AN: This is the last update for this week. I won't be able to work on anything until Monday, so it's going to be at least 3 days before I can get the next chapter up. Thank you so much to everyone who has messaged and reviewed with feedback on the platforms this is posted to. I feel like I need to mention that I am not a professional psychologist. I'm just a person who has experienced some of these things first hand. There will inevitably be mistakes in how things are described. I'm doing my best to keep things realistic and we'll get an idea of what they actually have as we get further into the story. This chapter is a lyric from Adele's Send My Love (To Your New Lover).

Warnings: Discussion of self-harm and suicide.

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Harry Potter or its related properties in any way.

We Ain't Kids No More

When Fred woke Hermione was already gone. He'd not felt her slip out of his arms and was startled by the sudden emptiness he felt at her absence. He crept slowly into the hallway, checking to see if she was elsewhere in the flat. There was no sound and no light spilling out from under the bathroom door. With a sigh, he crossed into the kitchen and saw two notes waiting for him on the counter.

Don't forget dinner tonight! Hermione mentioned you had a rough night, take the morning and we'll switch off at lunch. Busy day today! -Gred

I didn't want to wake you. I'll see you at dinner tonight, I've got to take care of a few things. -H

He wondered what she needed to do that couldn't wait until he'd woken up, but realised it really wasn't any of his affair. She didn't owe him an explanation for her comings and goings. He sighed and went about making himself something to eat before he headed down to work.

Hermione was better rested than she'd been in weeks. The comfort of being next to Fred was not something she had expected to come so naturally to her. She'd stayed as still as possible when she'd woken, enjoying the closeness and warmth of him. The longer she stayed there the more she realised she needed to speak to Ron. If she was going to eventually pursue… whatever it was she and Fred were building toward...she didn't want the spectre of their failed relationship hovering out the corner of her eye. So she'd slipped away, bumping into George on her way out. She's agreed to leave a note and promised to be at The Burrow later for their birthday dinner. Then, she'd borrowed one of their shop owls and sent a message to their brother. As the lunch hour rolled around she found herself sitting in a cafe not far from the Ministry waiting for Ron to meet her.

Her heart didn't falter the way it once had anytime he walked into a room. If anything, she was indifferent to his appearance. Anger still licked the periphery of her mind, but not enough to engulf her the way it had in the beginning. She waved to get his attention and carefully sipped at her tea as he made his way over. He stood awkwardly, seeming to wait for her to rise and embrace him. She didn't.

"Hi." He slid into the seat, indicating to the server that he'd like a tea.

"Hello." Her voice was tight as she fought back the urge to scream at him.

"I got your owl…" he cleared his throat loudly, unable to look her in the eye.

"So I see." She huffed, taking a few deep breaths to center herself.

"Hermione, I'm…" She put her hand up to stop him. She didn't want to hear his reasoning or his apologies.

"Don't apologize, Ron. Just don't do it to whoever it is you're with now. Treat her better." Her voice was firmer than she'd expected, but she meant every word.

"It's Demelza...Robins.. Demelza Robins." He blurted, his ears going pink at the tip the way most of the Weasley men seemed to blush.

"I… I did not see that coming. Didn't you make her cry once?" She sat up straighter, gobsmacked by the revelation.

"Back at school, yeah. You would remember that… We're not kids anymore." He was getting irritated with her and began to squirm in his seat.

"We haven't been kids for a long time, Ron. We weren't kids when we were kids." She sighed and explained gently. They sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping their tea in a cloud of their shared history. No matter what, the lead up to the war would always be theirs.

"Why did you want to meet me today?" He looked her in the eye, concern written across his face.

"I need to bury this. Us. I need to move on from you. I can't do that by being angry at you, as much as I'd like to. I want to get on with my life." She explained, trying to calm the shaking in her hands by ducking them under the table. She had not planned on having this conversation so soon. But, Fred...

"Is there someone? I mean, did you meet somebody?" He cleared his throat again, slightly uncomfortable with the topic.

"There might be." She smirked, secretly enjoying the way the news made him frown almost imperceptibly.

"That's good. I know I messed up, Hermione, but I want you to be happy. Even if I couldn't give you that." He covered his discomfort, folding his hands on top of the table and leaning closer to her.

"Thank you, I appreciate that." She nodded, voice even.

"What do you need from me?" He settled back in his seat, crossing and uncrossing his legs in agitation at her stare.

"I need you to listen. You're not going to be happy about it, but I need you to know so I can get on with my life." She swallowed heavily before forcing the words out. There was no use in trying to ease him into it, neither of them was going to be particularly happy with the topics of conversation.

"Okay. I'm listening." He crossed his arms in front of him and for the first time in her memory, he kept his attention on her and really listened.

There had been some yelling and tears on both sides by the time they were done. She told him the truth about the suicide attempt and about how she's handled things since their parting. She told him how she'd known longer than she let on that he was with someone else. She made him promise not to treat Demelza the same way he had her. He made her promise to keep looking for a healer who would help her and vowed not to tell Harry until she was ready for him to know everything. Things were not fixed, it was still clear to her he didn't completely understand the weight of what she'd told him. But, it was a start and a way for her to start moving on.

Hermione wasn't sure how to feel when she got home. She had butterflies in her stomach about the thought of telling Fred she'd told Ron everything. It felt like a step in the right direction, no matter how small it really was. She was still angry with him deep down, but he wasn't at the forefront of her mind anymore. She spent some time snuggling Crookshanks before slowly starting to get ready for the twins' birthday dinner. She was holding up different options in the mirror when she heard the familiar crackle of the floo.

"Who is it?" She called, closing her robe around herself and stepping into the hallway.

"It's just me, is this a bad time?" Fred was standing uncomfortably in front of her fireplace.

"It's fine, I was just getting changed for your dinner." She smiled and ducked back into her bedroom, pulling on the first dress on the pile without much thought before hustling back out to Fred.

"You look really pretty." He mumbled when she hugged him in greeting. Her cheeks blushed at the compliment, looking down at the deep purple fabric.

"Thank you." She sat down on the couch, patting the seat next to her.

"What can I do for you?" She asked, trying to get a read on him. He exhaled loudly before answering.

"I don't want to go tonight." His shoulders slumped forward as he avoided her eyes.

"Then we won't go." She took his hand in hers and gave it a light squeeze.

"Won't that just make everyone worry?" She shrugged in response.

"I don't want George to worry…"

"We'll tell him you weren't up for a big to-do. You're an adult, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do." She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You don't have to skip it just because I'm not going." He carefully set his head on top of hers, smiling softly to himself.

"I was only going because of you. George won't be bothered if I'm not there. And I've already seen Ron today, I'm not exactly keen on seeing him again so soon." She bit her top lip in anticipation of his reaction.

"You saw Ron?" He pulled back from her, turning to face her in confusion.

"I told him everything. I had to so I can let it go and move on."

"You think you're ready to move on so soon?" He swallowed, tamping down the hope in his heart.

"I've been sleeping with complete strangers, I don't think potentially dating somebody is going to break me. Not like I can get much more broken." She joked darkly.

"Do you still… do you still want to do that? Shag strangers, I mean." He stumbled over the words, embarrassed.

"Time will tell. I haven't the past few days, but we've been pretty busy falling apart…" She rolled her eyes with a little laugh.

"Yeah. We're good at that." He smiled with a light chuckle.

"I miss your smile. Even if it's just a small one." She reached over and traced the corners of his lips.

"You do?"

"Of course. What do you want to do instead?" She pulled her fingers away, blushing slightly.

"I haven't thought much about it." He shook his head and furrowed his brows.

"Do you want to stay in or go somewhere?" She leaned onto one elbow against the back of the sofa.

"It might be nice to get out of the flat for a bit." He tilted his head in thought.

"Can I see your arms?" She changed topics suddenly, an idea forming.

"I told you I didn't do anything last night…"

"Not because of that, I want to see something…" He was confused, but rolled his sleeves and offered her his arms.

"I have an idea for something we could do. Something that might help cover this…" She ran her fingers over the light scarring from what had not been healed properly. Lingering on the worst of them.

"Oh?"

"How do you feel about a trip into Muggle London?" Mischief sparkled in her eyes, igniting a fire in his chest.