Learn To Love Again
By Minty Siren
Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the plot. Anything you recognize probably isn't mine. :)
This is my first marriage law fanfic and I hope you guys aren't too bored with the concept already. This is set during and after the Battle of Hogwarts. The marriage law doesn't come till much later.
This fic may have some dark themes after this chapter, but it is mainly a romance.
Please review!
Minty Siren
Chapter One
Warriors
In youth, you'd lay... awake at night and scheme
Of all the things that you would change,
But it was just a dream.
Here we are, don't turn away now.
We are the Warriors that built this town.
Here we are, don't turn away now.
We are the Warriors that built this town from dust.
"Kiss me, Fred..." I whisper against his earlobe, gently nibbling on it.
"Now, who could resist a temptation such as that?" chuckles Fred before he captures my lips in his. We moan in unison as we kiss deeper. It would have been like any of our other kisses, if we didn't have a war raging outside the room which we concealed ourselves in. No, this kiss was a promise: we will survive this war and we will win.
Fred gently breaks away, fumbling to get something out of his pocket before he bends down on his left knee and takes my left hand and clasps it between both of his. I gasp, feeling the velvet box sandwiched underneath my hand and over his. He clears his voice loudly before beginning,
"My dear Hermione, you know that I really keep busy. I have my job, which requires me to meet deadline every day. I then go to help with the Order. Then there are friends to hang out with, you included. So, I thought that we must put an end to our unknown 'boyfriend/girlfriend relationship' and start a new one. Would you be interested in becoming my wife? This way I will know that I'll never miss spending time with you. So, I ask you: Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?" Fred finishes his slightly humorous speech and he holds out a beautiful thin golden ring with small rubies and sapphires - rubies representing the house I am in currently and the sapphires showing which house I truly belong to. Only Fred knows this.
"Yes..." I whisper inaudibly. Then I gasp as it truly hits me: Fred Weasley is proposing to me! "Yes!" I scream, "Yes, yes, yes!" and I hug him and hold on for dear life. "I love you Fred, with all my heart." I say as he slips the ring on my finger: it fits perfectly.
"And I love you, Hermione." we stay in each others hold for about five more minutes before we hear Ron running down the hallway screaming,
"HERMIONE GRANGER, THERE'S A GIANT BLOODY SNAKE CHASING AFTER ME AND I FUCKING NEED YOU TO HELP ME KILL IT! NO SLACKING AROUND FOR YOU IN THIS WAR!" I see Ron's figure running down the hallway and, sure enough, Nagini is chasing after him.
I turn back to look at Fred, "Let's win this war before we tell your family, sound good?"
"Great, I mean, it's not like George knows already...?" he wavers but I laugh anyway.
"I love you Fred Weasley."
"I love you more, now please do what you can to protect my idiot brother. Okay?"
"Okay. Wait, Fred, what if he sees? He still doesn't even know that we've been going out!"
"Hermione, Ron's the most oblivious, least perspective member of my family. He'll find out when we tell everyone after we've won - how's that sound?"
"Good, I guess." I hear Ron's heavy footsteps coming closer "See you soon Freddie!"
"Yeah, soon Hermione. Look after him, look after Ron."
"Of course."
I give him one final kiss before I turn and join in with Ron.
It's amazing how everyone on the opposing side ignores you during a war when there's a giant snake thundering behind you. Beside me, Ron begins to slow down so I tug on his sleeve to make him keep up.
"Mi-one... what's th-that... on your... fing-finger?" he struggles between quick breathes.
Least perspective my ass, Frederick Weasley.
"Um... i-it's a... w-wedding ring..." I reply. "I'm getting... married to-"
"Fred?" he interrupts.
Well shit.
"...yeah..."
"You two always... were ch... chummy..."
Good one, Fred, 'most oblivious'. Pish.
"You're okay with this?" I ask him, this was not how I'd anticipated his reaction to finding out.
"Yeah... If anything I'm... relieved..."
"Wha'?"
"Yeah, mum has... always wan-ted you... in the family. She f-figured you'd... be most likely... to pick me... she wanted m-me... to pro...pose to you... after the war. Huh... nice: arranged and forced... marriage..." he gives a breathy laugh.
"Th..thanks Ron..." I smile at him.
Ron opens his mouth to say something, but is cut off as Nagini lunges for his leg, scraping it.
"Shit-fuck! That was... close... Shit, Mione look, it's... a dead-end..."
And it is: we are close to toast.
"We'll climb that pile of rubble!" I point to a crumbled wall that might just save us.
"COME ON, RON, SHE'S GAINING ON YOU!" I scream, but Ron's limping doesn't help him.
"I'M FUCKING TRYING HERMIONE BUT APPARENTLY IT'S NOT YOU SHE AFT- AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Ron screams as Nagini clamps her teeth around both of his feet, effectively making his face smash into the shattered stone.
"RON!" I scream back as I watch Nagini coil herself around him, strangling him, cutting of his air supply. I cast spell after spell at the beast, all the while knowing that it won't do any good to stop it. I can hear each bone snapping as Nagini tightens herself around him. I collapse into a heap and let the tears fall. I feel numb, hollow. I've let Fred down, I've let Ron down, I've let him die...
I hear someone shout for me to move, but as I don't see how it will help anyone, I stay still.
"For MERLIN'S SAKE, Hermione, I could do with some help, but nooo, I'll do it all by myself!" I vaguely hear Neville's voice coming towards me, but more prominently I see, as I look up, his arm coming down on Nagini's body. I didn't know he had the Sword of Gryffindor?! I give a hiccup of laughter as I see her hold on Ron lessen and fall; Ron's survived! I scurry towards his shuddering body, to congratulate him for being so strong, only to see that he was projectile vomiting with blood also flowing from his mouth.
"Ron... Ron stay with me, okay? Just concentrate on me, Ron, I need you to do that, okay, just so I can fix you up." I said frantically. "Just let me get something from my bag... oh no, I left it in the Room of Requirements. Just let me go and-"
Ron fumbles for and grasps my hand before I can get up. "No... stay with me. I'll be... dead by the... time you g... get back."
"No... no Ron, I can help you. Please, Ron, let me help you! I promised Fred that I would look after you, I promised him..." I whisper hurriedly, tears crashing down my face and landing on his.
"Hermione... listen to me..." he coughs up thick globules of blood, staggering his breath even more before he continues. "I want to d... to die with you... soon my sister... one of my best friends... by my side, o... okay?"
"Okay Ron" I breathe.
"Hermione? I want... you to do... some-" he hiccups and coughs up more bile, blood and a dark film - imagine what black cling-film would look lie - also rises out of his mouth. I can only assume that it was lining from his intestines... or his lungs... or his wind pipe. Tears mixed with mud and blood roll down his face and mine fall down to meet his. "-thing fo... for me."
"Yes, Ron?"
"Save as... many... p-people... as poss... possible. Anyone... and... everyone." his eyes rolled to the ceiling and he went limp in my arms. Blood was seeping ever slower from his wounds, indicating that he had next to none in his lifeless body.
"Ron... Ron?" I sob heaved its way up my throat, making a hideous noise. "RON, NO, RON!"
"Hermione? What's hap... oh, God, Ron?" George looks at Ron's unmoving body, and stiffens. He leans down to pick him up and says, "Mione, Fred needs your help outside the Transfiguration classroom - he's dueling Fenrir Greyback, but it doesn't look good."
"Ron..."
"I'm going to take him to the Great Hall, now go!" George half runs, half stumbles with Ron's dead-weight in his arms.
"Fred..." I mumble, thoughts whizzing through my head, "Fred!" I jump to attention and race down the hallways, towards the Transfiguration room, towards Fred.
I cast the odd stupefy at anyone who's in my way and is on the opposing side, but if they're on our side, I just tell them to move or shove them out the way if they don't hear me. I'm just about to pass the next corridor when I see a familiar flash of ginger.
"FRED!" I call to him, as he's backed up against a stone wall and facing two death-eaters: one is Fenrir Greyback and the other is Gregory Goyle's father.
"Hey, Mione? Can you gimme a hand, like, NOW?!" he replies. I'm just about to reach Fred and join in, when someone fires at Fenrir from his side. Fenrir blocks the spell and it rebounds against the wall that stands behind Fred. I watch the wall crumble, bit by bit, as if watching something in slow-motion. I'm still running to reach Fred, and just as the first few stones knock him out, I cast a protego charm on him to save him from being completely crushed. Fenrir turns around, his gaze meeting mine. He growls and bares his fangs.
"Did you just try to attack me? You filthy, fucking, mudblood whore!" he raises his wand and hesitates, thinking of a suitable punishment for me.
It's now or never, I think. I've created a new curse, but I don't know if it actually works yet. There's only one way to find out.
"Cor Impetum!" I aim at both Fenrir and Goyle's father, hitting them both.
They both halt as the unknown spell hits them, waiting for it to deal out any damage.
"Come on, hurry up!" I chastise in my head, "Work, for God's sake!"
I find new-found hope as I can see their heart rate pulsing ever faster at their necks, but the adrenaline makes them start forward. They both raise their wands in unison and utter the beginnings of the killing curse, only to fall to the ground in unison. Dead.
I can't believe it, my spell worked! My spell. That I created!
I give a whoop for joy, then immediately feel bad: how can I feel happy over killing two people?
Save as many people as possible. Anyone and everyone.
I groan, fall to my knees and shake my head in my hands, cursing and cursing myself until I remember that Fred is still on the ground, currently unconscious. I crawl towards him and remove the few rocks that had fallen on his body, only stopping when I see a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye.
"I'll be back soon, Freddie - I promise." I whisper, kiss him on the forehead and I get up, hurrying towards the movement without making a sound.
I round the corner of the pillar and I immediately see the man who was scurrying around earlier, but he's crouching on the ground, snivelling and sobbing. His platinum blond hair makes him easily recognisable, but the fact that he's crying makes me think it's someone else. I stand up straighter, raising my wand so that it is level with his head.
"Stand up and turn around." I command and see him stiffen, trying to control his emotions. He swipes his arm under his nose and across his eyes before he stands up and faces me. I was right: it is Draco Malfoy. Before I can say anything more, he starts before me.
"Granger... I-I'm sorry, for everything." he looks at me, completely innocent looking.
But I know better.
"Legilimens!"
Malfoy groans as I enter his mind.
"Father?" Draco approaches his father in the dining room of the Malfoy Manor.
I shudder as I remember what happened the last time I was here - I hoped never to find myself back here, even in memory.
"Yes, Draco - what is it?" Lucius still manages a drawl, even in his exhausted state.
"I was just wondering... it's rather stupid... in fact, never mind..."
"Say it, Draco!" his father demands.
"Well, I was thinking about things, and they matched together and I wondered... are we the baddies?"
"Draco, Draco... we are not the baddies, yet we are the baddies. You see; to us, we are the goodies; but to the Order, we are the baddies. Okay?" Lucius Malfoy explains, then quickly shakes his head and amends, "Now, stop using such childish words as 'goodies' and 'baddies'. Tell me, Draco, what got you thinking of this?"
"Well, You-Know-Who is called the 'Dark Lord' with dark generally being bad. His followers are called 'Death Eaters'." Lucius purses his lips together. "We hold a 'Dark Mark'. The mark is a skull. 'Mudblood' blood is as thick and red as ours. And also-"
I feel proud of Draco for standing up to his father and smile gently.
"Silence, Draco! What good will come of this?" My smile quickly slides off my face.
"It's just, I want to be on the right side to fight on. And I've been thinking about changing si..."
"Changing... what exactly?"
"S-sides."
Lucius strides right up to Draco and pauses. After about ten seconds, he slaps Draco in the face, leaving an angry red mark.
"You are no son of mine, leave. NOW!"
The scene shifts to the battle.
"I believe you, Draco." Luna says quietly "But I'm not sure how many others will."
"Then how can I help if everyone on our side thinks I'm on the death eaters' side?" Draco runs a shaky hand through his hair.
"I think..." Luna ponders, "I think you should attack, unseen, from the sidelines. That way you can help, but not be noticed, thereby not being attacked by either death eaters or those on our side."
"...That's brilliant, Luna. Thank you so much!" says Draco as he squeezes her into a hug. I can see Luna blushing slightly before she gently pushes him away.
"I knew you weren't as bad as you made yourself out to be." Luna smiles dreamily as she pecks his cheek and skips away.
Draco turns around to watch her leave, smiling slightly and touching his cheek. I bite my lip to hide a snigger, then immediately feel bad.
The scene changes again, to the fight with Fred, Fenrir and Goyle's father.
"Fred!" I watch myself approach the fight, mouth hanging ingloriously open. I look awful.
Draco positions himself so that he has a direct view of the two death eaters without being seen. He casts a clumsy stunning spell at Greyback, which he easily deflects, and it backfires to the wall still standing behind Fred. The wall crumbles over Fred but Draco moves away again before he can see the damage he has dealt.
"Why can't I do anything right?" Draco sobs until he hears a stern voice.
"Stand up and turn around." I say forcibly.
We both breathe heavily as I pull out of the occlumency.
"I... I believe you... Malfoy..." I heave.
"Well isn't that bloody brilliant, Granger?" he grumbles, annoyed that I had used occlumency on him. I stand for a moment and think before I say,
"Stay with me during the battle, so you won't get attacked." I say without giving him a choice, though he nods as if I did give him one. "Come on, I need to go and see Fred."
Draco stiffens but concedes, "Of course."
We both come round the corner to stand at the space were we both know that Fred was lying in. But there is no Fred.
"Fred..." I whisper.
"Granger, he's not here. He must have gone off."
"But... but he was unconscious, and he wouldn't have been able to regain his consciousness for hours."
"I'm sorry." says Draco.
"Fred!" I call, looking around. "Fred, Fred come back, Fred, FRED!"
I feel as if my whole world has collapsed around me, swallowing me whole. I fall to my knees, my head falls into my lap. "Fred... please, please come back. Fred, my love, come back to me."
Sobs catch in my throat, and I hiccup. Tears form in my eyes and start to trickle down my face. "You promised you'd never leave me! You promised! You promised me and you lied to me Frederick Weasley! Come back, stay with me, I love you..."
As Draco kneels down to envelop me in a stiff, awkward hug, my cries become more ugly and they refuse to stop.
"Stay with me!"
My throat becomes sore as jagged breathes push themselves out of me, joining the other desperate wails in the air.
"Fred... Fred... Fred..." I repeat. Draco begins to rock me, slowly, to soothe me but it only makes it worse as it reminds me of how Fred used to comfort me. Fred. Draco charms a rose to lie where Fred once was, along with Fenrir Greyback's and Goyle Senior's wands. With Fred's wand.
The man I love. "I love you..."
The man who is gone. "Come back..."
The man who was to be my husband. "Stay with me..."
Fred. "Fred..."
So, yeah - first chapter.
The titles of the chapters will be the titles of songs, sometimes abridged other times unabridged. If you are the first person to guess them correctly in a PM, then I will give you a snippet of the next chapter. I'll put the first and/or second verse up as a hint.
Please R&R!
Minty Siren 7