Left Behind (A Fred & George fanfic)

21. Smile It Away

He took a minute to stretch out and wake himself up. Then he glanced at the clock – What? Half past one already? It couldn't be!

Cursing to himself, he rolled out of bed – literally – and trudged towards his wardrobe. Looking for some fitting clothes to wear on his day off, his eye fell on one of his older jackets, which was shoved away to the back of the wardrobe. He had bought it once, with Fred, when they first opened the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

“Oi, Fred, do you remember when we – ” George stopped talking and turned around. Why had he only now realised the silence around him? He clenched and unclenched his hands quickly a couple of times. They were empty, how could they be empty?!

Panic.

He searched his pockets, searched the floor, his night stand, his bed, once, twice.

This couldn't be happening.

He had to find it. He had to.

“Not again, not again, not again.” He whispered. His mind was blank.

He searched the bed again, now tearing the blankets off it.

Thump.

A tiny black stone rolled from the blankets onto the ground.

Filled with relief, George sighed, accidentally dropping the stone another two times in his hurry. He held it tightly and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them he cracked a smile. Fred was standing in front of him again, although he didn't seem quite the same as the past few weeks. He seemed confused, like he had been disturbed while thinking about something very serious. He also seemed rather... dull. Something had changed about him, not only about his expression, which was close to depression, but also about his appearance. It looked as if he was a little less solid, somehow, like he was covered in a grey haze.

Or maybe it was just that George wasn't fully awake yet. Maybe he just saw things that weren't there. Fred couldn't feel sick in the first place, now, could he? And what else could possibly be wrong with him?

Fred blinked. “What time is it?”

George grinned and pointed at the clock. “Good afternoon, Freddie!”

Though Fred didn't laugh. “Wow, I think I sort of passed out for a couple of hours...” He held his head with his hand as if he had a headache.

“Yeah, I think I dropped the stone in my sleep. I'm sorry.” George looked down at the floor, a little ashamed of himself for letting go of Fred that easily. “Are you okay?”

Fred nodded, finally cracking a smile. “Hey, what about going for a walk? I feel like going outside!”

George raised a brow. “Uhm... sure? Sounds like fun. Let's go!” He made his way to the hall to go outside.

“George?” Fred said, still standing at the same place.

George turned around. “Hmm?”

“Maybe you should put on some pants and a shirt first.” Fred pointed at him. “I don't think the muggles fancy half-naked guys walking through their town.”

George laughed and walked back to his wardrobe. “Shut up, you!”

A little while later George closed the front door and the twins set off for a walk.

“Anywhere in particular you wanna go to?”

Fred shrugged. “Dunno, just wanted to go out for a while.”

George eyed him suspiciously. “Is everything allright, Fred?” Now that he had been awake for some time and a nice spring breeze had cleared his senses, he definitely saw that something was wrong with Fred.