One Thing
by sick-atxxheart

"She's out there," Fred whispered, the Marauder's Map spread out over his knees. "Again."

George went to the window, as if he could somehow discern her features from such a distance. The moon was high and full, and the soft light cast gentle shadows.

"I think I'll go," He finally decided, turning to face his twin. "I think… I think I can help."

Fred nodded his assent. "Do you want me to go with you?" He asked, and George hesitated.

"No," he eventually said. "I think one person is probably all she can handle right now." The rest of their discussion was silent, and George slipped out of the dormitory quietly.

He found her on the Quidditch pitch, just as the Map had said he would. She was sitting in the dead center of it, staring at nothing. Even in the soft light, George could see the tears on her cheeks.

She didn't notice him walk up to her; she didn't even notice him sitting down next to her. When George said her name, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Cho," he said softly. He winced when she jumped, startled. "Shh, I didn't mean to scare you, honestly."

Her dark eyes met his, and George could see the pain in them. "What are you doing here?" Cho whispered, hands wiping at her cheeks. She looked embarrassed.

For the first time that night, George was unsure of exactly what to say. "Cho," he began uncertainly, glancing over at her, "I don't pretend to understand what you're feeling–"

"No, you don't understand," she snapped, suddenly irate. "If you're just here to tell me to get over myself, that he's gone and isn't coming back, then you can turn around and head right back up to the castle." She turned away from him, the tears back in her eyes.

"I'm not," George quickly assured, his voice honest. "All I was saying is that I don't understand what you're going through, and I don't pretend to understand. I'm just here to listen. To help, if I can."

Cho stared at him for a long moment. "You're not going to tell me that I'm being stupid?" She whispered, her lips trembling.

"No," George shook his head. "I'm not. You're grieving in your own way, and that is perfectly fine."

It seemed that no other words were needed. Cho sat and stared at him for a long moment before beginning to cry in earnest, looking blankly into the distance again. George sat awkwardly, wondering if he had done the right thing. A moment later, however, Cho leaned her head against his shoulder and just sobbed.

It felt like hours later when Cho's sobs finally slowed, and it was then that George spoke. "Cho?"

"Yeah?" She whispered, looking up at him in the moonlight.

"Tell me one thing you loved about Cedric," George said softly, not letting her look away. She looked surprised. He did not pretend to know much about grief, but George guessed that talking would help. Cho was obviously in no state to have a full-fledged discussion, but just a small thing sometimes made a difference. She needed to come to terms with the fact that Cedric was dead.

There was a pregnant pause before Cho spoke again. When she did, her words were hesitant and shaky.

"He always holds my hand," she said quietly. "It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing - he always reaches for my hand first."

George smiled softly at her and then stood. "Let's get you to bed," he replied. "It's been a rough night."

Cho stood hesitantly and allowed him to lead her back towards the castle, walking side by side. As they went, George contemplated what she had said. The most concerning part was that she had still spoken of Cedric in present tense, as if he was still alive.

George hardened his jaw. It would take time, but he was determined to get Cho through this.

The next night, the Map revealed that Cho was in the exact same spot - waiting for him, George optimistically thought.

When he took a seat next to her on the grass, Cho looked at him, surprised. "You came," she said, her voice low. "I thought... I thought last night was a dream."

George shook his head. It was strange for him, to reign in his usual witty, jokey personality in an attempt to be comforting. "Nope. I'm here, Cho."

She was less weepy that night, but not in better spirits. They spoke briefly of the weather, which seemed to George to be an improvement. Before they went back to the castle, George gave Cho the same prompt.

"Tell me one thing you loved about Cedric."

Cho took a deep breath, as if she had been anticipating this the whole time. Her answer was ready, though.

"He asks me how my day was, every single day, and never seems to get bored listening to my answer."

Just as the night before, George smiled gently at Cho and led her back to the castle.

The third night, George had to search the map to find her. Finally he did, in the darkest corner of the library. It took him awhile to sneak across the school towards the library, and George couldn't help but be impressed with Cho's ability to get around the castle unnoticed by Filch.

George smiled as he stepped into her plane of view, and just as she had the night before, Cho looked surprised. "How do you keep finding me?" Cho whispered, immediately moving her chair over so he could sit down next to her.

George's smile grew even wider. "I look."

George found Cho, let her cry, and asked her to talk about Cedric every night for two weeks before it happened – the moment when he could tell he had made a difference.

When he had woken that morning, Fred had looked at him and winced. "You've got a tough day in front of you, Georgie," he said. "Today was Cedric's birthday."

George fell back on the pillow and cursed, then sat up quickly. "Let's go, Fred," he replied, and they went down to the Great Hall.

Cho wasn't at breakfast, and George couldn't help but feel anxiety rising within him each moment he didn't see her. It was amazing how quickly George had come to care for her well-being. Their nightly meetings had become a sort of ritual for him, and he found giving comfort very therapeutic even for him.

The morning classes dragged by, and George nearly ran to lunch. Once again, Cho wasn't there, and he sighed deeply. "Maybe she's doing okay," Fred suggested, his voice not sounding very optimistic.

"Like hell she's not okay," George replied, downcast. "She's probably off crying her eyes somewhere –"

As if right on cue, there was suddenly a commotion down the table. A girl who George didn't recognize ran up to them, stopped short right across the table, and stared. After a moment, she exclaimed, "Oh, for Merlin's sake! Which one of you is George?"

"That's me," George said, standing up. "What's wrong?"

"It's Cho," The girl replied. "She's – she's asking for you." She winced. "She's not doing well at all, as I'm sure you can imagine."

George wasn't surprised; it was just as he had expected. "Where is she?"

"She's waiting right outside," the girl replied. "She didn't want to come in, with all the people here. I'm sure you understand…"

"Yeah," George said quickly, moving to leave. "On my way." He gave a quick nod to Fred, who smiled back at him, and left.

Cho was waiting right outside the Great Hall, her eyes impossibly red and puffy. She looked to be shaking. As soon as she saw him, her eyes widened.

George nearly ran to her and stood, waiting for her to speak. Cho looked abashed. "I'm sorry, George," she whispered. "I just... I just… I needed you. You listen."

For the first time, George gathered her completely in his arms. "I'm here," he said, and led her off so she could cry.

From that day on, George and Cho became nearly inseparable. After three weeks of Cho crying and talking about Cedric, it was beginning to get old for George; but still he remained patient, and eventually they began having real conversations. Fred even began to spend time with them every once in a while, although the relationship was not the same.

"Fred?" George said one night, as they were strolling through the dark corridors of the castle on their way back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Yeah, George?" His twin replied easily, glancing over at him.

George hesitated. This was an issue that they as twins, as best friends, had never really discussed. "Do you – do you think –" For once, the usually talkative George was at a loss for words.

Fred looked at him once more. "It's okay, Georgie," he said. "I know what you're trying to say. Just because you have Cho now – wherever your relationship is going to go – doesn't make us any less brothers, or any less best friends."

Smiling widely, George gave his brother a rare hug in the shadows of the corridor. "Thanks, Freddie."

His brother cuffed him on the back of the head. "Don't be daft," he said, laughing. "You'd do the same for me."

It was almost nine months after Cedric's death when Cho finally let him know it was time. They were back on the Quidditch Pitch, just like that first night, but this time there was no talk of Cedric – Cho had stopped talking of him in present tense after two months. They were discussing their classes, and their families, and their favorite Quidditch teams, and everything was normal –

Until Cho leaned over and kissed him.

George was shocked for a moment, and Cho began to pull away, embarrassed. "No," George said softly, taking her face in his hands. "I was just surprised, is all."

Cho looked up at him. "I never thought I would get over Cedric," she said softly. "I never thought I'd wake up a day without crying. And then… you showed up here one night, on a night just like this one."

George couldn't help the huge grin that spread across his face. "I never imagined we'd end up here, so many months ago," He replied, kissing her softly. "But I'm so, so glad."

It was however many minutes days years month later – who the hell cares at the moment – when she found him. It was the exact same – the middle of the Quidditch pitch, black as night out, and Fred was dead.

Cho had been there when it happened, and George's scream had been like nothing she had ever heard before. It was the purest scream of agony, of lives heartbeats memories breaths lifetimes of love happiness joy laughter ripped away all in one, and it was unimaginable and intolerable and Cho hoped she never, ever had to hear it again.

She walked up to him, not as quietly as he had that first night. "George," she said softly, taking a seat next to him. Without any further prompting, she gathered him into her arms and softly kissed his temple.

There was silence for a few long minutes, save for George's muffled sobbing, and then he spoke. "Do you know what…he…said to me, back when you and I had just started spending time together?" His voice was shaky and broken.

"What did he say, George?" Cho said, stroking his hair softly.

"He said… he said that even if I started being with you, it wouldn't make us any less best friends. Any less… brothers."

Cho sucked in a breath. "It still doesn't, George. He will always, always, always, to the ends of the earth, be your brother."

"But he's not here!" George cried. "How can he not be here? He left me!" His voice abruptly turned to shattering sobs, his body shaking so hard Cho had a difficult time keeping her arms around him.

"I know," Cho whispered urgently, over and over in his ear. "I know."

It felt like hours before his sobs slowed, before his shoulders stopped shaking and Cho was able to loosen her grip on his hand. She leaned in, close to his ear. "George?"

It took him a long moment to turn to face her. His eyes were still glittering with tears. "Yeah?"

She sighed deeply, kissed him once, and then spoke. "Tell me one thing you loved about Fred."

The reaction was instantaneous. "No – I can't – I can't even say his name –"

"George," Cho said again, her voice soft. She tightened her grip on his hand. "I will be here, every day, every night, until you feel okay again. Every day, just like you were for me. The hole in your heart will never be filled, George, but it will stop hurting so much. I'll be here. Every day. I promise."

She looked up at him, and her eyes were filled with tears, too. "Tell me one thing you loved about Fred."

A flood of tears fell down George's face, and a sob choked him for a moment. "Cho –" He gasped, his eyes begging her.

"Just one thing, George. Just start with one thing."

George started talking.

For Black Rose Blue on HPFC. Prompt: George/Cho. He befriends her during Order of the Pheonix and helps her get over Cedric's death. After Fred's, she helps him get over it.

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