April 1st that year started off as something Iris was equally looking forward to and equally dreading. She knew that she had pretty much gone back on absolutely everything they had promised one another at Christmas time because she wanted to attempt to make happier memories for the date. But as she awoke, incredibly early with the clock reading 04:15am, that morning she was starting to regret everything she had decided up until that point. She felt the nerves kick in as she realised that she had most likely overstepped and she was going to ruin the one good thing she had in her life in that moment in time. And she had the overwhelming urge to get up and contact everyone and call it off. Call off the two people they had coming over for knowing that by doing so she was going back on George's wishes. And she couldn't do that. Not to the man she knew she had fallen so hard for. 

When she attempted to get up and have a sneaky little call to either person she was supposed to have over, she was pulled back into bed. Iris had thought that George was still very much fast asleep his brain having not worked out what the day was supposed to be considering neither of them had mentioned the fact for a couple of days now. 

"Nu-uh no moving too early." George grumbled from beside her sounding very much like a small child in that moment in time. A toddler who was about to not get what they wanted. 

"I need to make a phone call, go back to sleep." Iris mumbled stroking his hair to try and coax him back to sleep. But her words seemed to wake him up fully. For his attention was suddenly drawn to the digital clock on the beside table before looking back to her. 

"Who are you calling at 4:15am? On the 1st of April?" George spoke normally until suddenly it clicked what day it was. "It's today." He breathed out suddenly having no more energy and laying himself back down on the bed. Iris resumed her hands running through his hair which she had paused when he had perked up a little more. Hoping that she could provide him with some of the comfort he needed. 

"I'm sorry baby, I should have let you sleep." Iris muttered as George shuffled so that he was laying on Iris and as she wrapped her spare arm around him Iris let him work through his emotions from the early morning realisation as to what day was suddenly upon them. 

George would eventually fall back asleep cuddled into Iris, who he claimed was better than having a heated turned on due to her high body temperature. However, Iris would not. She would remain there wide awake watching the clock tick by. Wondering perhaps if she was going to be regretting every choice she had made until that moment. 

5 hours later would be when George next awoke. And for a while Iris pondered just how he was going to be, but the moment he was awake enough to realise that it was once again his birthday he let out another sigh before slamming back into the mattress. Iris only watched him, not sure if she could say anything or do anything to help. There was nothing to really say or do regarding the situation, it wouldn't just magically get better. There was no spell out there that could help, she had looked for it for herself for a while. Rather she could only watch on as he tried to do anything. But there was little to no response from the man and there would not be. 

All she could do was prove to him that today was just another day. And that meant finally getting up and using the toilet that she had needed for a little while now. But she had been so caught up in ensuring that he was sleeping, where he appeared much more at peace than he did awake, that she had pushed the urge so far to the back of her mind that she had almost forgotten that she had the urge in the first place. 

Therefore, as Iris dragged herself out of bed, slipped on her slippers and moved to the back of the door where her dressing gown was located she felt like she was doing a good job. And when she turned back to see that George had turned around in the bed and pulled the cover all the way up to his eyes so he could just watch her she knew it was working. For he appeared to be realising that things weren't going to be overly different just because of the date from the get go. By the time she had gone to the toilet and done her business, he seemed as though he had returned to the land of the sleeping and Iris was going to leave him that way. If he wanted to sleep the grief away she wasn't going to stop him. 

Iris instead chose to potter about in the kitchen as she tried to not overly think what was going on for the rest of the day. She had agreed to people coming over for a little while in an attempt to lift the spirits but there was this big ugly voice in her head that was letting her know just how bad of a decision she was making. He didn't want this, she had overstepped and she was being a really really bad girlfriend in that moment. And as she drunk her first, of many she was sure, cup of tea that morning she questioned whether she still needed to make some phone calls. 

It would appear she did not as the phone they had for the flat rang. And Iris was the one to answer knowing that there was no chance that George himself would pick the phone up. She looked at the caller ID to see that it was Lee calling and felt a sense of relief wash over her. The decision to make the call to him had been taken out of her hands as he had called first. 

"Morning Lee." 

"Morning Iris." Lee's usually chirper voice was much duller than usual and Iris could tell he too probably hadn't slept too well. "How is he?"

"Not brilliant Lee, not brilliant." Iris responded not sure how to describe exactly the atmosphere in the flat nor the male residents current attitude. 

"Shit, I knew it wouldn't but I had this stupid little bit of hope. What do you think we should do?" Lee's voice held the same amount of uncertainty that Iris was feeling, as if the pair had both come to the conclusion that maybe their idea wasn't so good.

"I don't know he said he didn't want to celebrate in any way. But I also know he should not be alone today. And as much as my pride doesn't like to say it. I'm not enough. It's only you and Angelina right?" Iris finally got what had been eating at her out into the open. 

"Yeah it's just us. We won't stay long maybe just let him know we're thinking of him."

"I'll make a cake. We can have cake with him not a lot but just a little to let him know that we're there for him." Iris new idea seemed better than what she had thought of earlier. And she did like to think that her years baking with her grandmother made it so she could at least make a semi decent cake. 

"Yeah I've got him something, I know he said no gifts but I couldn't help myself. I think Angie's the same that's the excuse we'll come over with." Lee agreed and it was not long after that the pair hung up on the phone. They had agreed no set time to come over as Lee was not sure what Angelina was doing that day and Iris told them not to rush. There was no real plans for the day at all. Just that they were going to try and just get through the day. That was what was most important. 

And so she set out to bake the most simple cake she knew George would never deny. George had an undeniable liking towards the simple yet staple victoria sponge. And due to that Iris always seemed to now stock the ingredients she needed to bake one. She was very much happy to bake the cake knowing that it would be at most something that could provide comfort. And she was no where near against comfort eating not on days like this. 

With the cake in the oven Iris glanced to the watch she wore to take notice of the time being much closer to midday than she thought it to be. And therefore, determined she should get dressed. She could have spent the rest of the day in her dressing gown and pyjamas but having the advanced knowledge that people would attempt to come and visit today was more than enough evidence to inform her that she should get changed. Therefore, knowing she had about 25 minutes to get changed in, Iris walked back down the hall and in the direction of the bedroom she had been using since she had moved in. Only to find that upon reaching there that George was not currently in the room. Though she was not concerned thinking he was currently in the bathroom and closing to just get changed. 

It would be once the cake had cooled that Iris began to get a little concerned that she had yet to see George again. She checked the bedroom once more, to no avail. The bathroom door was also open showing no signs of the man inside either. He had not been in the kitchen or living room and there had been no evidence of him leaving the flat. Which only meant that he could be in one other place in the flat. The one area of the flat that had remained locked since before Iris had moved in. The one door that when she passed looked like nothing important but held a lot more than she would ever admit. 

And therefore, when she walked in the direction of the bedroom turned time capsule Iris was not sure what to expect. She had never seen inside, she had never asked to see inside and would not. Yet when she finally reached the second bedroom, the one right down the end of the flat, did she finally find the door open. Iris tried to stop her eyes darting across the room to look at its contents rather just looking for one man in particular that was supposed to be inside. 

She found him, or what from a distance must have been George. Could only be George. Laid in the middle of the double bed in the room a pillow clutched to his chest staring up at the ceiling. Only the George with the vibrant green hair she had woken up next too was not exactly the same man lying in the middle of the bed. Rather there was a very ginger looking man who was dressed in clothing she had never seen him wear before. Until it dawned on her that they were not his clothes. 

"Georgie?" Iris posed into the room, she knew she was disturbing the moment he was having to himself but she could no longer just stand there and observe. 

"Hmm." George hummed as a response waiting for Iris to make some sort of move or say something else. Though she refused to step inside the room.

"I was just worried about where you were. It's okay I'll leave you to it." Iris went to leave, knowing that he needed time and he needed space. Not too much but he didn't need her watching him like a mother does a young child. 

"You can come in." George invited Iris in but it sounded more like a question than an invite. Almost as if he was asking her to come in rather than telling her that the option was there. And it did not sound like he was asking the universe if she could come in either. And so she entered the time capsule of a room, ensuring that she did not touch or knock anything that had been left on the floor or on the overfilled shelves. Knowing that anything that had any small monetary value had much more sentimental value. She finally came to a stop beside the bed that George lay on her hand automatically reaching out to play with his hair, a bad habit she knew. 

And neither of them said anything, George only turned his attention now onto Iris who stood beside him watching her for a while. Perhaps to see whether she would make any further moves. But upon noticing that she would not without his clearance prior he slowly tapped the bed beside him encouraging her to at least sit down beside him. And reluctantly Iris did exactly as he wanted her to. She took a seat beside him on the bed though made a strong effort to not touch anything. Her attention returning to what he was wearing. 

"Cargo trousers? They don't look horrible on you but maybe not buy a pair for yourself." Iris finally commented as she tore her eyes away from the green cargo trousers that he had tugged on that morning not from his own wardrobe. 

"You don't think I look sexy in them?" George's words were littered with the tone that was obvious he had been crying but there was still a little joke in there. Showing to Iris just how much he was trying to stay more positive. 

"You can pull off most things but this colour is just making you look like an upside down carrot." Iris's words were to jest. She got an unimpressed look for response. "A cute carrot. Make all the lady carrots go awe." She added on for extra emphasis only to get a tearful laugh out of him. 

"I am holding that over you forever." George battled back and Iris knew despite him being sad that he was going to be okay. 

"I know." She let out a weak sounding response before the pair of them returned to a peaceful silence. Eventually the time spent in Fred's room would be interrupted by someone knocking on the door downstairs at the side entrance of the flat. George went to sit up himself only to meet Iris' hand flat on his chest. 

"I'll go see who it is you stay here love." She replied before making her way out of the room, once again remaining cautious to not move or damage anything that was around her. Walking down the hallway and towards the front of the house Iris was not certain who it was going to be waiting at the front door but had some ideas. She knew that Lee and Angelina could turn up at any time however, those were not the faces she met upon opening the door. 

Rather Iris came to face none other than Molly and Arthur Weasley waiting at the front door of the flat when she opened it. And she was suspecting that neither of them particularly expected her to be the one to open the door to them. Rather she exchanged a polite smile to both of the parents knowing that they too were dealing with the attempt to celebrate one child's birthday but also grieve that one would not be celebrating. 

"Molly, Arthur please do come in." Iris invited the heads of the Weasley family in as she expected they wanted her to. Today of all days would not be one to anger any of the family. She knew the anger the Weasley children had, had to have come from somewhere and she was not overly keen on working out which parent it came from. Rather Iris wordlessly lead the two upstairs before motioning to the living room. 

"Please head inside the living room, I'll try to track down George." She was quick on her words only just watching to ensure they both were sat on the sofa inside before she quickly took back off in the direction she had left George in. Only to nearly collide with him in the tiny hallway. 

"Merlin help us." George whispered as he took Iris by the elbow and spun her back around. They both travelled to the living room where George greeted his parents with fake enthusiasm and Iris went to put the kettle on. She mainly let the three converse between themselves, not knowing what she could contribute to the conversation. Only making eye contact with George on occasion who looked absolutely as if he would be anywhere else in that present moment in time than sat talking to his mother. And so Iris did move closer to him, she had been sat in one of the armchairs in the room when she had first returned from making them all a cup of tea. It was not hard to sit all the way over there. However, she felt enough pity for George that she moved to balance on the arm of the armchair he was currently sat in so that they were close enough. George moved his hand up so it would rest on Iris' thigh, a position she was not sure was overly comfortable for him but she wouldn't object against. 

"Any plans for the rest of the day?" Arthur questioned and Iris could tell he meant it from a place of sincerity and kindness but George probably couldn't. 

"Might give myself alcohol poisoning and then throw myself into oncoming traffic." George batted back harshly and Iris went to grab the hand of his that was on her thigh. She felt him squeeze her hand to let her know he was joking. But it still didn't really help the situation. Especially with the two stunned parents sat across from them. 

"I've baked a cake. We're going to have some of that after dinner, watch a film and then head to bed." Iris jumped in to save the conversation from taking a more negative turn and prayed that things would be okay. And eventually that moment was forgotten, but it was probably more clear to George's parents that he wasn't in the mood to celebrate and it was best for them to leave. For only 15 minutes later did the pair head out and George finally let out a breath he seemed to hold onto. 

"Fuck me. Well that went well."

"I don't think many people would take that lightly babe." Iris responded as she wrapped her arms around George's shoulders from behind pulling him into a slightly awkward back hug as she was stood on a step above him. 

"Bad timing?" Came the voice of Lee who took this moment in time to appear with Angelina around the corner. The pair of them both obviously sporting a gift for the ginger haired man stood with the door open still. 

"Suppose not. What are you doing here mate?" George questioned as if he was blind to what the pair of them were carrying. 

"I know we said no presents this year. Well I got drunk and brought this for you so here we are." Lee replied casually as if he hadn't spent ages looking for something specific for the man hoping he would like it. 

"I didn't know about the no present thing." Angelina commented before George let the two in the flat knowing he would have company for another couple of hours. 

George appeared to be enjoying this company much more than he did his own parents. And as Iris left the group in the living room having a chat and moved over to the kitchen to finally put together the cake she had made. Or one of the two cakes she had 'accidentally made' she smiled. Having the two friends over was making it a little easier on George. The three had not spoken about what the day actually was or what it meant and were treating it like any other time they had been around the flat to spend time together. 

The cake had gone down well and whilst Lee and Iris talked between themselves, a mixture of business related topics and just Lee telling the younger girl about his adventures in life. Angelina and George conversed outside a very different room in the flat. George had found the woman stood outside the room he had left open when his parents had visited. She was staring into the room where she had made so many memories. And he had expected to find her in tears seeing the room for the first time since Fred had passed. But only this time did he find her staring at the room with a look of contentment. 

"You need to move on from this flat George." Angelina had turned to him and finally addressed the one thing George had been truly afraid of doing in his path to moving onwards. 

"If I move on I lose this room." George paused for a moment looking into the time capsule of the room. The one he hadn't touched until that morning for over a year out of fear of moving something and not putting it back to where it belonged. 

"You don't have to get rid of this flat but creating a family in this place is not something that should happen. I hate that he's gone but I know he would hate us clinging onto something so trivial as this. You two only lived here for about a year or so." Angelina was telling the truth the twins had only been living in the flat for about 14 months before they had joined the fight at Hogwarts. This room did not have as much sentimental value as their childhood room or even their dorm room at Hogwarts would have. But he could still not appear to move on. 

"I know. I want to be able to move on and leave here if not for me but for Iris. But there's just something holding me back." George mentioned his eyes moving from the room as he turned his head back in the direction of the living room. Where he could hear the laughter of Iris as Lee continued to tell her something that had left the young witch in stitches. 

"She's great George." Angelina commented on the younger witch she had grown to consider a close friend since they had been introduce four months prior.

"I know Angie. I hate the fact that we only really met because of this stupid law. I hate that he doesn't get to meet her. Fred would have loved her." George muttered. 

"Oh he would have. One hundred percent. He probably loves her now from the other side of the veil just from how she looks after you so well. And you would have met if fate wanted you too. I think it brought you together at the right time."

"I know and Fred was your right person, wrong time."

"I shall look forward to the day we are reunited." Angelina agreed as the pair came to a mutual point stood in front of the room.