the words slip out before I can think them over any further, "I'm sorry that I couldn't save him or Tonks. And now, Teddy's going to have to grow up without his parents-"

"This isn't your fault," he repeats Molly's words from earlier, "Please don't think that it is."

"But what about Teddy?" I whisper.

"Well," Sirius takes a sip of his whisky, "With Kingsley going to be stepping into the role of Minister of Magic - albeit temporarily, I should think that all of my charges are going to be dropped. He and Harry shall come stay with me, wherever that may be."

People start slowly trickling their way back into the room and when Harry comes in, I get up so he can sit beside his godfather. George smile at me as I move to stand beside him and despite the fact that my clothes are ripped and filthy, he doesn't hesitate in wrapping his arm around my shoulders, pulling me gently into his side.

Molly comes through carrying the bottle of firewhisky, numerous glasses and mugs floating in behind her.

Arthur joins us while his wife passes the glasses out and once he's sure that everyone has one, he raises his own into the air, "To Remus and Tonks. To everyone we lost."

Everyone echoes his words and my throat burns when I take a sip.

"To Harry Potter," Ron then announces, holding up his glass again and his best mate seems suddenly sheepish, "If it weren't for you, none of us would be here and Voldemort wouldn't be dead."

"To Harry."

**

"I can't believe it's all over,"

I find myself almost unable to tear my eyes away from the night sky - the stars seemed to be exceptionally bright tonight. It was as if they knew that we down below were celebrating.

We were laying in a hammock in the Weasley's back garden, one that Fred had bought their dad when he spotted it in a muggle shop window and George was swaying it gently with his leg.

"I know what you mean," I whisper, "It feels strange to not have to worry. "

George kisses the top of my head, "We're not in danger anymore, love."

"So what do we do?" I whisper, moving my head so my chin was resting on his chest.

"We go back to normal," he murmurs, hand toying with the ends of my hair, "It won't be easy, I know that but I don't think it'll take long."

"Yeah?"

He nods, "A few months maybe."

"What about the school?"

"Come on, Amy," he smiles down at me, "It won't take that long to fix it up with magic. And then when the students go back, the shop will pick up again."

I nod. It had been so long since we'd seen the shop packed with people. It would be nice to see it again. "You'll be raking it in," I grin, making him laugh.

"And when we are, Fred and I will buy more shops. We're going to buy Zonko's."

"The one in Hogsmeade?"

He nods, "It was closed, something about not being able to make sales and well, we've been talking about buying it for a while and well, this could be a good time. And then," he pauses, lifting my hand to look at the silver wedding band that rests on my finger, "And I'm going to buy you an engagement ring, a proper one. And then we'll go on a long, long holiday - just the two of us. Then we'll get a house. One of those fancy townhouses that you like so much."

"George," I whisper, making him look at me, "I don't care about any of that stuff. You don't need to-"

He kisses me softly, "I know I don't but I want to. You deserve it all, Silver."

"You gotta get out of the habit of calling me that," I tease, wiggling my hand in front of his face, "It's Weasley now."

He looks concerned when my smile falters, "What? What is it?"

"I think it's time to tell your folks that we're married."

I feel him freeze beneath me and I sit up, carefully manoeuvring myself from the hammock.

"Come on," I hold my hand out for his.

"Oh no," he shakes his head, "I think I'm perfectly alright with them not knowing."

I cross my arms, "George. Look, if we don't tell them then it's only a matter of time before Ginny tells them."

"Ginny knows?"

"Of course she does. You should know by now that I can't exactly keep a secret. I'm surprised I lasted as long as I did."

"Then Ginny can tell them," he says casually, folding his hands underneath his head as he closes his eyes.

"Alrighty then," I murmur and quietly, so he doesn't hear me, I tiptoe closer to the hammock, grab the edges and tip him out of it.

"Amy!"

"Come on," I plead, holding my hand out for him once more.

"Oh, alright," he huffs, letting me pull him up from the ground, "But, I just want to point out that I know just how this will go."

We come to a halt at the back door and I look up at him, "Ready?"

"Ready."