Iris once again awoke in bed alone that morning. A feat though not uncommon, still felt strange even after the few months the pair had been living together. She had come such accustomed to sleeping beside someone and awakening to them still being there that being alone when she woke was not the most pleasant feeling. Not considering it was more often than not that she was the first one awake. George had a tendency to sleep in, he often ignored the alarms of which he set himself, the multiple alarms he set himself. Yet today she had heard none go off and therefore, his absence beside her was strange. And as she stretched and rolled over to look for the clock to see the time, and explain to herself why he was awake when it did not look overly bright outside, Iris was met with her first confusion of the morning. For the bedside clock which was always on George's side was missing. She turned her head to see whether she had somehow travelled across the bed in the short time she had been alone only to see no clock on the other side. It had been there when she had headed to sleep the night prior that much was obvious but it was now missing. 

Wondering just what her little brainiac was up to that morning, Iris attempted to make her way out of the room in search of the man who was being rather odd that morning. And as she started to move the covers off her she heard a bumping noise as a rather lanky ginger haired man bumped his way into the doorframe in an attempt to rush into the room. She wondered why he seemed so hot on his feet that morning, no real reason coming to mind. But he seemed panicked to see her awake. Though his panic soon turned into confusion as he scanned her over. 

"Rizzo."

"George you know I hate that nickname." 

"Are you okay?" His words seemed overly concerned and Iris felt confusion as she paused in her actions and sat there looking at him. She wondered what was causing him to worry so much. That was until her early morning wake up haze started to wear off. And the date suddenly hit her. Iris slumped in her seated position resting her head back on the headboard of the bed as she sighed and looked up. And just like that she was not okay. 

"I nearly forgot." She muttered as George approached her to sit down on the bed beside her. His hands coming to raise towards her head as he gently weaved them through separating the curls as he did so. 

"You were still waking up it's alright beautiful." His gentle words soothed her as Iris settled her eyes to rather focus on him from the spot she had originally been looking at on the ceiling. 

"I don't like it." Iris spoke as she felt him once again being the strong one for them both. A role reversal for the day, not that she minded. 

"I know. I'm sorry. Happy Birthday Iris." George did not move from where he sat nor did he stop gently running his fingers through her hair, too scared to mess up her curls and taking his time. Iris remained as she was for maybe half an hour neither speaking as she had to accept what the day was. Her third official birthday alone. 

But after the half an hour Iris realised she had things to do that day. She could not spend her day in bed no matter what she desired deep down. Because her brain knew there were other things she needed to do that day. A present to drop off, being the number one thing she had to do. Nothing would be able to continue until she did this. And therefore, after taking a little while to convince George she was indeed okay and ready to get up she did venture to get ready.  And as she pulled on the t-shirt and dungarees combination knowing today was all about being comfortable for the second time in the recent days she went to place on the purple plastic butterflies into her own hair. 

George watched her carefully from the bed, he tried to give her as much privacy as he could but his anxiety regarding her ability to just break at any given moment was enough to persuade him into remaining in the room. For he knew that Iris, despite the constant strong front she always put on was hurting. And he would not allow himself to allow her to be in pain if he could find a way to lessen it. He watched to see if she would take any additional clothing knowing it was still May and still incredibly cold out. Yet she did not and as he allowed her to walk ahead into the living room he paused to grab an extra jacket of his own from the wardrobe knowing it would be easy enough to convince her to wear it. After all she had started a habit in the last few weeks of wearing more and more of his clothing. He didn't mind most of the time, until she wore some of his more expensive items that was. And then he had the fear of her spilling something down them most likely her cup of tea. 

"Slow down Rizzo, you nearly forgot a jacket. It's still freezing out there." George reprimanded as he found her stood by the fireplace pacing up and down waiting on his arrival. Iris turned to him with a sheepish look on her face before taking the jacket he had outstretched towards her. And George smiled as she pulled it on and immediately dragged it tighter around her. Knowing that considering they used the same washing powder the only thing she could really smell on there was his aftershave. 

"'M sorry Georgie." Her eagerness to get on with what she was set on doing was adorable in that moment and he could not help moving forward to give her a small pat on the head. 

"It's okay I'm guessing we're going this morning then?" His question wasn't one he expected an answer to, it was more of a stating the obvious. And it was proven as the floo powder was handed towards him to take a handful of. 

"My parents said they'd meet us there. We won't be stopping long." Iris promised him and George gave her a shrug in response. It would not matter how long they spent in Nottingham this morning, he knew what this day meant to the family considering they had yet to spend one together since the two girls had turned 17. Plus he did get on well with both of her parents so it would not be a painful event. 

"No problem. Do you have everything?" He checked watching as Iris' face quickly morphed into the one she had when she had forgotten something before she rushed back in the direction of the kitchen. She returned less than a minute later with a purple wrapped gift box and sent George a grateful smile. 

"Now I do." And with her words she stepped into the activate fireplace before announcing the address of the Nottingham ministry branch. Their easiest destination to reach considering her parents had disconnected their floo system a few months prior. 

As they approached the Nottingham General Cemetery, both Iris and George were reminded of what they had found the previous time they had visited. It was a sad story that the people who had tarnished Lavenders original headstone had not only never been found but had damaged it to the point where it was cheaper to replace the headstone than get it repaired. But there was also a lightness to the damage. For the reacquaintanced brown family had come together to design a headstone of which honoured Lavender much more than the original, the one of which had been made on a very short notice and they had all argued over the inscription of. Now it seemed much more like it was doing justice to the girl it stood over protecting. 

Iris had obviously been there to see the new headstone put into place, yet George had been busy at the shop and unable to get away. And therefore as he approached for the first time since the change side by side to Iris their hands joined in Iris' iron tight grip. He took it in, and could see as to why Iris was much happier and content with the new headstone that marked her sister's grave. 

The new headstone was white in colour, with a pretty purple boarder with the odd purple butterfly decorating it. All things of which fit the image of which the younger witch had given him of her sister. And he allowed himself to linger on the inscription on the grave, for no matter how tragic his own story was with his twin part of him knew that at least they got to see their adult years together. That was not the case for the brown twins. 

"Lavender Grace Brown

May 16th 1980 - May 2nd 1998

Aged 17 years old

Forever our dancing queen'

"I'm so happy you guys settled on the ABBA quote rather than the POLICE one." George spoke breaking the little tranquility they had been surrounded by.

"It seemed more fitting. And was a good pun. Couldn't get a pun to work for her favourite Police song it was deemed too sexy by dad." Iris giggled at the idea and George let a little laughter of his own. 

"I can see that." At George's words Iris dropped his hand as she approached the headstone. It would seem as though she had not been the only one to visit her sister in the last few days as there were both fresh flowers along with a small little snow globe placed in front of the headstone. And as Iris left her own little parcel, despite knowing it would not be opened she felt a little bit of serenity. 

"Happy birthday baby sis. I miss you." 

They would return to the flat in Diagon Alley much later into the night than anticipated. Iris had felt much more settled at her family home than she had anticipated. And therefore, had been reluctant to leave until later that day. And George had rapidly agreed with her, and the moment she had she was ready to return to their flat he had been there with the jacket ready for them both to head backwards. He intended to wait on her every demand that day and this would be no different. 

Upon returning to their flat he went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. The night had turned chilly fast and the second he knew that the floo system had been turned off for the night he lit the fireplace in the living room hoping that it would warm the freezing room up just a little. And he sat on the sofa watching Iris as she once again paced back and forth in the room. He spoke no words only beckoned her forwards and towards him encouraging Iris to settle in his lap so that he could hold her. 

She had managed such a big thing that morning, the whole day and for now he wanted her to take some time to process before he brought forward the rest of the things they had planned. It was not a lot, in reality it was just the few things people had been dropping off for her over the previous couple of days, to which he knew beneath the current emotions she was showing she was a little excited for. Iris after all was prone to a gift or several. Her favourite thing was when he would surprise her with flowers for no apparent reason. He gently carded his hands through her hair as her head remained buried in his shoulder giving her some time before he brought up the small collection of gifts in the corner of the room. 

"What do you think of opening up the things over on the table?" He questioned lowly watching as almost the instant he had mentioned the gifts for her that Iris pulled back to look at him a ghost of a smile lingering on her face. 

"I had forgotten." Her voice was on the quieter side missing most of the fire of which he normally associated to her, but it was enough. 

"Can't have you forgetting the main events." And with a flick of his wand the small pile moved from the corner table to beside them both on the sofa. And he watched as Iris organised them in the order of which she wanted to open them, waiting until she finally got to his own. He had been confused for so long as to what to get Iris, she normally would just treat herself to anything she wanted with the remaining money she had at the end of the month. And therefore, became a rather difficult person to buy for. But he had eventually found something. 

"Oh it's beautiful George." Her words made him swell with pride as he looked down to the small box she now held. "Mind helping me to put it on." And George moved so that he could place the gold necklace with the engraved bar on. The colour matching the gold locket she wore to remember her sister. The front held a hardly noticeable visually but what could be felt engraving of both of their initials. And the back he had left a message for her.

"I'm happy you like it." George focused on her eyes, of which had once again welled with tears, happier ones he hoped as she stared at the combination of jewellery in that moment she promised to never take off. 

"I love it George."

"So you can keep me close whenever you need it."