. (ex_harleen425) wrote in weasley_loving, @ 2007-12-04 13:54:00 |
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Entry tags: | rated pg-13, ship: fred/george, ship: fred/patricia, ship: george/pansy, user: harleen |
Fic: Cheers Then (Fred/Patricia Stimpson, Fred/George, George/Pansy, PG-13)
Title: Cheers Then
Author: Harleen harleen
Pairings: Fred/George, Fred/Patricia, George/Pansy
Word Count: 940
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Mild twincest, AU from DH after page 636
Disclaimer: I don't own them and no money is being made from this.
Summary: Fred reflects on the past year.
Author's Notes: I haven't written anything in a while, and it's not one of my best efforts, so please be gentle! I am getting back into writing mode after a drama-induced hiatus.
Fred is with Patricia Stimpson here, which is a new pairing for me, but expect more of that one in the future. And yes, once again, this features the way I would have liked things to happen with the twins in DH, I can't help that. ;)
Cross-posted at my journal and at various places.
Fred hated being on bed rest.
It made him feel so useless, not being able to get up and go about his day, working at the shop, being creative, planning new ideas with George. This is what he wanted to be doing, especially now that the war was over. He felt like he should have been getting on with his life.
But he also knew that he should have died. The fact that he was still alive was, the way the Healers described it, a near miracle.
He tried to not think about that, because even though he didn't say it much, the mere thought upset him. Just the idea that he could have been separated from his twin, the person who was his everything...well, it was too much.
He remembered how, through the years, he'd promised George that he would be there to take care of him. That he would never go anywhere, no matter what.
The fact that he came so close to breaking that promise, even though it was through no fault of his own, was too painful for him.
He had been presumed dead that day, and he very well could have died, had George not noticed that Fred appeared to still be breathing. Luckily, his twin reached for his neck, and found a weak pulse, in what very well could have been the nick of time.
Of course, he didn't remember any of this. Nor did he recall lying in a bed at St. Mungo's for a fortnight, in a coma, unresponsive. It was as if one minute, he was laughing at a joke Percy made; and the next, he was in hospital, with a very grief-stricken George by his side.
During the next several weeks, while he was confined there, he recalled many things about the year before. How he'd spent weeks in secret fashioning a new ear for George using one of their Extendable Ears, and how grateful George had been about that.
He remembered how he had been planning to ask Katie to marry him, and even had George's support in that, until her owl that told him she was off to Muggle university and had to break off their relationship. How that broke his heart, and he had decided that George was all he needed after that.
How soon after that, while the students were busy shopping for their supplies, Pansy Parkinson and Patricia Stimpson came into their shop. Even though publicly, Pansy was still the same cliquey bitch, she wasn't that day. And both twins recalled Patti from school as well. After talking to them both well after closing time, how much better he had felt about losing Katie. And how the owls continued from both girls throughout the year; Pansy writing mostly to George, while Patti wrote to Fred.
He also remembered how upset he had been when they had to close shop for a while, and how he fought tooth and nail to keep that from happening.
But no matter how grim things may have appeared, he and George had each other. Their unorthodox relationship, one that brothers weren't supposed to share but they did, was stronger than ever. It was as if they had what they needed, and the owls from the girls were a bonus.
Then, the Battle of Hogwarts. It was painful enough seeing Katie again, and overhearing her tell Angelina and Alicia about her new Muggle boyfriend, but knowing what he had now kept him strong. Not to mention what Pansy did, which was solely out of fear, but she was treated as if she were a criminal for it.
He really tried to not think about it, it was more of a bad memory now than anything. Really, he was just happy to be alive, and his prognosis was very promising, which helped a great deal.
Sighing, Fred brought his thoughts back to the present as he opened his eyes. He wanted to get up and see what was going on, and he was allowed to move around for a few hours each day now, but he decided to wait. Besides, he could hear footsteps, and was curious about that.
A moment later, there was a knock on the door, and George was peeking his head into the room.
"Finally decided to join us, sleepyhead?" he asked with a wink as he entered the room.
"Yeah, something like that," Fred answered, shaking his head at his twin.
George sat on the bed next to Fred, bending down to give him a kiss. "Well, I've been working on that idea you had yesterday. I think it'll work out," he noted, wrapping his arms around his brother.
"Good," Fred replied, returning the hug. "I should be okay to check it out in a bit."
George smiled widely at him, it really was good to have his twin right here, where he belonged.
Before he could reply, there was a second knock, and two girls entered the room levitating a tray of snacks and drinks.
"We thought that you might be hungry?" Pansy said, nodding over to Fred in greeting as Patti settled the tray on Fred's lap.
"Thanks," Fred replied with a grin, watching as Pansy sat down on George's other side. Patti had settled in next to Fred, opposite from the others, giving him a kiss on the cheek as she did.
As the others helped themselves to the food, Fred couldn't hold back a contented sigh.
This is where I belong. Right here, just like this, he thought to himself, as he took the glass George offered him.
"Right. Cheers, then," Fred said out loud, clinking glasses with the others and feeling very good about the future; grateful that he had one to look forward to.