A warning for mentions of blood in this chapter. It's nothing graphic, also this chapter takes place at the beginning of Deathly Hallows so warnings for mentions of things that happen in that section of the book. Again nothing graphic but if you need to be cautious.

Also I changed the order that things happen the night they bring Harry to the Burrow, I know it happens differently in the book but this is my story so I switch things lol.

Also, also, I read a comment on the last chapter on AO3 that this story is tagged with Major Character death. I had always intended this story to go in one direction, but as that comment said, with the state of the world at the moment I could use something a little happier. But for now the tag remains, you will all have to wait and see what happens instead.#


Last, I go back to work on Sunday (yay I work in a supermarket and my two weeks are up) so things might update slower. Thanks for all the comments, follows, favourites and just reading, it means the world to me.

The aftermath of Hermione's sixth year were the darkest times Hermione had face so far. She could deal with her safe place being breached and the world crumbling as Voldermort continued to gain power. But losing Dumbledore felt like the any sense of safety had been pulled like a rug from under her feet. And she knew she wasn't the only one who felt that way. Hogwarts wasn't home anymore and that was what hurt the most.

Going home after the year didn't help. Hermione felt disconnected from the world. She had to face saying goodbye to her parents, she had to keep them safe. It had been a difficult decision, one she hadn't taken lightly, or even told Fred about.

The Muggle world hadn't felt like her own in a long time, but that didn't change the love she shared for her parents.

The fear kept her moving. The fear of being a muggleborn in an increasingly less tolerant society. And the fear of being associated with the Harry Potter, kept her on a path away from her defenceless family and towards the order. Leaving would keep them safe. Leaving meant she could fight until she could return.

She was grateful that when she got to the Burrow Fred was waiting with open arms. They spent the rest of the day curled up together, whispering about their fears and sharing love filled kisses.


"We've been over this countless times Weasley. You're both going to be decoys and that's final." Mad eye moody huffed as he limped away from Fred muttering to himself about whiny wizards thinking with the wands in their jeans. Fred rolled his eyes but didn't bring up the matter again. He sat heavily next to George who had been watching the interaction.

"Told you that wouldn't work." George muttered turning back to the book in his hands. "But I also told you that the first time you tried."

"It was worth a shot." Fred shrugged. He had been trying to convince anyone with any kind of authority to switch Fred to be a protector so he could by Hermione's side. Not that he didn't trust her to protect herself. But watching her enter the room filled the pit of his stomach with dread. He couldn't lose her.

They had both promised to help and were willing to put their lives on the line. But Fred felt twitchy at the thought of not being nearby if anything were to happen.

Lately Fred found himself feeling like he didn't have much time left with Hermione. That every moment they spent together held too much weight to waste. She had never said the words but he could tell she was planning to do whatever if took to win the fight.

"You shouldn't have bothered, Fred." Hermione said as she levitated enough mugs of tea for three. "We both agreed when we were presented with the idea. You might not have noticed, I'm fairly proficient with a wand you know."

"I know, that doesn't stop me from worrying." Fred said with a small smile.

"Me too." Hermione said, squeezing Fred's knee and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Do you two mind? Some of us are trying to enjoy a nice cup of tea without watching all this couple stuff." George said in a teasing tone.

"Don't listen to him Hermione, he's just jealous because he hasn't heard from Angelina today." Fred said joking around with his twin. Hermione rolled her eyes. But she didn't stop either of the twins from their joking back and forth. It was nice to enjoy a few light moments while she could.

Hermione spent more nights in the apartment above the shop than she did at the Burrow. Both Fred and Hermione felt the weight of their fear throughout the day, and being able to spend nights in one another's arms meant they slept just a little easier.


The night came to bring Harry back to the Burrow. The plan had been drilled into their heads countless times, they could recite it step by step in their sleep. But Hermione still felt like she was vibrating from a mixture of nerves and anticipation when she entered the empty house on Privet Drive.

They stood in a circle changing into matching clothes and putting on glasses. Hermione lost track of who was who when everyone had removed their own clothes and belongings. She wanted to at least say something to Fred before they paired off and left.

"Hey," a hand touched her shoulder, she turned to see Harry's face looking back at her. "It's me, Fred." Hermione laced her hand with his, not comfortable on going any further when it was Harry looking back at her.

"Everything is going to be fine." Hermione whispered, the voice she spoke with not her own.

"I know, just whatever happens, I love you." Fred whispered in her ear.

"I love you too." Before either could say another word Mad Eye Moody was calling out instructions.

The night was more chaotic than anyone had prepared for. It was clear from the start that their plans had been leaked. Hermione was certain that without Kinglseys quick thinking she might not haven gotten back to the Burrow in one piece. She had suffered a graze to her leg from an off centre spell sent somewhere from her right. But that was nothing a couple of seconds with Molly Weasley couldn't fix.

"Are we the first?" Hermione asked as she was guided to the back door of the Burrow and into Ginny and Molly's waiting arms.

"Yes dear." Molly said sharing a sympathetic smile and rushing to get a hot cup of tea in her shaking hands.

She could feel the last of the polyjuice potion wearing off, hair shooting from her head making her itch all over. Harry arrived next, looking exhausted. They hugged for a long moment before Hermione turned away so he could have a private moment with Ginny.

They huddled together, watching the end of the garden, or the sky, holding hands and holding their breath. Worst case scenarios flashed through all their minds as they shared the silence and waited.

Two by two they arrived in different states of disrepair. But no one seriously injured. Until Bill arrived with the news that Mad Eye Moody had been killed, leaving everyone tense. If Hermione had to name anyone she thought would make it through it would be Mad Eye.

Time didn't move fast enough for Hermione, she was still waiting with Molly while everyone else crowded inside talking to Harry about what had happened. Time stopped when they spotted a head of red hair being half carried from the broom to the house. She held her breath as one of the twins was tended to, his left ear mangled and half of his face covered in blood.

Hermione followed everyone inside, panic clouding her judgement. She hadn't noticed it was Lupin helping George to the sofa until he was demanding answers from Harry himself. Hermione noted it must have been George. Molly and Kingsley went about trying to stop the bleeding and heal his ear. No one seemed optimistic, dark magic had caused the injury, dark magic that no one knew how to overcome.

"Still no sign." Ginny said from the door once Hermione returned back outside to wait. "How is he?"

"They've stopped the bleeding." Hermione said taking a seat next to Ginny on the stoop. "It's not looking good for his ear though, Lupin says dark magic isn't always treatable."

Neither of them said much else until two people walked towards them from the end of the garden. Hermione shot up the moment she saw them leaving Ginny to tell the others. She held her breath as she walked towards them. When she was close enough to see that Fred had his arm around his father, she finally breathed and let relief wash over her.

"Hermione," Fred sighed before running forward and crushing her in his arms, burying his nose in her hair. Tears pooled in Hermione's eyes as she pressed her face into his chest and wound her arms around his neck to pull him even closer.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her hands trailing down his arms, checking for any signs of injury.

"Yeah, fine, it was rough, but we both made it out okay. What about you?" Fred asked, cradling Hermione's face in his hands.

"I'm good." Hermione said turning her face to kiss his palm. She knew she would have to tell him his twin wasn't as lucky.

"What about everyone else? Harry? George? Bill? Ron?" Fred asked taking Hermione's hand and leading them inside.

"George he's…" Hermione couldn't find the words.

"He's what?" Fred asked, his face going pale.

Fred rushed to his twins side wincing at the dried blood matting his hair.

"Georgie?" Fred's voice was hardly more than a whisper as he knelt down next to George unsure if touching him would help or hurt. "How you feeling?"

"Saint like." George said, his head dropping to the side with a dopey grin.

"Come again?" Fred shot a glance at his mum hoping she had an explanation, she only clutched a handkerchief to her mouth.

"Cause I'm holy Fred." George said still grinning and lifting a hand to his ear. "Get it?"

Fred rolled his eyes but some of the weight left his shoulders knowing that George seemed to be joking around like his usual self. Even if his jokes weren't up to his normal standard.

He didn't leave George's side that night, insisting on sleeping on the other sofa just in case.

Hermione was the first one awake the next morning and wondered downstairs hoping to get a little fresh air before the inevitable wedding preparations begun. The days she had spent at the burrow had already been filled with writing invitations, hemming dresses and typing ribbons around flowers.

Fred was already up and starting breakfast for George in the kitchen, his attention seemed to be drawn somewhere outside the window.

"Hey," Hermione said leaning in the doorway watching Fred absently butter toast.

"Hey yourself." Fred said, his relaxed demeanour returning. He held a hand out to her beckoning her over. "Not long until the wedding of the century has to conjured."

"It feels weird to me, wrong somehow." Hermione said, not wanting to meet his eyes. But she had been holding her opinions of the wedding inside, not wanting to offend anyone. She knew the one person who might judge her just a little less was Fred.

"I know, he's my big brother and I want him to be happy and have this day. But having this party while the rest of the world is falling apart feels gross. If it makes mum happy for even a second though, I'm all for it." Fred said finishing up with the breakfast he had been preparing for George. "Shall we see how saint like's doing?"

"This seems like a good time to point out, I'll be able to tell you apart from now on." Hermione said smiling as she followed Fred from the room.

"Hermione!" Fred fake gasped causing Hermione to giggle. "How can you be thinking such things when my poor twin, is lying there, missing a part of his head."

"Sorry, but every cloud has to have some kind of silver lining right?" Hermione asked scrunching up her nose in a way she knew Fred found adorable.

"Pulling dirty tricks out now, are we Granger." Fred murmured before kissing her nose quickly, and turning around to start the day.