Conciliation

They ended up near the lake, on the shoreline far from the back door of the Burrow, and sat on some freshly cut wood stumps. Fred is sitting with his head in his hands, his back shaking with obvious sobs. 

After a few moments, Maggie runs her hand up and down Fred’s back slowly. 

She just lets him cry, deciding it would be better he got his emotions out, staring out at the lake. 

“What is he doing here?” Fred sobs, “I feel so-so gross, Maggie.” 

“Why?” Maggie asks, genuinely confused. Did she get this wrong? Was his past escapade with Oliver a bad thing? Fred was drunk, but then again, so was Oliver-.

“I’m just gross. I’m horrible, and he’s so amazing, and I’m so so so fucked up in the head-.”

“Freddie!” Maggie snips, gripping up his sweater and shaking him slightly. “Stop being so demeaning to yourself! You’re amazing, and he would be lucky -!”

“Whoa, what are we talking about?” 

Maggie's head snaps backwards when she hears Percy behind her, his eyebrows furrowed, but his eyes are on Fred. 

“Freddie, are you crying?!”

Percy steps around them and reaches down to pull Fred into a tight hug in a hurry, his eyes finding Maggie’s over Fred’s head. Fred starts to sob harder in Percy’s embrace, curling his arms around his older brother. 

“What is going on? Why are you crying-?”

“Take a breath, Perce. Just let Freddie speak.” Maggie says softly, running her hand up and down her back. Almost immediately, Fred shakes his head roughly. 

“No?” Maggie asks, “You don’t want to talk about it?”

Fred shakes his head no against Percy’s chest, and it makes him look so young. 

“Do you want me to tell Percy?” 

Fred nods, refusing to pull away from Percy. 

“You can’t get angry, Percy.” Maggie says sternly, and Fred nods once again rapidly. Percy nods, but Maggie’s not convinced. “When Fred was in his sixth year, he went to that town below Hogwarts, I can’t remember the fucking name, and he went to the bar in the town and met Oliver there. Freddie had been struggling sexually with Angelina, and after getting a bit tipsy, Freddie and Oliver went home together-.”

Percy can’t contain the noise he wants to make, but with a glare from Maggie he shuts up. He appears visibly pissed, but doesn’t jostle Fred luckily. 

“Since then, he’s been wanting to see Oliver again. Four years later, and Freddie still has feelings for him. He hasn’t reached out because Oliver is your best friend, and Freddie-boy feels like he’s ‘a weirdo who is obsessed’ with a big shot in the industry.”

Percy doesn’t say anything for a long while, his eyes moving out to the lake instead of at Maggie. 

“So, My best mate fucked my little brother-?”

“Percy.” Maggie growls, just as Fred shies away from Percy and moves to rest with his head back in his hands. “What did I say?” 

“It’s true! He’s my best mate and he fucked my little brother, who was underage-!”

“I was less than a month away from my birthday!” Fred snaps, shoving himself up and around to look at Percy. “I’ve been in love with Oliver for years, Percy, YEARS! Do you understand that for the past thirteen years of my life, I’ve been in love with your best friend? I couldn’t-I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I couldn’t-We were both drunk, and lucky you, he said it was a mistake the next morning anyway. The guy I’m in love with told me it was a mistake that we had sex. Now he’s here, and acting like he’s not avoiding me-!”

“Freddie.” Maggie says, cutting him off from his rant. “I-.”

“I just want someone to want me.” Freddie sobs, reaching up to cover his eyes. “No one wants me. Not Oliver. Not Angelina. Mum. Dad. fucking Georgie. Mum and Dad just see me as some basket case, and Georgie is so caught up on Angelina now that we barely talk. When we do, it’s just about the shop. I miss Georgie, and I miss when I used to be happy. The short-time I had with Oliver was the happiest I’ve been. I don’t want to…Fuck, I, Fuck, I want to fucking die, Percy. I don’t want to feel like this anymore-.”

Percy shoots forward, grappling onto Fred and dragging his taller brother into his arms. Fred buries his face into Percy’s shoulder as he sobs, and Maggie glares at Percy over Fred’s shoulder. 

Percy ignores her, rubbing Fred’s back firmly.

“I’m Sorry.” Percy says softly, “I’m just so protective of you and your brothers. I know Oliver is a good guy, but it makes me uncomfortable to know you two had sex, and how that happened. I-I have a similar experience, but it wasn’t as consensually as yours. George and Angelina are obsessed with each other, that’s how relationships should be, but they are still new. All they care about right now is each other. He doesn’t mean to, and probably has no idea, that he’s pushed you to the sideline. Mum and Dad are weird, trust me I know, but they have no understanding about mental issues, Freddie. Their actions are hurting you, but they don’t mean it. Maggie and I, we adore you more than anything, Freddie. We almost lost you during the war, and Maggie can attest to how much of a wreck I was. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, Freddie. I know it’s probably taboo to admit, but you’re my favorite little brother, fuck my favorite sibling. Without fail, you’ve never made me feel bad for my actions in the ministry, or why I left the family. You actually reached out to me and made moves to see me during that time. You’re just so good, Fred. You’re genuinely a good person. If you-if you died-.” 

Percy cuts himself off with a sob, and buries his head against his brother’s. Maggie lets the boys find solace in each other, watching as they cry and hold each other. 

“You’re moving back in with Maggie and I.” Percy says, pulling away enough to catch Maggie’s eyes. She nods and Percy thanks Maggie with his eyes. “Your room is still set up, and I-I want you to stay for however long you need, forever if that is what you need.” 

Fred’s sobs start up again, and Maggie decides to join the hug herself. She runs a hand down Fred’s back, and the trio stand together for a number of minutes. 

“This is fucking weird, get off.” Fred says after a few minutes, his voice full of familiar humor. The three split away, and now Maggie can see the trembling in Fred’s body. He’s underdressed for the weather, and Maggie wants to get him inside. 

“Freddie, have you shown anyone your new additions?” Maggie asks, curling their elbows together and leading him back towards the house. Percy joins, wrapping his and Maggie’s elbows together as well, and peers at his younger brother in confusion. “Oh, by the way, Percy will get one with you too.” 

“Wait, what the fuck did you just sign me up for?”