Take Your Breath Away

Chapter 1

Authors Note: This is my first Fred/Hermione story, hope you guys enjoy it.

Summary: It's the summer before what's supposed to be Hermione's seventh and final years at Hogwarts, but she knows that she's not going back. So in order to spend as much time with Fred as possible before leaving she helps out at WWW. But when the shop is taken hostage by a group of dangerous deatheaters Fred and Hermione remember the moments leading up to where they are now.

"George, we're running low on puking pastels again." George could barely hear Hermione over the noise I the store. There was something about last week before going back to school that made the shop ten times as busy as it usually was. Which meant the line for the register had at least twelve people at all times.

Hermione knew she didn't have much time before she had to leave for the Horcrux hunt, the plan was all laid out. But it was strictly known to Harry, Ron, and her. She hated to think of it as their final venture in the sense that one of them might not come back. And in case she didn't make it, she wanted to see Fred as much as possible, even if that meant working like a mad woman.

"All right then, you mind whipping up another quick batch, 'Mione?" George asked.

"Not at all." She replied with a smile that was admittedly, a little forced.

Hermione snaked her way through the crowd into the back storage room that doubled as a space for creating products. Fred was already back there, whipping up some love potions frantically.

"Hey there, Love." Fred greeted her once he had noticed she walked in.

"Hey yourself." She replied.

"Still a gong show out there?"

"Of course." Fred winced slightly.

"I imagine I should get out there and charm a few sales up, then." He sighed.

"Wait, can't you take a little break?' Hermione smiled mischievously, Fred grinned back.

"Oh I have taught you well." Fred moved towards her but stopped once he heard glass break outside the room. Hermione spun around to face the door as well.

"Weird." Hermione mumbled.

"Definitely." Fred agreed.

"I'll go see what's going on." Hermione said with her hand on the doorknob. Fred went to object but it was too late. The moment she opened the door and took a step out Hermione's body went flying towards the front of the store.

"Hermione!" Fred yelled. He ran out the door and saw something he swore he'd never see happen in his shop. The large window in the front was shattered, and on the inside of the mess there was at least ten masked people in black robes. Deatheaters. Worse of all, he saw George on his knees in front of them and Hermione lying on the ground amongst all the glass from the window.

"Ah," One of the deatheaters said, "Which one are you, Fred or George?" Fred didn't answer, but walked forward angrily.

"Stay back there, Weasley." The deatheater warned, "We have your brother and mudblood friend right here." Fred stopped in his tracks.

"Don't call her that." He said in a dangerously low voice.

"Fred. Stay." George said strongly, the expression on his face displayed his worry clearly.

That's when Hermione moved, it was just a twitch of the arm at first but as everyone watched she began to drag herself towards Fred. Fred wanted to run for her when he saw the pained expression on her face but the deatheaters found her feeble attempt to get to him entertaining.

"Just saty there, Fred." The deatheater said, "Let her come to you. It is much more pathetic that way." The fact that his wand was pointed directly at George made him stay in place. Hermione just kept sliding across the floor, it was agonizing to hear the sharp hissing noise she was making every time the glass from the window dug into her skin a little more. But she didn't care that the deatheaters found it funny, she just wanted to make her way to him and damn it she was going to make it there.

Finally she was only a foot away from Fred and he dropped to the ground and helped her to her knees. There were tiny scratches on her face from the glass and it seemed as though it was slightly harder for her to breathe.

"We need to give them what they want." Hermione said to him, not making any effort to whisper. Fred was in shock, why was she giving up? He pulled her into a hug careful not to hurt her.

"What do they want?" He said quietly.

"Me."