Author's Note: I've been meaning to write this story for awhile, and I just haven't had the time. Not sure about how regular updates will be, but I just had to start it. Fred and George are two of my absolute favorite characters from the HP series, so I've been wanting to write a story with them in it. This story is kind of AU, not necessarily canon-compliant, but probably fits in there fairly well. I'm setting the rating as T but that might change because I think there might be some sexy bits at some point. Kind reviewers, please do let me know what you think!

Chapter 1: Closing Time

George Weasley practically had to slam the door shut on their last customer of the day as a number of other witches and wizards who had reached the door only moments too late were greeted by the sight of a giant purple CLOSED sign, complete with little animated doodles of Fred and George pulling faces at them.

"Ahhh, the weekend is finally here!" he sighed, the relief palpable in his voice.

"You do know that the weekend is our busiest time, right?" Fred replied with a grin as he seemed to materialize from the tall shelves piled to the ceiling with various products.

"That's not until tomorrow, though," George replied, feeling the same grin mirrored on his own face.

There was something about the easy symmetry of their faces that just made sense.

"And you know what they say," Fred said snarkily.

"Ain't no rest for the wicked!" they both chorused together, giving each other a high five.

A light tapping noise came from the glass behind them, and George turned with an annoyed look on his face, nearly ready to tell whoever it was off.

And then he froze.

"What's wrong?" Fred asked, twisting his head to the side so he could see who was standing at the glass, "Hey, is that who I think it is?"

Angelina Johnson stood on the other side of the glass, shivering in her robes as she tried to look in through the One Way Two Way glass, which went frosty and opaque when the shop was closed as a way to dissuade would-be burglars from window shopping.

"Oh, too bad," Fred said with a laugh, "She's just a bit too late, eh brother? Just because she was our Quidditch captain once upon a time doesn't mean we're going to make an exception for- hey wait, what are you doing?"

But George had already gone to the door and was unlocking it.

"It's as cold as a hag's untouched tit out there, George," Angelina cursed as she practically sprinted in through the door, "Oh, hi Fred."

"Hi Ang," Fred said with a bored expression on his face, but George knew better.

His brother was irritated.

Bloody hell.

"Sorry, Fred, I forgot to tell you I had plans tonight," George said sheepishly.

Fred's eyes narrowed as he looked even more bored (and therefore pissed off) at this confession.

"Well, no matter!" Fred said, turning around as though he didn't care at all and waving back dismissively at them both, "I've got plenty of people to do and things to see, myself!"

George felt his chest constrict at this. He could practically see how hurt his brother was feeling, but he looked at Angelina and he couldn't deny how looking at her made him feel.

For once, just once, he didn't want to feel like part of a set. He wanted to be just George. Just for an evening. Or maybe until morning, if she let him stay the night.

"C'mon Angelina," he said pointedly, "We don't want to keep Freddy from doing those important people."

As the door closed behind them, George thought he heard a tiny scoffing laugh, but he decided to pretend it was just his imagination. Fred was a big boy. He could handle himself.

They could make up later, after all. They always did. But a girl like Angelina only came around once in a lifetime.

And besides, he and Fred had been together before they were born. No matter what was to come, he knew that he and his brother would face it together.

Less than a year later, Fred would beyond his brother's reach forever.