THE LEAVES – CHAPTER TEN
Hermione couldn't sleep. After spending more months than she could count on her fingers sleeping on a camp bed, her big four-poster in the Gryffindor Tower did not feel right – like sleeping on a fluffy marshmallow that could suffocate her. She woke after only an hour and found her 'H' jumper to wear in the frosty common room. Creeping down the stairs, she moved towards the sofa before she noticed a flash of ginger hair sticking up above the sofa.
"Couldn't sleep either?" She whispered to what she expected to be Ron because while Harry has been the most affected by the war itself, he was the one who never had any sleep.
The ginger turned around and revealed the familiar grin of none other than Fred Weasley. Hermione felt her own face smile in return and she walked forwards to the sofa. She sat next to him and snuggled into his side, sighing heavily and happily. He wrapped his arm around her side and kissed her on the forehead.
"Can you believe it?" Hermione murmured and she saw Fred shake his head.
"I can't believe we've all made it out alive. The thought alone could leave me happy for hours. I am upset, though, that I never managed to see the slimy, noseless git die."
"It was a spectacle as well. Oh, Fred, we thought you had died," she choked out into his shoulder.
"Shh, shhh, I'm here and I'm okay." He whispered over and over again while stroking her hair. They rocked from side to side and once she had settled some, she crawled into his lap and they sat in silence watching the embers in the fire slowly die.
"I'm so glad that you three are safe. I don't know how we'd have all coped if one of you had gotten separated after Shell Cottage. The damage that had on me was intense. I couldn't bear to see you lifeless again. It would have broken me for good." Fred murmured into her hair and in true Weasley twin style, tacked on, "I've already had to cope with the loss of George's ear,"
Hermione giggled and looked up at the Weasley. Their eyes met briefly, blue to brown, before his eye line travelled down to gaze longingly at her lips. Self-consciously, she licked them before taking a glance at his own. She felt herself lean in and Fred placed his hands onher waist, stroking the exposed patch of skin with his thumb. He slowly leant in and kissed her slowly and tenderly. As he pulled away, he heard her sigh happily and he grinned at her.
"Great Merlin, 'Mione, I think I'm falling in lo— "
"Don't you dare say it. This is not the time or place to say this."
"You're right. Hermione, the leaves are vibrantly green on the trees, will yoube my girlfriend?" Her heart speed picked up and she grinned at him.
"Potentially" she whispered against his lips. "After all, the leaves do look great, don't they?"
"They do indeed." He played along.
"I guess I will then, Mr Weasley."
"Brilliant," He whispered as he closed the gap between them once again.