Left Behind (A Fred & George fanfic)

17. Losing Grip

O-oh.

“Did I say something wrong? You seem down again, would you just please tell me what is going on?” It didn't sound as a plead or an accusation, it was just a statement, a straight-forward question. The typical Hermione-way of putting things.

Angelina remembered when she was at the Wheezes, when Hermione had asked her what was bugging her. She hadn't wanted to let it all out back then, but maybe it was good to talk to Hermione about this. Maybe her plain logic was just what Angelina needed.

She sighed as she was trying to find the words. “It's just that I don't know what to do or think anymore.”

Great start, Angelina, she thought. I bet Hermione knows exactly what you're talking about right now.

However, Hermione put one hand on top of hers and smiled encouragingly.

“George is acting so... weird, lately.” Angelina went on. “It's like he's being two different people at the same time. One moment he's all normal and he talks to me about random things and he laughs and he smiles and actually looks at me when I'm talking to him, and the other moment... it's just like he is gone. Absent, somehow.”

Hermione raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean exactly?”

“I don't know.” Angelina's gaze focused on the wall behind Hermione, which was filled with pictures of little Hugo and Rose. She had always had problems with looking people in the eye while talking to them, especially in serious conversations. Like this one. She felt Hermione looking at her though, which even made her more reluctant to look at her. “Sometimes he doesn't even notice me. When I talk to him, he just doesn't answer or respond in any way.”

“So do you think he's in a depression or something like that?”

“What? No! He's not sad. On the contrary, he's smiling the entire time. The problem is,” Angelina took another breath before finishing her sentence, “he doesn't smile at me. He's happy and cracks jokes, but it seems like I'm missing the point of his words. Like he is in some other world where I can't reach him. And that scares me, I don't want to lose him. It feels like I'm losing my grip on him. I thought I had him figured out, that we'd left the past behind us, that the worst part of this was over, but –“

“But it's like everything changed the minute he got out of that forest.” Hermione stated.

Angelina finally returned Hermione's gaze, surprised. “Yes. Yes, exactly.”

Hermione took another sip of her tea, seeming quite content with herself. Who would have thought she was the one to understand how Angelina was feeling. It was weird, since Angelina had never been very close to Hermione, yet she felt like they had been capable of understanding each other for years, they just never really realised it. Angelina now knew she had a friend in Hermione, they weren't just both part of the Weasley family. There was some kind of connection between them.

“Ron noticed it too, George's behaviour. But I wouldn't worry about it too much, to be honest.” Hermione concluded. “I bet he didn't take in the situation with little Fred and the map lightly, but he'll come around. This is just his way of dealing with it.” She smiled another reassuring smile, squeezing Angelina's hand a bit.

Angelina responded with a slight smile. She knew she was probably overreacting, but the feeling she had wouldn't go away. This might be just some kind of 'phase' George had to go through, especially after the incident with the map, as Hermione had said, but Angelina was still afraid of losing him in the process.

Hermione apparently noticed her doubts. “He's happy, and you won't be left alone. You should know that.” She laughed. “I mean, let's be honest; George would rather eat a Blast-Ended Skrewt alive than leave you alone. He loves you.”