Fred awoke with a start when he felt thrashing beside him and heard the panic cries come from his partner's lips. He knew what was happening all too well. Hermione was having a nightmare and a pretty bad one by the looks of it. As gently as he could, Fred shook Hermione trying to wake her.

She bolted straight up when she woke and looked around, fright stirring in her eyes as she glanced back and forth in the room. Fred sat up with her and rubbed soothing circles against her back. He laid his chin on her shoulder and whispered calming words in her ear, attempting to calm her down.

When he heard her breaths become softer and felt her body stop shaking and become more relaxed, Fred raised his head from her shoulder and saw that she was looking at him. She leaned forward until their foreheads were touching and closed her eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" He quietly asked.

Hermione sighed and replied just as quietly, "Nightmare. It's the same one I always have, but it's the first one I've had in a really long while."

Fred didn't say anything, he just silently waited for her to continue.

"I'm in the Malfoy manner and Bellatrix," She spat the evil woman's name out with as much venom in her voice she could muster, "Is standing over me. Torturing me. I can feel every curse, every sting, every letter she carved into my arm. I relive it repeatedly until I finally wake up."

Fred wanted to kill the monster and had she been alive, he would have. The Golden Trio had explained what had happened while they were away, one of the parts being this very horrifying thing. Hermione hadn't gone into too much detail because the memory was still too fresh, but she had shown them her arm and it was more than enough to understand the horrors that she had experienced. But to know that this bitch still haunted Hermione made his blood boil.

Fred pulled her into his arms and began to repeatedly stroke her hair to both calm her and to extinguish the fire that was threatening to explode from the hatred in his heart. How dare that deranged woman even think to harm his Hermione. Hermione calmed down under his ministrations. She lifted her head to look at him and could see the battle he was fighting to keep calm. She reached to cup his cheek with the palm of her hand, "It's okay Fred, I'm okay."

He looked at the woman he was holding in his arms and felt the burn that was in his harm become a soft flicker. "You know 'Mione, if you ever have a nightmare again and I'm not with you, come find me. I'll stay with you. I'll protect you."

Hermione smiled, "Okay Fred, I will." She gently pushed herself away from Fred and looked at the alarm clock. "We have a few more hours before we need to get up, want to go back to sleep?"

"Do you?" He questioned.

"Yeah, I think I do," Hermione yawned. They slid back down into bed and faced each other. "Goodnight Fred."

"Goodnight Hermione."

"Fred?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Fred smiled and pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head. "You're welcome 'Mione."

When the pair woke up a second time, Fred noticed that Hermione was still in his arms and that their bodies were tangled up with one another. She looked up at him sleepily and smiled, melting his heart. "Good morning," She yawned, snuggling in closer to Fred.

"Good morning love." He kissed the top of her head and tightened his hold on her.

"This is nice – waking up like this, that is," the young girl said drowsily.

"I couldn't agree with you more." Fred closed his eyes again in pure bliss.

"What time is it?" she asked, trying to fight the urge to fall back to sleep.

"Mm, I don't know." Fred buried his head in her hair and breathed deeply.

"Could you maybe – Frederick Weasley, did you just sniff my hair?" Hermione pulled away from Fred to look at him with mild amusement.

"I have no regrets." He said in a serious tone.

"Of course not." She mumbled, sitting up on the bed.

Fred whined a bit in protest as the warmth of her body left his. "You didn't have to move. I'm sorry I sniffed your hair, I promise not to do it again if you'll lay back down."

Hermione giggled, "I'm sure you won't." Her voice said otherwise. Hermione glanced at the clock and saw that it was already ten in the morning and gasped. She hit Fred in the stomach before flinging herself off the bed. "Get up," She cried, making a grab for her bag and then jetting off into the bathroom.

Fred turned over and stared at the offending door that blocked his view from the gorgeous woman getting dressed on the other side. Fred hesitantly sat up, rubbing his hands across his face in an attempt to wake himself. He slowly made his way to grab his bag, picking out the clothes he planned on wearing today, and began to strip. When he was naked, he picked up the clean pair of boxers and started putting them on. The piece of fabric wasn't even half way up his legs with the bathroom door swung open.

Fred stopped to stare at the blushing brunette that eyed his body. He smirked and stood up straight, letting the boxers slide to the floor. He asked her coyly, "Do you like what you see Miss. Granger?"

Hermione stammered at a loss for words. Gulping, she tried to say the somewhat witty response she had come up with in return. It was something along the lines of 'It's nothing too impressive' and 'Nothing I haven't seen before.' Instead, the only reply that came out of her mouth was a firm 'Yes.' The young girl became impossibly red before locking herself in the loo.

Fred grin widely, his ego having been stroked, and then got dressed for the day. When Hermione finally came out, Fred was sitting on the bed waiting patiently. Hermione's face still had a dusting of pink along her cheekbones and he noticed that she couldn't quite look him the eyes. Fred stood and walked so he was standing in front of her. He used his fingers to lift her chin up so she was looking at him. "Nothing to be embarrassed about 'Mione."

She gaped at this. "I'm not embarrassed," She said unconvincingly, "I'm just hot."

Fred smiled and kissed her lips. When he pulled back, he saw that her cheek was rosier than they were a second ago. "I know you are love." She rolled her eyes and he let a chuckle escape. "Tell you what," He began again, dropping her chin, "If you really feel bad about seeing me earlier, then later today you can allow me to walk in on you." With a flirtatious wink, Fred turned on his heel and began walking to the door. "You coming?" He threw over her shoulder.

"Frederick Gideon Weasley, you get back here this instant. We are not finished with this." Fred just laughed and went out into the hallway.

They made their way down to the rented car, playfully bickering the whole way. When they were inside the vehicle, Fred turned to Hermione, "Where do you want to start?"

"Harry gave me their address, so I guess we can start by going there?"

Fred nodded, "Sounds good."

Hermione backed out of the parking spot and began driving to their destination – her parents' home.

When they pulled onto the street thirty minutes later, and located the quaint home her parents lived in, she turned off the car and didn't move. Instead she quietly stared at the house until Fred spoke, "Do you want to go and knock on the door?"

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I wiped away their memories of me and sent them off to live new lives. They're probably happy here and if I do this, then I'm just uprooting them again. Do you think it's right or even fair of me to do this?" She looked at Fred and he noticed the unshed tears that coated her eyes.

"Yes, you're doing the right thing Hermione. They deserve to know the truth about who they are, who you are, and what has happened." She nodded shakily and returned her gaze to the house, still not moving from her place in the car. Fred sighed "Ultimately the choice is yours, but I think that you should."

Hermione nodded again and blinked the tears away. "You're right." She said and took a couple of calming breaths. "Do I look alright?"

Fred tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "Beautiful as always."

She gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "Thanks." Hermione cleared her throat before continuing, "I'll come and get you when they are ready to meet you. I'll leave the keys in the car in case you get too hot."

"I am a wizard you know and can cast a cooling charm if needed."

Hermione forced a nervous laugh out, "Well just in case." She handed him the keys and with one last kiss to his cheek, she got out and walked to the house. Fred watched as her go until she was inside. He knew she was nervous of what their reaction would be, but he also knew that she had to do this. The only thing he could do for her now is to send good vibes her way and patiently wait for her return.