A/N: Second last chapter!
Hermione felt refreshed upon her awakening that morning. She stretched her arms out above her head and yawned, blinking her eyes slowly. Fred was still by her side, with one arm tucked beneath his pillow. He was staring at her.
"Good morning," he whispered. Hermione smiled.
"Morning."
"How's your head?"
Hermione was aware of the dull thumping beside her brain, but shrugged it off. "It's better now that I'm reassured," she said instead. Fred looked at her curiously.
"Reassured?" he questioned. Hermione blushed.
"That you do feel something for me and aren't just pretending," Hermione mumbled, settling into the pillow. Fred chuckled.
"If I knew you doubted it, I would have said it sooner," he promised. He placed a finger underneath her chin, forcing Hermione to look at him – she put up no resistance, as if she expected him to do so, making Fred smile at the familiarity between the two. "I wanted it to be special, that's all."
"I consider it to be a special declaration on its own," Hermione said thoughtfully.
"Then you should have said something first," Fred teased, tapping her nose with his own. Hermione giggled and pushed back the blankets.
"It's the man's place to make the first move, my mother always said."
"You're mother sounds like a tough woman."
"She was indeed."
February
"Fred, honestly, I don't think we even need a house yet. The flat is perfectly fine for us, and since George is moving out we can change his bedroom into a nursery if we need to."
"I suppose we do have three years until we have to have a baby," Fred mused. He placed the catalogue down. "I really think we need to finish our wedding plans."
"They are finished," Hermione said promptly. "We finished the touches yesterday. I just need to find my dress."
"And I need to get a suit," Fred added.
"George apparently has it covered," Hermione said with a roll of her eyes. Fred laughed.
"Not bloody likely."
March
"Are you seriously having your wedding the day after mine, mate?"
"Well, yeah! I mean, you're the older twin, so of course you have to go first, and then I get to steal your thunder!"
"Don't be so sure, I think you're just afraid to be shown up in wedding plans."
"Unlikely, dear brother of mine. I have the best plans of all."
"George, I have Hermione on my side. You've already lost."
"We'll see."
April
"What do you mean, Harry's in hospital?"
"He got hit by a curse on duty, he's covered in boils and bruises and has just woken up!"
"Ronald!"
"I'm sorry, Hermione! Geez! Next time, I'll tell you straight away!"
"That's right, you lunatic!"
"April fools, Hermione!"
"HARRY POTTER!"
"Where have the months gone?" Hermione asked Fred, sinking back into the couch at the Burrow.
"I have no idea," Fred replied. "One minute it's January, and now we're getting married tomorrow!"
"And George is the day after," Hermione reminded him dryly, making Fred smile.
"Angie's getting big now, she's five months along," he said. Hermione sighed.
"I bet time hasn't flown for her," she joked. She looked over to George and Angelina, who were sitting at the kitchen table talking to Mrs Weasley. George noticed them looking in their direction and looked relieved, standing up to leave the kitchen in a hurry. He joined them on the couch.
"Did you know that there a different ways to fold napkins for cutlery?" George huffed. Fred and Hermione laughed.
"Yes," they said together. George slunk into the cushions.
"There are a lot of final touches to make," he grumbled. "I'm glad Angie's helping out now, I don't think I could have done this on my own."
"How is Angelina?" Hermione asked. "Excited for the baby?"
"Yeah. She thinks it'll be a boy, but I'm certain it'll be a girl," George said confidently. He gave Fred a very grave look and added apologetically, "She said no to 'Frederina'."
Hermione coughed to hide her giggles. Fred maintained his look of aloofness. "She would have made a good ballerina," he said seriously. George nodded in agreement.
Suddenly, a loud knock on the door interrupted the pleasant atmosphere of the house. Mr Weasley stood abruptly and, after taking out his wand, went to open the door. Fred took Hermione's hand in his own as they waited. They could only make out murmurs and tones at this point, but it seemed to be a man on the other side of the door.
Soon enough, Mr Weasley came back inside with Kingsley. A ball of anxiety immediately settled in Hermione's stomach and her hands began sweating. Fred rubbed his thumb along her hand gently.
"I've done it," Kingsley declared. "I've overthrown the marriage decree."
The engulfing silence was obviously not what he expected to hear, for he looked bemused at everyone's reactions. "Are you not happy?" he asked.
"Oh, of course we're happy," Mrs Weasley said quickly. "Yes, of course we are. It's just that, well, Ron's already gotten married, and Fred and George are due this week… so it's just a little late, I suppose, isn't it? Of course we're happy you succeeded, Minister."
Kingsley was nodding his head thoughtfully. "Well, it's not too late to cancel your weddings if you're not happy with your partners, I suppose, but at least it's done and out of our hair."
The family broke off into small groups of conversation once more. Fred and Hermione looked at each other briefly, then avoided eye contact.
"If you want to –"
"I don't mind if –"
"We can cancel –"
"You should probably –"
George looked wildly between the two before finally slapping both of his hands over both of their mouths. "Shut up," he said firmly. "One at a time."
Hermione pushed George's hand away. She took a deep breath to steady herself, then blundered forward. "If you want to cancel, that's fine."
"I don't mind if you want to go through with it," Fred said.
Hermione briefly pondered the idea that they had both said the exact same thing, and yet entirely different things, at the same time.
George rolled his eyes and left the two on the couch alone. Fred took Hermione's hand in his own once more, for she had pulled away upon hearing the news.
"I love you, marriage decree or not," Fred said firmly. "But if you're not ready to get married yet, then we can postpone it."
"I love you too," Hermione assured him. "But it seems like a bit of a waste to postpone it, doesn't it? I mean, everything's ready, and I'm ready, and…"
"Me too," Fred smiled.
"And we've put so much effort into it, it seems like a waste to cancel or postpone," Hermione blathered, not having heard Fred. He shushed her.
"Hermione Granger," he said, getting her full attention. "I want to marry you, and I want to marry you tomorrow."
Hermione smiled widely. "I want to marry you tomorrow too."
A/N: Next chapter is the last chapter and... well... You'll see.