With a few more strides, Bill finally came face-to-face with his old bedroom door. It had been a while since he set his gaze upon the old wood and carvings that once held his childhood memories. Though the rooms in the Burrow were smaller than those in his own house, there was a warm sense of déjà vu that enveloped his body, sending him back to the good old times.

With a racing heart, Bill managed to lift his arm up and knock on the old wood, alerting the person inside of his presence.

Hermione, on the other side, jumped at the sound of the older Weasley's knocking. She gathered the pillows and blanket in her arms as she got ready to move to Ginny's room. With careful steps, she opened the door and was greeted by Bill's face. He looked calmer now and managed to give her a small smile.

"It's all set." She said while patting the bed covers.

The redhead couldn't help but let his eyes wander about his old room. "It's been so long since I last walked in here," he remarked. His gaze lingered on the walls, contemplating the fading shade of paint. Like its colors, Bill noticed how his own room grew old just like he did. Sure, it still looked the same but every corner, every nook said that it has seen better days. His eyes then rested on the shelves where his collection of books was stashed. Unlike most of his siblings, he actually took time to collect reading materials and saw them as his own treasure. Charlie used to steal some of them, he remembered. As he stared longer, he noticed that some of the books weren't very familiar to him. He reckoned that those were Hermione's as the titles seemed so 'muggle'.

Hermione noticed her companion's inner wonders. "I hope you don't mind me putting my books on your shelves," she said. "I wanted to have easy access to them."

"Of course not," Bill replied. If anything, he was more than grateful that she added something to his personal collection. He was more than interested to read something new. Bill turned his head back to meet Hermione's eyes. With a small smile he said, "Thank you for taking care of my room."

Hermione replied with a nod and a beam.

He turned to face the walls again. Unconsciously, he took a whiff of the room. It still looked like his but another person marked her territory, leaving a distinct feminine scent of vanilla and lavender. He turned to the younger witch.

"It smells like you," he muttered.

"Pardon?" Hermione looked at him in confusion, taken aback by his remark.

Bill chuckled at Hermione's reaction. Her face looked more innocent than he expected. He thought the war would change her just like it did to his brother and Harry. But no. If anything, he knew the witch grew wiser but still retained her obliviousness at times. "I'm sorry, the room no longer smells like me. It seems it took great fondness in your scent."

As if to understand his point, Hermione sniffed several times but she couldn't tell the difference. It just smelled like… a room. Not particularly her but just an ordinary old room.

Bill laughed at her. "Sorry," he apologized. "Wolves have a sharp sense of smell," he jokingly said while tapping the middle of his nose with an index finger. Though he only meant it as a light-hearted joke, Hermione felt that there was a hidden feeling behind it especially when Bill's laugh faltered and his eyes turned sadly to the floor.

Hermione looked at him with pity, remembering that he was now practically tainted with wolfish traits after being attacked by a werewolf.

In an attempt to change the topic, Hermione said, "I'm sorry if it smells like me." Her face dropped to a frown and was going to suggest she would clean the whole room, spic-and-span, until her scent no longer lingered. "If it makes you uncomfortable, I could—"

"No, there's no need for that," Bill quickly interjected while shaking his head from side to side. He hoped that Hermione took no offense to what he'd just said. "It's actually calming. It's fine." And it did calm him. It reminded him of Fleur for some reason. It reminded him of a feminine security.

Hermione walked closer and sat next to him. "Are you feeling better now?" she asked with concern full in her voice. Her brown eyes mirrored it, too.

Bill let out a soft sigh. "It would be a lie if I said yes but I think I'll be feeling fine soon," he replied while letting his right hand rub his nape to amplify his exhaustion."It just feels weird and lonely. We were married for four years now. I thought that we were happy with each other but…" his voice trailed off, not sure how to go on further. He missed Fleur with every breath he took.

Hermione wasn't one to ignore her gut feelings. They always told her something deeper and most of the time they turn out to be true. Right now, she had the gut feeling that Bill didn't tell his parents the whole story about his divorce. Was he hiding something? She thought. Why he would do so was beyond her. She reached out a hand to pat Bill on the shoulder just like she always did to Harry and Ron when they were feeling upset. With them, she would give them a big hug and a sloppy kiss on the temples too. But she thought that she wasn't close enough to Bill to comfort him like that.

"Sometimes I can sense she's afraid of me, and sometimes I can sense that she's disgusted of me." Bill hid his face in his two hands, afraid of further humiliation. He rubbed his face and then looked at Hermione."I knew then that she was lying when she said she didn't mind this ugly scar on my face, that she still loves me. I shouldn't have expected her to accept me now that I am more of an animal than a human. When the full moon comes, she's sure to go back to France."

Hermione bit her lip and continued to listen to him. To be honest, she didn't know she would comfort him. Besides Ron,she hadn't dated anyone else and was completely inexperienced with relationships. She felt sorry for Bill. She knew that he loved Fleur more than anyone in the world. She felt the same for Fleur, too. Though Hermione wasn't in her position, she knew that if she was, it would be hard for her to accept the monstrosity that had become of her lover. When the full moon came, she was sure that Bill wouldn't be able to hold back just like what happened to Remus back on their third year. The memory of her deceased mentor made her shudder.

"It was my fault too to be honest, I can't control my temper."

The Weasley's and their tempers. Of course, Ron also has a short temper but in Bill's case, his temper must have been worse after the incident.

"I wish I had not signed that paper but it's too late now," he sighed while his hand found Hermione's, the one resting on his shoulder. Hermione almost jumped when she felt the sudden jolt that surged through her hands at Bill's contact. The wizard squeezed it making Hermione's heart race rapidly.

"Thanks for listening Hermione." He smiled and kissed Hermione's hand as a sign of gratitude. "Good night."

Hermione quickly pulled her hand back and got up from the bed."Y-your welcome, G-good night Bill." Her cheeks blushed. She cleared her throat hoping that her heart would calm down. She quickly walked out of the room and headed to Ginny's.

HGBW

Hermione lay on the youngest Weasley's queen-sized bed. Ginny tucked herself in, beside her friend, and stared at the wall. She took a long and exhausted sigh, alerting Hermione. The older witch looked at her curiously.

"What's wrong?"

Ginny pouted. "It's Bill."

Hermione nodded her head; of course Ginny would worry about her oldest brother.

"I don't know why Fleur left him. She's an idiot. My brother is perfect and too good for her," she scowled.

Sure, Ginny did grow up to be a beautiful woman but there were still parts of her that were a bit too childish, Hermione patted Ginny's head like she was a small child. "Gin, it's not fair for us to judge her when we don't know her side of the story," she started lecturing her friend. "Maybe she has a good reason why she wants a divorce." Hermione mentally added that it should have been a good enough reason, as well. Bill was very loving towards Fleur, after all.

Ginny huffed."Good reason my arse. She used her Veela charms to seduce my brother and then after Bill got wounded her feelings changed."

"Geez, Weasley's and their tempers," Hermione mumbled. Right now, Hermione wanted nothing more but to sleep. She turned to Ginny and said, "I'm going to sleep Gin, good night." She flicked her wand to turn off the candle light.

"Good night 'Mione," Ginny mumbled between her yawns.

HGBW

After brushing her teeth and washing herself, Hermione climbed down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. Molly was already there to serve the breakfast. Hermione greeted her and started to help her setting up the dining table.

"I was hoping you would be a Weasley someday," Molly looked at Hermione sadly. When her son and Hermione had started dating, she practically planned how their wedding and lives would be. Alas, she knew they weren't for each other. All she could do was deal with her wishful thinking.

Molly really loves Hermione like she was her own daughter. After Hermione went to Australia to find her parents and came back with Harry without saying anything, Molly waited patiently until she talked to her herself.

Hermione was afraid to tell her parents what had happened during the war. Though the triumph went to the Light side, she didn't retrieve her parent's memories. Hermione had said they looked far happier with their new life without her and they were expecting a new child when she found them. She's going to have a sibling though her parents had no knowledge of her by that point. Hermione had said they would be safer without her around. Even though Voldemort was defeated, that didn't mean her parents were safe from the lingering Death Eaters. She had said that they belonged to the muggle world and she belonged to the Wizarding World. She's a strong kid; Molly thought.

Hermione chuckled."You want me to call you mom?" Hermione teased.

"I really want to hear that, love." She patted her cheeks gently.

"MORNING!" The twins interrupted them and sat on the stools.

Hermione shook her head."Morning Forge, morning Gred." Hermione smiled at them and handed them cups of tea. She placed the plates in front of them. "You look beautiful Kitten," Fred said while his hand scavenged for the bacon in front of him.

"Yes Pet, you look brilliant," George winked at her. Hermione just rolled her eyes at their remarks.

After that, Bill walked into the kitchen and sat next to the twins. "Morning," he said, tiredly. The twins echoed his greeting in a synchronized cringe-worthy chorus.

Molly looked at Fred and George as they resumed teasing Hermione.

"Fred, George… why don't one of you court Hermione?" Mrs. Weasley said, half-true to her words.

Hermione served the oldest of the Weasley siblings a cup of tea and laughed as the twins choked on their own food.

"Mum!" The twins exclaimed."We can't do that!"

"Why not?" Molly's brow rose and she put her hand on her waist, sporting her nagging stance, waiting for their answer.

"B-because 'Mione is our pet," Fred stuttered out.

"We can't date our pets, it's weird Mum." George explained for his brother.

Molly huffed. "Nonsense! She's a human, beautiful woman. I'm sure Ron thinks so!" Molly glared at the twins "I don't understand how your relationship works. Surely, it can't settle to just this." She frowned at Hermione while gesturing between her and the twins.

Hermione giggled; to be honest she didn't understand it either. The twins sometimes flirted with her but not particularly in a romantic way. It's weird but her interaction with the twins was better than nothing. Like they said she's their pet.

"Why don't you pester Charlie, maybe he's interested in Hermione in a romantic, goo-goo way," Fred said while winking at Hermione, earning him another roll of her eyes.

"Seriously, Molly, even if I didn't marry one of your sons, I'm still your daughter." She hugged her. "If you want me to call you 'Mum' badly, I will do so!" Hermione smiled.

Bill listened to their conversation with amusement clear on his face. His family really loves Hermione like she has their own blood. Harry and Hermione were meant to be a part of their family, he thought. Hermione may not carry the Weasley name but she's Weasley material sometimes; brave with just a tinge of mischief. He grinned.

"How was your sleep Bill?" His mother asked him.

"Great, Mum," he smiled. It was not really great, actually. He woke up a few times and realized Fleur wasn't beside him like always. It's hard to get used to that feeling of emptiness but he needed to do it now. His heart felt hollow and lonely.

Hermione looked at him with concern. He had lied to his mother and she was sure of it. Even though he tried to hide it, Hermione still could caught it in his eyes. She saw through his façade.

His mother smiled sadly at him. "You will need clothes. Do you want me to go to your house and pick up some of your stuff?" His mother asked as she looked at the shirt he's wearing. It's the same shirt he'd worn yesterday and the sight was unforgiving.

"Thanks, Mum. It would be helpful. I don't want to go there for awhile and I took a week off from Gringotts just to clear my head.

Hermione looked at him with a sad smile; it must be hard for him, moving on.

"Ready to go 'Mione?" The twins interrupted her thoughts.

"What? Where?"

The twins laughed maniacally. "To the shop, you will help us today."

Hermione, taken aback for a moment, looked at them with wide eyes. "Wait, I don't remember agreeing with you-"

Before she could finish her sentence the twins had already grabbed her hand and apparated out of the kitchen.

Molly and Bill laughed.

"I think I will visit the twins' shop later," Bill said finishing his breakfast. Something interesting might happen, he thought to himself.