"Hermione! Ginny! We're going to be late!" Fred called from the bottom of the stairs at Grimwauld's Place. He looked over at Harry who merely shrugged at him.
"I've lived with Ginny for years mate. Leaving on time isn't even an option anymore." Harry said apologetically.
Fred shook his head and glanced at his watch. They were supposed to leave for Hogwarts in a few minutes and there had been no sighting of their female counterparts. Harry had gone earlier to drop off James with Bill and Fleur who volunteered to babysit for the night. Fred felt his stomach rumble as he had not eaten all day in anticipation of the Hogwarts feast they were about to indulge in. It had been the one thing he had been excited for with this whole shindig. Everything else just seemed to make him anxious.
"All right, all right. We're coming!" Came a voice from on top of the stairs. Ginny all but fell down the stairs in her rush to pull her shoes on as she descended. Harry grinned wildly at his wife as she came to the bottom with a little hop to catch her footing.
"Where's Hermione?" Fred asked his sister as she went to stand beside Harry who was now ogling her dress.
"Forgot something in her bag." Ginny said before movement caught her eye at the top of the stair.
Hermione came quickly down the stairs, holding her long skirt and beaded bag in one hand while the other was elbow deep, rummaging in the familiar bag. Fred caught site of her and his mouth all but dropped. The green dress she had bought last month clung to her waist and flowed over her hips and legs. Her long hair had been messily pulled into a fishtail braid, leaving curls free around her face and ears, and as she got closer, he saw that her eyes were darkened with black and dark green eye shadow. She smiled as she approached him, seeing his expression.
"Where've you been all my life Granger?" He said as he took in the full effect of her attire. His mouth felt slightly dry and he would have given anything to turn back up the stairs to a bedroom where he could appreciate her outfit more.
She seemed to have read his mind and smirked knowingly at him. She took her own appreciative evaluation of his own outfit and reached over to smooth the lapels of his jacket, "You don't look so bad yourself Weasley."
And he didn't. Seeing a Weasley dressed up was the quite the rare occurrence, unless it was Percy of course. It was even more strange to see Fred in something other than his usual T-shirt and jeans or shop clothes. To see him now in black formal dress robes with his hair and beard groomed would have made her weak at the knees if Ginny had not have cleared her throat.
"Well as soon as you two stop shagging each other with your eyes, we can go." The redhead said, looking amused at her brother and friend. They really did make quite a handsome couple, and the healer looked especially good in the dress she had picked out for her of course.
"Not like we're in a hurry Gin." Fred said, smiling brightly at his sister who glowered at him.
Professor McGonagall had sent out portkeys to the invited if they needed one. Harry who had been holding the old school cloak in his hands, held it out for the rest of them to grab hold. Hermione held her breath as she felt the world start to spin, squeezing her eyes closed until she felt solid ground beneath her feet. Her heart was pounding when she finally opened her eyes and looked around the familiar setting.
The sun was setting behind the expansive castle she had called home for a large portion of her life. They had landed on the other side of the same bridge she, Harry and Ron had stood on contemplating their lives on seven years ago. The stones were now repaired and lights illuminated the walkway up towards the castle.
Hermione tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before looking over at Fred. He was staring up at the school as she had been, but his face was surprisingly pale. She knew he had been feeling apprehensive about going the past few days but she thought that it would pass once they made it. He looked over at her gratefully as she took his hand and squeezed it. She gave him a reassuring smile and looped her arm through the one he offered.
They were greeted at the main entrance by a familiar, comforting site; Minerva McGonagall stood in front of them as she had on so many occasions when they were in school. She smiled at the approaching group after she finished greeting the most recent to arrive.
"Welcome back." She said as they got closer to her. "Potter, Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Weasley, or I suppose it's Potter now." She addressed each of them.
"Professor." Harry said fondly, stepping forward to hug her. The older witch looked surprised at this but then quickly changed as she hugged her former student back. Hermione watched the exchange happily, knowing how much McGonagall had stood up for them in their youth when the whole world seemed against them.
As Harry pulled back smiling, the headmistress turned her attention to Hermione. "I must say Ms. Granger that I was surprised to learn of your upcoming nuptials. If I hadn't known you better I would have accused this young man of slipping you a love potion."
Hermione grinned as Fred scoffed and stepped forward. "Now Minerva, you know you'll always be my one true love. We could have been happy together but you turned me down for the yule ball. I had to settle for someone."
Their professor shook her head slightly and tried to keep the small smile from forming on her lips. "Mr. Weasley, I have plenty to discuss with you about the products you equip our students with. However I am glad to see that you have done so well for yourselves."
Another group approached the entrance so the four-some continued into the castle, McGonagall patting Harry's shoulder as they passed. The courtyard was bustling with activity as fancily dressed witches and wizards scurried about greeting one another. The rubble that they had last seen the area in was now repaired and the archways stood strong. As the group walked through the crowd, more and more people became aware of their presence. A hushed whisper seemed to sweep across the area as people turned to look at them, soon they became aware of the stares and stopped.
Fred leaned down to whisper in Hermione's ear as a hush fell over the crowd, "I told you the beard would be too big of a shock." She elbowed him slightly, feeling uncomfortable with the sudden attention. She realized suddenly that they were standing in the exact spot that Harry had defeated Voldemort all those years ago. A quick glance at her friend told her that he was just as aware of that fact as she was.
A sudden onset of clapping startled them and Hermione saw near the back of the crowd the source of the cnoise. Neville Longbottom was walking forwards towards them, clapping as he went. Others in the crowd started nodding and clapping with him, some even cheering Harry's name. Hermione even heard her own name being called out along with Ron's. The conjoined applause was deafening and Hermione turned to Harry, feeling overwhelmed. He looked back at her with the same feelings, wishing they could be eleven again and relatively nameless walking towards their classes. She smiled and reached out to give his hand a squeeze. Harry nodded to the crowd and waved his hand until they quieted down.
"Thank you all." It was the only thing he could think to say. He was never anyone's hero and did not particularly enjoy the fame and attention that came with his past exploits. Unfortunately, when you defeat the darkest wizard alive, you develop a sort of reputation. The crowd died down and many turned back to their companions to talk about the boy-who-lived, while other's continued to stare in awe at the boy-who-lived.
Neville had reached them and pulled Hermione and Ginny into a hug. He shook Harry and Fred's hands next and stood beaming at the group.
"Neville. How're you?" Harry asked his old school mate.
"Never better. You?" He had changed so much since they last saw him. He was leaner and stood taller that Hermione remembered him. His features were more pronounced that they were when he was seventeen, taking away the boyishness to his features.
They all nodded and smiled in response. "I still can't believe you work here Neville. I mean I can, but still." Ginny said happily. It was no surprise when Neville was offered the Herbology Professorship when Professor Sprout retired; there truly was no one better to replace her. "And you're married right?"
Neville nodded pointing to a tall blonde witch standing near the edge of the courtyard, seemingly in animated discussion with Dean Thomas. "Hannah's starting at the prophet in a few days. She's really excited, though I think it'll be hard to leave Jordan at home." He said in reference to his three-year-old daughter.
"It's really great to see you all." He said turning back to them, "I've been hearing rumors about death eaters still being around. Makes everyone feel better seeing you lot out and not hiding away."
Harry glanced at Hermione, both of their thoughts turning to Ron in France, he had missed so much. They eventually parted ways with Neville in search of the rest of the family. Mrs. Weasley spotted them first and waved them over, exclaiming how wonderful they all looked as they reached her. She was dressed quite lovely herself in a dark blue long sleeved dress that complimented Mr. Weasley's dark grey suit. Percy, Audrey, George and Alicia were all present as well. Not long later the announcement for dinner was made and they made their way into the great hall. Instead of the four long tables there were smaller round tables scattered throughout the space while floating candles shone from above. They all looked around, thinking of their childhood days spent in this room.
As they sat down Hermione leaned over to whisper to Fred, "You okay?"
He looked back at her, smiled slightly and winked, "Course, just hungry."
A hush fell over the room at Professor McGonagall took her spot at the podium; one Dumbledore had stood at so many times in their youth.
"Welcome back." She began to address the crowd. "I am proud to welcome so many of you who helped to defeat the dark lord those seven years ago. We gather here tonight to remember and honor those who we lost. I also hope that you will join me in celebrating their lives and sacrifices, knowing that they gave everything so we could be here tonight."
Hermione's thoughts went to Tonks and Lupin and she glanced at Harry whose jaw was set tightly, thinking about his godson. They would be so proud to see the little man their son has grown into.
"Tonight we remember our lost ones, but also celebrate the way we as a greater community have come together to rebuild. Not just Hogwarts but the wizarding world as a whole. We are stronger than ever before, no matter what threats still exist. It is easy to feel overwhelmed in the wake of the events of the past few years." She paused and looked about the room, her eyes finally resting on their table, "But I ask that you not despair, and remember the words of Professor Dumbledore. 'Happiness can be found even in the darkest places, if one only remembers to turn on the light.' We are all lights in the darkness of the world. We only have to remember that."
Hermione felt Fred's hand grip hers underneath the table at the words. She appreciated the comfort as much as he did, thinking of the darkness that had continued to infiltrate their lives. At the end of McGonagall's speech applause erupted around the hall and Hermione could swear that the candles overhead burned brighter. As the head mistress sat down, food appeared on every table, reminiscent of how it had delighted them when they were students here.
Conversation flowed easily as they ate, most of it centered on the grandchildren as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gushed over their accomplishments. James apparently was now able to walk several steps on his own and babble excessively. George gave updates on his and Alicia's son, Darrick who had been born at the end of March. He was another copy of a Weasley and Alicia grumbled about not being adequately represented in her children.
As dinner came to an end, Professor McGonagall stood one again at the podium and asked that everyone stand. She flourished her wand dramatically and Hermione stepped backwards when their table zoomed across the floor to join the others in the corner of the hall, soft orbs of light floated over them and flower petals seemed to drift down from the lights. The warm light of the candles above them grew brighter as crystal chandeliers dropped from the ceiling. The head table shifted suddenly to leave behind a stage onto which several magicians appeared.
Hermione smiled as she was reminded of the scene from the Yule Ball. That night had been chaotic and filled with heart break over Ron's actions, but tonight she looked appreciatively at a different redhead, knowing that he would never make her feel that way.
Fred bowed slightly to Hermione as the music began to play and several other couples started dancing under the sparkling light.
"Care to dance?" He asked, grinning up at her with an offered hand.
She smiled back at him and took his hand, stepping closer. "If I have to."
He pulled her close to him and put his hand on her waist. They flowed easily into the slow waltz playing around them, falling into step with the other dancers.
"Well if I'd known you danced this well I'd have hunted you down for the Yule Ball." Hermione said happily after he spun her out and back in.
Fred grinned, remembering how she looked that night. "This is something that was unfortunately acquired after that fateful year. Figured I'd be able to woo more ladies with dancing then with joke telling. Who knew how wrong I would actually be." He grinned down at her.
They danced for a few more songs, eventually being claimed by Harry and Ginny as they swapped partners.
"Have you been back since that day?" Hermione asked Harry as they danced. She knew that he had talked about going back several times but had never actually followed up with him. He wasn't the most forthcoming with details from that last year together, wanting instead to look towards the future.
Harry shook his head as he looked over her shoulder, "No. I've wanted to, but it never seemed to be the right thing to do."
Hermione nodded her understanding at his words. She had felt the same way during these past seven years. It was easy to make up excuses about why she hadn't visited her old school, but the truth was simply that she didn't feel comfortable going back alone. Even when she tried to return to school after the battle, the halls and corridors of the school had haunted her. This evening had provided her the perfect opportunity to face her fears, just as she knew everyone else who was here was doing. They danced for a few more minutes before separating as the song ended. She hugged her friend as they stopped moving, grateful that he was there with her.
After a few minutes of searching she found Fred near the tables at the edge of the room; he was sitting watching the other dancers as she approached him. Taking the seat next to him she put her hand on his knee, "What are you thinking?" She asked quietly.
He looked over at her and gave her a soft smile. "Just how lucky I am, how lucky we are. The things that we went through that last year were unthinkable for just being teenagers. We almost died, I did almost die. Yet here we are; at a ball honoring people that are gone. But we could have been those people." He took her hand in his and squeezed. "We survived. We found each other. And I am so grateful every day that we survived, but I still feel guilty for some reason, like it was unfair that I was saved."
Hermione furrowed her brows at that last part. "You shouldn't feel guilty. No one asked for the things that we went through and it's not like your life was traded for anyone else's. You survived Fred, and I am sure bloody happy you did. I never knew how much I needed you in my life until you were right there in front of me. We survived, and we have each other. Everything else is just static."
He looked at her for a few second before leaning over quickly to kiss her. It was harder and deeper than she expected for a public space, but she did not push him away. His hand went to the side of her neck to steady her head as his lips moved against hers. She could barely hear the music around them, focusing only on him.
Fred pulled away just as quickly as he had kissed her, his eyes were dark with the same desire she felt. "Want to get out of here?" She said softly, her lips still tingling.
He grinned at her and nodded, pulled her to standing. They slipped out of the great hall doors and walked quickly passed several couples standing in the hallway outside. Hermione laughed once they were far enough from other people to be heard. "Where are we going?" She asked breathlessly as he tugged at her hand. She was having difficulty holding the skirt of her dress up and she could feel tendrils of her hair coming loose from the braid.
They had stopped moving at that point and Fred looked around the corridor they were standing in. "You know, I'm not sure. Doesn't really feel right to go to one of the places I used to hook up with girls in school."
She elbowed his ribs at this and he smirked down at her. An idea dawned on her and she took hold of his hand again, "I think I know just the place."
The school was seemingly empty with all the students having returned home for the summer. None of the party goers would be in these parts of the castle and Hermione grinned as they wound through the halls before approaching a familiar doorway.
"Really Granger? Quite scandalous." Fred said, gaping at her as he recognized their destination. He really shouldn't be surprised, he thought as they got closer.
She pushed open the doors to the familiar room and walked inside. The lamps on the tables were darkened and the only light in the room was the moon shining in through the tall windows. She walked forward down the middle hallway like she had done a thousand times before, running her fingers across the familiar shelves as she went. After a few feet she turned to see Fred staring at her. The humor was gone from his face and in its place was a darker but clear emotion. Her breath caught seeing him like this and knowing how much he needed her.
She beckoned him to follow her as she walked further into the library before turning down one of the book-lined aisles. The tables were clear except for small piles of books here and there and the air around them was completely silent. Fred caught up to her in a matter of seconds and ran his hand down her bare arm. She shivered slightly under his touch and stood on her toes to kiss him.
His arms wrapped around her waist immediately and he pulled her closer to him. As he brought his hand to her hip, he started to hike her dress further up her leg. Thankfully the flow of the material made his work easy and he soon felt bare skin under his fingers. She leaned back and gasped slightly as his hand moved closer to her center. He kissed her neck as his fingers danced over her, making her legs feel weak underneath her. Her head turned to meet his mouth and she pushed the jacket off his shoulder before working on the numerous buttons of his shirt.
When she finally accomplished her task, she pushed that shirt off of him, leaving his top half bare down to his waist. Pulling back, she grinned up at him, "I've always wanted to do this in here."
At those words he gripped her hips and lifted her up to sit on the table behind her. She felt the cool wood underneath her thighs and tried not to think of the poor students who would be studying here next here. She reached for his belt buckle the same time he reached further up her dress to pull her knickers down her legs. When they were both exposed he stepped closer between her legs and guided himself to her, groaning at the heat he found. She pulled his head down to hers as he started to move. He had one hand braced on the desk beside her as the other wrapped around her back to move her closer to him.
Their breath and the quiet shifting of her dress were the only noises in the quiet library as Fred moved hard against her. They were lost in their own world and pleasure when Hermione heard a creak of a door opening coming from the entrance. She opened her eyes immediately and gripped Fred's hip to stop his movements. He looked at her confused, apparently not having heard the noise.
"I heard something." She whispered, pushing him away to slide carefully off of the desk and let her dress fall back over her previously exposed legs. Fred looked around the emptiness surrounding them as he pulled his trousers back into place. Hermione was already walking slowly towards the end of the aisle before Fred could tell her to wait. He swore under his breath as he quickly followed her, pulling his shirt on and digging his want out of his pocket. Hermione was several paces in front of him and already held her want in front of her. She had reached the end of the shelves and peered quietly around the edge to look towards the entrance.
She pulled back quickly and backed up a few steps, almost bumping into Fred who placed a hand on her back to steady her.
"There's someone there." Hermione whispered to him with wide eyes. He made his way around her and also looked beyond the bookshelf. There was a tall dark figure walking slowly down the aisle towards where they were hiding. They were pausing periodically to stop and look down the aisles. Their movements seemed lazy, almost like they knew what they would eventually find. Not knowing who it was and thinking about the person outside their flat, Fred's adrenaline began to kick in and his heart started racing. He looked back to Hermione who was watching him intently.
He gestured with his head and they tread quietly back down the aisle to the end where the window was, knowing that it wouldn't take long before the figure appeared at the other end. Hermione would have given anything for Harry's invisibility cloak just now. They stood in silence for a few moments, trying to hear anything that would give away the other person's location. They froze as the sound of the front door being pushed open echoed through the hall.
"Hermione? Fred? Are you in here?" Came the familiar voice of Ginny. Hermione startled at the sound and looked worriedly up at Fred. The figure she saw was much too large to be Ginny so she must have just arrived. With that thought they both started quickly forward down the aisle as she didn't know there was someone else in here. Rounding the corner, they saw the other witch standing in the corridor, hand on her hips as she saw them emerge.
"Should have known this would be the place you'd come for a shag." Ginny said as she shook her head at the two.
Hermione quickly approached the other girl, taking her time to look down each aisle on her way to make sure it was empty. "Did you see them?" She asked once she reached her friend.
Ginny looked at her, confused by her question and the urgency to her voice. "See who? What's going on?"
Hermione looked back at Fred who had since joined them and was discretely buttoning up his shirt. "There was someone else here. Just before you came in. We saw them walking down the main corridor, like they were looking for something."
Ginny shook her head, looking around her in the darkened room. "No, it was just me when I got here. I didn't see anyone else."
"Are you sure you saw someone?" She asked, apprehensively looking around the couple towards the back of the library.
Both Hermione and Fred nodded. "They were right out here. I didn't even hear anyone apparate before you came in."
Hermione turned back towards the dark, empty room, "We need to check." She held out her wand in front of her, "Lumos." The tip of her wand shone and illuminated the area in front of them. She heard the other two follow suit as they began to walk down the aisles, pointing their wants down each row of shelving. When their search came up empty the three of them turned towards each other, feeling uneasy.
"We should probably get back." Ginny said to the agreement of the other two, the silence in the library was beginning to make them feel uneasy.
As they walked back down the corridor to the entrance, Fred paused at the aisle he and Hermione had been earlier. "Need to grab my jacket," He said as he headed towards the desk. As he stood up from picking the jacket as well as Hermione's knickers from the floor, he noticed something on the desk where Hermione had been sitting. The word was small but it was etched deeply into the wood, just as it had been on the floor of his shop. He gritted his teeth and looked back to where the others were waiting for him. He moved some books over the engraving and walked back to the other two.
"Everything okay?" Hermione asked him when he reached them.
He shrugged back into his jacket before plastering a fake smile across his lips, "Of course, love. How about we go back down to the party and forget about this for now. Tonight is supposed to be fun right? We can tell everyone what we saw tomorrow."
Hermione glanced over at Ginny who shrugged, "I think we should at least tell Professor McGonagall. They were in the school and she definitely needs to know about that."
They made their way back to the great hall to join the festivities finding that the music had gotten louder and more upbeat. Drinks had obviously started flowing as several people stumbled about the room when they entered. Apparently Hogwarts had gotten lax on their rules, or at least tonight they did. Harry saw them come back in and walked over.
"Where'd you find them?" He asked Ginny when he reached them.
"In the library."
"What were you guys doing in the lib…" His eyes widened slightly and he turned to Hermione, "Really? Of all the places?"
She narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head, this was obviously not the place to be discussing her and Fred's exploits. Especially not with knowing many of the odd places where he and Ginny had shagged.
"Don't even bother Harry. Ginny has told me things about your relationship that would make you blush." She said in her best scolding tone.
He put his hands up in surrender as Ginny grinned at him, unabashed. The two of them wandered back out the dancefloor, leaving Fred and Hermione standing by the doorway. She put her hand on Fred's arm and gestured back towards the hall where it was quieter. The found a seat on one of the archways surrounding the courtyard.
"We did see someone right?" She asked Fred,
A corner of his mouth lifted as he reached out for her hand, spinning the ring around her finger. "Yeah we did. At least if we're going crazy it'll be together."
She tried to smile back at him but something still just felt wrong. "I'm really starting to reconsider this going into hiding decision."
He chuckled and pulled her to him, kissing her temple. "I'm with you whatever you choose Granger."
She leaned against him and after a few seconds felt him shift. "And I believe these are yours." He said as he pulled her black lace undergarment out from his jacket pocket, grinning like a jackal as he did. She blushed, realizing what he was holding and snatched them from him, having completely forgotten about her discarded clothing in library. He laughed under his breath as he watched her quickly pull the lace up her legs before shifting her dress back into place.
"You're impossible." She said shaking her head at him, "Surprised you gave them back though, knowing that I would have been knicker-less the rest of the evening."
His smile fell as he thought about the missed opportunity. She patted his cheek like a child and stood up to return to the party. The would dance for several hours before they found Professor McGonagall to relay the events of the evening to her, tactfully leaving out the exact reason they were in the library in the first place. Fred also left out the word that was scorched into the desk, having decided that it wouldn't do any good to tell Hermione about it and worry her more. They were clearly hunting her and leaving calling cards when they were unsuccessful. He was going to provide whatever protection she needed, whenever she needed it.