A/N: m0ckingbird77 won the chance to request a story written by me, and this is what she chose (sort of)! I think this actually turned out pretty good, despite I just finished it really fast. Anyways, she wanted a Fred/Hermione story, and I gave her one! So this is dedicated to m0ckingbird77 for the great idea, and I hope you like it!
Fred ducked as another chunk of wall flew over his head, launching another spell at a passing Death Eater. The redhead was getting frustrated—he wanted to know that his family was safe, that Harry was safe, but most of all, he needed to know that Hermione was safe.
Hermione was his best friend besides George. Had been since their third year and they had found the young girl crying behind a statue because of something Ron had said. They had comforted her in ways that other people would have never thought of, and then they just…started hanging out more.
Sure, Hermione was his little brother's best friend—well, one of them. That didn't mean she couldn't have other friends.
Fred swore as he came upon another body, a Ravenclaw girl. Another one lost, another reason to hate Voldemort. He found Percy fighting off a Death Eater, and he helped his brother out by shooting off a curse.
"Thanks, Fred," the older Weasley brother panted. He wiped his face with his sleeve.
"No problem, Perce," Fred said, backing up next to his brother.
He didn't know where his parents were. He didn't know where his twin was. He didn't know where any of his siblings were, his friends, or Harry and Hermione, and he didn't like that. He didn't like it at all.
"Perce, where is everybody?" Fred asked, needing to know that they were safe. Percy shrugged.
"I don't know. I haven't seen them."
Fred sighed, sneezing as dust filled the corridor. Percy shouted as another Death Eater attacked the two brothers, and Fred threw a couple curses his way.
He heard a voice that he knew much too well, a voice he knew as well as his twin's. His head whipped around, and he exclaimed, "Hermione!"
Hermione ran forward and yanked him out of the way as a section of wall collapsed right where he had been standing. The adrenaline rushing through both of their veins faded slowly, and Fred recoiled as he realized that he had nearly died. If Hermione hadn't pulled him out of the way in time, he would be dead.
"You…" Fred swallowed, all humor gone from his voice. "You saved my life."
Hermione smiled weakly. "That's kind of my job. I save people, just like everyone else."
Fred shook his head disbelievingly, barely comprehending the fact that without Hermione there he would be dead right now.
"Thank you." Fred said.
"No problem."
Hermione looked at him, chocolate brown eyes studying him, looking for injuries. "Be safe," she whispered, before standing up and darting away to Harry and Ron, both frozen near a hyperventilating Percy.
Fred gave his signature smile to reassure them that he was okay, standing up and grabbing his wand.
He had to take care of some Death Eaters.
/\/\
When the war was over, they celebrated, and mourned. Remus and Tonks were gone, but their son was very much alive, proof of the love they had despite the age difference.
Fred was still trying to get over the fact that the war was over and Voldemort was gone. Dead. Out of this world. After all these years, they were finally living in peace, away from the fear that had taken control of their lives since Voldemort had come back.
But even though they lost some, they gained others. Babies were being born into a world where they could grow up like normal kids, without having to worry about a war that could destroy them based on blood status.
And personally, Fred thought it was perfect. Sure, it would be better if they hadn't lost Remus and Tonks, but death was a natural part of life. It would have happened anyways. This way was just a lot sooner than thought.
Hermione was sitting next to Fred and George on the couch, trying (and failing) to read a book. Fred didn't know what it was, but he really didn't care.
As long as both of his best friends were alive, life was good.
/\/\
Fred couldn't believe he was about to do this.
He paced the length of his living room, ignoring his twin as George absently used his wand to make different colored sparks shoot into the air.
"What am I going to do?" Fred groaned, running his hands through his air.
"You could always lose an ear." George suggested. His hand rose to touch the side of his head, before a bright smile lit up his face. "Hermione gave me all kinds of attention while I was recovering."
"Yeah, and then she hit you when you started cracking jokes about nonsense." Fred reminded him. George shrugged.
"So? I still got attention."
"This is completely different, George! I love her! I can't go get my ear chopped off juts so she will pay attention to me." Fred raised his hands to cover his ears protectively. "I like them too much to lose one willingly."
George smirked, calling out, "You can come in now, Granger!"
Fred froze, hands halfway extended as he dropped them from their position on his head.
"Fred," Hermione said. "Do you really think I was stupid enough to now know something was wrong?" She rolled her eyes. "I know you better than that."
"W-what?"
"I knew you liked me. So I talked to George. Being the good friend he is, he told me what you just said. Then I came over tonight, and heard it from yourself. Do you really love me, Fred?" she asked, stepping closer to the redhead. George continued smirking on the couch.
"Of course I love you, Hermione. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it." Fred said, embracing her. Her arms circled around his neck, pulling him closer to her.
"I love you, too, Fred." She whispered.
/\/\
The night Fred proposed was anything but perfect. It honestly wasn't even supposed to happen until weeks later. But Fred conveniently forgot that part until George whispered to him afterward that he didn't have the ring.
They were sprawled out on the cool grass near the pond on a hot summer day, gazing up at the blue sky. Fred and George were alternating between throwing bread to the fish that darted to the water surface and joking about how Harry had totally bombed his own proposal to Ginny the night before.
He may be the Boy Who Lived, but he certainly wasn't good with marriage proposals.
Hermione was talking about how sweet it was that Ginny had said yes even though Harry was stuttering so badly you could barely understand him. She was talking about how excited she was for their wedding, and how she couldn't wait for George to propose to Luna.
It just sort of slipped out.
One minute Fred was talking about how he was glad that Harry would be a part of the family. The next he was crouching in front of his girlfriend and asking her to marry him.
For a moment, all three were silent, the only sound being the birds as they chirped in the trees. The next second Hermione was throwing herself at him, shouting, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" over and over again, until finally she sat up and smiled, looking so happy that Fred was almost blinded by the excitement she seemed to be radiating.
It wasn't until after she ran off that George whispered, "When are you going to tell her you don't have a ring?" and Fred realized that maybe random marriage proposals weren't such a good idea.
/\/\
The wedding was beautiful. The sun was shining, his entire family was there, and he was getting married to the love of his life. Nothing could have made this day any better.
Except for the fact that Ron couldn't help staring off to the left of Fred as they talked about Quidditch. It was obvious that the younger redhead was unhappy about something, and Fred wanted to know what it was.
"Hey, Ron," Fred said. "Are you okay?"
Ron snapped out of the daze he was in, smiling at his older brother. "Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"
"You haven't looked me in the eye once this entire conversation."
"Oh."
Ron thought for a long moment, not wanting to seem like he was coming up with an excuse for not having to talk to his brother.
"You know Jasmine?" he finally said. Fred nodded. "I hate her now."
Fred blinked at his brother's abrupt words, trying to comprehend what had just happened.
"Excuse me?"
"It's just…it's like she's just using me because I'm Harry's best friend. It's like she doesn't even care about me. She just wants to show off the fact that she knows Harry Potter." Ron said, sliding his gaze to Fred's other shoulder.
"Ron, break up with her." Fred finally advised. "If you don't like her, get rid of her. There will be plenty other women for you."
Ron finally looked at his older brother, staring at him in surprise. "I think that is the first time you have ever said something that actually made sense."
"Whatever." Fred rolled his eyes, turning his attention to Harry and Ginny as they gestured frantically for everyone to sit down and that the wedding was about to begin.
Unlike his brother, he didn't have to search for any other woman. He had Hermione, and that was all he needed.
/\/\
Fred smirked at his brother as Luna smacked him lightly with a dish towel.
"George," the blonde scolded. "Don't talk like that around your son."
George pouted at his wife and rubbed the red area on his arm, staring down at the toddler crouching next to Fred's daughter.
Fred, George's son, patted his cousin on the arm as little Rissa giggled and staggered to her feet, her father watching closely as she took a few more steps toward her uncle.
Hermione laughed in the doorway, watching the expression on her husband's face as it changed from horror to relief and back again. Fred was way too protective of the little kids under the roof of this house.
Rissa dropped back to the floor laughing, and Freddie plopped down next to her, and they leaned against each other as they recovered from their near failure at walking.
Fred wouldn't ask for anything else.
/\/\
Rissa's first year at Hogwarts was harder on Fred than it was on Hermione.
Harry had already sent James to school, and Albus was next. Bill's two girls were already in their sixth and second year, and Freddie was standing next to George as they said goodbye.
Fred dropped to his knees in front of his daughter as Hermione wiped a tear from her eye.
"Promise me that you won't do anything your mother wouldn't approve of." He said.
Rissa pouted. "But, Daddy! That means I won't get to prank anyone!"
Fred chuckled and said, "No, you can still prank. Just don't get caught."
Rissa sighed, hugging her father tightly as Al waved goodbye to his parents and ran onto the train after his brother. Lily crossed her arms over her chest as Harry picked her up and told her something that made her smile.
"Promise me that I'll always be your little girl, Daddy." She whispered. Fred kissed her forehead and smoothed her auburn hair away from her face, smiling gently.
"I promise," he said quietly. "Be safe."
He stood up, waving as his only daughter got on the train and joined her cousins, shouting goodbye to aunts and uncles, cousins that were too young to go to Hogwarts.
As the train started to move, Fred slid his arms around his wife's waist and pulled her close to him, smiling sadly as their daughter left his sight.
"She'll be okay." Hermione murmured. "They'll all be okay."
"I know." Fred said. "She is my daughter, and a Weasley, after all."
Hermione laughed, and Fred realized something.
If Hermione hadn't saved him that day all those years ago, none of this would have happened.
He wondered how this scene would be different if she hadn't, if Hermione would be married to Ron, who George might have married.
He also realized that if they had never comforted the little bushy-haired witch in his arms in their third year, that none of this would be the same, and he still might not be alive.
"Thank you," he whispered. Hermione titled her head back to stare at her husband.
"For what?"
"For saving me."
Hermione turned around and kissed him, long and sweet, and when they broke apart, Fred was again struck by how beautiful she was.
"You're welcome."
And as they went home, leaving their friends and family, Fred thanked whatever god was listening that he had been saved and not lost during the war.
A/N: Okay! I hope you liked it, m0ckingbird77! I couldn't believe how easy this was to write. I am personally a HUGE fan of this couple, and it feels like forever since I've written a oneshot for Harry Potter. And I honestly think this was a pretty good oneshot, especially because I've been concentrating so hard on my Naruto stories that I've nearly forgotten all my ideas for Harry Potter stories. I think this will help break that wall, and hopefully you will see more from me soon!