Learn to Love Again | George Weasley

14. Unanswered Letters

As he slumped into his desk chair he reached into his pocket, intending to look at the list of items Verity had given him, but his fingers found Angelina's letter instead. With a groan of frustration he opened the drawer all her other letters were in, this would be her twentieth attempt at writing to George. The stack of unopened envelopes was quickly outgrowing their home and George wasn't interested in finding out what Angie's owl would do if he kept ignoring her for much longer, so he reluctantly pulled out the entire stack and spread them out across his desk.

There was no rhyme or reason to it, every single one was identical - beige envelopes with 'George' written in her perfect handwriting. He set the most recent letter back in his pocket to open last and reached for the one closest to him to open first.

'George,

I heard from Lee that you're back at work! That's lovely to hear, as soon as the Quidditch season is done in October I'll come down to London to visit.

All my love,
Angie

P.S. Write me back, you git.'

George set it to the side before picking up another, a pile of Angie's letters quickly growing taller and taller on his desk. The letters written earlier on in the year were longer and more emotional, there were a few that George could barely finish because they were too heartbreaking. The later letters grew shorter the more he avoided her, but she still made the effort to reach out every single week regardless. A feeling of guilt grew in his chest the more he read her letters, all Angelina wanted to do was make sure he was okay and all he did was shut her out, it was a bad habit he had become very good at.

Only two letters remained, the one he had received this morning and, as luck would have it, the very first letter Angie sent him after the funeral. Knowing the latter would be the hardest to get through, he decided to bite the bullet and get that one out of the way. Ripping open the envelope, he pulled out the parchment to see some areas of ink that had bled through due to her tears falling on the paper. That alone made George want to crumple it up and toss it out but something about her letters had a cathartic feeling for George, they hurt to read but they also brought him a sense of relief.

'George,

I'm so sorry I didn't speak to you at the funeral. Katie tried to get me to talk to you but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Even looking at you hurt, all I saw was Fred. I can only imagine how it is for you to see yourself, you probably hate looking at your own face now. I'm sorry, that was a stupid thing to say...

Katie told me that writing to you might make me feel better. I hope you'll write back, but even if you don't, just being able to write my feelings and send them away will give me some sort of release. Everything is so hard George. There's so many things I wish I could have told Fred. I haven't been able to sleep at all for the last two weeks. Have you been sleeping well? Probably not...

I have so many regrets. I didn't tell Fred enough how much I loved him, he was my greatest friend and I took him for granted and now he's gone forever. I don't want to take you for granted as well, I'll write to you every week and remind you that I love you, whether or not you respond.

All my love,
Angie'

Tears were streaming down George's face as he set her letter down on top of the pile. He sunk down in his chair and covered his face with his hands. All the months he spent trying to build up a wall and numb himself to the pain crumbled down every time he had to face the fact that his brother was gone forever. Angelina's letters brought him right back to square one, as if it had only happened yesterday.