occurremus iterum

George awoke on the floor next to the bed that his girlfriend was in. He shot up, rubbing his eyes and checking her pulse.

With a knock on the door, his sister Ginny entered with a mug of tea. “Morning, how is she?”

“Still out. Thanks.” He replied and grabbed the mug.

“Added a hangover potion to that, you’re welcome.” Ginny said with a smile and walked over to Zinnia. “I think I am going to get her cleaned up and changed into comfy clothes, you mind giving us a second?”

“Um, ok yeah sure. Thanks Ginny. For everything, I had no idea about last time. I can’t thank you enough. Taking care of her and all.” He left the room to give them privacy but stayed right outside the door.

“Alright, you can come in!” Ginny yelled. She had washed her face, cleaned her teeth and hair and put her in an old black Slytherin t-shirt. “Found that in Regulus’s closet. I think when she wakes up she will appreciate it.”

“She will. She is going to wake up right? Can we call Pavarti over? Or Hermione?”

“Just give her time George, she will wake up.”

And she did. Just 3 hours later, Zinnia woke up. Her boyfriend next to her in her father’s childhood bed. Her head more clear and light than she could ever remember, but she remembered everything. Everything.

George was next to her, reading the paper when she looked over. She felt safe, but angry, but warm, but hurt.

“Hey you. How are you feeling?” He asked her, his heart beating through his chest and voice shaky but calm. He was trying to gauge her thoughts, her memories.

“Hey, I’m ok. I remember.” She took a deep inhale and before she could continue -

“You’re ok? How’s your head? What do you remember last? Do you need to eat? Water?”

“George! I’m fine. I just - Hi.” She looked at him, really looked at him.

Everything from the last 10 years of her life all came crashing into her brain. She was realizing who George really was, the 11 year old boy she met on a train to a wizarding school. They boy she hated, then loved, then lost and found again. The boy who lost the girl he loved and then his brother all within a year of each other. The boy who found her again, when they were both broken and lost. The boy who had patience with her as she looked at him like a stranger. The boy who lied to her to protect her. And she hated liars.

“Hi.” His eyes were filled with tears, his smile beaming.

“You, why didn’t you tell me George? I feel like an idiot! This whole time you just pretended like we were strangers! Why didn’t you tell me why didn’t Hugo, Ginny, someone tell me?!”

“I, what? Are you serious, Z? You were missing for years! No one could find you! We all tried, we looked for you and Hugo? He tried to tell you, he tried to remind you of us, of your mom of everything. And that bloody wine rack, it nearly killed you. You were in a coma for Merlin’s fucking sake!”

They were standing now, Zinna on the bed and George on the floor, her towering over him as they shouted back and forth at each other.

“I was there! I was in here the whole fucking time! I was right here!” She was screaming now, gesturing and pointing at her head.

“You weren’t there. You weren’t there when Fred died. He’s dead, Zinnia! You think I was going to do anything to risk losing you too?!”

“I didn’t get a choice! You guys shipped me away and cut off all ties! I would have stayed to fight with you! I would have fought for all of us but no one gave me a choice! You have all been lying to me long before the stupid fucking coma.”

Ginny and Harry were in the doorway watching the scene unfold.

“Right well, she seems to be back.” Harry said with a sarcastic grin.

“You! You stupid idiot you could have been killed! What were you all thinking!” Zinnia shouted back at Harry, but her eyes were on Ginny.

“We didn’t get to think, we didn’t have a safe hideout overseas to take cover until the dust settled.” Draco was appearing behind Harry and Ginny. “Don’t start with that brave Gryffindor act Black, you’re a Slytherin, self preservation is our nature. You’re privileged enough to have a mother who loved you enough to protect you - actually protect you from this war that we were thrust in the center of.” He gestured to the group.

“Fuck you, Malfoy. I understand I am privileged, but that doesn’t make me weak. I could have stayed, I could have fought.”

“No one wanted that. No one wanted to fight, we didn’t have a choice. No one is blaming you for being gone. We were all happy that we knew at least one of us was safe. It was one less thing to worry about at the battle.” Ginny said and the tension in the room had lessened.

Zinnia had lost her anger and it was quickly replaced by grief. She lost so much already. They all had lost so much. She didn’t want to fight her friends. She just wanted to be happy, she wanted them all to be happy. Like old times, nothing to worry about, nothing to miss, nothing to fear. Her occlumency was failing her, she tried to imagine her anger going into a box, but it wouldn’t stay put, it kept blasting off the lid. George had a hold of her hand as she was still standing on the bed. It made her more upset and she couldn’t push the feeling out like she could always do before.

“Don’t touch me. I, can’t. Why can’t I stop this? Draco what did you do?” She had pulled her hand away from George and stepped off the bed into Draco’s face. Draco looked very different from the skinny blond boy from Hogwarts. He had grown taller and more built, his shoulders more broad and jawline strong.

“I didn’t do anything. Granger is the one who ran that operation last night, her and Gin.” Draco stepped back with his hands in the air.

Zinnia spun on her heel to Ginny. “Spill it.”

“Hermione and I looked for a year until we figured it out. We found a spell, a ritual really and it worked. You remember everything. You’re welcome.” Ginny said with her arms crossed against her chest.

“No, it’s more than that. Admit it.”

“Zinnia, what are you saying? Do you really not want to remember?” George asked behind her with a sad tone of voice.

“George, stop, it's not that. Something is different, something is missing. Ginerva spit it out.”

“I mean we had to break your occlumency blocks. So yeah those are missing. The walls or boxes or whatever bloody system your sick head had built to protect itself are gone. To let some of it out we had to let all of it out.”

“It? What’s it?” Harry asked.

“It, like her memories. She had everything blocked out. Buried, and when she had her head injured it was nearly buried for good.” Ginny replied to Harry while keeping eye contact with Zinnia.

“It fucking hurts. I hate it.” Zinnia fought her tears back.

She hated to cry, she remembered how much she hated to cry. She remembered George and Fred finding her in an empty classroom crying alone about her father. She gritted her teeth and chose to stay angry rather than cry. Crying was a weakness.

“I’m leaving.”

She pushed past Ginny and Harry, not stopping to look back at George behind her. Her vision was blurring through her tears and she flew down the stairs.

Big arms wrapped around her before she got to the threshold of the front door and she was apparating. Her stomach lurched and she landed in George’s London flat back in Diagon Alley. The big arms did not let go of her as she sobbed. Her body shuddering and her lungs gasping for air.

She stayed in his arms for what felt like hours until she finally pulled back and looked up at George’s kind face. It made her want to cry more. It made her want to kiss it. It made her want to smack it. She decided to kiss instead.

Her hands were on his kind face and her lips locked on his. She kissed him hard and sloppily, their tongues pushing back and forth. She was still crying, and he tried to pull away slightly.

“No, I need you George, please.” She pulled his face back and straddled his hips, his hands on her waist.

She slowed down their kisses but still moved with haste, pulling his pants down. She was only wearing an oversized t-shirt and no underwear so she rubbed her bare core to his cock, feeling it harden under her. He let her fuck him and ride him while she cried. She could feel herself coming quickly, her body was in need of an emotional release after everything it felt like everything was building up to this moment. She looked him in the eyes, the first time since she woke up this morning and felt her walls squeezing. She didn’t even notice if George had finished or not as she slid off of him and laid on the floor shaking. She felt empty and cold.

George pulled out his wand and summoned a blanket to cover her and she moved to lay her head in his lap.

“I fucking missed you.” She said softly. He said nothing back but stoked her hair as she fell asleep.

***Back at Grimmuald Place***

“She either really left and found a way back to New York or her and George are fucking the daylights out of each other.” Draco said as they sat in the kitchen.

“Malfoy, enough. I don’t need the visual.” Ginny groaned.

“I’m just saying, all that emotion, memories built up. Anyone would need a release. Fight, flight or fuck. I say they are fucking.”

“Draco, stop. I hope she’s ok. Do you think we should check on her?” Hermione had joined them just a few minutes after George apparated Zinnia out of the house.

“Not unless you want to walk in on them fucking.” Draco said with a laugh.

“No, he’s probably right. We can check on them later.” Ginny said.

“I still have no idea what you guys did but I am super impressed.” Harry added.

“It’s not that impressive really. It was quite simple. Zinnia’s mother’s side descended from Salem. Half of her magic is coven based so we emulated a coven. Just women. Then her father’s side, the Blacks. Dark and ancient magic. So we combined them and planned a ritual. Really sad that we don’t perform more rituals regularly, it was quite fun!” Hermione said.

“What I would have paid to watch you lot dancing around naked under the moonlight.” Draco said eyes glued on Hermione.

“We were not naked. But we did consider it.” Ginny laughed.

“I agree we should do more rituals - but only if it does include you all dancing around naked and Malfoy and I get to watch.” Harry added with a joking tone.

“You two are pathetic.” Ginny rolled her eyes at them.

***

Zinnia woke up in George’s bed with his front pressed against her back, spooning her. She stroked his arm and watched the goosebumps rise on his skin.

“Are you awake?” He whispered so softly in her ear.

She moaned in response and wiggled her bum against his rock hard erection.

“Do you want some coffee?” He whispered a little louder. He moved his arm to her hip.

“I want some cock please.” She whispered back in a raspy voice, as she grabbed his hand on her hip to move to her clit. He reached in between her legs and felt the moisture.

“Fuck Z.” George pushed himself into her from behind. He continued to rub on her clit from the front. After a few pumps, he lifted her leg for a better angle, he hovered over her slightly for leverage. This position was magic, her walls were trembling and squeezing relentlessly around him.

Zinnia started to see white spots behind her eyelids and his dick was hitting a place so deep in her, she couldn’t stop the guttural moans coming from her throat. Her eyes rolled back and she could feel George’s warmth filling her up and mixing with her’s. He rode her through her climax until her leg that was now on his shoulder was shaking uncontrollably and she had to actually push him off of her. He held his hand against her center firmly. She pushed that away after a few beats, both of them catching their breath.

“I would love some coffee.” She sighed as she stood to clean herself up in the bathroom.

She showered quickly and brushed her teeth. When she emerged to the kitchen she found a half naked George, making coffee in his boxers. She walked over to him wearing nothing but her towel.

“Here you are my love.” He handed her the mug and she saw some fresh but shallow scratches on his forearm.

She looked up at his grinning face as he winked at her. Her heart did a flip, after all this time how did he still manage to make her nervous and giddy?

“Thank you.” She sipped her coffee and moved to sit on the barstool at the kitchen island. They stayed like that in silence for a moment before George began his questioning.

“How are you feeling?” He asked her, her face stayed down looking into her coffee mug. “Do you really remember everything? Are there any blank spaces I can help you fill? Do you have a million questions? Does your head hurt at all? Have you had any other visions?” He was frantic.

“Just one thing at a time. No blank spaces that I can think of. I have no questions. My head is fine. No visions.” She replied back to him monotonly and not moving her head from facing the mug. She drank the remaining coffee and finally looked up at her over worried boyfriend. “What’s the plan today? It's still New Year’s Day right? What time is it?”

“I, ok so you are fine?” He almost stuttered back. His face was full of concern.

“George, enough. You worry more than your mother.” She visibility winced as the word came out. She remembered his mother was safe, alive and healthy, while hers was dead in a ditch somewhere for all she knew. She remembered the paper she found just before the wine rack came crashing down on her head.

“Sorry, you’re right. The plan for today. Let’s see, I am going to shower. And then I think we should do a little damage control back at Grimmauld.”

“Grimmauld?” She asked, this was something she could not remember.

“Harry and Ginny’s place. It’s number 12 Grimmauld place, we just call it Grimmauld.” He shrugged at her “Thoughts? Then we can do whatever you like.”

“Yeah. That works.” She agreed and he kissed the top of her head and left to shower.

He was done as she had finished her makeup, cursing herself for leaving her wand behind. She knew exactly where she had hid it back in New York.

“Ready?” He asked her as they stepped into the fireplace.

“Ready.” She gripped his hand tight as the floo’ed into Harry’s living room.

“Hello! We're here, again. Ginny?!” George shouted as he stepped further into the house like it was his own home. Zinnia stepped out of the fireplace more carefully, looking around more closely at the dark moody living room.

It was a curious old home full of magic. She could practically see its energy oozing out of the light fixtures and the large furniture that looked like it was all custom made. There was familiarity there but she was sure she had never been here before last night. She remembered her last summer in London with George. He was in the city a lot, but it always seemed for work, Fred and him would meet with small manufacturers that her mother introduced them to, or sometimes sell their products out of a large suitcase in Diagon Alley.

She walked to the kitchen and found a small house elf cleaning the dishes in the sink, humming softly to himself.

“Kreacher?” Zinnia asked and the elf turned around just as George and Harry found her in the kitchen.

“Mistress Black. It is an honor to see you. Please, may I offer you some tea?”

“How did you meet Kreacher?” Harry asked casually, sitting down at the table and grabbing a piece of toast from the small spread of breakfast items.

“I live to serve the Black family, you know this Master Potter.”

“Harry” Harry corrected his elf.

“Harry, sir.” He bowed. “I was still owing Master Regulus, sir. I delivered a package to Mistress Black after her last year of school. Harry sir is the only master I serve sir. You and Miss Ginerva Mr Harry sir.”

“Oooh what was in the package Zinnia?” Harry asked her, then bit into his toast.

“I, I don’t know. I never opened it. I hid it. Along with lots of other things. Back in New York.”

Kreacher clutched his chest. “Mistress Black please you must open it! It was Master Regulus' wish that you would have it!” He then started stammering on about how he looked and looked for her and was already late to deliver it by hand, all for her to never open it.

“Kreacher! That’s enough. Leave us, please.” Harry grumbled, rubbing his head. “I’m too bloody hungover for all of this. First you two screaming and now Kreacher with his episode.”

Zinnia had sat down at the table, processing the memory from when the elf had found her to deliver the gift. She was so far gone at that point, she barely could work out what he was or where he came from.

“What’s Kreacher on about this time? Did you use the wrong teacup?” Ginny stubbled into the kitchen, rubbing both eyes. “Oh! Zinny, George! Hi again!” She wrapped her arms around her brother then her friend.

“Can we talk? In private?” Zinnia whispered in Ginny’s ear, low enough that the boys could not hear.

Without a word, Ginny broke their hug and pulled Zinnia out of the room by her hand.

“We’ll be back! I have to show Zinny how I re-decorated the master bedroom!” Ginny shouted behind her shoulder, already zooming up the stairs.

“We can join you Gin.” George said.

“No! I’m showing her my - um - lingerie collection! Nothing my brother wants to see.” Ginny shouted back.

Once in the bedroom, Ginny shut the door and used her wand to cast, “Muffliato”

“Handy spell, that one. Ok what’s up?” Ginny asked her friend, pulling her onto the overly large bed.

Zinnia looked around the room, “Oh Ginny I really wish you would have asked me to help you redecorate. Are you dead set on that rug? It’s very geometric. Can I gift you something else?”

Ginny again wrapped her arms around Zinnia for a tight hug, laughing hysterically.

“You bitch, I missed you.” Ginny said before releasing the embrace.

“I missed you too, Red.” Zinnia ruffled the top of Ginny’s fiery red hair. “Thank you, for everything. I know you took care of me, in the hospital. I know you led the way to find a way to get my memories back, I know you took care of George and Harry and your entire family after Fred was killed.” Zinnia had picked up her friend’s hands and squeezed them tight. “Who has taken care of you?”

Ginny dropped her eyes and took a deep breath in. “Harry, you know he is doing his best. I just, I have to be honest, I envied you. You were able to shut it all out. Move on and forget it all. I actually feel guilty for finding a way to bring it all back.” Ginny met her eyes again, she had blinked away her tears that were so close to falling.

“You know that was a mistake. I was alone, it was a means of survival. I wish I could have come back to you, to George. I did try. I tried to come home so many times. It was forget or fall into a depression, I felt so helpless.”

“We shouldn’t have kept you in the dark for so long before. George wanted you out of it all. But the minute you left the country, it felt like he left too. He was miserable. It wasn’t until The Order started planning more to fight he was able to be grateful that you were safe and out of harm’s way. And then after Fred, he just lost all hope. He tried for months to get in touch with you. His letters would be returned and Hugo shut off his phone. He even went to NYC three different times to look for you.”

“I didn’t realize that. I hate that I wasn’t here, especially after Fred, I hate that I wasn’t here for him and for you and your mom. How is she?”

“It’s ok, Z, really we are all ok now. It was hard, it really was. I missed you a lot. I also wrote to you, but Hugo, after your mom, he wanted you untraceable, off the map.”

“Kreacher was just saying how long it took for him to find me. It was driving him crazy.” Zinnia said, desperate to change the subject away from her mom.

“When did Kreacher find you?” Ginny asked, looking somewhat angry. “If I had known, we could have found you sooner, was it before the accident?”

“It was just a few weeks before. He brought me something from my dad. Is this?” She looked around the place. “Is this where he used to live?”

“Yes, this is the old Black house. You know, you probably have claim to it, Sirius was Harry’s godfather and left it to Harry when he died. But seeing as you are a Black by blood, it really belongs to you.”

“Erhh, it’s not really my taste. Harry and you should keep it.” She looked around again at the rug, the dusty heavy curtains and the fireplace coated in black soot.

“It’s good to have you back.” Ginny laughed and shoved her on the shoulder jokingly.

There was a knock at the door.

“I’m naked!” Ginny yelled, the door opened with quick force.

“You liar, you got me all excited!” Harry said as he entered the room.

“Oh it’s you.” Ginny said as her boyfriend came over to her and kissed her forehead.

“You girls ok up here? Zinnia are you ok? Did Kreacher frighten you?” Harry asked.

“No, I am fine. I think I will be heading back to New York today. Do you think George still wants to come back?” Zinnia was now fidgeting with the buttons on the duvet cover. “This is really awful Ginerva.” She added with a whisper.

“Stop that, leave my duvet alone whatever did it do to you?” She slapped her hand away from the buttons.

“Maybe I will take claim of the house, just to rid it of the tacky decor you added.”

Ginny grabbed a decorative pillow, in the shape of a heart and smacked Zinnia on the shoulder.

“Fuck off Z, I would have aimed for your head but I am not shaving your legs again for another 4 months.”

“You shaved her legs?” George chuckled as he entered the room.

“Yes. Because I am a great friend, and I know my sister and she would have done it for me. I painted her nails and brushed her teeth and did her full skin care routine as well.”

Zinnia tackled Ginny with a hug and held her there tightly on the bed. “You do like me, I knew it! The sweet little sister I never had.”

“Alright, get off me you are stronger than you look.” Ginny laughed and broke their hug apart, standing up from the bed.

Zinnia stayed seated and George had joined her in his sister’s place.

“Yes, yes we are all happy and chummy again. Zinnia, are you feeling ok? Do you know what you want to do next? It is true, this is your family’s house, you can absolutely take claim. Please don’t feel like you have to be nice.” Harry said.

“No, Harry, it is all yours. I am happy it is staying in the family. I didn’t realize that you were Sirius’s godson. I didn’t realize you had any relationship with my uncle. If I take claim of this house I would sell it and be done with it, so I am happy it can be home for you.” Zinnia told him, fighting the urge to fiddle with the bedspread and instead picking at her nails.

George put his large hand on top of both of hers, noticing that she was uncomfortable.

Harry stepped closer and put his hand on her shoulder. “He loved you, you and your mom. He destroyed a big piece of Voldemort and died in pursuit of that. He stood up against the most powerful dark wizard, his own master that he claimed loyalty to, in order to make the world a better and safer place for his daughter. And Sirius wanted to meet you. He really did. It was too hard to drag more innocent people into this war than what was necessary. He helped your mom and Hugo hide you.” Harry had started to say something about her mother, but George stopped him with a warning look.

Zinnia could feel a panic attack coming in her chest. Her occlumency was gone and she felt she had no way to stop it. She wanted to flee the room, embarrassed that she may break down in front of other people.

“Thank you, Harry. And Ginny. Thank you both so much for everything. George and I are going to go, this is all just too much right now you know?” Zinnia hugged Harry and Ginny while never letting go of George’s hand. George said his thank you and goodbyes as he was dragged down the stairs by his girlfriend.

Once outside, Zinnia leaned her back to the front door and pulled George closer to her.

“Where to for some food? I have some good new spots we can go to or some of our old favorites?” George started.

Zinnia stood up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her face. His hands were firm on her waist. Rather than a kiss, she turned her head so her lips were at his ear.

“I need to go back to New York, today if possible. I need my wand. Are you coming with me?” She asked, her nails softly scratching his scalp, and she could see goosebumps rise on the back of his neck.

“I go where you go. I am not letting you out of my sight again.” He whispered back, kissing her neck softly. “But you are not going on an international trip without having anything to eat. I fear you would disappear into nothing.” He squeezed her waist, his large hands almost fully wrapped around.

“Fine. Something quick on the way to the ministry.”

“Let’s go.” He led her to a small cafe and they both had a coffee and breakfast sandwich to go. They walked and ate until they reached the Leaky Cauldron and got back to George’s old flat.

George shrunk her luggage down and she threw it in her Chanel bag, thinking what a wasted trip to London that she didn’t get to go shopping. But she was sure she would be back. All she was focused on was getting back to the penthouse and detangling the mess she left for herself.

The entrance to the ministry from Diagon Alley was obvious. Two giant black marble doors at the top of some stairs. They still had Christmas trees decorated on either side.

“Bullocks.” George said as he went to pull on the locked door. “I’m sorry darling. It’s New Year’s Day. The Ministry is closed.”

“How else are wizards traveling internationally today? They can’t just ban people from traveling today. Is there a different entrance maybe, just to access the floo and portkey networks?”

“They kind of can, actually. Ban people from traveling today. After the war, there was a lot of restructuring at The Ministry and they wanted to make sure that they had lots of days off for the employees to spend more time with their families. It’s been a big cultural reset of sorts.”

“Well ok that’s good that’s a good thing. They are hard working people, good for them, they deserve a break. What about Muggles? We can fly today, the Muggles don’t take any days off, at least not the ones in America.”

“We’ll give it a shot.” George said, putting his arm out for his girlfriend to grab as he apparated them to a deserted alleyway next to the airport.

“No open flights today.” Zinnia told him as they met up in the middle of the check-in’s area.

“Same on my half.” George reported. They had split up to see if any airline had two tickets back to NYC the same day. With it being a holiday, none had any open.

“Maybe we can go back and ask if they have any flights to another airline or maybe we can take the train to a different airport there and find out.”

“Zinnia, at any rate we won’t be able to get back to New York until tomorrow. It’s already 3 in the afternoon. Without magic we wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow, or very very late tonight.” George told her, grabbing both her hands. She was fidgeting and picking at the skin around her nails again. A habit that her mother was always trying to break her of.

“Fuck, you’re right. I’m sorry, let's stop wasting the day. Want to go shopping?” She looked up at her boyfriend with a grin.

“Why not?” George replied with a matching grin.

He had a large family and would mainly get hand-me-downs from his older brothers. When his mum would take him and Fred and often Ron, they always had to stay on budget and stick to the clearance sections. He hated shopping. But now, in more recent years, he loved to shop. He had money, not as much money as his wealthy heiress girlfriend but enough to keep up with her most of the time.

“Really?!” Zinnia’s eyes lit up. He loved seeing her happy like this. He silently vowed to do everything in his power to make her smile like that every single day.

Mercifully, some shops were open on New Year’s Day. Mainly in the touristy spots in London that George normally would avoid, and he knew Zinnia didn’t enjoy much either. But tourists loved to shop so the stores in these areas were open and willing to take their money.

“Yes, Gucci is open. George we have to go, you will die when you see the men’s stuff. Oh I can’t wait to get you a pair of their loafers.” Zinnia was rambling along as they entered the store. She was thrilled to be busy doing something other than wallow in self pity.

George looked again at his beautiful girlfriend's face. She was a kid in a candy shop. Once she was satisfied after an hour and a half, they met their associate who was shopping with them at the register.

“Ok so the boots, fabulous. The two handbags, stunning. The loafers for Mr. George, tres chic. Anything else Ms. Black? I know you were torn on whether or not to get this skirt, so I wanted to show you that we have it in emerald green.” Mario, their associate, held up the mini skirt.

“I’ll take the green! Thank you Mario, for your help.” She smiled and before she could set down her credit card, George beat her to it.

“I got this one, love. Thank you Mario.” George said as he winked at Zinnia.

“Are you sure G, that’s a lot. Mario, take off the skirt and I really only need one bag. What am I going to do with two?” Zinnia insisted.

“No leave it all on really Z, I’m getting this.” George squeezed her upper arm.

“Ok, thank you.” Zinnia said, putting her wallet away.

They left the store, George carrying the shopping bags for her.

“Where to next? Oh, Burberry is open. You have to go to Burberry while in England, it’s the rules.” George joked as he steered them in that direction.

“George, hang on. What did I miss? I just watched you drop like 15 grand without even flinching.”

“You know the joke shop is doing well. You always spoil me. I never get to spoil you. You’re impossible to shop for. Every time I bought you a little gift in the last six months I would see a day later that you had already purchased it for yourself and I would have to go return it looking like an idiot.”

“Whatever you say, I just remember the old George, stealing supplies from school and haggling with the shop owners in Hogsmeade.”

“That was the old me. I don’t haggle, but I do love a good bargain. Come here, I’m going to shrink this down.” George pulled her in a quiet side street to shrink the new purchases down.

“Wait, I want to use my new handbag you bought me.” She opened the new package, smiling ear to ear, she loved new things. After switching out her purse contents, George whipped out his wand to shrink the new items down and add them to her new bag.

“Ugh, I miss my wand George.”

“Do you remember where you hid it?”

“Yes I know exactly where it is. I need to get back George, I hate being stuck like this.”

He pulled her into his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head.

“I know, we’re going to get back tomorrow and we will sort this whole thing out together, ok?”

“Ok, let’s get some dinner, and will you please let me pay?” She asked him.

“Absolutely not, you know the rules on that one.” George told her. “But my mum did insist on seeing you before we leave, and if the plan is to leave first thing tomorrow we should stop by. We can go eat and then stop at the Burrow? Is that ok? I understand if it’s too much.”

George had set a rule between them when they started dating again six months ago, when at the time Zinnia had believed they first met. He made her agree that he would always pay when they went out for dinner. He let her pay sometimes if she insisted on breakfast or lunch dates, if hadn’t already prepaid behind her back. But he felt he had the gentlemanly duty to pay for her dinner, no matter how expensive it was. She and her mother had done so much for him and his brother before. Taking them out to new places in London, getting their faces in front of the right people, lending more money than he would ever need. He would have never been successful if he didn’t have their and Harry’s financial support, let alone all his friends and family’s emotional support.

“We can go now, as long as she has roast potatoes. If there are none, we go out and then we can visit after.” Zinnia decided.

“Ok,” He laughed and pulled out a notebook, scribbling into it.

“What are you making note of?” Zinnia asked, confused at his action.

“Oh, yeah I forgot to tell you, I am workshopping this new invention. Your muggle cell phone gave me the idea and Hermione and Draco were helping me put it together. You write here to the person who has the partner notebook and then you can wait for them to write their reply.” The notebook vibrated softly and the black binding at the top flashed red. “Here is mum’s reply, ‘I have two pans of roast potatoes in the oven, tell Zinnia to get her skinny bum over here now!’ She has the potatoes.”

“She did not say ‘skinny bum’ let me see that,” Zinnia reached for the notebook.

George held it high above his head, laughing as she tried to jump to reach it. “Let’s go, you can ask her for yourself.”

He threw his arms around her and apparated them to the end of the long driveway at his childhood home.

“So far?” Zinnia asked, in the past when they would go to his parents he would apparate her right to the front step. She realized as she asked out loud that this was most likely a change that happened because of the war.

“Anti-apparition wards. Dad kept them on even now, he still is a little apprehensive.” George explained.

She nodded in understanding and took his hand as they walked towards the house. As they came closer, Zinnia could see that the whole family had arrived for New Year’s day dinner. They entered the house, the smell of Molly’s cooking filled her nostrils. She remembered her first time visiting here, and her most recent when she at the time believed it was her first time. Not much had changed, they added a lot more pictures of Fred to the mantle, she noticed.

“Zinnia! I am so happy I could feed you! I mean see you!” Molly grabbed Zinnia in a tight hug.

“Aren’t you happy to see me?” George teased his mother.

“Of course I am dear.” Molly waved her hands at her son and brought her attention back to his girlfriend. “I made an extra batch of potatoes, just for you dear. How are you feeling? I was so happy that you remembered my duck fat potatoes!”

“Thank you Mrs. Weasley, really. I am better now. Ginny and everyone, they saved me. I was lost and they helped me back. I am eternally grateful, truly. And I am eternally grateful that I have an entire pan of potatoes to myself!”

“Eat up! Eat up! The rest of the gang is all over the place, we don’t have to wait for them to gather. Ginny! Ron! Everyone, we’re ready to eat!” She shouted up the stairs. “Zinnia is going to eat all the potatoes if you don’t come down here and get some!” She added with a wink to Zinnia.

“Zinnia’s here?” Ron asked as he jumped off the landing, Luna right behind him. They wear wearing their infamous Weasley christmas sweaters, Ron in maroon and Luna's was a bright bubblegum pink with a large L stitched on in gold foiled yarn.

“Yes I’m here. I am dying to hear this looney love story.” Zinnia said to Ron, pointing at him and his girlfriend.

“Oye, enough with the looney jokes.” Ron said to her sternly.

“It’s ok Ron. She’s back to herself, that makes me happy. Her pretending to be nice and polite was eating away at her soul.” Luna said to Ron, while looking at Zinnia.

“Hey I am perfectly nice, and you know I don’t mean it in a malicious way. But seriously how did you two end up together?”

“Of course she gets back nearly a decade of memories and all she wants to do is hear the latest gossip. Z, come on I’m starving.” George pulled on her hand.

“Me too, let’s eat. Luna loves telling our coupling story, she’ll tell you all about it at dinner.” Ron added.

They headed into the kitchen and most of the rest of the Weasleys joined, all giving Zinnia hugs and telling her how happy they were that she had her memories back and George back. She looked around the table, and cursed herself for the tears that came to her eyes when she noticed Fred’s open seat. Her way of coping in the past had been to occlude and with that ability gone, her tears began to stream down her cheeks, doing her best to keep her breathing steady and not bring attention to herself. She wiped them away quickly and did her best to distract herself.

“So, Luna, you were going to tell me about how you and Ron got together?”

“Oh yes it is a fun story.” Luna began.

Zinnia didn’t pay attention, nodding and smiling at the right spots but she really didn’t care. She was actually more interested in how Draco and Hermione had gotten together, and when she realized Ron and Luna’s story had nothing to do with it, she lost interest.

“Wow, that’s great. I am so happy for you guys.” She lied.

“You don’t really care, but that’s ok.” Luna smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, whether I do or not, I can’t thank you enough for helping bring my memories back last night. Thank you Luna.” Zinnia said, truthfully.

“You’re welcome. I will always help a witch in need, can you please pass the carrots?”

They finished their meal and Zinnia was so full she felt like she couldn’t move. Most of the family used their wands to clean up after themselves.

“Zinnia, can you come upstairs? I wanted to show you something.” Molly asked her after the kitchen was cleared and lots of the older brothers had left to their respective homes for the night.

“Sure Mrs. Weasley, I’m right behind you.” Zinnia told her.

“Please, dear, call me Molly.”

“Will do.” Zinnia looked back at George who was now drinking by the fire with his father, all the other siblings had left for the night.

They entered Ginny's old room, the room Zinnia would spend some nights sleeping in when her mother was out of town. Molly handed her a parcel, wrapped in black paper with a scarlet bow.

"Missed you at Christmas this year, I know it's not Gucci, but I started to make it the day George told us he found you again. Don't feel like you have to wear it, I just had to make it so you always remember you are always part of our family." Molly said as Zinnia opened the wrapping to reveal a black handmade sweater with a large Z on the front in scarlet red yarn.

Zinnia felt tears stinging in her eyes.

“Thank you, I love it. It is better than Gucci, it's couture, handmade especially for me." She changed the subject quickly to avoid herself from crying, "How does it feel, Molly? To finally have an empty nest.”

“You know it is actually quite lovely. Arthur and I have been able to reconnect, and the kids always come around. We probably never go a week without seeing one of them. Bill and Fleur with the baby come by often. George was the only one who has not been home since Fred. That night when you came with Hugo was the first time he’s been here in almost two years.” Molly said.

“Wow, I didn’t realize George hadn’t been around. I’m so sorry, about Fred. I just now feel like I am grieving him. I knew he was gone, about 6 months ago when I met George, or re-met him I guess. But it wasn’t until today that it all has really sank in and, it’s just a lot to process.” Zinnia said, now sitting on the bed and picking at her nails.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about Zinny, you have a lot to process. Almost a decade of memories just hit you all at once. How are you coping really?” Molly joined her on the bed, stroking her hair.

“I just -” Zinnia’s voice caught in her throat, the tears pouring out of her eyes. “I really miss my mom.” She was sobbing now, Molly holding her close, rubbing her back.

“I know sweetheart. I am so sorry. I am here for you for anything you need, you know that. Come her sweetie, that’s ok.” Molly consoled her for as long as she needed.

It felt good to cry, Zinnia thought to herself. Good to be held by a mother figure and told that everything would be ok. She remembered when George had held her, crying in an empty classroom back at school. Back when she hated him, and they constantly fought. He was always so sweet and loving, probably because of how sweet and loving his mother was.

But this was the first time she was able to mourn and process the loss of her mom, the loss of Fred, and even the loss of herself during the time she was occluding and then lost her memories in the accident.

She cried until her head hurt. Molly held her the whole time and when she was finally done, there was a tea set floating next to them. Molly served her a cup and the tea seemed to help calm her down.

“I’m sorry. Mrs - Molly. I kinda lost my head there.” She said as she sipped on the tea, thinking about how all her makeup was probably cried off her face.

“Don’t even think about it, Zinny. We love you so much. We just want you to know that. No matter what, I am so happy that you are back and you are healthy. I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will always be here for you.” Molly assured her.

George was in the doorway a moment later.

“There you ladies are. Everything ok?” He asked, looking very concerned.

“We are fine George, you both are welcome to stay the night of course. Take any room you like, they are all open!” Molly stood from the bed, and left the room.

“Yeah, no, let's get out of here.” George put out his hand to his girlfriend. She stayed on the bed.

He sat next to her, her face was still flush from her meltdown earlier.

“Zin, you ok?” He asked her softly. He put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to his chest and rubbing her back, just like his mom had done earlier.

She took a shaky breath, feeling like she may cry again.

“It just hurts George.” That was all she said.

“I know it does, love.” He whispered back, knowing that she wasn't talking about her head.

Eventually they used the floo to get back to the flat in Diagon Alley. She only let go of George’s hand when he went to the bathroom. They crawled into bed and held each other till they drifted off to sleep.