"I was thinking…"

"I thought you'd given that up."

"Only the part where I thought you were an adult and not an asshole." George smirked in his brother's direction. "As I was saying, I was thinking."

"I've no desire to go to a house of ill repute, George. Or good repute, to be honest. I appreciate the gesture. Again. But it's not going to happen."

"I was drunk off my arse…"

"And dead serious at the time." He smirked to himself as George flinched at the expression. "Regardless, no still means no."

"I'm not trying to get you laid, Fred."

"Who's minding the counter?"

"You know, I bloody hate this." George's arm swung backwards, slamming into the door and sending it swinging. "We're twins. Closer than brothers. And I feel like I'm living with a stranger."

Fred started to say something then bit his tongue, simply widening his eyes slightly in response.

"I know you got hurt. I know you're still hurting. And I know I've got no bloody clue how to make it better. You know, if I thought for so much as a second that not being with Remus would change things…"

"I'm happy that you're happy, George." Fred's voice was honest but emotionless. "I really am. And I'm sure if I weren't such a insensitive git, I'd be acting like it."

"Mum's invited us over for dinner tonight."

Fred laughed once then shook his head. "No. Thank you."

"She's worried about you."

"She's not." Fred tried to smile and failed miserably. "She's not been worried about me since Ron announced that he was dating Hermione."

"That's not true."

"So, when are you and Lupin going to tell the world about you, eh?" He continued stacking boxes, not looking at George. "Planning on a big announcement at Christmas, maybe? Or is it just going to be one of those things where it's just accepted because you're always together?"

"I don't think there are any announcements planned." George leaned back against the wall. "He'll be there. I'll be there."

"And, knowing Mum's keen ability of being right where you don't want her to be, she'll stumble in on you snogging each other?"

"My luck," George laughed. "I really fancy him, Fred."

"He's a decent bloke." Fred admitted with a shrug. "I'm sorry, you know, for being such an arse about all this. I never thought I'd want you to be miserable alongside me, you know?"

"You'd never been in love before."

"Yeah." Fred smirked and shoved the last box into place. "Lucky me."

"So, anyway," George pulled a bag from the pocket of his robe, "you asked about who was watching the shop."

"As it's a two man operation and there's two of us in here, I did."

"I was thinking that neither of us should today." He tossed the bag at Fred who caught it, opening it as he heard the telltale jingle of coin. "Our big season is done, except for the few brotherly and sisterly practical jokes that will come at the end right before the holiday so there's less chance of nosy mums confiscating them, so I thought we'd do a bit of shopping ourselves."

"You're kidding."

"Nope." George pulled out a second sack of coins. "Come on. We've got enough siblings to buy for to finance most of Diagon Alley's businesses."

Fred tossed the sack back to George. "No thanks. I'll get everyone something from here."

"Fred."

"Charlie's not likely to be home for Christmas. Bill and Fleur are going to France. Percy's still a git. I'll pop down later to the Quidditch shop get something for Ginny and Harry. And I'll just reserve a room at the Three Broomsticks for you and Lupin."

"Fred."

"We got Dad the tickets to that Muggle picture show when we…when we went." Fred's voice was strained. "Remember?"

"We need a day off."

"No. We don't. I don't. You go out shopping and if you need me to chip in on something, just take it from the bag. I'll stay here and run the shop." He moved past George into the store, only stopping when George grabbed his arm. Fred didn't look back, simply sighed. "If I go out there, George, I'm going to see all these laughing, bloody happy people enjoying themselves and a large portion of them are going to be in love and buying gifts for one another and I'm not up to it, all right? I'm just…not."

"Fred…"

"Besides, if I go out there, I'll be tempted to buy her something and we know that can only end badly. So it's just best for everyone if I stay here and let little brothers buy gags to use on their little sisters just to see their mums scream bloody murder. All right?" He gave his brother a pleading look and headed to the door, turning the sign over so that it read 'Open'. "Besides, you don't really want your brother around when you buy your boyfriend a present, do you?"

"I just want my brother around," George told him softly. "I miss you, mate."

Fred laughed softly, sadly. "I miss me too." He cuffed George on the shoulder and nodded toward the door. "Go buy your boyfriend a present, eh? Something salacious."

"Just…" George sighed and headed for the door, glancing back at Fred who gave him a weak smile. "Promise you'll go to dinner tonight."

Fred exhaled slowly and shrugged. "All right, mate. Dinner it is."

Fred glanced over his shoulder and nodded toward the line of trees that flanked the property. "I'll run interference with Mum, eh?"

George followed his gaze, smiling before his eyes lit on Remus. "Thanks, mate."

"The least I can do, I suppose." Fred grinned and shrugged. "Tonks isn't likely to be in there, is she?"

"Nope. Not as far as I know."

"Whew. All right then." He gestured toward Remus. "Go on. Mum'll get suspicious before too long."

George jogged over to Remus, both of them slipping into the shadows as Fred sighed deeply, heading into the Burrow, his head held high.

"You're cruel," Remus caught George's wrist and pulled his body hard against his. "Sacrificing your only twin to your mother."

"Your worth it." George's tongue slipped out to taste Remus's breath, smoky from whiskey. "And where've you been?"

"Spying for Dumbledore." He pinned George against a tree and unfastened several buttons in short order. "Seedy club, bad booze, dark creatures with no taste in music."

"Which part got you so worked up?" George panted as Remus undid the zipper of his jeans, sliding his hand inside, moving it over the cotton boxers that sheathed George's cock.

"In the alley outside the club there was a gorgeous redhead offering his services. Squib, most likely, wanting a taste of magic." Remus licked George's neck, moaning quietly at the salty heat of him. "I've been waiting for you for nearly an hour. Pacing out here, wondering how badly you'd like a taste of magic."

Remus's hand slipped beneath George's boxers and wrapped around his cock, stroking slowly and firmly. "An…hour?"

"I figured if I went to your house, we'd never make it to dinner." Remus sucked George's lower lip into his mouth before sliding his tongue over it. George groaned and thrust forward, pushing harder against Remus's hand. "It's a wonder your mother didn't see me, skulking in the trees, feeling like an exceptionally dirty old man, lying in wait for her son to show up so I could…"

"Could…what…?" George could barely breathe, his entire body focused on Remus's hand, the heat that slid along his shaft. He reached out, grasping Remus's hips and pulled him forward, wanting more weight, more friction. Remus capitulated, his hand sliding out of the way as he thrust against George, their bodies hard and heavy against one another.

"Do this," Remus assured him, nipping George's ear as his hands reached back, squeezing the firm flesh of his ass. "And this." He pulled George against him, their clothes rasping, the sound almost as loud as their labored breathing. "And…and…" Remus jerked forward, colliding with George as he came, his hands digging into George's skin. "This."

George breathed a shaky sigh as Remus slowly pulled away, his eyes as bright as his grin. "What?"

"You're eighteen," Remus shook his head and reached down, grasping George's still-hard cock again. "You're supposed to have no restraint at all."

"I can hold out for what I want," George assured him.

"And what's that?" Remus asked, his hand tightening around the slick tip of George's shaft. "Exactly?"

George started to answer, his words cut off by the slamming of the front door. Remus pulled away, the action provoking an unstoppable groan from George as he stepped back out of the weak light the front door threw out onto the yard as it swung open again.

"Get back in here, Fredrick Weasley!"

"Why?" Fred whirled around, his face flushed almost purple with emotion. "Have you got anything else to say, Mum? Anything different? Because I've no desire to hear about how blissfully happy Ron and Hermione are. You want to say you told me so? Fine. You want to tell me I should have known better? Then do so. But the last thing I want to hear from you is that it's so fu…bloody good that Ron's a big enough man to forgive Hermione the stupidity of dating me."

"You knew he was in love with her!"

"Well so was I." Tears spilled down his cheeks, evaporating in the heat of his rage. "And how do you think it feels, Mum? Do you have any idea how it feels to have the most intense and important emotion of your life reduced to 'you really should have known better, shouldn't you?'" He shook his head and looked away from her, his chin quivering. "I did know better, Mum. It just didn't do me any good."

"That's because Ron and Hermione are destined, Fred." Molly's voice softened slightly, though her stance did not. "There are just certain things you know, certain things that you accept and you don't get in the way of. You don't think Guinevere Shacklebolt wanted Remus? You don't think Lily was tempted to ruin her life with Sirius? You don't think your father wasn't floored by that temptress, Narcissa Black? But you don't get in the way of destiny. You don't get in the way of things the way they're meant to be."

"Destiny?" Fred laughed wildly. "It's all destiny then? No free will? No fucking choices?" He didn't look away from her as she flinched at his language. "Hermione's meant to be with Ron. Lily was meant for James and Dad was meant for you and Remus and Sirius were destined to be lovers, even though they ruined each other's lives? And what about now, eh, Mum? What about Remus now?"

"Remus will move on. Find someone new." Molly spoke softly but her voice carried clearly across the lawn. "But that someone will never be Sirius. Never again. Just like you'll never be Ron."

"In so many ways," Fred agreed with her through clenched teeth. "Happy Christmas, Mum."

"Fred…"

"Be sure to tell the family, including the fated lovers, I said the same, won't you? I'd hate to come 'round and cause any necessary strife for destiny." He Disapparated with a loud, painful crack.

George started and glanced at Remus, not surprised to see him looking away. "I should go home."

"Yes." Remus nodded absently. "You should. Make sure he's okay."

"Will I…?" George shook his head. "Will you be here for Christmas?"

"What?" Remus turned and looked at him, his eyes widening as if surprised to see George standing there. "Oh, yes. Of course. Give your mother…give her my regards, won't you?"

George nodded as Remus Disapparated, drawing Molly's attention toward where he stood. Her eyes were bright with tears as she noticed him, her face falling as she realization dawned. "George?"

"Where's Fred, Mum? Said he'd meet me here."

"He's…he's…" Molly shook her head, tears overflowing as she turned and raced into the house, slamming the door behind her. George closed his eyes and sighed, the aching temptation to appear at the door of Grimmauld Place giving way to the overwhelming pull of his brother's pain.

George pushed the door to Fred's room open, ducking just as the empty Firewhiskey bottle smashed into the wall beside him. "Fred?"

"Wha're you doing here?"

"Checking on you, you stupid git."

Fred cracked open a second bottle and took a long drink. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he shook his head. "Go and check on your boyfriend, George. I'm perfectly fine."

"Drinking yourself into oblivion?"

"Got to be better than this, mate." Fred downed another long draught. "Got to be better than listening to me moan about what a cock up I've made of my life, right? You've heard it all before. You're listened and tolerated as much as you can stand." Fred took another hit, over half the bottle gone. "Leave me to my drunken misery and go get shagged senseless. One of us might as well have a good night."

George took the bottle from Fred's hand and set it aside. He perched on the edge of the bed and sighed, looking down at his hands. "Mum's just…"

"Is not your fault, George. Just go."

"I'd rather like you to be alive to come back to."

"You'd be surprised how very little the whiskey affects me." He sat up and closed his eyes as the room swayed. "I'll be fine."

"I'm sure Mum…"

"You know why I said something, George? Why I told her?" Fred sighed and stared down at the neck of the whiskey bottle. "Because I knew I was in love with her just as surely as I knew she was in love with Ron. Not that she didn't love me, because she did. She does. But Mum's right. He's her destiny and the only thing I could possibly do for her is fuck it all up."

"That's not true."

"You should go find Lupin."

"Why? If it's all destiny?"

"Because," Fred took a long drink, "Sirius is dead."

George took the bottle from his hands and set it on the nightstand. "I'd rather you didn't follow him tonight." They sat in silence for a long moment, George finally breaking it with a sigh, lifting the bottle and taking a drink himself. "Christmas tomorrow then."

Fred echoed his sigh. "Yeah."

"You'll come?"

"Did you get me a present?"

"As if I'd tell you that." George smiled and offered Fred the bottle again, his grin widening as he refused it. "Why? D'you get me one?"

"I'll give you one right now." Fred put his hand on George's shoulder and gave him a gentle push. "Go to Lupin's. Shag destiny right out of his head. Stupid concept anyway."

George got to his feet and turned to look at Fred. "You'll be…?"

"Go on, you poof." He shrugged and offered him a smile. "Your boyfriend's waiting."

George pushed open the door and leaned against it as it clicked closed behind him. He sighed softly, running a hand through his too-long hair before pushing away from the sturdy oak and making his way quietly toward the faint light spilling out from the library door.

Remus sat in one of the oversized chairs, his hands linked together around an empty glass, his eyes distant. George walked into the room, discreet but not quiet as he slipped into the chair opposite.

"Do you know that prophecy has played a part in history for as long as there has been history?"

George glanced at the floor then back up at Remus. "I know that prophecy, like divination, is what you make of it. Self-fulfilling most of the time."

"A good point. I never was one for divination, though Peter was brilliant at it. I guess we should have guessed something from that. Takes a powerful liar to be convincing." He lifted his glass, seeming surprised when he realized it was empty. His voice changed as he looked at George, growing as hard as his gaze. "I thought I told you to go home."

"I did." George shrugged and rubbed his hands on his jeans. "Fred's fine. I wasn't…I thought perhaps it best that I check to make sure I could say the same of you."

"You're worried that I'm not fine?" Remus chuckled, the sound not amused. "Or were you worried I was back here, burying myself beneath the covers of Sirius's bed, weeping for my lost love?"

"From the look on your face at the Burrow, it seemed a possibility." George sighed and rubbed his forehead with the fingers of one hand, his confusion plain. "Maybe it wasn't you. Maybe it was myself I was thinking of."

"Oh?" Remus smirked as he looked at George, no surprise in his flashing eyes. "And what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that when you left me back there; it felt like you left me. And I was wondering…I needed to know if that was the case. If that was destined to be our ending."

"Our destiny?" Remus laughed, a harsh bark with no pleasure in it. "You know nothing of destiny. Nothing of lies and evasions and secrets and…" He threw his glass, taken aback as it shattered against the wall. Shaking his head, he turned to meet George's shocked eyes. "What do you want from me tonight, George?"

"Nothing." He shrugged and shook his head through a soft sigh. "Nothing more than I wanted from you yesterday or last week or before. I just think…"

Remus's voice was clipped and hard. "What?"

"Never mind."

"What? What do you think, George?"

"I think that if Sirius was your destiny, then you got cheated." His voice was louder than he intended, even louder as the magic surrounding the books of the room seemed to echo it back. "Twelve years of believing him a murderer, two more watching him go insane. How many moments did you have, Remus? How much love, how much tenderness. How much did destiny serve you, offering him up as your prize?"

Remus growled, lunging at George, his heavy chair spilling over as he left it, crashing loudly. George didn't move, even as Remus's weight sent them both toppling to the floor. Nails dug into his wrists like sharp claws, piercing his skin. "You want me to fuck you, George?" Remus snarled. "You want me to make you come and make you beg? Is that what you want?"

He didn't wait for a response, his mouth crashing down on George's with painful force. His teeth sunk into willing flesh, his tongue plundering the darkness of George's mouth. They kissed in breathless silence, more pain than pleasure as Remus held George pinned to the floor, stillness reverberating around them, broken only by sharp intakes of breath.

Remus finally released his hands, the scent of blood sharp in the air as he sat back just enough to grab George's t-shirt, ripping the thin fabric as he jerked it apart. George shuddered, his back arching as Remus's nails raked down his chest, threading through soft and rough ginger hair to his flesh. His thumbs found George's nipples, the nails catching the raised skin, toying with it until George's body quivered with blatant need.

Remus bit George's lip, pulling back as he did so, waiting until he heard the soft whimper of surrender before releasing it, lowering his mouth to George's neck.

George's hands sought out Remus's hair, tugging and pulling at the graying strands in strangled jerks that echoed the thrust and parry of Remus's tongue as he worked his way down George's body.

His teeth closed around George's right nipple, sucking and biting at the same time, his fingers digging into George's hips. A trail of red, raised skin in his wake, Remus moved his head to George's left side, his palms pressing hard enough to bruise George's flesh.

George's heels dug into the musty rug beneath him, his body arching up towards Remus, his hips struggling against Remus's grip. He pulled the hair in his hands and forced his head up, their eyes meeting for an instant before Remus wrenched himself loose, his hands making short work of George's jeans, peeling fabric away from his skin.

Remus backed away enough to shove the denim and boxers down George's thighs, one hand concentrating on curling around George's cock, his palm and fingers covering the hard, velvety shaft.

"What you want?" He whispered harshly, his voice thick with unspent emotion as he stroked the length of George's cock, his fingers too tight, his grip too hard, his movements too fast. George's eyes burned with unshed tears, his body reacting helplessly as he rose to meet every pull of Remus's hand, his cries and pleas unrecognizable to even his own ears.

Remus's free hand moved up George's chest, his fingers closing around the hardened nipple, pinching it fast and hard, bringing George's hips high off the floor as he came, volcanically hot over Remus's still stroking hand.

George's body jerked with his orgasm, spasmed hard as his climax seemed to continue spilling from him. Remus finally pulled away and George shivered, his body covered in raised flesh and bruises, sweat and come.

"Destiny, George?" Remus's sneer was hard and hot in the air around them. "Destiny is nothing more than the man who interprets it. Destiny. Destiny is…" The hard press of his cock pierced the tight muscle of George's flesh. He stopped briefly as George constricted around him before pressing forward, filling him. "This is destiny."

George's hands clenched around Remus's biceps, his own nails breaking skin as he lifted his legs, rising up to meet Remus's thrusts. Remus's eyes closed, his head turned to the side as George's hands raked his flesh, as George's breath caressed his skin. He thrust forward, upward, deeper until George's silence finally reached him and he came, his orgasm as wild and violent as the sex had been.

Spent, Remus rolled away from George and got to his feet, leaving the room behind in uneasy silence.

George laughed, the sound hollow and bitter to his ears. "What do I want?" He asked the empty air. "You. You, you blood, stupid…" He shook his head and gathered his tattered clothing. "I just want you."