Molly's fiftieth birthday celebration fell on the last Sunday afternoon of the month and, much to Eloise's surprise, the famous Celestina Warbeck did actually respond to Ginny's owl asking her to come perform.

The letter, however, did not have anything to do with Molly or the party. In fact, it gave no indication that the singer even read a single word that had been written on the parchment at all. Her response was merely a pre-written, impersonal thank you letter and signed autograph.

When she received it, Ginny was understandably quite annoyed. The famous singer couldn't even take time out of her day to write a real response, not even a simple 'Happy Birthday'. But the look on Molly's face when her daughter handed her the signed photo let Ginny know that out of everything, that particular gift seemed to be her favorite. So really, the youngest Weasley couldn't possibly stay angry.

The afternoon was lovely, filled with meals prepared with love by Eloise, Fleur, and Charlie, whose surprising talent for cooking seemed to have improve exponentially since his desperate attempt to impress Verity on their first Valentine's Day together. Ginny and Hermione handled all the decorations which were a lovely combination of Molly's favorite flowers and twinkling tea candles that floated above the table in the dining room.

Just after dinner, Eloise and Fleur excused themselves from the table in order to put the finishing touches on the cake. Once his girlfriend was no longer at his side, George glanced over at his mother who looked to be the happiest he had seen her in years.

"Could I have a word, mum?"

She looked up at him, breaking her attention away from little Victoire who Arthur had been bouncing on his knee. With a smile still on her face, she nodded and rose from the table.

They left the dining room and stood at the end of the hall, near the staircase. The clock that he'd known his whole life was just beside them. It had every single Weasley pointed exactly where they should be – home. Everyone including Fred.

At the sight, George let out a sigh. It was a confusing feeling, knowing that Fred was truly gone but still feeling his presence. Some days it felt cruel, like he would much prefer it if he could somehow forget ever having a twin at all. Other days it felt comforting, like he'd never truly be alone in this world.

Then his eyes fell to the newest hand on the clock, little baby Victoire. Their family was growing. Even Percy had brought a woman with him to dinner and George knew that if Fred were here, he'd laugh hysterically, saying something like he never thought he'd see the day where stuck up old Perce would catch the eye of a woman like Audrey.

Life moving on without Fred was something George had been fighting for so long – since the very moment he felt it in his soul that his brother had taken his last breath, all before he even saw his lifeless body on the floor of The Great Hall.

The immense emptiness that had followed him for years was something he was holding onto like an anchor. The guilt he felt at the notion that he was allowed to move on and find happiness of his own was what held him down, keeping him stuck in the past.

All of that only made George realize now more than ever that he could picture another hand on that clock right beside his.

"How did you know you loved dad?" he asked suddenly as he looked away from the clock and down at his mother.

Clearly surprised by his inquiry, Molly's eyes widened for a moment before a smile formed on her lips, "It's just something you know."

Although her answer was rather vague, George simply nodded and glanced towards the light that emanated from below the kitchen door.

"Were you scared?" he asked, realizing probably how silly he sounded.

He was acting as though he'd never been in love before. Like he had never felt the all consuming feeling of complete adoration for another human. Of course he had. But at the same time, it felt different with Eloise. With Eloise, it felt frightening and exciting and new.

With Eloise, love felt real. For the first time in years, loving someone felt possible again.

"Of course, darling." she said as she let a hand rest on her son's arm, "Love is a risk, but it's often the most rewarding risk someone can take."

The old kitchen door creaked suddenly as Eloise held it open for Fleur who was carrying the large cake across the hallway. Fleur's wand was tucked behind her ear, ready to ignite all fifty candles. But what she didn't notice was the two people who were chatting in the hallway as all of her attention was focused on not dropping the cake and ruining her mother-in-law's birthday. Eloise, however, did see them.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Perfect." George nodded with a smile.

After placing a kiss to the top of his mother's head and whispering a quiet "thank you" George made his way towards Eloise, leading her into the dining room with his hand on the small of her back.

Molly followed behind, beaming as everyone broke into song the second she entered the room. Throughout the out-of-tune singing, Fleur was igniting the candles that Victoire desperately wanted to blow out herself. It was a joyfully chaotic scene, so very Weasley.

Eloise leaned her head on George's shoulder as they stood by the wall, watching Molly use every ounce of oxygen in her lungs to blow out all of the candles.

"I've got something to show you." he said quietly as the room broke into cheers for the matriarch.

Eloise looked up at him with furrowed brows, almost certain she'd misheard him. But all he did was smile.

"Follow me." he gestured his head towards the hallway, slipping his hand away from her back as he took a step away from her.

Eloise felt somewhat rude to step out just as Fleur had begun cutting up the cake, but she knew George better than to think whatever scheme he had planned was something he could be talked out of. So, she followed him out into the hallway to see him slipping on his jacket before handing Eloise her cardigan that had been hanging on the coat rack by the door.

"We can't leave." she finally protested.

George chuckled, "We aren't leaving, just stepping out."

Instinctively, her eyes narrowed at him as she slipped the blue knit fabric over her arms. The sight of her expression only made George's smile widen. Clearly he was up to something, silently scheming within his mischievous mind.

Once wrapped in the warmth of her favorite cardigan, George turned the handle on the front door and held it open for her to step outside. The late October air was brisk and Eloise quickly pulled her cardigan tighter around herself. George seemed to take note of this as he pulled the door closed behind him, quickly shedding off his own dragon-skin jacket to lay over her shoulders.

"It's not a far walk." he said, as if he was anticipating her objection to removing his coat and subjecting himself to the cold.

George led the two of them down the path around the Burrow with his hands buried deep in the pockets of his jeans. The walk was familiar to her as they passed by the sheds filled with all of Arthur's favorite muggle contraptions, Molly's garden that was plentiful with various autumnal vegetables that would be ready for harvest any day now, and the chicken coops that were much more silent now that the sun had begun to set.

Soon, they came upon the pond by the large maple tree that Fred and George used to climb when they were children. Fred's grave wasn't far from the waterline, the top of his tombstone was grazed by the occasional red and orange leaves that had been shaken from the tree in the autumn breeze.

For some reason Eloise thought maybe he had brought her out here to talk about something important. They'd had many talks on that bench near the pond. But George kept walking and she took an extra large stride to keep up with him.

Their path was the exact one they'd taken more than two years ago when they managed to slip away from Bill and Fleur's anniversary festivities. Back then, in the warm August air, Eloise was so impressed with the Burrow – with George. The Weasleys were anything but an ordinary family and she adored them all for it. But it was George who captivated her from the very start.

As they approached the rustic Quidditch pitch Arthur had built for his children nearly twenty years ago, George came to a sudden stop. After pulling out his wand and illuminating the nearby lamp posts, he turned to Eloise with a crooked grin as he pocketed it once more.

"Do you trust me?"

She hesitated for a moment, "That depends on the situation."

"I take offense to that, Laurent." he replied, although his widening smile said otherwise, "Close your eyes."

Her concerned frown contrasted greatly with the mischievous look on his face. A laugh fell from his lips as he took a step back, still maintaining his eye-contact with her.

"Trust me." he said, nodding at her once in a silent order to close her eyes and wait patiently for whatever it was he was planning.

With a sigh, she gave in and shut her eyes. She listened carefully for any clues she could gather as to what he was up to.

The sound of his boots on the dried up grass growing quieter, the opening of a nearby door, distant rummaging, and the sound of the door again. She could hear him getting closer, but she continued playing by his rules – keeping her eyes closed until he gave her permission to look.

"Okay, love. Hold out your hands."

Tentatively, she held both of her hands palm up in front of her. There was a pause and then something thin and heavy laid on them. Instinctively, her hands closed around the object that was honestly much larger than she was expecting.

"Alright, you can open your eyes."

She could hear the delight in his voice before she'd even moved an eyelash. As her eyes opened once more and adjusted to the dim lantern light on the pitch, she found herself holding onto an old broomstick. When she brought her gaze back up to George, he too was holding one of his own and before he could even say anything, Eloise quickly shook her head.

"Absolutely not. I am not flying."

"You'll be alright. We'll just kick off and come right back down." he assured her.

George mounted his broom and did just that. He hovered in the air, no more than five feet off the ground before touching back down. Still, Eloise was more than happy to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground.

"You know I fell off a broom and broke my wrist when I was twelve, don't you?"

"Yes, well that's because I wasn't your teacher." he grinned, "I won't let anything happen to you."

Eloise pursed her lips and glanced down at the broom in her hands. All her life she never let failure or obstacles hold her back. Except of course, with flying. It was a silly fear, really. She knew that. But she still held onto it all these years later.

"I really can't, George."

His expression became serious as he set his broom against the nearby light post and took a step towards her. His hands were placed on both of her arms, rubbing up and down comfortingly.

"It's alright. I won't push you." he assured her, "I just thought it would be fun, but if you don't want to then that's fine."

Eloise's bottom lip tucked between her teeth as she glanced down at the broom still held tightly in her grasp. When she looked up at George, an idea entered her mind. One she thought she may quickly end up regretting.

"I think," she started as she held to broom out for him to take, "if you're the one flying, I can ride with you. I think that would be alright."

An excited grin grew on his lips as he took the broom from her grasp, "You're sure?"

She nodded quickly, "Don't give me the opportunity to change my mind."

This earned her a laugh from him and the sound of it helped quell most of her worries. She watched as he mounted his broom and looked over at her expectantly. After buttoning up the coat he had given her, knowing that flying through the cold autumn air would feel much worse than standing on the ground, she approached cautiously.

His kind smile was patient, which was saying a lot for George, "Alright then, love. Hop on and hold tight."

Already regretting her decision, Eloise let her body work on autopilot because she knew if she allowed herself to overthink it, she'd let her fear stop her. She threw her leg over the broom and wrapped her arms tightly around George's torso, burying her head into his back and closing her eyes.

A choked out laugh fell from George's lips, "Let me breathe, Ellie."

"Sorry." she apologized quietly, loosening her grip on George only slightly.

George glanced behind him but Eloise was none the wiser as her eyes her still tightly shut, anticipating the moment her feet would leave the ground.

"Are you ready? Last chance to change your mind."

Eloise nodded her head against his shoulder blade, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Without another word from George, Eloise felt her feet leave the Earth and her arms instinctively wrapped tighter around him. She had no idea how high they were and she honestly didn't care to open her eyes to see.

"Doing alright back there?" she heard George ask.

"I'm fine." she assured him, but he only laughed.

"Open your eyes for me, Ellie."

Reluctantly, she took a careful peek as she pulled her head away from his back to see that they were only a few feet off the ground, even lower than George's demonstration a bit ago. She was sure if she stretched her leg out, the very tip of her toe could still touch the overgrown grass below them.

"Want to go higher?" he asked when he felt her loosen her hold on him slightly.

Instead of looking down, Eloise quickly flicked her head to look at him. His mischievous grin told her he'd probably do barrel rolls and flips with her on the back of his broom if she let him. But the sweetness in his eyes let her know that he'd only ever do what she was comfortable with.

"We can go a bit higher." she agreed.

"Going to keep your eyes open this time?" he asked in a teasing tone.

Eloise pursed her lips as she narrowed her eyes at him. He wasn't necessarily challenging her, but if she didn't face this fear now with him, she likely knew she never would.

"Yes." she replied defiantly.

George almost looked proud as he nodded at her and turned his head back to face forward, "Hold on then."

Up they went. Ten, fifteen, twenty, then thirty feet. If Eloise squinted back at the Burrow, she thought she'd almost be able to see into Ginny's bedroom, where a desk lamp had been left on.

There they hovered for a moment and just as Eloise was getting used to the feeling of being above the trees, George let go of the broom to brush his hair away from his eyes.

"Why are you letting go?" she scolded as she tightened her hold on him, as if grasping on to the person who wasn't even holding the broom anymore would save her from falling.

"Because I'm pretty sure I've been flying since before I could walk. I spent six years flying one handed as a Beater, you know." he laughed as he placed his hands securely back around the broom handle, "We're alright, I promise. I told you I won't let anything happen to you."

Eloise's nerves were rising, even with George's reassurances and he could sense it by the white knuckled grip she had on his jumper. He looked off into the horizon for a moment before looking back at Eloise.

"See that over there?" he asked her, pointing off into a clearing that was barely visible in the last few moments of the October sunset.

She squinted her eyes and nodded, "Barely."

"You can't see it from the house, so Fred and I used to fly over there all the time and race. Mum never knew and if dad did, he didn't tell her." he laughed, "I reckon I reached the top speed of the entire Cleansweep line of brooms when I was fifteen."

Eloise smiled at the idea of the reckless fifteen year old boy George used to be. In some ways he still had a bit of chaos in him, but he had definitely matured. Or perhaps a certain spark in him had been put out years ago. Either way, Eloise wanted to see him embrace that part of himself. To do something just because he wanted to, not because he thought he should or was expected to. Maybe if he did, it would make facing her own fear a bit more possible.

"Can you take me over there?" she asked.

George looked over his shoulder at her, "Are you sure?"

Again, she nodded, not giving herself or George the opportunity to talk her out of it. She felt him hesitate for a moment and then lean forward only slightly, sending them towards the clearing at a cautious pace.

The wind was blowing through Eloise's hair, making her already wild curls even more unruly. In spite of her initial fear, the feeling of the autumn air nipping at her skin felt freeing. She sat up straight, loosening her hold on George but not daring to let go. A bright smile formed on her lips as they flew over the treetops with the Burrow growing smaller in the distance.

Just as she began to feel liberated by the feeling of flying, George began his descent into the clearing. Once they landed, Eloise was feeling almost disappointed, as if she couldn't wait to get into the air once more. She didn't dare tell George this though, for fear that he'd attempt to urge her to fly on her own again. That she wasn't ready for.

Eloise swung her leg over the broom and took a step back to take in her surroundings. There was nothing for miles but rolling hills of grass surrounded by towering trees. She could see exactly why Fred and George loved to use this as an escape from their hectic home every now and again. Even in such close proximity to the Burrow, this felt like an entirely different world.

The last stream of autumn daylight was moments away from disappearing over the hill. The orange hues in the sky were slowly turning purple and soon, they'd be left out in the dark. George didn't seem to be in a rush to get back, though. He pulled his wand from his back pocket and transfigured a nearby rock into a bright lantern, filling the area with a warm glow.

When he finally looked back at her, he parted his lips to say something but a new idea seemed to suddenly pop into his mind as he stopped himself before even taking a breath.

"There's something I want to give you."

Eloise looked a bit confused, "What is it?"

"Well, I don't have it with me right now. I was going to give it to you for Christmas but I don't think I can wait any longer."

Eloise shook her head and laughed. Taking a step forward, she rested both hands on George's chest, relishing in the warmth that radiated from him.

"Christmas is two months away. You can't give me my gift this far in advance."

With his wand still held down at his side, he rested his other hand over her cheek, "I think now is the right time. I'll figure something else out for Christmas."

Her confusion only grew as he took a step back from her and then realization hit her.

"George, wait!" she said suddenly as she recognized exactly what he was about to do, "You can't just leave me out here on my own."

Eloise may have only known George for two years, but she still felt like she'd known him her whole life. That's how she was able to notice that he was only seconds away from another surge of chaotic recklessness that she usually adored. Just not when it would cause him to disapparate and leave her alone in the clearing.

"I'll be back before you know it. I promise."

Eloise bit her lip, not overly fond of the idea being on her own with only a few moments of sunset left to keep her feeling safe. As if he could sense her hesitation, he took a step forward and placed a hand on the back of her head before pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Wait here, okay?" he asked as he pulled away.

As much as she wanted to object once more, the look in his eyes seemed determined. Whatever this gift was clearly couldn't wait any long. At least not in George's mind. So, all she did was nod in return, albeit reluctantly.

Without another word, only a soft smile, George was gone and Eloise was left standing there with no idea what on Earth he could possibly be planning or when he would be back.

A/N: The next chapter will be the final one! I can't believe after almost a year of writing it, I'm nearly done with this story 😭

There will be an epilogue and I'm already working on a fun little one-shot that will be up on Valentine's Day, so don't forget to follow me and add 'Along The Way' to your library so you don't miss it!

Love you all!