Defeated

Rating: K
Word Count: 681
Summary: One day everyone will see the beauty that Fred sees.
Authors Note: "Song and Dance" Prompt by Jillie Bean on the HPFC forum: Chose a favorite album and write a fic around it. One chapter for each song on the album. At least one chapter must include a dance.

7/18/11 – ATTENTION! I know it's been two years since I've updated this, I am so, so sorry, and because of that I've decided to go through and rewrite each of these chapters. That way everything will flow together seamlessly rather than sounding like it was written in multiple points of the past 3 years.

Album: "Always Moving Never Stopping" by The City Drive
Song: Defeated

"They'll say 'you were right'
And they'll be coming back to see
Everything that I've seen
They're gonna get it."

The common room was quiet, much quieter than their room that's for sure. What with George's snoring and Lee's talking in his sleep, it was really amazing that Fred could sleep most nights. He wondered as he walked towards the fireplace if he did anything crazy like that in his own sleep. He figured that if George snored he must as well. He made a face as he pictured his twin asleep upstairs; mouth hung open, drool dribbling down his chin and onto his pillow, the loud rumbling in the back of his throat… Fred grimaced.

He made his way to his favorite chair by the fire: a large velveteen red armchair with a cushion you could sink into and never find your way out of again. However, as he was about to sit down he noticed that someone else had claimed his chair as her own.

A familiar bushy haired girl was curled up in the chair with her knees brought up against her chest and her head resting back against the chair. One arm draped casually over the edge of the chair and beneath her fingers, lying on the ground bending at the spine in a way he knew would upset her, was a well worn copy of Hogwarts: A History. Ron has mentioned once or twice, or thirteen times, how much Hermione loved that book.

The smile that had formed as he took in the picture of the sleeping girl faltered as he thought of his younger brother. In the years that he had been at school with the Golden Trio one thing had always stuck out to him: Ron never treated Hermione with the respect she deserved. There was no denying that she was a bossy, goody-goody two shoes, know-it-all, but there was also no denying that she was also a strong, beautiful and brilliant young woman.

Fred may not have had the best grades, the best work ethic, the school smarts his mother so demanded of him, but he did know a thing or two about people. He and George may pull ridiculous stunts now and again, but he also knew that what people needed most these days was to laugh, to forget every so often that their future lay somewhere dark and terrifying. He also knew that Hermione was head-over-heels crazy about his daft younger brother. Unfortunately, said daft younger brother was usually blind to what was right in front of him, unless it was a plate of pumpkin pasties.

Fred moved to the chair opposite of Hermione's and watched the firelight dance across her cheeks. She really was quite beautiful; for a scrawny, know-it-all, bossy, insufferable prefect that kept him from properly showing off his and George's masterpieces. She also could do well to tame that mane of hers. Perhaps it was so bushy to hide how big her head, and her brain, really was. She needed plenty of space to hold that never-ending information she was always spouting off that no one actually listened too.

But there was more to her that all of that. There was something inside of her that made Fred stop and stare by the light of the fireplace. For once she was peaceful, she was content, and she was quiet. He chucked softly at this last thought. When she was awake she was a force to be reckoned with. And that fire that laid within her, her passion, her brilliance, her ability to stand up and fight for what she thought was right (even if he thought SPEW was a ridiculous name), that's what made her beautiful. And he pitied his brother for not being able to see it as well.

Stifling a quiet yawn Fred bent down and picked up her beloved book from the floor and placed it on the table a few feet away. He glanced once more at the young witch asleep in his favorite chair and smiled softly.

'One day they'll be coming back to see, everything that I've seen,' He thought. 'One day they will see how much more there is to you.'