He didn't leave her side for the next three days. After he had been cleared by the healer and reunited with his family, they showed him to Hermione's room. He faltered at the site of her, almost thinking they had brought them to the wrong room. She seemed so small and vulnerable laying on the hospital bed, nothing like the strong, vibrant woman he knew. Her skin was still pale but better than it had been when he had seen her on the floor of that awful place. There were dark circles under her eyes and she felt colder than usual under his touch.
The other healers assured him that this was a normal response for her body to have after what it had been through. He didn't even want to think about what had happened to her, how badly they must have hurt her. So he stayed with her, never leaving her side. He remembered how she told him after they first started dating that she didn't have nightmares when he was around. As far as he knew, she hadn't had a nightmare in almost a year. So he stayed to ward off the fear that she was so vulnerable to now.
The other family members visited periodically over the next few days, making sure that there was no change with Hermione and to see if Fred was all right. He tried to act like his usual self around them, but he felt like a piece of him was asleep with Hermione, unable to make his usual jokes. It was mindless, the waiting, but there was nowhere else he would rather be.
The first thing she noticed were the cool scent of lilacs that immediately brought her back to her childhood bedroom with the sweet smelling flowers below her window. She also smelled cinnamon. As she went to roll over in her bed she found it much firmer than the one she remembered. She was also sore, her entire body ached like she had just been running all day.
As she opened her eyes, she slowly became aware that she was not in fact in her own purple walled bedroom at home. Blinking a few time her eyes adjusted to the low light in the room and she started to come to her senses. She was obviously at St. Mungos, in a room similar to many others she had treated patients in countless times before. Had she fallen asleep on rounds? Why was she in this bed? A quick glance down showed that she was wearing the soft pajamas they usually reserved for patients.
She tried to sleepily shift up in the bed but found that she didn't have the strength to do so. Collapsing back to the bed she turned her head to the side and saw the light purple flowers sitting in a vase on the bedside table. The cheery sight made her smile slightly but then she jumped as she heard a soft snore from her other side. She turned her head quickly and saw a head of red hair resting on the bed beside her. Her heart rammed into her chest as recent events flooded back to her. Shakily she reached out to touch the man lying beside her, hoping that he was real and not one of the nightmares she had gone through.
She felt so weak as she let her hand fall over Fred's hair next to her. At her touch he woke from his light sleep and lifted his head suddenly, bleary eyes looked back at her. They quickly cleared seeing that she was awake and he spoke with a soft voice, "Hermione?"
"Hi." She said softly. Her throat felt raw after her screaming and lack of use.
That was all it took as he launched himself at her, gathering her in his arms as he held on like a lifeline. She gasped at the sudden attack and tried to make her arms work to hug him back. They clung to each other, each remembering the fear they had shared; neither thinking they would ever see each other again. When Fred released her she saw that he had been crying and she reached up to touch his cheek wiping at the wetness she found there. He turned his face into her hand and closed his eyes.
After a few seconds he laughed softly and looked down at her. "Hi, love." He shook his head and bent down to kiss her, his lips salty against her own.
When they parted Hermione fell back onto her pillow, still feeling drained of all energy. Fred noticed right away and stood up, "Should I get a healer?" He asked somewhat fearfully. She was still pale in her coloring and seemed so weak as she closed her eyes and took deep breathes. He was familiar with every healer who worked in the building at this point after they had all been by to check on their colleague.
He started to head to the door but Hermione shook her head and patted the bed next to her. Torn between wanting to find a professional and trusting her, he begrudgingly went to her and laid down on the open space. They both laid on their sides to face each other, he wrapped his arms around her as she tucked herself against him. After everything they had gone through she felt small and vulnerable in his arms, but the spark of her was glowing brightly now that she was awake.
After a few moments she sighed and opened her eyes to look at him, "What happened?"
He paused before answering, "What do you last remember?" He thought of Ron and Cho after their attack and how they didn't remember anything. While he wouldn't keep anything from her, he would only tell her things if she asked.
She thought for a second and he saw something flit across her eyes that told him exactly what she remembered. He clenched his jaw at the anger he felt at what she had gone through and he gripped her tighter. "We got out." He said simply.
Her brows furrowed, "Yes, but how?" They were supposed to have died that night; no one knew where they were, and no one was coming for them. She had all but given up when they brought her back to that room.
He smiled slightly, "Ron." He could see the confusion in her eyes so launched into his retelling of their rescue. How as soon as George noticed they were missing, he and the rest of the family had gathered, as well as several ministry members. It was actually Harry who had thought of the idea that had saved them. They had made their way to France within hours to find and collect Ron, knowing that as soon as he heard what had happened to his best friend and brother, he would come out of hiding to help.
It was almost a combination of hypnotism and the pensieve that saved their lives. In the year and a half that Ron had been gone he had started to remember certain things about his attack, the cave where they were kept, and the room where they were tortured. He never thought that those details would mean anything to them before Harry showed up.
They had worked together to force Ron to remember what had happened to him, which was something he was more than happy to do if it meant saving Hermione and Fred's lives. When the details were clear they had been able to follow Ron through apparation to where they found Fred, and then Hermione.
Hermione watched Fred's face as he recounted the story, each detail sounding like something out of a dream as all she remembered was the overwhelming pain and fear. When he finished talking they sat in silence for a few seconds, letting the details sink in.
"Your leg?" She said suddenly, pulling back and looking down. When she had left him the limb was still broken but he had obviously just been standing on it. She knew the kind of damage that could happen with a wound like that going untreated. And to be honest, she wasn't exactly sure how much time had passed since they were first taken.
Fred chuckled, "It's fine. Seems you taught George pretty well."
She sighed in relief and then smiled slightly, thinking back to the day George had broken three of his fingers and then had to make a visit with her at the hospital. He had begged her to just teach him the spells so he didn't have to keep coming by and she gladly complied, having been his third visit that month.
And then the subject that she had been pushing deep behind everything else surfaced. She was terrified to ask the question, knowing everything that her body had gone through.
Her voice was shaky and quiet as she spoke again, and she pushed down every emotion she had, wanting only the truth. "Fred, what about..?" She couldn't even bring herself to finish the question.
Fred saw her hesitation and grinned happily, knowing exactly what she was asking about. He nodding as he bent down to kiss her again. "Perfectly healthy and safe. Just like its parents."
She nodded and then broke down, letting the relief of his words wash over her. The tears that had been threatening to form now spilled freely over her cheeks as she sobbed against his chest. They hadn't even gotten the chance to celebrate this new life together and now, after everything that had happened, they finally could. They could make plans and come up with names and paint nurseries; things that had only been in her imagination until now.
She pulled back and laughed shakily, knowing she must look a sight, "We're going to have a baby."
He slowly grinned back at her and kissed her forehead. "Well technically, you're going to have a baby. But I'll be there for moral support and the snacks."
They held each other and laughed and cried until they both fell asleep in exhaustion. And this was how the rest of the family found them, wrapped in each other's arms on the small bed. When they finally woke again and Hermione was properly mobbed by the family, there was one person she sought out above the rest. When Ron got to her she clung to him, crying softly into his shoulder as the rest of the family watched them tearfully.
She was released from the hospital two days later after being thoroughly checked over by multiple different healers. The time spent confined to a bed was making her stir crazy now that her strength had returned. Fred had refused several times to break her out early, ignoring her protests that she herself was a healer and could perfectly well take care of herself.
"I don't care if I ever see this place again." She said as they finally made their way out of the building. The dirty look she flung back at the stone grey walls would have incinerated it.
Fred chucked as he walked beside her, "That'll be a little difficult seeing as how you work there. You could always come back to the shop, I'm sure George would appreciate having an in house healer."
"Honestly that is not your worst idea." She said to his surprise. Her work was everything to her and he knew that she would never give it up.
As they reached the apparation spot he took her hand and turned on the spot, bringing them to land in their familiar apartment. Hermione looked around and sighed when they arrived, feeling safe at last. And also feeling incredibly nauseous. Fred startled as she suddenly sprinted past him to the bathroom to be sick. He followed her quickly in concern and gathered her hair back as she leaned over the toilet.
"Only your kid would give me this much trouble." She finally said after he sat down on the bathroom floor with her and leaned against the wall. He handed her the glass of water he had grabbed on his way down.
"They're just learning early what fun it is to annoy you." Fred said as he ran his hand up and down her leg. "How about dinner?" He asked and then flinched under the piercing gaze she gave him.
The ended up curled up on the couch together, watching the television while they munched on the colorful cereal that was stocked in the cupboard. Fred had almost brought her back to the hospital when she had requested that particular kind, figuring they gave him back the wrong person. When she finally fell asleep against him he carried her back to their bedroom, struggling to find sleep himself.
While it was a relief being back at home, he couldn't stop replaying certain moments in his mind. She had been so sure she was going to die, and to be honest, so had he. When he was sitting along in that cave after she was taken he was sure he would never see her again. He rolled slightly and pulled her closer to him in the bed, nestling into her neck as she sighed in her sleep.
The next morning Fred work with a start and panicked as he found himself alone in the bed. Hermione's side was empty and he flung back the covers and all but ran out of the room. He breathed a sigh of relief when he made it to the kitchen and saw her sitting at the counter. Padding up behind her, he bent and kissed the top of her hair, which was messily braided down her back.
She smiled at him as he rounded the island to the icebox. "Sleep well?" She asked, knowing that he hadn't. He had been tossing and turning all night, waking her up with every movement.
He turned to look at her and smiled sleepily, "Like a baby."
She raised her eyebrows. "Well if the amount of times I got sick this morning says anything than I'm beginning to learn babies do not sleep well."
He crossed back to her and spun her on her stool so she was facing him. To her amusement he dropped to his knees in front of her and leaned in close to her stomach. The low tone of his voice was stern but filled with joy at the same time. "Now listen here kid. This is your dad speaking. Mum's had a bit of a rough time lately and we would both appreciate it if you take it easy for a bit. Got it? Good."
She laughed as he leaned forward and planted a kiss on her still flat abdomen. "You think it'll work?"
He grinned up at her, "Course. Kids love me."
They both jumped as a tapping sound came from the kitchen window. A large brown owl sat just outside and Fred stood to open the glass, not recognizing this particular bird. It held out its leg patiently while he untied the letter that was positioned there. After handing over several treats the bird hooted happily and flew off, disappearing into the daylight.
Fred frowned as he looked over the letter, addressed to both him and Hermione from the Ministry. She watched him carefully as he broke the seal and read over the parchment, his face becoming darker the further his eyes got.
"What is it?" She asked when her curiosity could no longer be contained.
He didn't even look up at her, finding it difficult to meet her eyes. "It's him." The anger in his voice surprised him, he had been trying to keep everything together since she woke up in the hospital.
Hermione knew immediately who 'him' was referring to. The Minister had stopped by while they were in the hospital to inform them that Dolohov and several of his followers had been captured and were awaiting trial at the ministry. Fred came to stand by her and handed her the letter, putting his hand on her shoulder as she read.
To Ms. Hermione Jean Granger and Mr. Frederick Gideon Weasley
Your presence is hereby requested to stand as witnesses in the trial against the accused, Antonin Dolohov.
This is a mandatory summoning, no excuses will be granted. Please arrive by 8 o'clock tomorrow morning at the Ministry of Magic, Department of Wizarding Law.
It was signed with a name that neither of them recognized. She sighed and set the letter down on the counter on top of the Prophet which she had been reading.
"You okay?" Fred asked from beside her.
She nodded and looked up at him, "Honestly yes. Or at least as okay as I can be. It may sound silly but I don't feel angry or scared about what happened." He furrowed his brows as she continued. "All I thought about when we were there was having a normal life with you. Raising this baby and being together. Even when I truly believed that I was going to die, that's all I could think about."
She stood and wrapped her arms around his neck, "We survived when we weren't supposed to. And there is no way that I am going to waste another second of my time with you being angry."
He nodded and rested his forehead against hers. "Besides," she said happily. "We've only got so much time before we end up as walking zombies like Ginny and Harry so we'd better enjoy it."
She smiled when she saw his lips quirk upwards. She knew that he had been putting on a front for her since the hospital and she would do anything to get him to open up to her. But not everything was that easy, and he needed his time as well. She stood on her toes to kiss him lightly before tugging him back to the bedroom with her.
Their touches were soft and slow, this was the first time being together since their attack. They revealed in each other's bodies as they moved together. Both of them took their time memorizing the lines and feel of their partner. Having been through a moment where you thought you were going to lose everything truly makes one appreciate the things they have. As they came together, Fred clung to her, feeling his own emotions so close to the surface he thought that he might break. But he couldn't; he needed to be there for her right now.
They woke early the next day and dressed in silence, each consumed by their own thoughts of what was going to happen today. When they arrived at the Ministry they were greeted by Harry, Ginny, Ron and, surprisingly Cho, who now had a sparkling sapphire ring on her left hand. Hermione noticed this right away and eagerly congratulated the couple as they revealed they had wed the summer after going into hiding. She smirked at Fred knowing that it meant she had won the bet but he only stuck his tongue out at her.
A short, pudgy wizard calling their names brought them out of their merriment as they remembered what they were really here for. The dark halls that they were led down were reminiscent of the ones that Hermione, Harry and Ron had run through when they were last at the Ministry together. They were shown a waiting room with several chairs in which they sat down in. They were to be called in individually, the pudgy man told them, to give their testimony against the defendant.
Harry went first as his was the easiest, having never been attacked directly by Dolohov but able to provide collaborating details. Then Ron and Cho went one after the other, Hermione could see how nervous they both were when they left the room. It must have been over an hour for their testimonies and Fred was beginning to feel some anxiety himself. Hermione had gotten up to pace twenty minutes ago and watching her go back and forth was making his head hurt.
"Sit down Granger. You're making me nervous." He said with a smile at her approaching figure.
She put her hands on her hips and looked around. "I just don't understand what is taking so long. All we have to do is tell our story and be done, that's how this was supposed to work." She came to sit on the chair next to him and he tugged on her legs, spinning her to face him. She huffed as he took her hands in his.
"We'll be okay." He said as his thumb ran over her knuckles, spinning her ring like he had taken to doing lately.
At that moment the door opened again and this time Kingsley stepped out to their surprise. Hermione was on her feet in an instant and stepped over to the tall man.
"What's going on?" She asked as Fred came up behind her.
The look on the older wizard's face was concerning as his brows were furrowed while he surveyed the two of them. "There has been a development," he started. "Dolohov says that he is willing to give up names and locations of his followers. He only asks for one thing in return."
Fred shook his head, "No. You cannot let him go free Kingsley. He tried to kill us."
Kingsley shook his head and looked sternly at Fred. "His request wasn't his freedom. It was you." At this he turned his gaze to Hermione who looked startled. "He wants ten minutes alone with you. He says that he has things he wishes to discuss with you, Hermione. Obviously he will be restrained during this time and if you agree to it, you are guaranteed to be perfectly safe."
This was surprising to everyone in the room when Dolohov had made his announcement. They had expected him to ask for outlandish things given his demeanor, but his request seemed simple enough to grant. They only needed the agreement of the requested witch.
"No." Fred said from beside her. "That is not going to happen."
"Fred." Hermione said turning towards him.
"No, Hermione. He tortured you. His plan was to kill you and he would have gladly done so. You can't be alone with him."
"But nothing could happen. Kingsley said that it would be safe. And a few minutes of my time for perhaps a guaranteed life without fear is quite worth it. They could end this whole group and we would be able be safe, to raise our child safely." Hermione's eyes were pleading as she looked at him.
He clenched and unclenched his jaw at her words. The thought of her being alone with that man made his blood boil. He honestly didn't care at the moment how many other people were out there, nothing seemed to be worth going through this again.
Hermione stepped closer to him and hugged him. "I'm going to do this." She said against his chest as he held her tightly.
Pulling back she looked at him for a second before turning and nodding to Kingsley. The Minister nodded before escorting her out of the room, leaving Fred to stare after them. As they walked down the hallway it gradually got darker, the shiny tile changing to a deep grey bricks. Hermione was vaguely reminded of the picture she had seen of Azkaban when they reached a large heavy door. Kingsley pushed it open to reveal a large room, empty except for a figure sitting in a chair at the middle. Her heart beat faster as she stepped around Kingsley.
The maniacal smile on the man's face as he saw her approach, made Hermione's blood run cold. His hands and feet were chained tightly to his chair and Hermione could see the slight shimmer of protection spells around him. She stopped just a few feet from him and waited for him to speak. He took his time looking her over, regarding her fondly like an old friend.
"Ah, Ms. Granger. You honor me with your presence." He said at last.
She kept silent, not giving him any satisfaction by replying. The longer she was able to stand there in silence, the shorter his requested time became. He never demanded that she HAD to speak to him, just that she had to be there. He clicked his tongue at her and tilted his head in disappointment.
"And how is your dear friend Ronald these days? He was quite the mess when we last saw him. I do hope he is recovering well." The gleam was back in his eye and Hermione knew he was trying to get a rise out of her.
"He's wonderful. You actually have him to thank for you being here." She kept her voice calm and cool. She could see Dolohov's eyes twitch.
"Yes well. That'll teach me to play with my food, next time."
She scoffed and took another step forward, tilting her head at him. "Haven't you heard? There won't be a next time for you. You are going away for the rest of your life."
He grinned at her, the same grin that had been on his face when he had tortured her. The time must be coming to an end. Hermione thought wishfully, her skin was beginning to crawl.
"Many things can change in that amount of time, my dear. We shall see what happens." A small bell rang at the end of his words and Hermione let out a breath of relief. She took one last look at the man who had been haunting them for years and then turned to leave. She had taken a few steps when Dolohov's voice rang out.
"Don't forget me Hermione Granger! Because I won't forget you. When you at last feel safe in your home with that little baby and its blood traitor father, that is when we will find you. I look forward to seeing your happiness just as much as I look forward to taking it away."
Her blood boiled at the mention of her family and she whipped around. The sneer that formed on Dolohov's face became larger as she strode towards him, through the protection shields and bent down so that her face was level with his. She could vaguely hear the alarms going off, indicating that someone had passed the shields but she focused on him.
"I will be happy. I will live a long, wonderful life with my family. But you will never be anything more than what you are right now, a prisoner who couldn't help his master defeat a bunch of teenagers. And then didn't even have the guts to kill me when you had the chance. I will be happy and I hope you think about that every day that you sit in your cell in Azkaban."
The sneer on his face turned into a snarl and she stood to leave. "You enjoy your time with that little baby Granger, for it won't last long." He all but shouted at her.
At the second mention of her child she clenched her jaw together and punched him in the face. Her hand stung at the contact but she barely noticed as satisfaction filled her seeing blood start to trickle from Dolohov's lip. He looked stunned at her actions and gaped up at her with wide eyes.
She gripped his aching jaw in her hands forcing him to meet her eyes, "You already know the lengths I will go to protect those that I love. If you ever threaten me or my family again, I will kill you. Maybe when YOU least expect it. Just when you think you're safe."
Two Aurors had entered the room at this point and pulled Hermione back from Dolohov. She yanked her arms out of the grasps and gave them a cool look before leading herself from the room. Kingsley nodded at her as she came out and they made her way back through the winding hallways with the alarm still blaring overhead.
Fred was all but in a panic since he had heard the wards activated somewhere in the building. His mind was spinning with the worst ideas when Hermione and Kingsley entered the room. It had only been fifteen minutes since they had left but it felt like eternity. He stood quickly and Hermione bee lined towards him, wrapping her arms about his waist and gripped him tightly. He could feel that she was trembling slightly and he looked over her head at Kingsley who was watching them.
Fred pulled back from Hermione and cupped her face in his hands. Her eyes were clear but there was a trace of fear and anger there that made his heart clench. "All you alright?" He asked.
She nodded, "I'm perfectly fine."
Kingsley snorted behind him and said his favorite muggle phrase, "You should see the other guy."
Hermione's lips quirked upwards and she let her head drop with a small laugh. Fred looked between the two with confusion. "I may have overreacted." Hermione said as she began to examine her right hand, already seeing the bruising form.
"Did you?" He asked as he watched her heal her hand that looked suspiciously like his did after many fights with his brothers.
She looked up at him, "He threatened us." She said with a shrug.
He laughed slightly and wrapped his arms about her again. She was definitely a firecracker, his firecracker.
Hermione turned in his arms to look at Kingsley, "Can we go?"
He nodded, knowing that they had everything they needed to finish the trial against Dolohov. She and Fred made their way back to the front entrance of the Ministry and saw the rest of the group waiting for them. Hermione paused suddenly in her step and grabbed Fred's hand making him turn to her in question.
"Let's get married." She said suddenly, her large eyes looking up to him.
He chuckled, "We are getting married, love. Or did you forget my very extravagant proposal." He held up the left hand that he was holding.
She smiled and shook her head, "No, I mean today. Right now."
He raised his eyebrows at her and her grin widened. "Fred Weasley, you and I both know that it was never about the wedding for us. I want to marry you. And I could care less about the archway or the flowers, I just want you."
He smiled and slowly nodded back at her, considering the idea. "I think that's the best idea you've ever had." He laughed as Hermione launched herself at him to kiss him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the floor, causing quite a lot of stares from the workers bustling by them. They separated with a laugh and went to join the rest of the group who looked at them in question.
"We're getting married." Fred announced with a grin at Hermione.
The shocked looks on the rest of the group's faces quickly disappeared into smiles of delight and Ginny clapped her hands and squealed.
"Oh, wonderful! Right now at the Ministry? I'm sure they have some sort of clerk available." The red headed witch launched into a tangent that would make her mother proud.
Hermione shook her head as an idea struck her. "No, not here." She turned to Fred with a smile, "But I think I know the perfect place."