Please, don't

So, we all know Dumbledore can get things wrong because there surely is a way to bring back the dead, at least to bring back Fred. But the thing he was right about was that Leah would wake up before morning. It was one in the morning when she woke up. She bolted up straight as she inhaled deeply. Fred who was still sitting next to her as he watched her all day and all night, still holding her hand, immediately went to her side. When she caught her breath, she looked around the room. George was sleeping on a cot on the end of hers, mumbling in his sleep. She turned her head and looked to Fred; her eyes sparkled for a moment before they went sad again as she leaned away from him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Minnie had sent us Patronus when you didn't wake up." When he saw her eyebrows gather, he added. "After you took the potion, you didn't come out of the trance in a couple of minutes like you were supposed to, you went into a comatose state. You've been asleep for over fifteen hours."

"You didn't have to come." She snarled as she jumped up, but she came unsteady and wobbled on her feet. Fred stood up and held her steady. When the drowsiness passed, she stepped away from him.

"Leah..." He pleaded. But she just went to George's cot and gently shook him awake.

"What's happening?" He mumbled as he peered his eyes open. They shot open as he saw the familiar strawberry blonde hanging over him. "Leah!" He said grabbing her shoulders and pulled her into the cot with him.

"I'm okay." She chuckled in his chest. Fred was standing behind them, looking at how she gave his twin more than a glance than he received.

"You gave us quite a scare, witch." He mumbled in her hair. She suddenly pulled back and her eyes searched his face.

"Am I-?"

"Yes, you're definitely a witch. Like we've been saying for ages now." He grinned. Leah playfully slapped his chest. "Not only that, but Minnie also did the potion to see your family tree. You are a descendant of the Godric Gryffindor."

"That bloke who was one of the founders of Hogwarts?" She asked surprised.

"Yep." George said with the emphasis on the P. George saw the parchment with the family tree hover over to them, chuckling as he knew Fred was the one carrying it.

"And you have a new cousin." Fred interrupted carefully as he handed her the parchment. She accepted it as she kept her eyes averted from him. Her eyes scanned over the whole family tree, checking off the names she already knows.

"I should wake up Minnie." George said as he clambered out of his cot.

"No, George. You don't have to-" Leah said hurriedly, not ready to be alone with Fred.

"I'll be just a minute." He waved her off and walked up the stairs. She looked at George's retreating back for a moment before she looked back over the parchment. Her fingers skimming softly over her Nan's name. Fred took George's vacant seat next to her.

"Leah..." He whispered. "Please look at me." He tipped her chin with her fingers and her eyes rested on his. "I don't want to lose you."

"I think you already did." She turned her head away from him, Fred's hand falling lifeless to the cot. "Once we find out how to bring you back, I will do it and then we can go our separate ways."

Before Fred could reply, footsteps were heard coming from the stairs. Minerva came down in her emerald bathrobe and quickly sat down on her other side as she looked her over.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. I feel a bit drained and tired but okay." She gave the headmistress a small smile.

"I want you to stay here for a couple of days, just to make sure you're okay." She said sternly. "Did they fill you in?"

"Yes. So, what's next then? I don't have to go back to school, do I? I already went to school and even college. I can't handle another seven years."

Minerva smiled at that as George let out of full belly laugh, Fred on the other side of her was dead quiet. "You don't have to go to school, but you'll have to be taught of course. We can work on the details later."

"Alright, so now the only thing to do is find out about the link-"

"But we already did." Minerva interrupted. "I showed the twins the book when they got here."

George pulled the heavy book from the desk and flipped it open to the right page before he handed it over to her. Her eyes quickly scanned the page, going from paragraph to paragraph.

"I can't believe you found it!" She said looking up from the book. "When are we doing it?"

"You need to come back to full strength first. Your body, your mind is still adjusting to the magic. It will take a lot from you, if we do it while you're weak..."

She nodded her head in understanding before she looked up to George. "Do we tell your family? Now that we found a way to bring him back."

"Even though I hate it, we better wait until we succeed because if we don't-"

"Then they would feel like they have lost him twice."

"Yeah." He said looking at his feet. "But let's get some sleep first, you need your rest. We can go into the details tomorrow."

"I agree with Mr. Weasley." Minerva said and she pointedly ignored the twins shocked faces. "Let's all try to get some more sleep. Especially you." She looked at Leah. "Fred, are you sure you don't want a bed?"

No, I'm fine Minnie. Can't sleep anyway . He scribbled as he stared at Leah's back. Minerva's eyes rested on him for a moment before she stood back up and walked to the stairs.

"Goodnight. Ollie will bring us breakfast in the morning." And she disappeared up the stairs, leaving the twins and Leah back alone.

"Why don't you go home?" Leah suggested as she stood up and George sat down on his cot. "Your bed must be a lot more comfortable than this."

"No, I'm good." He said as he patted his pillow.

"Seriously... You didn't have to come. I told you-"

"That was before everything happened."

"I'm fine-"

"You didn't look fine, Leah." He stood up and grabbed her shoulders. "I've been worried sick the minute Fred showed up on my doorstep in the middle of the night without you."

Fred who was standing close by, stepped away, trying to hide in the shadows of the dark lit room.

"I've sent Stella."

"After I went all around London to try and find you."

She struggled away from his grasp as she glared at him. "I needed time alone! I'm adult, George, I can take care of myself." She turned and walked back over to her cot. She purposely turned her back to them as she laid down. George groaned as he rubbed his hand over his face before conceding and went to lie on his cot, looking up to the ceiling. Fred looked sadly between the two as everything that happened was because of him. He sighed internally before he walked through the door, trying not to alert George of his leaving. What he didn't notice, was that Leah's eyes followed him as he walked to the door and disappeared through it.

"Where are you going, Mr. Weasley?" A familiar voice snarled at him to the right. He turned and saw Snape following him through the portraits in Hogwarts.

"You can see me?" Fred turned to the portrait of a field with unicorns grazing.

"No, but I'm an advanced legilimens. I can see your internal struggles from a mile away."

"Oh." Fred said with a frown. "And not that it's any of your concern but I'm just taking a stroll."

"Hm." His old professor frowned. "I'm going to give you some advice, whether you like it or not. Don't let her go." Fred's eyebrows shot up as Snape nearly whispered the last sentence. "I lost the one I loved because I didn't tell her how I felt, because I thought we were too different. She's going to need your help to control her power, to learn about this world. I'm not done." He pointed out when Fred opened his mouth to reply. "Everyone in the room knows how you feel about her, except her. Whatever you did, make it right. Tell her the truth."

Before Fred could say anything, the Professor disappeared into the field, leaving a stunned Fred behind. Snape, Severus Snape gave him love advice.

The next morning, they were eating breakfast in the headmistress office going over Leah's future plans.

"If you feel up to it, we can go to Diagon Alley this afternoon to see Mr. Olivander." Minerva said as she buttered her toast.

"Mr. Olivander?"

"Yes, to get your own wand."

"Or as you like to call it, stick." George grinned next to her.

"I'm going to look so ridiculous."

"So, you're saying I look ridiculous?" George said in mock hurt.

"If you remember, that's exactly what I told you the first time we met." She smirked as she clicked her tongue. Fred was sitting on a chair in the far back of the office as he watched the three of them talk. Leah had been ignoring him, avoiding his eyes all morning.

"Well, you'll get used to it." Minerva smiled. "I actually thought of someone who could tutor you. But you'll have to tell her the truth, or at least partially."

Leah and George looked at each other before they simultaneously said. "Hermione."

"Yes, I believe she works at WWW now?" Minerva asked George, who nodded. "Well, if Fred's back you'll have enough people working at the shop, right? I could hire her as part of staff here at Hogwarts. You can choose to stay here or at one of your homes."

"Leah lives in muggle London." George shook his head. "I don't think that's the best idea. And Hermione still lives in the burrow. They could practice at our flat."

"No, no. Hogwarts is fine. If Hermione wants to teach me of course."

"I think she will, but if she doesn't, I'll teach you until I can find a replacement." Minerva stood up as she finished her tea. "I'll be right back. I have a short meeting with Pomona." The others all gave her a little nod before she disappeared behind the door.

George turned in his seat to her. "But seriously Leah, you can do it at the flat."

Leah shook her head as her eyes closed, she took in a deep trembling breath. "No, George... I promised I would bring Fred back but after..."

"After?"

"After we will go our separate ways."

"What!? What do you mean?"

"I-I already told Fred. I can't-" She jumped out of her chair as she walked to the door where Minerva disappeared through, leaving a stunned George behind.

"Leah..." Fred grabbed her hand before she walked out. She looked up at him as her tears started to fall. "Please don't do this." He pleaded.

"Fred, no. You two can go home, I'll let you know when...I'm ready." But now that she was finally looking at him, she couldn't tear her gaze away. Fred saw his opportunity and reached with his other hand to touch her cheek, slowly rubbing his thumb on her jaw.

"Please." He leaned down and pressed his head to hers, both breathes hitched at the touch, eyes closing. He tilted her jaw up and softly pressed his lips to hers. Both heartbeats raced uncontrollably in their chest as their lips slowly moved against each other. Then Leah promptly pulled back, stepping away from him before she opened the door and practically ran through it. Fred leaned against the wall and slid down, burying his head in his knees.