Hermione came down for breakfast knowing full well everyone knew her business. She had yelled at the twins last night and they had yelled back. The three of them had most likely woken up the whole house. She would go as far to say that they might have even awakened Luna and her father just a hill over. She ran her fingers through her hair and stopped seeing the twins sitting at the table. She had hoped they would already be at the shop, so she wouldn't have to see them.
Can't have everything can you? She asked herself. Just what I needed an awkward meeting over my morning muffin… Merlin I hope there are muffins…
"You look nice dear." Mrs. Weasley said. Hermione was wearing a white sun dress with a blue ribbon around her waist, her hair still straight from the night before was in a half up half down style.
"Thanks. So do you. Did you do something with your Hair?"
"Oh yes dear did a coloring charm."
"Looks nice." Mrs. Weasley beamed as Hermione made her way to the table.
"Got plans Mione?" Ron asked.
"Ginny and I are spending a day at the lake with Luna." She said.
"Very true hence my own sundress." Ginny said motioning to herself.
"Hermione…" Fred said watching her sit down by Ginny instead of between him and George like always.
"We thought you might like to spend time with us today." George said.
"I've already made plans with Gin…" she said pouring herself a cup of tea. "When I make plans I keep them…" everyone smiled except for the twins. "Harry Ron you want to join us?"
"Yeah that would be fun." Ginny said looking to Harry eagerly.
"Yeah alright." He said with a smile. "Ron?"
"Sounds like a good enough time." He said with a shrug a piece of bacon hanging out of his mouth.
"We could come add double fun to the time." George said.
"Yeah." Fred confirmed. Everyone at the table glared.
"You can come if you really want to." Ginny said trying to hint at them that they shouldn't.
"You know its summer you should all swim." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Helps to relieve tension." Mr. Weasley added more quietly as he took a sip of tea.
"I'll go set up the picnic basket then…" Hermione said getting up and walking further into the kitchen area.
"Baskets are under the counter dear."
"Thank you." She said grabbing one.
"Can we help?" Fred asked. He and George now on either side of her.
"Fine…" she said clearing her throat slightly. "You can get some fruit." George leapt at the chance.
"What about me?" Fred inquired. She only shrugged. "Maybe some Jam and biscuits?"
"Sure…"
She's really giving us the cold shoulder… Fred thought. At least she's saying a few things to us…
"Here you go Mione…" George said handing her a bag of fruit. She took it and began cutting them up and throwing them into a bowl.
"What are you doing?" Fred asked.
"Fruit salad." She said whipping it with some milk and sugar.
"Hermione I'm going to go get towels, I'll meet you by the lake." Ginny said heading up the stairs.
"Alright." Hermione said grabbing the basket now full of food and heading out. Fred and George headed up stairs to get their own trunks on. When they came out Harry Ron and Ginny were already in the water. Hermione was under a shaded tree a book in hand. Fred and George walked over to her.
"Going in love?" George asked.
"No." she said immersed in her story.
"Why not?" Fred inquired
"Because I can't wear a swim suit…" she muttered.
"Why not? Bet you'd look amazing." Fred hinted.
"Because Harry and Ron don't know about my scars and I'd like to keep it that way." She said quietly. "You two should go in… Like now…" They sighed.
"How long are you going to be mad at us?" Fred asked.
"I'm not mad." She said with a sigh.
"Really because you yelled at us last night Love." George stated.
"Yelling usually means anger." Fred added.
"Or that your hurt." The twins looked up to see Luna. "Hi everyone…" She said waving.
"Hey Luna." Hermione said with a smile. "Everyone is in the water."
"But you aren't." she said sitting down next to Hermione in the space between her and George. "Don't like the water?"
"Like it just fine… But I just ate." She said with a smile. "By the way I found something in my magical creature books…"
"Really?"
"Yes Nargles…" Luna smiled. "Sorry I ever doubted you."
"The texts on them are rare but I knew you would find the writings eventually… Have you learned about them on boxing day?"
"Funny little ritual isn't it?" the two laughed.
"Well I think I'll join the others…" Luna got up and headed to the lake shrugging out of her cover up as she did. George's eyes followed her for a second before he turned and looked to Hermione who was staring at him. Instantly he was sure he had done something wrong.
"What?" he asked.
"Nice George." Hermione said as she got up and threw her book down before storming off.
"Hermione where you going!?" Ron called from the lake.
"Inside!" she shouted over her shoulder. George looked to his twin.
"What did I do?" He asked.
"You ogled Luna right in front of her." Fred said.
"No I didn't… Okay I did. But look the bird has a tattoo it caught me off guard is all." Fred looked to see Luna was stepping down into the lake sure enough right above her butt was a small moon tattoo. "We have to make this right with her Fred… I can't stand her being mad at us." George stated.
"It's our own fault… We have been neglecting her…"
"And she's been nothing but sweet about it until now." George shook his head as he got up.
"What are we going to do?" Fred inquired doing the same. They both looked up in thought before smiling to each other.
"A date." They said in unison before heading to the house. The twins walked up stairs and walked to Hermione's door to see it lay open. They spotted her sitting at her alcove window her knees pulled to her chest a book in hand.
"Hey Mione?" she looked up seeing Fred and George in her doorway.
"Yes?" she asked not raising her eyes from her book.
"We've come to set things right." George said.
"You're going to have to do a lot more then Fred to set things right… I don't care if you check out another girl but could you at least not throw it in my face when you do…" she said. "At least when Fred does it it's a quick glance… Your eye balls were practically coming out of your bloody skull."
"Yes you have to be sneaky." Fred coached and Hermione tried not to smile.
"She had a tattoo love." George said ignoring his twin.
"So did all those other girls." Fred said making her smile only to have it quickly faded. "No no I saw that." He said.
"So did I." George added.
"Can't hide humor from us love." Fred said as they waltzed over.
"It's our job after all."
"We're sorry about last night love…"
"Very sorry." George stated.
"We let our job get in the way of the most important thing." Fred said his hand on her cheek.
"You." George finished. "There's no excuse for us cancelling on you so many times… And also just plain forgetting…"
"So we want to make it up to you."
"Dinner tonight with us."
"I can't." Hermione said right away as she stood up and walked past them.
"Sure you can." Fred said.
"We have it all planned." George added.
"You've had it all planned before." She said throwing her hair up into a pony tail. She was getting madder and madder by the moment and she just hoped that they realized their grave mistake.
"We won't pull out." Fred said.
"We swear." They stated in unison.
"I can't trust that… Also I've made other plans." She said her jaw clenching. Fred spotted something on her desk and walked over to see a letter. His eyes scrolled across the letter before they rested at the bottom where a signature rested.
"Been talking to Viktor I see." He said holding it up. Hermione turned and looked at the letter.
"He's been talking to me… I haven't written him back." She said.
"But you've been reading his letters?" George asked walking over.
"Why bother?"
"Don't try to turn this situation on me…" she said. "You two messed everything up…"
"So you run to Viktor?" Fred asked
"Again I haven't written the man not since he tried to pull something on me that one time."
"What did he try to pull?" George asked.
"Yes we never learned." Fred added with his eyes narrowed.
"Don't interrogate me. I've done nothing wrong." She said an edge to her voice.
"He wanted to meet tonight." Fred said reading it. Hermione walked over and tore the letter from his hand. "Is that why you can't go out tonight?" She stared at them for a really long time.
"Fine… Yes. Yes that's why." She said. "Now why don't you leave so I can get ready for my date?" She said the last word in particular dripping with venom.
"You're really going out with him?" Fred asked. She only stared at him.
"We know we haven't been around…" George said his chest filling with pain. "But why did you have to go run to him? Of all people Hermione." she glared into him. He didn't understand why she was so upset, after all he and his brother had just found out she had been two timing them.
"I really do have to be getting ready." She stated and instantly Fred stormed out of the room the door slamming so hard some of her floating books were thrown off their magical axis and dropped to the ground. George stared at her for a long time. He didn't know what to do or say. He had never been so upset or hurt in his life. He slowly turned and headed to the door. Before he could bring himself to open it he stopped and looked to her.
"Hermione…" he said.
"Just go George, you and Fred obviously don't care about me enough to remember even the big things… Let alone the small ones like dates and such." He didn't understand her, or what she was saying all he knew was that with every second he looked at her a pain grew more and more intense in his chest. He walked out and calmly shut the door before heading to his twins room where he found Fred standing at the window glaring.
"I say we find that Bulgarian bastard and we beat the piss out of him." Fred stated.
"I have to wonder if we drove her to it…" George said sitting down on his bed.
"How long do you think she's been two timing me, I mean us." Fred said turning with anger evident in his voice.
"Couldn't have been long… I sped read that letter and he seemed desperate to see her. This is probably their first meeting… I wouldn't be surprised if last night after our fight Hermione wrote too him out of desperation…" Fred sat down. George was always the one who could think clearly even in the worst of situations.
"How do we make this right?" Fred asked.
"I don't know… But Fred, we have to try and stop her from going on that date…" George said. He didn't know why but his mind kept going back to the comment she had made before he left.
"Just go George, you and Fred obviously don't care about me enough to remember even the big things… Let alone the small ones like dates and such."
She had seemed very hurt when she had said the sentence. A tear had even rolled down her cheek as she did. Was she upset because they had caught her going out with Viktor or was she upset because she felt like it was their fault? And if she did feel that way he had to wonder if it was true. They hadn't been alone with Hermione in near three months, maybe she had come to believe they had lost interest and so she should find attention elsewhere. George shook his head that just wasn't how the great wise Hermione Granger thought.
"What do we do George I can't think of a thing…" Fred said. "If we've learned anything about Hermione it's that you can't stop the girl from doing what she's going to do."
"Then we let her do it." George said.
"You want to let the woman I love… We love… Go out on a date with another man?" George simply nodded. "Shouldn't we fight for her?"
"Maybe…" Fred tilted his head.
"Which is it George do we fight for her or do we let her go?"
"I don't know why don't you think of something to bloody do huh?" he asked snapping. Fred stayed silent slowly stewing in his anger. They sat there for hours both going over different scenarios in their head before Fred stood.
"Screw this I'm fighting for her." Fred stated. George nodded as he stood.
"Me too…" the twins rushed down the stairs to find everyone minus Hermione sitting down for dinner.
"What are you two doing here?" Mrs. Weasley asked her eyes wide.
"Has Hermione left already?" George inquired.
"You're supposed to be with her." Mr. Weasley said standing. "Why aren't you two with her?"
"Because she's on a date with Viktor Krum." Fred spat.
"We plan on stopping her." George added with a more level headed tone.
"By stopping her we mean we plan on beating the piss out of that Bulgarian Don Juan." Fred said his arms folded across his chest.
"I plan on kicking him… A lot." George said.
"Hermione on a date?" Ginny asked with an angry look.
"We very much doubt that dears." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Why not?" Fred asked.
"You two really are thick aren't you?" Ron asked while Harry glared heavily at the two.
"About?" George inquired.
"Why would Hermione go out on a date with Viktor Krum when she had already made plans to go back to her house…" Ginny said.
"Her house? Did she make plans with her uncle?" George asked.
"You two are really thick." Ron said again.
"Yes thanks Ronald we got it the first time." Fred said his face going red.
"Where is she?" George asked.
"She's at her home town church." Harry said.
"Why would she be-."
"Because tonight marks the one year anniversary of her parents' murder." He spat standing up so fast his chair flew out from behind him. "You two were supposed to be with her… You promised her a month ago! Or did you forget that too?!" Mrs. Weasley was heading to the chimney shawl and bag in hand.
"Where you going?" Fred asked.
"Where you should have been over two hours ago… I've been angry with you many times but I've never been disappointed… Not until now." She pulled out her wand and disappeared with a loud pop.
-o-
Mrs. Weasley walked up the steps of the old church. She hadn't been at the establishment since Mr. and Mrs. Grangers funereal. She walked to the door and peered in to find Hermione at the very back. She walked over and sat down.
"Nanoon." Hermione said surprised as she wiped a tear away quickly.
"Hello dear." She said as she took her hand and held it in her lap.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to be with you of course." She said. "I thought you might be at your house by now..."
"Not my house anymore… Gave it to my uncle remember?"
"That's right… But still why aren't you there Love?" she looked to the older woman with a pained expression. She swallowed the emotion and looked up at the huge gold cross at the front of the church.
"Uncle Mitus extended an invitation but… I couldn't bring myself to go… Not alone."
"Not alone now."
"I just… I can't step foot in that house… Every time I do I can hear them screaming…" she shook her head as she wiped more tears away. "Do you want to know something interesting about me?" Mrs. Weasley only nodded. "I'm sixteen years old and I've lost most everyone I've ever truly cared about… My little brother, my parents, my grandfather… Now Fred and George." Mrs. Weasley looked to her. "I think they've lost interest in me… I think that they've realized that I'm damaged and they can't fix me with laughter or jokes… I think they've realized that and with it they've realized they never loved me… They just wanted me as their project… Their ultimate test as comedians… Who could make the damaged tortured witch laugh first?"
"Hermione…" she looked to the older woman. "That's not how my sons think…"
"We haven't spent any time alone in three months… When I want to talk to them it's me who has to initiate conversation… If I really really want to see them alone… Good luck because it's just not going to happen… When I just…" her voice broke. "When I just want some support from them I can't get it… But I support them in everything… I mean everything." She wiped the tears away. "Then today they come into my room after blowing me off for the seventh time last night… Seven times… I'm just…" a quiet sobbed escaped her. "I'm just so…" she shook her head a pain welling up in her chest. "I'm lonely so very lonely…" Mrs. Weasley wrapped an arm around her.
"I know…" she said.
"You know what they did they asked me out on a date? They had forgotten not only seven dates but the night we were supposed to honor my murdered parents." Mrs. Weasley nodded. "Then when I refuse telling them I have something else to do hoping to god they'll remember what they promised me Fred accuses me of talking to Viktor Krum… Insinuates I'm seeing him tonight… So I gave him what he wanted I said that's right I've got a date… He stormed out then George looked at me with… Just this painful expression and asks why?" she laughed. "They really didn't remember tonight…"
"I know dear…"
"Am I crazy?" she asked looking to her no longer wiping the tears away. "I could never forget this night? How could they? Their supposed to love me… To be happy when I'm happy, sad when I'm sad, angry when I'm angry but they're just clueless." She shook her head and stood.
"Where you going dear?"
"To my uncle Mitus's… I shouldn't be thinking on Fred and George right now… I should be thinking about my parents… I'll force myself to do so if I'm at the old house… I'll see you tomorrow morning… My uncle extended me the offer of the guest bedroom… I think I'll take it." Mrs. Weasley stood.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes… Yes, I'm sure…" Hermione hugged the older woman. "Thanks for being here for me tonight."
"It's no trouble dear…"
"I think I'll stay here just for a bit longer you should head back home and if you can lay some guilt into the twins for me I would really appreciate it."
"It's what I'm best at dear…" they hugged one more time before heading off. Mrs. Weasley walked down the steps of the church to see Fred and George. "I would stay far back away from her tonight dears…"
"We're just here to make sure she gets where ever she plans on going tonight safe…" George said.
"Good…" with that she apperated out of sight. The twins moved back into the shadows to stay out of the sight of Hermione. They felt awful they knew they had screwed up but they didn't know how to make it up to her. They waited at least a half an hour before Hermione came out from the church. She looked from one end of the empty street to the next before she started to walk. Fred and George followed from a far enough distance away. Hermione kept looking over her shoulder and stopping sensing that someone was following her. They got worried when they watched her walk right past the street her house sat on. They got even more worried when she turned a corner and walked down a seedy looking alley. They followed to watch her walk into what looked like a pub. She walked straight to the bar while Fred and George headed to a table in the far darkened corner.
"Hi there…" Hermione looked up to see a young man with black hair and bright green eyes.
"Hi." She greeted.
"You look like you have had a rough day." Hermione smiled as she looked to him.
"Tell me you're not the actual stereotype bartender you usually see in TV and Movies…"
"How do you mean?" he asked cleaning a glass.
"You know…" She said with a smile. "In movies and on the Telly you walk into a pub sit back at the bar and the barkeep walks up and wants to know you're whole story and genuinely cares about what you say…"
"Well if it helps I really don't usually care… But when a beautiful young lass such as yourself strolls into a pub like this with a sad look like that." He touched her nose. "I tend to get curious…" she smiled at his easy Irish accent that rolled off his tongue like an old Gaelic lullaby. "A bloke done you wrong?"
"Two actually but it's nothing."
"Doesn't look like nothing Love…"
"Just teen girl problems."
"Oh goodie I love teen girl problems." He poured her a glass of scotch. "Spill." She laughed lightly as she thumbed the glass. "Why so sad Lovely?" she snorted as she took a sip.
Lovely who's this guy kidding?
"Well this may seem pathetic of me to say and overly teenage and childish but… Life sucks." He nodded while she took a sip and smiled. "Grey beard… 1935 if I'm not mistaken. Nice year…"
"You know your liquor." He said with an impressed look. "So why does life suck if I can inquire?" she looked him over.
"You really want to know?"
"I do that's why I'm asking." He said.
"Well… You know what?" she said taking a sip. "You wouldn't believe me even if I could tell you…"
"If you're pregnant I'll have to cut you off."
"Won't get pregnant just for that reason… No scotch." She held up her drink in emphasis and he laughed.
"You're funny." He said with a smile.
"Everyone's funny after at least one dink." He laughed again.
"So why don't you tell me what's wrong?"
"A lot of things… Family life, romance life, friendship life… You know basically any human relationship you can have I'm not doing well with. In fact I'm failing miserably."
"How so?"
"I really don't feel comfortable telling you all this."
"If it helps I'm studying to be a shrink."
"Are you really?"
"I swear on my red rosy Irish behind." He said making her laugh.
"Fine…Well… My parents died a year ago today." She said taking a sip. "I'm pretty sure one of my best friends is in love with me… And the twin brothers I'm dating who know about each other and share me really don't love me as much as they've been saying this whole time… My proof they promised to go to the church with me tonight to honor my dead murdered parents… and they broke off the last seven dates… and didn't even remember tonight." she took a sip. "Life sucks." Fred and George looked down at their hands they felt instantly guilty.
"Sounds like it." he said refilling her drink. "I'm sorry about your parents lovely."
"Thanks…"
"Sorry about your love life too… Sounds complicated."
"You have no idea… Oh did I mention that I'm kinda in the middle of a war?"
"No you didn't… What kind of war?" He asked leaning against the counter with interest.
"Let's just say one of my best friends not the one who is in love with me but the other one basically he's in a war with a few people and one of them is a very dangerous man. This fight goes back to when he was a child, and when myself and my other friend were around eleven and we met in school we promised him that no matter what when the time came we'd be right by his side. Little did I know that promise was a death warrant."
"Do you regret the death warrant promise?"
"Of course not." She said sitting up with a serious look.
"So what's the problem?"
"The problem?" she asked. "I'm scared… This fight has already cost me so much… I'm afraid of what I might lose next… What's more is I have no one to talk to usually I'd run to my mum I mean we told each other everything, but my parents are gone now so I have no one." The twins couldn't ignore her pain filled expression as she stared down into her glass of alcohol. "I have no family, no home, and no faith in anything anymore… Except…" she held up her glass. "For scotch and expensive shoes…" She smiled softly as he laughed. "Why am I telling you all this again?" she asked with a small laugh, he smiled.
"Well one I'm a bartender and all bartenders have the magic ability to make any one spill their guts, and two I'm very attractive which also means any young attractive woman such as yourself will spill their guts to me." Fred and George narrowed their eyes. He had reached forward and taken Hermione's hand in his. To their surprise she didn't pull back just looked at it and then to him with a tilt of her head.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Hyatt."
"Like the hotel?"
"No Wyatt."
"I thought you said Hyatt."
"That's because I did… I see you haven't noticed but-." He threw back a drink. "I'm a bit tipsy." She laughed softly.
"Well Wyatt I am flattered… But my heart belongs to two others." She said with a small smile as she pulled her hand away from his.
"Don't want to be rude Love… But if they felt the same wouldn't they be here…" Hermione stared down into her glass. "They left you alone… A year to the day when your parents were killed…" she nodded. "They don't seem like catches Love…"
"They make me laugh though…"
"I've made you laugh tonight." She smiled before laughing. "See."
"Yes you have…" she said before throwing back her drink. "Still… I have to be true to them…" she reached for her wallet.
"On the house love." He said.
"That's very sweet here's a tip though, thanks for giving me scotch from the top shelf." She turned and headed for the door. Wyatt walked out from behind the bar.
"Wait… I didn't catch your name lass."
"Hermione." she said.
"Hey Hermione?" she turned.
"Before you walk out that door I have a proposition…"
"This should be good. A proposition from a drunk Irish bartender." He laughed as did she.
"I'm more of a cliché then you thought before right?"
"Kind of." She said with a cute scrunching of her nose.
"Still… A proposition none the less?" he asked walking to her.
"Let's hear it." she said.
"You seem lonely tonight… Which is understandable considering the circumstances of your sucky life." She smiled softly. "Turns out I am lonely as well…" Fred and George watched as Wyatt slowly set his hands on her hips pulling her close slowly. "I think we should be a little less lonely tonight…" he said softly as he tilted her chin up his mouth just inches away from hers as he moved his hand through her hair slowly. "What do you think?" Hermione closed her eyes. It had been months since she had been this close to someone, and the loneliness she was feeling at that moment was near crippling. A tear fell down her cheek slowly and rolled over his hand in a haunting manner. His mouth was nearly against hers when she gasped and took a step back her hand pushing against his chest.
"Sorry… I'm sorry… This isn't me this is… Bad all badness I'm sorry…" she said before turning and rushing from the bar. George and Fred stood quickly and went after her.
"Hey Wyatt?" Fred asked. The Irish man turned to him just in time to catch a right hook to the face.
"Bastard." George muttered as they ran past his unconscious body. When they got to the alley they looked both ways to find her nowhere in sight.
"Hermione!" George called.
"Mione!" Fred yelled. No answer came. "Damn it."
"Where is she?"
"This isn't good George."
"I'm very aware of that Fred…"
-o-
Fred and George had searched high and low with no results. They had gone by her uncle's house to find that they hadn't seen her that night. They had promised to call the family as soon as they found out where she was. It was nearing 3:00 in the morning and still no sight of Hermione. So there they sat on the porch waiting, both going over the past two nights events.
The twins would never forget the way Hermione had looked in the arms of someone else. She hadn't kissed him but the way he was tilting her chin up with one hand his other moving through her hair. The only thing that had stopped the twins from getting up and tearing her from the barkeeps arms was the way she looked. Her eyes closed a tear slipping down her cheek. She had looked truly lonely both had thought she would go ahead and kiss him. Neither would forget the relief they had felt when she had instead pushed Wyatt away and ran.
"Here she is." George said standing, Fred following his movements. Hermione was coming out from the large area of high grass that surrounded the house.
"Fantastic." She said as she spotted them her leather jacket in hand.
"Where have you been?" Fred asked a little upset.
"With Viktor remember." She said.
"Where were you really other than that seedy pub that we followed you too…" George said and she stared at them for a long moment before smiling.
"Piss off." She muttered before heading past them into the house.
"Hermione we're not angry." George said Fred nodding. She turned slowly and looked at them with a smile.
"Oh you're not angry? I'm so relieved." She said sarcastically.
"Have you been drinking?" Fred asked smelling alcohol.
"A lot actually yeah." She said taking out a flask. "My dad would be so proud." She toasted to the sky. "To you pop you drunk bastard…" she laughed as she took a sip. "Let me rephrase you drunk dead bastard." She laughed again.
"Are you drunk?" George asked.
"No I wish I was but I have a sober charm on… Don't really need one dad always said Grangers can't get drunk… Trust me I've tried… Never turns out right…" she took a long sip. "Well I'm off to go rest my little alcoholic in training sober charmed head on my pillow, see you around." She headed into the house and the twins followed. They got to her room and closed the door. Hermione walked over to her desk and pulled out a half drank bottle of fire whiskey.
"Bloody hell Hermione." Fred said absolutely horrified.
"Are your still here?" she asked as she looked through her desk for the glass she kept. She sighed heavily when she couldn't find one. "Alright then…" she pulled the cork and threw it aside before taking a long sip. She didn't so much flinch at the fiery liquid that raced down her throat. She turned after a moment and looked to the twins with a glare. "I said I was going to bed take the social queue and do the same."
"That doesn't look like going to bed." Fred said as he put a silencing charm on the room.
"Here I'm leaning against it." she said sitting on the ground her head against the mattress. "That work for you?"
"Give me the bottle." Fred said. She got up and walked to the window where she opened it and peeked her head out.
"What are you doing?" George asked.
"Looking for flying pigs… Don't see any…" she turned and took a swig from the bottle. "So I guess you aren't getting this…" She held up the bottle for them to see. George moved in only to have Hermione put her hand up. An invisible shield formed in front of her stopping him from reaching her as she leaned against her desk. "Now if I was drunk would I be able to do wandless magic?"
"No…" they said.
"Good you can leave my bedroom then. I'm all good here." She said holding up the bottle as she walked to her window sill and sat down. Fred kept trying to move in towards her but the barrier was still up.
"If you can't get drunk why did you put the sobering charm up?" Fred asked.
"Because if I have the sobering charm up it will put me to sleep when I've had an abundance to drink…"
"You also run the risk of alcohol poisoning." George said.
"I'm aware… I'm on my second bottle after all…" she said. "Wait fourth. I forgot about the third… It wasn't that big so maybe this is the third… I don't know I've lost track… I'll go with three though… Three bottles."
"Hermione that's really dangerous." Fred said with a worried expression.
"I know… But I just want to sleep." She said leaning her head against the windowsill. "I haven't slept in weeks."
"You could end up sleeping forever if you keep drinking." George said.
"I know…" She sighed. "Sometimes…" she took a sip. "Sometimes I don't think that would be such a bad thing…" she held the bottle to her chest her eyes set on the scenery outside. "To just fade away… To rest forever… Completely peaceful… No pressure from the world, no pain…"
"Hermione…" Fred said softly.
"Don't worry boys I won't kill myself… I can't. Promised Harry I'd stick around till the end… I keep my promises." She took a sip. "Unlike some people… By the way thanks for being there with me when I was mourning the one year anniversary of my parent's murder and my torture. I greatly appreciated it." She said pointing at them with her bottle wielding hand.
"You keep drinking and you might kill yourself on accident not on purpose." George said knowing not to fight with her at that moment.
"It's my last bottle…" she said quietly taking a long swig. "I'm just so tired…"
"We know…" Fred said.
"No you don't know." She said glaring at them. "Haven't been around to know have you?"
"Hermione…" George said moving forward only to have the barrier block him.
"It's fine… I understand why... You two are busy with the shop… I'm proud of you two throwing all your weight into it… You're really giving it a go… And I'm happy… But sometimes…" she yawned her head lying back against the sill. "Sometimes I really miss you two… Sometimes I hate your shop… Because it took you two away from me…" they could feel the barrier dropping as her eyes slowly began to close. "I'm still very proud… Just very lonely… That's…" she yawned again. "That's my own… Own fault…" her eyes closed as the bottle slipped from her hand and fell towards the ground. George moved forward and caught it before it could crash to the ground. He set it on her desk before Fred moved forward and pulled the girl into his arms. George magically doubled the bed size so they could all lie down. They took their positions Hermione lying between them. "I'm so tired…" she whispered.
"Go to sleep Love…" George said pulling her to his body. Fred moving behind her to wrap his arms around her.
"I miss my family…" She said quietly.
"We know…" Fred said.
"Stay with me?" she asked softly.
"We're not going anywhere…" Fred said kissing her neck.
"You will eventually… That's just…" she yawned nuzzling against George's chest. "That's just how it works… I'm meant to be alone…"
"You're not alone we're right here." George stated.
"I can't… Feel you two anymore…" she said softly as she was whisked away into darkness.