Sorry if this took a while to upload! I've been working on this and I hope you like it - and thank you for all the great reviews! Love you all!
Italics aren't from the point of view of the Weasleys.
By the way, I don't own any of the characters!
Enjoy!
CHAPTER FOUR
That evening, Fred tried to pretend he had not heard what his mother had said.
Instead, he sat with Hermione in front of the fire, letting the warm glow engulf them.
'Your mother really hates me,' she said quietly.
'All this drama isn't a great start to a relationship,' agreed Fred. 'But when we get to Hogwarts, we can avoid them all.'
She nodded, but didn't look very convinced.
'Never mind, Hermione. Anyway, I've got a brilliant plan – and it'll cheer you up, I promise,' he grinned. 'I should get upstairs now. I'll see you in the morning.'
With that, he kissed her, and went upstairs, leaving his girlfriend completely bemused.
The next morning, Fred and George woke up on time for the first time in their lives.
'Fireworks? You think that a firework display will cheer her up?' asked George of his twin. Fred had presented the idea the night before.
'Definitely! Hermione'll love it. Honestly, I know she will.'
'Well, you're the one that's going out with her,' shrugged George, and they went downstairs for breakfast.
The twins found that the advantage of waking up early was that none of the breakfast food was gone yet so they were perfectly free to eat whatever they wanted and however much of it they felt like having. Basking in this glory, they sat down for nearly half an hour, stuffing themselves with toast.
'The others are having a sleepy start, aren't they?' grinned Fred.
'Best day for them to have a sleepy start. We can get out to the forest without question, can't we,' said George. The plan was to head to the forest near to the Burrow and set up a fireworks display for Hermione. (This also meant another opinion on their products in Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, and it was an opinion that Fred valued).
They sneaked out to the forest, still munching on toast as they went. 'George, get over there, behind that tree. Set off the fireworks when you hear us coming near, ok?'
'Set off fireworks when I hear a git and his girlfriend coming near, got it,' grinned his twin. 'I'll do it.'
Fred made the finishing touches to the fireworks and ran back to his house to collect Hermione.
Little did he know, it was not just he and George that knew of his plan.
They watched from afar.
They had camped for days. The Weasleys were horrific blood traitors. The Dark Lord wouldn't be pleased with that lot, that was for sure. But when the Dark Lord rose again, the Weasleys would be dead. As for them? Well, last time the Dark Lord hadn't even acknowledged their existence. No Dark Mark. Not even one of those special masks that the high up, rich ones did. They scowled; there were still bitter feelings where that was concerned. This time, though ... if they got the Weasleys ...
'They've cast a charm over the place,' grumbled one of them. 'You can't see it, unless something reaches beyond the magical boundaries. And I'd say that thing would have to reach pretty high.'
'I heard the Weasleys had a flying car,' the other said.
'They're stupid, but they're not that stupid. They'll be staying in the house.'
'In that case, we wait,' sighed the second one. 'But Rickinson, how do we even know they live here?'
'The Lovegoods. I've heard they live nearby, and I caught sight of a house that could only belong to an old fool like Xenophilius,' scowled Rickinson. 'Now, get yer hood up. We don't wanna be noticed. I think I heard someone in the trees over there,' he said, pointing to the spot Fred had just vacated.
Fred made his way back up to the house, thinking over the plan in his head. Hermione would love it, that was certain.
It was a bright, sunny and warm day once he left the cool darkness of the forest. He could see someone crossing the meadow into the sunlight, and he was smiling broadly when he reached his house.
It was then that his smile evaporated.
The door was wide open and Mrs Weasley was standing looking livid in the doorway. Percy looked a little red-faced and flushed. Ginny looked as angry as her mother and Harry the same. Ron was sitting with a stormy expression on his face at the dinner table.
'What's going on?' Fred asked, trying to sound calm.
'That girl is causing too much trouble. I work hard to keep this family safe ... safe from Death Eaters ...' a few tears brimmed in Mrs Weasley's eyes, but nobody felt much pity for her. 'I work hard to keep us all together and I can't have her getting us all angry and horrible with each other. It's not pleasant and I think we all need a break.'
'So where is she?' asked Fred, but he already had the feeling he knew the answer.
'Gone,' confirmed Mrs Weasley. 'So you and your brother might as well forget those stupid fireworks. They'll break the protective charm, anyway.'
'Fireworks definitely go past the magical boundaries,' added Percy, to everyone's annoyance. 'Nobody can see this house, or anywhere around it, unless something reaches past the boundaries, in which case the charm is broken. The boundaries stretch pretty far, but -!'
'Shut up, Percy,' snapped Ginny.
Everybody was silent. Fred looked round at them all, then said, 'Well, I'm off to get Hermione.'
And with that, he ran across the meadow before his mother had time to say, 'You will not!'
He ran and ran and ran and got closer and closer to the figure in the distance that he assumed to be Hermione. He tried calling out her name but she couldn't hear him. Aggravated and furious, Fred broke into the fastest run he'd ever done in his life ...
'HERMIONE!' he panted, with every ounce of his strength, causing his lungs to ache in pain and he started to feel dizzy.
The figure in the distance slowed down, but not turning around. Despising himself, Fred slowed down a bit, but then the figure turned around and walked towards him.
'Hermione! Mum doesn't know ... what she's saying ...' said Fred desperately.
'Fred, I want to stay. I'd love to spend the rest of Easter here, but I don't want to cause trouble, and your mother -!'
'Works so hard to keep the family together?' finished Fred, his insides boiling with anger. 'Don't you listen to her! I need you to stay! It's only another week!'
'I'm going back to my parents' house for Easter,' explained Hermione. 'And I'd love it if you came to mine, because nobody from Hogwarts ever has before, but I understand with the new Death Eaters, Muggles and Muggle-borns will be the first targets,' she said sadly.
'I'll come with you!' said Fred. Hermione raised her eyebrows. 'Honestly, I didn't run across this meadow for ages just to go back home and see you again when we get back to school!'
'Ok, ok. You can come – maybe just for a few days? Family time, you know the kind of thing,' added Hermione.
'Fine. I'll get some spare clothes, say goodbye to George –'
'Won't he miss you?' she asked anxiously.
'Well ...' Fred had been feeling a little guilty. 'We can stay in contact through owls. Anyway, stay here, I'll grab some clothes.'
'Stick to Muggle clothes.'
'Got it.'
Fred zoomed back in, cursing the age limit on Apparating, and ran upstairs to grab some clothes. Everyone had left the kitchen now. Making a mental note to tell George, he pulled open a drawer and began.
'We've been camping for two days now. Let's just go back and target the kids when they get back to Hogwarts.'
'Even harder than getting them now,' said Rickinson dismissively. 'Don't give up, Fowler. The Dark Lord wouldn't be impressed.'
Fowler would never disagree with the Dark Lord. So he was silent.
They stood in silence for a while, when there was a slight sigh from a few centimetres away. 'Down!' hissed Rickinson, pulling his friend to the ground. 'There's someone there! A Weasley, I'm sure of it!'
Waiting for some signal, both held their breath. What to do? Attack? Stay still?
Fowler shifted slightly. A twig broke underfoot. Rickinson shot him a deathly look.
Meanwhile George, having heard what he thought was his twin nearby, set off a firework, thus breaking the magical protections.