8\ Sweetest Sadness. /8

It had been a long and hard battle and many people were left at a lose at its outcome.

Sure, Their Goal was acheived, but at what cost?

Hermione couldn't help but feel like she had lost her reason for living when it was over.

There were far too many injured or worse. Dead. And one of the dead was her almost Lover.

Fred Weasley.

Your fingertips against my skin
The palm trees swaying in the wind in my chase
You sang me Spanish lullabies
The sweetest sadness in your eyes
Clever trick

Hermione sat in the chair facing the wndow in the corner of Ginny's room, stairing out

as the rain fell silently outside. The dark shadow's cast by the clouds moving over head matching the shadows cast in her heart as she remebered their last few weeks together.

Hermoine had been sitting on a wicker bench outside of the Weasley's house. It was a hot summer day and everyone was outside. She sat and watched as Ron and Harry played against Fred and George in a rather boring Quidditch match. Ginny was off to the side on her broom waiting to be tagged in so she could play.

Soon enough Fred had had enough and tagged her in before making his way over to Hermoinie and flopping down next to her, panting and running his fingers through his hair. With one of his signature grins he looked over at her.

"Ello Carl." He laughed.

"Excuse me? Carl?" She asked, her eye brows raising as this caused him to laugh harder.

"I've decided, that at the moment, your name is too long. So you can be Carl."

She chuckled along with him.

As his breathing returned to normal, he casually laid his head back and closed his eyes.

Since she hadn't really looked at Fred, she decided to. And with a gasp, she brought her eyes back up to his face.

"Fred Weasley. Why are you not wearing a shirt?" She practically demanded, her face turning red as his face lit up with a smirk.

"Does it Bother you?" He opened his eyes and seen her blushing face. "Well, regardless. I'm hot." He said, resting his arm behind her on the bench as he watched her mouth fall open at his statment. "hot as in temperture wise. Geeze. Though I guess I AM the more attractive twin." He winked at her. "Any way. Time for a shower. Mum will have my head if I come to the table all hot and sweaty." He grinned as he stood up and leaned down, his lips just millimeters from hers. With another Grin he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her cheek before heading inside and leaving her to sit on the bench. Confused and flustered.

A tear ran down her cheek as lightning cracked outside. It had been 3 days since He had left her. 3 long and lonely days. She hadn't left that chair once either. Hadn't spoken a word except when her tears fell and his name slipped out of her lips.

Why had he left her?

I never wanna see you unhappy
I thought you want the same for me
Goodbye my almost lover
Goodbye my hopeless dream

George had come up to visit her a few times. And each time they cried for each other. He would hold her and she would hold him. No body knew how deeply Fred's death had affected her aside from George. Only he knew.

It had been 5 days since Fred had 'kissed' Hermione, and things had become more intense between the two. Whenever they would sit across from each other, she would look up to find Fred staring at her. Not even caring that he had been caught, he would simply smile sweetly at her before looking away. There had been three occurances of them having to sit beside eachother at the dinner table. And when that happened, Their legs would be touching, or he would take her hand in his breifly.

It wasn't long before he asked her to come with him for a walk.

"So...Carl." He started, grinning lightly as he took her hand, causing her to blush. "I bet your wondering what I wanted you out here for." He said looking over at her.

"Um.. Kind of." She said softly, refusing to look up at him, knowing that if she did she would embarasse herself.

"Well. You see I needed to ask you this question." He stopped and stood looking down at her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You see. There's this girl.... You might know her... Her name is Hermoine Granger." He grinned as he seen ehr blush growing, and her still refusing to meet his eyes. "Well anyway. I've been trying to tell her that I like her, but well. there's no privacy in my house. So I get her out here to this very romantic area to tell her, and she won't look at me. What should I do Carl?" He asked, sounding sincere, though he had called her Carl.

Slowly she looked up at him and seen that he was indeed sincere. "Kiss her." She whispered softly, leaning up a tad bit. Fred lowered his head and softly pressed his lips to her's, his arms moving to wrapp around her wasit and pull her to him.

Though the kiss was short, The two felt that it was enough. Hermoine laced her fingers with Fred's and looked up at him. "So.. What does that mean?"

"It means my pretty little witch, that if you'd give me the honor of being my girlfriend-" He was cut off by her lips pressing against his once more. Pulling back slightly he laughed, resting his forehead against hers.

"I'll be taking that as a yes then?" He grinned and she nodded.

He leaned in for another kiss, but someon shoulting for them stopped him.

Hearing the desperation in the voice of the caller, they both ran back to the house, seeing everyone outside of it, huddled together and the house in Flames.

"Lestrange." George said as they reached him. "She's taken Ginny." He growled as he looked at Fred.