Protect This Angel

Everything was quiet and peaceful in the Gryffindor common room. Well what else do you expect at 3:00 a.m.? Why you might ask 'What is Fred Weasley doing in the Gryffindor common room at 3:00 a.m. alone?' Well basically I'm down here thinking about what's happening to the Wizarding world. With being a member of the Order of the Phoenix I know that You-Know-Who is back for real this time, and he's out there. That thought alone sends shivers up my spine. Some people like Fudge and my brother Percy are denying this piece of information, when Harry Potter, the boy who lived, saw him return, saw Peter Pettigrew kill Cedric Diggory, and most importantly fought him.

The people who are too stupid to believe that he's back are going to have no one else to blame because they're murdered in their beds, just because they didn't listen and didn't put up safety charms. Sure the order is doing what they can but still it's a little hard when there are only a few members compared to the rest of the Wizarding world. Then the people, who do believe, such as my family, are scared out of their wits. My mum has already been worried enough about sending the four kids of my family that are still in school, along with Hermione Granger and Harry Potter off to Hogwarts. Hermione and Harry have grown to be part of the family seeing as they do spend Christmas and summer break with us. Then poor mum is worried about that prat of a brother Percy, who won't even listen to us when we try to tell him that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back.

Wait I hear footsteps. Who in merlins name would be up at this hour, other than me that is? George? No these footsteps are to quiet. A girl then, most likely; unless it's one of those bloody annoying first years.

"Fred?"

That sweet, gentle voice is all too familiar to me. I turn around to see the beautiful face that goes with that voice. There standing at the bottom of the staircase that leads to the girls' dormitories, wearing red pj pants with a gold cami was Hermione Granger; she truly was Gryffindor through and through. The girl I was madly in love with, and she didn't even know it.

"Oh, well hello 'Mione. Nice night, huh?" I say trying to talk casually and not breathe in the intoxicating scent that is her, seeing as she has moved to sit beside me on the couch.

"Fred, what are you doing up at 3:30 a.m.?" She says while stifling a yawn with her palm. "Where's George?" She added as an afterthought.

"For the first question, my dear I could ask you the same." After seeing her glare I quickly moved on too answering her other question. "As for George he is upstairs sleeping like a baby." I finished with a smirk. She cracks a smile at the last part, merlin how pretty it is. "So what are you doing awake?" I say hoping she will actually answer instead of giving me some witty comeback. I'm in luck...

"Couldn't sleep," she said simply. Why couldn't she sleep, Ron better of not done anything to her. I'll kill him if he did. She must have seen the questions in my eyes for she answered why. "I'm nervous about tomorrow." She stated clearly. Before I could ask any questions she continued. "Harry, Ron, and I are holding a meeting for anyone who wants to learn defense. If Umbridge isn't going to teach us than we need a teacher, a proper teacher. Harry is going to teach us what we need; I'll help him when he needs help with a spell. We were going to tell everybody tomorrow morning."

"Where are you meeting?"

"Hogsmeade."

"We'll be there," I say while trying to not notice the way the glow from the fire is falling on her face, making her appear even more the beautiful than she already is. She didn't have to ask to whom I was referring to when I said 'us'; anyone who knew either George or I knew we were practically linked at the hip.

"Good," she smiled her breath taking smile. "We need all the people we can get who believe that he really is back." I noticed that her eyes were glistening with unshed tears so I did what any man would do, wrapped her in a hug and hoped the tears would be gone soon.

After about five minutes her tears were dried, and there we both sat in a comfortable silence. She was curled up into my chest while my arms were wrapped around her with my chin on her head. Then all too soon she began to slowly pull away. No! So I did the only thing I could think have, I pulled her into a much needed kiss. At first she didn't respond because she was still in shock, but then ever so carefully she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer.

After I felt like I would burst if I didn't get any air I reluctantly pulled back. "'Mione I love you. And I have wanted to do that for merlin knows how long." My breath caressed her hair as I poured out my heart to her. Then I slowly pulled away ready for the slap or hex that was sure to come. What happened next took me by a pleasant surprise.

Hermione tilted my head down and pressed her lips to mine. Unlike our first kiss that was full of long time lust, this one was slow and gentle. It felt like fireworks were going off inside my head.

Then she slowly pulled away and put her lips to my left earlobe and whispered the three words that put me in heaven, "I love you, too." I pulled her back in to a long passionate kiss.

No matter what happened throughout this war I would always be there to protect this angel, my angel.