Summary: Fred and Hermione have kept up a secret relationship for 3 years, and now war is upon them and Fred needs to tie Hermione to him in one final way before she leaves.

Pairing: Fred/Hermione

Note: Basically unlike my other story where Fred and Hermione are open about their relationship, in this story they keep it completely secret. I fancied writing an ending for them if they'd never told.

It had started with simple cautious glances across a room, fleeting touches when they passed one another. At first he'd ridiculed himself when his gaze strayed around the common room and his eyes fixed on her for a few more seconds than necessary, but the feelings were there.

He found himself noticing stupid things, like when her lessons were, so he knew when she'd be in the common room. How she'd furrow her eyebrows when she was angry with Ron, and how good-natured she was with everyone, not just her friends, but everyone.

"What's up with you?" George, his slightly taller twin counterpart was stood over him, and Fred looked up, grinning, knowing he'd see the identical grin mirrored on his face.

"Nothing." Fred responded, realising he'd been watching the fourth years, as Harry and Ron played chess. He attempted to get up from the chair, but his long limbs proved difficult to manouvere, and when George pushed his shoulder he fell back again, easily, and looked up at his brother expectantly, who clearly wanted somethng.

"You're staring at Granger." George said this under his breath, and Fred looked at him, scoffing.

"I am not, I was just looking at them." He said this defiantly, and George flopped into the chair opposite him.

"You can't be looking, Gred. She isn't exactly yours to look at." George's use of their nickname coupled with the serious implication of what he was saying gave weight to their conversation, and Fred looked at him rather than rubbish that, say that he didn't need warning.

"She's not his either." Fred mentally kicked himself, now he looked like a brat. His better option would have been to simply laugh at his twin that anyone could be possibly fancying Hermione.

"Don't go down this road." George said this, then sat back, abruptly changing the topic as Lee Jordan arrived, leaving Fred to mull over his words.

Could he have explained then? Probably not.

But when he looked at her, he met those soft brown eyes looking back at him, and that alone gave him hope that the ridiculous attraction that was building inside him wasn't completely one sided. Could he have told George that day by day, he was becoming completely captivated by the fourth year?

George had continued to make his disapproval clear, Fred didn't need to confide in him about having feelings for her, he had known. Fred, why had never not taken his brother's advice, had remained in the same role she was expecting, she was simply hs brothers friend. He couldn't afford to feel anything stronger for her, at the same time that he couldn't ignore that he already did.

But it'd happened, of course they'd happened.

The anticipated brushing of his lips upon her cheek a few years earlier, egged on by his completely unaware brothers, even Ron egging on as she'd blushed. It'd been christmas over her that year, and they'd returned to school having changed everything, simply by him crossing the barrier they'd both vehemently avoided.

Spending a few moments alone together, a late night talk, and their accquaintance had transformed into an uncertain friendship.

Friendly banter and a chance oppurtunity where they'd been left alone had led to him letting out his feelings, the ones he'd kept in all year. She'd reciprocated, and it'd led to her first 'real' kiss under what they'd christened 'their' cherry blossom tree. Any doubt or uncertainty he'd felt about whether he'd been doing the right thing, that he should be taking a girl his brother so clearly had feelings for, went out the window, as her small body fitted so perfectly into his arms, he knew they were right together.

So ensued Fred and Hermione, a couple nobody would expect but in his opinion, he'd struck the jackpot.

Their relationship had naturally developed into one of stealth, by unspoken agreement. It avoided the awkward breakup that perhaps both had expected but had never come, after two years they were still the same, as real as any other relationship, and it had eventually become habit. Neither had tired of having to cover up for each other, in a way it made them more special, and Fred secretly suspected they wouldn't have lasted as long as they did, had they not avoided the outside pressures that would surely have come given their situation. And while she vehemently denied it, he constantly told himself Hermione wouldn't have fallen so hard for a prankster like himself had she had the influence of everyone else.

There was the excitement and thrill of having someone nobody knew about, but the terrible thoughts in the backs of their minds as they continued on their journey, fell further into a place they were both visiting for the first time, together. They'd evaded lying, had light relationships with other people, but neither saw anyone but the other. If she was down, she'd come to him, in the early hours of the morning waiting outside his dorm when she'd fought with his brother, and as they'd grown, he'd kiss her tears away.

Fred Weasley was in love with Hermione Granger. He knew that, much as they'd tried to call what they had less than love, due to the massive issue it caused. Undercover, together, they'd experienced so many things for the first time, grown into themselves. Watching her now across the kitchen he'd grown up in, he knew they were meant for more than secrecy. She was his. His first love, his only love. And he wanted more than that.

"Hermione?"