"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."-Douglas Adams
He didn't say anything for a moment, he just stared at me with wide eyes. My heart was thumping painfully against my chest and I was having to fight not to hyperventilate. I couldn't believe that I had just told him I loved him. I didn't really think it could be avoided though, he needed to know I wasn't looking elsewhere.
"You love me?" He asked, his voice oddly choked. "Since when?"
I giggled nervously and lowered my eyes, keenly aware that this could potentially ruin our relationship. I had heard tales about boys dumping their girlfriends when they began to care too much. Fred wasn't like that, but it was still a little scary. "I've known since this morning. I've been suspecting it for a while though." I told him honestly, my eyes still on the ground.
He smiled softly at me and held me a little tighter, his hand sliding up my waist before moving to cup my cheek and stroke it with his thumb, causing me to look up. "I've fallen in love with you too, Mione."
A grin lifted my lips as I felt a swell of happiness and love fill me up at his words. He loved me, Fred Weasley loved me! He was grinning back at me and I couldn't hold myself back as I looked at him. I leaned forward, standing on my tiptoes, and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. We savored the first, sweet, kiss after our confession of love, but it quickly became more heated and passionate. I once again found myself pushed back against the wall, and I didn't mind it in the least this time. His hands traveled down my body, stopping at my waist again, clutching my tightly and tugging my hips closer to his. His other hand moved from the wall, gripping my curls tightly and pulling my face closer to his own.
It was incredible holding him like this, kissing him and knowing he loved me. It was also much more exciting because the consequences if we got caught were terrible.
"Godric!" I gasped as he left my lips and started to kiss my throat. I had never realized it could be so sensitive.
"Hermione?" Harry's voice called from outside my door. I froze, with Fred freezing on top of me with his lips still pressed to my neck. "We need to talk to you." Fred straightened up, still holding me close.
"Right this minute?" I asked, blushing as I realized just how bad I looked. My hair was mussed, my dress skewed and hanging off my shoulders, I was flushed from snogging and I was sure my lips were swollen.
"It's an emergency, Merlin's with me." He called out. Fred dropped his hands from me and stepped back. I straightened my dress quickly, pulling my hair back into a messy, quick braid while Fred waved his wand over his body, making it disappear under the disillusionment charm. I picked up my own wand from my bed and waved it over my body, making my flush fade and my lips return to their normal state. I took a breath and flashed a glance at where Fred was standing before stepping forward and opening the door.
Harry, Merlin, and George were standing in front of it, they rushed into the room the moment I opened the door and stopped in the middle of the room. I left the door open for Fred to sneak out of, so that he could make it look like he wasn't in here. George looked around the room wildly, his eyes panicked as he no doubt looked for his twin. His eyes caught mine and gave me a silent plea for knowledge I gave my head the slightest nod and glanced behind myself. A look of profound relief washed over his face and then Merlin stepped forward, stealing my attention away.
"I have grave news I'm afraid." He said softly, his normally bubbly voice quiet and measured.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Fred asked, stepping into the room with a grin. It promptly faded as he looked around and stepped next to George. "What'd I miss?"
"Nothing yet." George said quickly, turning towards Merlin.
"I've just been informed that Mordred has escaped." He said baldly, his bright eyes flashing with hate at the name of the wizard. My mouth dropped open and I felt a panic threaten to rise up within me. How had he escaped? What would he want with me? Why had he captured us all?
"How did he do it?" Harry asked quickly, his face filling with a determination that reminded me all too much of the war we had just gotten out of.
"He had an accomplice." Merlin said, turning towards Harry. "A woman, about twenty years of age with long black hair. That was the only things the men who were keeping guard could remember. That, and the fact that she was a marvelous spell caster."
"So we now have Mordred and his unknown ally to contend with." Harry stated, a frown creasing his face.
"Yes." Merlin said.
"So what do we need to do?" I asked, my voice only shaking a slight bit.
"Nothing at the moment, my dear child." Merlin said, turning towards me with a gentle smile. "I've increased security around your courters, and made Arthur aware of what is going on. He still doesn't know about your circumstances, but he shall help you if the need arises." I could see Fred tensing up behind Merlin and watched helplessly as George patted his back consolingly. "Also, you are now all known spellcasters, so you can feel free to protect yourselves as well."
"So act like normal?" Harry asked.
"Precisely. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some pressing matters to attend to." He nodded his head in respect and then left the room, shutting the door behind himself.
"Did one of you guys break a mirror?" George asked, turning towards Harry and me with a faint grin. I snorted at that, unable to completely hide the grin that insisted on lifting my lips.
"No, how about you?" Harry asked wryly, stepping towards the bed and sitting on it. I sat down across from him, with my back to the wall. Fred and George joined us, Fred sitting next to me and grasping my hand loosely in his own.
"It's Harry's fault." I said casually, fighting the smile that was trying to take over. Harry looked over at me with wide eyes.
"How so?" He asked indignantly.
"Well, you've always had the worse luck of us all. You're now tainting our own luck." I said in a self-important tone. He smiled at that, which is what I had been hoping for. Fred and George both laughed before cracking more jokes about Harry. He was laughing after a moment, we all were. It was amazing that they could do that. We had just found out that a wizard who seemed solely interested in harming us was once again free with an ally, and we were all laughing like there was no tomorrow. I found myself once again extremely grateful that it was these three I had been sent away with.
-o-O-o-
I woke up annoyingly early the next day to the sound of someone rapping on my bedroom door. I climbed out of bed, pulling a robe around my shoulders before stepping up to the door and cracking it open.
"Hello?" I asked as it opened. A tall women stood in front of me, I'd never seen her before.
"Hello, I'm to take you to your lesson's."
"My lessons?" I questioned with a frown. What lessons?
"Yes, I'll give you a moment to get dressed." She stepped back and I closed the door with a frown. What was I having lessons for?
Oh! I had completely forgotten about that I still had to have lessons on how to be a lady of the court. Joy. I did not want to sit in a room with a bunch of snobby ladies and telling me how to stitch and drink and talk and walk. It was going to be a long boring day. I went to my wardrobe and pulled out a dark green, velvet, dress similar to the one I had worn last night except the sleeves weren't flared. They were arm hugging and had a ribbon trim at the sleeve cuffs.
I let my hair down and took a deep breath, steeling myself to go through a day of lessons. I opened the door and stepped out, staring at the woman. She was frowning and looked like she didn't want to have anything to do with me. The feeling was fairly mutual.
"Follow me." I nodded my head and walked behind her. She took us down corridors I had never been in, and I was fighting to remember the way. I didn't want to have to ask for directions back.
We finally reached a tall door which she opened, leading me into a large room with chairs and lots of women, all of which were ladies of the court, at least judging by their clothing. They looked up when I came in the room and a tall, blonde woman stood, stepping towards me with a disarming smile.
"Lady Hermione, I am so glad you could join us. I am Lady Julia, though you may call me Julia."
I curtsied and inclined my head respectfully. "Thank you, please call me Hermione."
"I can already see that we are going to have a grand time."
She was very, very wrong.
Five hours later it was noon, and I was starving. Apparently women of the court did not eat breakfast. We were allowed lunch, but we had to go find it ourselves. I didn't want to eat with the other women, who had offered to take me to lunch, but I wanted to eat with Fred. I knew him, George, and Harry were with the other knights, but I had no idea where that would be. I left the lesson room hastily, knowing I only had an hour to find Fred, eat, and talk.
I left the castle, deciding that would be the best place to look. All I needed to do was find one night to lead me to Fred, it shouldn't be too hard. After only a few moments of searching I found Sir Ector making his rounds outside the castle. I asked him where I could find the knights and he sent me to a section of the castle I hadn't been too. I ran as quickly as I could, and I reached it having only used up fifteen of my sixty minutes.
I looked around the room quickly, scanning the crowd for the person I wanted to see. My eyes found him at the far corner of the room, beside his twin. A grin lifted my lips at the sight of him and I almost ran forward. I stopped myself before I could and chose a different method to gain his attention. I pointed my wand at him and used the spell he had shown me while we rode. A moment later our minds were connected.
Fred? I thought. His head jerked up and he scanned the room, his eyes falling on me as a huge smile lifted his lips.
Hermione!
Meet me outside at this location, I'm bringing us a quick lunch. I sent him a quick mental image of where I wanted to meet and he nodded his head.
I'll be there, love.
I grinned at that and backed out of the room before running to the location I had sent him too. A quick summons and I was ready with food a few moments later. I sat down and arranged myself so that I looked pretty, not like I had been running around all day.
I didn't have to wait for him long. I was staring at the trees surrounding the little clearing I had found when I felt someone cover my eyes with their hands. I froze for a moment before I caught the scent of Fred. A grin lifted my lips and I reached up, grabbing the hands before he could say anything and pulling him towards me. He let out a laugh and moved around so that he was standing in front of me. I was still holding his hands so I gave them a tug, pulling him down beside me.
