Chapter 11: Eye of the Storm

Fred had given a brilliant best man's speech, of course. And George and Angelina had looked like the perfect happy couple as they danced together and said hello to all of their guests. The food had been… well Fred thought he remembered liking it. But he was too distracted by his distant date to have much attention for the rest of the wedding.

They'd been on the dance floor together for a while, but they weren't really dancing together. Neville and Luna had joined them as they left the table, and the dancing that the couple inspired was, well…certainly not intimate in the way Fred had hoped. He could see Ron off in the corner of the dance floor trying not to step on poor Hannah's toes, and Ginny and Harry were dancing, but had since vanished somewhere, probably to do something Fred would rather not think about. He just wanted to dance with his lovely, brilliant date. It wasn't for lack of trying, of course; he'd requested a few slower songs so he'd have an excuse to get Hermione closer, but every time one came on, she excused herself to the bar, telling him that she was parched. He'd go along with her each time, and order them something cool to drink, but he couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach that was telling him that Hermione just didn't want to dance with him.

Hermione, on the other hand, was getting tipsier with each slow song that she avoided and was having more and more trouble remembering why she was trying not to dance with Fred in the first place. She fancied him, didn't she? Then why was dancing with him a problem?

"Because he doesn't fancy you back, dummy," she muttered to herself, taking another sip of her drink.

"Are Ickle Ronnikins and his date getting to you, love?" Fred asked, trying to keep the sourness from his voice at the realization that the girl he fancied wasn't over his brother. He thought he'd had a chance with her. He thought she had moved on, but apparently his little git of a brother was still standing in his way.

Hermione started; she hadn't realized that he'd returned from the loo. She blushed. Dammit, Hermione. You can't let him hear you talking about him like that.

"No, of course not, Fred. I'm just fine."

Fred sighed quietly, and then forced his expression back into his trademark grin. If he couldn't get her to fancy him, at the very least he could get a dance with the lovely witch. Just one dance, and then he'd get over her. At least, that's what he told himself.

"Whatever you say, Hermione. But you know, the best way to get one bloke jealous is to dance with another. Better still if it's his brother," Fred said with a wink.

"I—but really, Fred—"

"Nonsense, dear Hermione, I insist," Fred said, taking her arm and leading her to the dance floor just as a lovely slow melody began to play. "Now put your left arm around my shoulders, yes, just there. And, here, let me hold your right hand. And I'm going to put my arm around your waist, okay?" He pulled her close against his body as he spoke, trying to keep her calm enough not to pull away from him the way she'd done all evening.

Hermione was blushing again. He wondered if her blush drove everyone this mad, or if it was just him that found her pink-tinged cheeks so adorably alluring. Alright, Freddie boy, get it under control, the voice in his head that always sounded like George was telling him. He was having a difficult time, though, with her small body so close to his. He was telling himself that he had to hold her this close if he wanted to help her make Ron jealous, but, in reality, it was probably because he couldn't foresee any other chance to hold her like this.

Hermione's mind was racing, trying to figure out what was going on through the fog that the alcohol had left on her brain.

Would you just shut up? she told herself. This is what you've been waiting for so just try and enjoy it. You can get over Fred tomorrow.

She slid her arm from around his neck to rest her palm against his chest, giggling at her pleasant surprise when she could feel his still-toned beater's muscles beneath his dress shirt.

"What's so funny, may I ask?" he asked her, a glint in his eye hinting that he may already know the answer.

In response, Hermione gave him a small, mischievous smile and kept quiet, allowing herself to revel in the safety she felt at being this close to Fred. It had been months since the end of the war, but she still found herself waking in a cold sweat at night from nightmares of things that had happened, and things that never would. She couldn't recall the last time she'd felt so at peace. The months working in the shop had certainly calmed her; they'd given her back some of the carefree Hermione that had existed before she'd entered the magical world and felt the constant pressure to save her friends, to prove her worth. They'd given her the chance to relax, to let go of some of that constant vigilance she'd learned to keep over the last several years. But this, with Fred, was different. It was calm, and stillness, and quiet in the midst of chaos.

Before she was ready for it, the song came to a close. Fred spun her away from him, and then back into his arms, dipping her backwards with a goofy grin as she laughed.

"Thank you for the dance," Fred said with a small bow.

"The pleasure was mine, Fred."

"Unfortunately, I don't think that dance had its intended effect," he replied, nodding towards a corner of the room where Ron and Hannah seemed to be snogging while they danced.

Hermione chuckled and looked up at Fred. "Leave them be, you. I think they're good together, and I danced with you because you're my date, not to make Ronald jealous."

Fred's sputtering confusion was interrupted by an announcement to join the happy couple outside for a surprise and their honeymoon sendoff. Hermione dragged him along outside, where most of the wedding guests had congregated in a large field to await whatever surprise George and Angelina had planned.

About halfway to the group, Hermione's heel caught in a crack in the cement and broke, causing her to stumble towards Fred, who caught her without a thought.

"Alright there, Mione?" he said, searching her face for signs of distress, his hands still resting on her slim waist.

Hermione glanced up at him and nodded, chewing her bottom lip between her teeth. "Thank you for catching me. I reinforced these shoes by magic this morning – I don't know how this could have happened—"

"Don't worry about it, pet. I'll take care of it," Fred replied softly. Without his permission, his hand left her waist to brush a stray curl from her cheek.

She watched his eyes glance down (towards her lips? she wondered), and leaned ever-so-slightly towards him.

"Hermione, Fred! Up here!" Ron's voice called through the darkness, startling them both apart, and causing Hermione to nearly fall again.

"Reparo," he muttered as he pointed her wand at the offending shoe and tried to brush off the annoyance he felt at his brother once again. "Erm, shall we go join the others, then?" Fred asked.

Hermione assented, and they joined Ron, Hannah, Neville, Luna, Harry and Ginny at the front of the group, where they waited with most of the Weasley clan.

Harry looked at her apologetically. "I tried to shut him up," he murmured.

Hermione smiled and shrugged, before turning back to face the field.

The surprise was a beautiful display of fireworks, clearly designed by Fred and George, which represented the things that had brought George and Angelina together. Quidditch and Hogwarts burst to life above them, among other sparkling, exploding things. Hermione found herself leaning back into Fred's body as she looked up at the brilliant magic that decorated the sky. His hands gently rubbed up and down her bare arms, soothing the goosebumps away and settling Hermione back into that place of calm that she had started to associate with being close to Fred.

Who am I kidding, she thought as they waved George and Angelina off into the night, I'm falling even harder for him now than I was before. How am I supposed to get over Fred Weasley now?

A/N: Hello beautiful readers! Thank you for sticking with me for yet another chapter. I so appreciate all of you who read, comment, and favorite this story. It means the world hearing what you guys think. Have a lovely weekend and I will see you right back here next week.

-E. Leigh