A/N – So Christmas one… This one is nearly twice as long but I love it so much so I don't care! MERRY CHRISTMAS! :D
Admittance is the first step to defeat
quote - What would happen if you stopped fighting and gave yourself permission to feel? Not just the good things, but everything? – R J. Anderson
The space next to Fred on the sofa was currently unoccupied, and that's the way he liked it. So much had gone on in the last few days, that he felt okay sat in one of the drawing rooms of Grimmauld Place with the rest of his family, plus Harry and Tonks. Fred's mind kept drifting off, and it didn't occur to him that he had been daydreaming about Hermione until she asked if it was okay to sit next to him. He scooted along the sofa to move as far away from Hermione as possible. Hermione pulled a small book out of her pocket murmured something under her breath and the book grew bigger, to normal size. She curled up on the one side and started reading. Fred sat in silence just watching her, the way she breathed peacefully as if she was used to this.
"Fred? Why are you watching me?" Hermione asked quietly as she continued to read.
"I wasn't, I was just thinking, coincidence" He smiled at her, hoping she would turn around and look at him. She did.
"Your dad's going to be fine, we saw him earlier" Hermione stated. Fred looked down at the moth eaten pillow he was sat on, and pulled at a loose stich.
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking of" He murmured. Hermione thought she saw him blush but wasn't sure. Mrs Weasley was watching them out the corner of her eye as everyone had small conversations; she was smiling and giving them a look. The clock in the hall chimed 10 and everyone looked out of the darkened window. When most people had gone upstairs to get ready for bed, Mrs Weasley and Tonks started talking in hushed tones, the only other people in the room where Fred and Hermione, who were still sat on opposite ends of the couch oblivious to each other.
"But they're in the book, they need to know!" Mrs Weasley had raised her voice slightly causing Fred to twitch slightly, but not look up. "All the signs are there, if there is anything they need right now it would be hope, that's what they can give them. Hope, Tonks! We're approaching a war, they're needed!"
"Shush, lower your voice" Tonks tried to shush Mrs Weasley "We'll finish this when we can't be over heard" She smiled at Mrs Weasley.
"But what do I tell them?" Molly questioned.
"Have they suspected anything" Tonks shot back.
"No, why would they? But we need to act fast before they do anything" Mrs Weasley stated
"They won't, if you look at them, they haven't even noticed each other" Tonks finished the conversation and walked towards the door, where she knocked over the umbrella stand; the howls of Mrs Black started.
"– MUD BLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS IN MY HOUSE, MUDBLOODS DEFILING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS!"
"Stupid woman" Molly tutted and walked out of the room to close the curtains on Mrs Black. Hermione yawned quietly, trying not to show she was tired.
"If you're tired, then why don't you go to bed?" Fred asked, watching her out the corner of his eye. Hermione yawned again.
"Trying to get rid of me, are we?" She joked. Fred sighed and scooted to sit next to her on the sofa.
"Nope, see, now you have to stay here!" Fred half shouted, and grabbed her around the waist, lifting her up and off the sofa. Hermione dropped her book and started laughing. Fred spun her around and around until they were both dizzy, then he chucked her on the sofa, where she grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him. He caught it.
"Miss Granger, you are a terrible thrower!" He joked, throwing the pillow back at her; she ducked and it missed her. Hermione grabbed another one and threw it back. It got Fred right in the face.
"I'm mistaken, you can throw" Fred paused and walked closer to her "Like a girl!" He shouted loudly, Hermione threw herself at him, he caught her and spun around again, making her giggle like a little girl.
"I'm going to bed, but when –" Molly paused and looked at the sight of the two. She smiled and Fred put Hermione down in front of him, then patted her on the head. Mrs Weasley's eyes lit up and she looked suspiciously between the two, still smiling. "When you go to bed can you turn the lights off?" Molly asked. Hermione blushed and Fred looked down at his shoes.
"Sure Mom, don't worry about it" Fred answered, looking at her.
"Just be thankful it was me and not Ron who caught you" She smiled and went to walk away.
"Mrs Weasley, It's not like that –" Hermione started
"Please Hermione, she knows more than we do!" Fred accused.
"It's not like that at all its just… Christmas Eve… Getting to our heads" Hermione sighed. "What are you on about Fred?"
"Nothing, dear, Fred's just being silly" Mrs Weasley finished and walked up the stairs. Fred and Hermione waited in silence for her bedroom door to close.
"Maybe we should go to bed" Hermione sighed, picking up her book from the floor.
"Together?" Fred looked over at Hermione and winked. She shook her head and went to walk towards the door; she'd made it past the door frame when Fred spoke up.
"But I'd rather talk to you" He murmured. Hermione had never been wanted to be spoken to before, at least not like this.
"I think it's best if we went to bed" She said. Fred walked towards her, and stood really close.
"You're always running away from me" He stated, Hermione looked up at him, the sad look on his face made her knees buckle. "Please just stay here". He lent forward as if to kiss her, Hermione did the same and then changed her mind, placing a firm hand on his chest.
"We should get some sleep." Hermione said. Fred nodded slowly, looking sad. He quickly kissed her on the head, making her blush, then ran past her on the stairs, shouting
"Don't forget to turn the lights out!"
'Run Hermione! Hermione! Run!' Fred's shouts could only just be heard over the pounding of Hermione's heart.
'I won't leave you Fred!' Hermione yelled, watching him try to save himself from the attackers.
'Hermione you have to live, think about the future!' He yelled back
'I don't want a future without you' she shouted back. She fired a spell towards the attacker, giving Fred a second to relieve him. Another attacker saw this and aimed a spell at Fred, causing Hermione to shout.
'FRED!' She shouted too late; the spell hit Fred right in the heart, causing Hermione to double over in pain. She hurt all over, the agony of losing him suddenly causing her to become weak. The attacker grabbed her from behind, but Hermione did nothing. Life wasn't worth it anymore.
'Think about the future' Fred's last words rang in her ears, causing Hermione to scream, surprising the attacker. He let go of her and Hermione shouted a spell, knocking them all off their feet. Hermione fled down the darkened cobbled streets. She hadn't run for long before she collapsed in a ball on the floor in tears.
The world went black.
'Hermione could you pass the sprouts?' Ron asked from across the table. Fred cast Hermione a worried look before dismissing himself from the table. Hermione picked up the sprouts and passed them down the table before her stomach heaved. She got up abruptly and ran to the toilet.
'Fred let me in!' The door clicked open, and Hermione ran before she threw up all over the floor.
'Maybe you shouldn't have passed the spouts?' Fred advised her.
'Can you hold my hair?' She asked him. Fred grabbed Hermione's hair and patted her back reassuringly.
'I love you Hermione' He whispered smoothly in her ear.
Hermione then blacked out
"You came in late last night" Ginny stated, winking at Hermione as they ran down the stairs. Hermione stumbled and tripped slightly, catching herself on the bannister.
"As I suspected, come on, which one of my brothers is it?" Ginny asked, having no fear at all in wanting to know. Hermione put her hand in front of her to stop her from the last few steps.
"Gin, as much as I respect your opinion on these things, I really don't want to talk about it" Hermione walked forward and stood in the kitchen, just behind a very tall ginger. Ginny walked in afterwards 'Him?' Ginny mouthed 'which twin is he?' Hermione shook her head, not wanting to talk about it. Ginny grabbed her arm, and pulled her into the corner
"Tell me!" She pleaded.
"No" Hermione said "Anyway, your mom knows something about it and won't tell me but he knows"
"Tell me who 'he' is!" Ginny exclaimed, causing Fred to turn around and look at them, winking at Hermione. Fred looked as tired as Hermione felt; his eyes had dark circles around them as if he'd had nightmares.
"Fred!" Ginny said, already walking over to him. "So George said you came to bed late last night?" Ginny questioned.
"Did I?" questioned George, but Ginny stamped on his foot
"You also look as if you didn't sleep very well, or at all for that matter" Ginny winked at Fred, but he didn't find it funny. Fred shivered slightly
"Oh Ummm" Fred looked around anxiously, his face growing paler "Hey! I think they cars are here!" and he walked out of the room; George followed
The whole way to St Mungo's, Ginny wouldn't stop pestering Hermione about Fred- it didn't matter how many times Hermione told her to drop it, she wouldn't. It also caused them to be far behind following them to Mr Weasley's room. Hermione stopped in the door way.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, MUGGLE STICHES?" Molly shouted at Arthur.
"You know, I feel like a cup of tea" Fred stated. He walked swiftly towards the door, grabbing Hermione's hand on the way out. Hermione stumbled after him, falling into his side. Fred smirked and Hermione smiled back at him.
"Falling for me again, are we" Fred joked
"Yeah, you've pulled me" Hermione joked back, pulling on his hand but not letting go. Fred pulled her closer as they walked to the refreshment room a few floors down. Fred let out a goofy grin, but before Hermione could ask there was crack and they had Disapparated a few floors below. Hermione stumbled slightly, but Fred caught her. She smiled sheepishly, but before Hermione could say anything Fred whispered
"I dreamed about you last night" Hermione looked up sharply; Fred noticed how pale she looked.
"You had them too?" Fred asked. She nodded, not looking at his face.
"Hermione, look at me" She didn't; Fred used his finger to lift her chin, but she still wouldn't meet his eyes.
"Tell me what your mom knows" Hermione whispered. He shook his head.
"Hermione, those dreams, we'll fix them, they won't always come." She shook her head- Fred looked disappointed.
"Fred, before I started" she paused swallowing and looked at him "liking you more" she swallowed again, watching the way his eyes lit up slightly. "The dreams never came, I never dreamed ,Fred, ever. But even if I did I couldn't remember them. Until this whole thing with you started, I guess if Krum had never broken up with me, they wouldn't have started. But Fred, I can't do this now, I have exams to focus on and I can't do that if I'm focused on you. Maybe I'm waiting for something magical to happen so I know this is all real. I'm sorry, Fred, but with you I'm just not myself" She went to walk away but Fred grabbed her arm.
"Hermione, I can't do this without you"
"Fred you have to I can't"
"They'll still come, the dreams you know" Hermione looked at him almost disbelieved
"Why Fred"
"You obviously haven't been listening to mom talk have you?" Fred snapped. Hermione looked up at him.
"Goodbye Fred" she walked towards the door but Fred got there first, with a quick crack. He closed the door between the stairs and the tea room, cutting her off. Hermione jumped, but Fred caught her waist, pulling her closer. He leaned down to meet her lips. The kiss wasn't simple. It was awkward, Hermione tried to push away but she had a warm feeling spreading all over her body. From the moment that his lips met hers, she couldn't push away, she was no longer mad at him. All that mattered was the here and now. Fred's warm lips on hers. She moved her hands around his neck, pulling him closer. Fred smiled against her lips. He moved into her, moving when she did. Fred didn't want to let go, he never wanted this moment to end, but at some point it had to. She started to move away. Fred looked into her eyes. She smiled. Above them in the now darker corridor, mistletoe had begun to grow.
"It's probably full of Nargals" Hermione stated looking up at the mistletoe and taking Fred's hand
"Merry Christmas" Fred whispered in her ear. Then he kissed her on top of the head. He went to go kiss her again, but the door opened, hitting Fred slightly and causing him to move away from Hermione. Mrs Weasley looked between the two of them and sighed.
"Thank god I opened the door when I did, you two have no idea how much trouble we'd have been in if you'd kissed. And Tonks said you hadn't even noticed each other. I knew we should have told you" She looked up at their faces; the way they both where looking guiltily at the floor "You didn't, I thought it looked brighter in here." Hermione reached for Fred's hand, as she started to miss him like a hole in her life had been filled and then ripped out of her. Fred took her hand gratefully. The looked up and made eye contact.
"Oh stop it you two! You're making it worse!" Molly snapped.
"You two stay here. Let me go and get Tonks" Mrs Weasley exited through the door she came through. Even though she was trying to be angry, you could tell she was happy. Fred turned and looked at Hermione.
"Like I said before" He started wrapping his arms around her waist as she did the same "I can't do this without you" He kissed her again, sending a warmth through their bodies and filling a part of them that was always missing…
A/N – My nan read this over my shoulder, I think she views my differently now. Merry Christmas eve eve! J
