Chapter 8 - The Fun Aunt
The following morning, Hermione woke abruptly, disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. A horrid noise filled her ears, an incessantly loud shrieking. The sound stopped suddenly and her brain finally registered that it had been an alarm. Realising now where she was, her stomach flipped wildly, but she wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or excitement.
With an apologetic smile in place, she rolled over and met Fred's gaze. "I'm so sorry. I didn't intend to fall asleep like that. I'll be going now so that you can get ready for work."
Without waiting for him to respond, she tossed the covers off and tried to sit up, but her attempt was futile; Fred's arms held her tightly in place. "Why are you trying to leave so quickly? There's absolutely no need to run off or apologise. Hermione, look at me."
Hesitantly, she turned to face him, waiting to listen to whatever he had to say. Seeing the genuine smile on his face helped her nerves some, but she still felt absolutely mortified. How had she allowed herself to fall asleep like that?
"How many times do you think I've found you sleeping on a sofa at The Burrow, or in the Gryffindor Common Room because you fell asleep reading?"
She shrugged and said quietly, "I'm not sure."
He chuckled. "Honestly, I'm not either, but it has to be in the hundreds by now. So, that means that I knew that there was a very good chance that you would fall asleep when I asked you to climb in here with me to read. If I minded, I wouldn't have done that. I would've insisted that we read on the sofa, or not asked you to read in the first place."
Winking at her cheekily, he continued, "I don't have long before I have to go down to help George open the shop, but I do have time to eat. Will you stay for breakfast?"
If she stayed, there was a chance that George would pop in and see her there, especially if Fred ran a bit late. Was she willing to take that chance? Fred would likely tell him anyway, she reasoned. Honestly, having him know wasn't even her issue; it was the teasing that was sure to happen if George saw her there that gave her pause. Shutting her brain off and going with her heart, she heard herself saying, "I would love to stay for breakfast, thanks."
His face split into a wide grin. Finally releasing her, he sat up. "I should get dressed. You can have the loo first while I grab what I need from in here."
"Thanks; when I'm done, I'll go start the tea and poke around a bit to see what we can make. Any preference?"
"Erm, no," Fred said, looking a little sheepish. "I've invited you to stay for breakfast and I don't even know if I have actual food in the house."
Hermione giggled. "I'm sure I can find something edible in there."
Fred had been right, he didn't have much, but as she examined the contents of his pantry and fridge, a plan formed. He had basic dry ingredients, butter, milk, two very mushy bananas, and a single egg. She made a fantastic banana bread that was easy enough, but it took a bit longer to bake and she knew that Fred would be in a rush to get downstairs.
Inspiration struck when she spotted a bottle of maple syrup. Mixing up her banana bread batter, she heated some butter in a pan and went to work making banana pancakes. They would have been better if he'd had walnuts or pecans, or even chocolate chips, but these would make a delicious breakfast nonetheless.
By the time Fred entered the kitchen, Hermione was busy plating up their stacks of pancakes. "What smells so delicious, and how on earth were you able to make something suitable for consumption out of what I had?"
Feeling accomplished, and a bit playful, Hermione took a page out of his book and winked at him. "Magic," she answered with a little chuckle.
"Cheeky witch," he retorted, shaking his head. Still grinning, he helped her carry everything to the table.
Hermione watched as Fred took his first bite. "MMMMM, oh, this is amazing. Can I move in? You can spoil me with your fabulous food?"
Even knowing that it had been said in jest, Hermione couldn't help imagining how lovely it would be to wake up with Fred every morning. Her tummy gave a happy little flutter at that image. Not having a clue how to respond, she took a large bite.
Thankfully, the awkward moment passed and they chatted amicably between bites while sipping tea. Finally, Fred glanced down at his watch and sighed. "I'll have to go downstairs in just a minute. I'm sorry that I have to leave you so soon. I wish I could stay and have a long chat. This morning has been so much fun that I don't want to leave. Thank you for making this amazing breakfast; it was much better than anything I could have come up with."
He rose, carrying both of their plates to the sink. "Stay as long as you want. Finish your tea, heck, you can even go back to bed if you'd like."
"Thanks, but I better go home. I've nearly finished my tea anyway. I have client gifts that I was planning to deliver today. I should go home and get started on that. It will take me most of the day."
Fred waved his wand over the dishes and they began to rapidly wash themselves. When they were done, he waved it again and they dried and flew into the cupboard. Hermione grinned at him as she grabbed her coat, bag, and the book that she was borrowing from him.
It was when he followed her to the floo that she started to feel a little awkward again. She'd spent the night in his bed, then cooked him breakfast the next morning; the whole experience had been extremely domestic, and absolutely wonderful. But now that it was time to say goodbye, she wasn't sure what she should do.
As it turned out, she didn't have anything to worry about because Fred pulled her into a hug. He buried his face in her hair and murmured, "I can't tell you how much I like having you here with me. Sure, I joked about moving in so that you could cook me breakfast, but it's honestly about the way you make me feel… I could get used to it far too easily."
Was he really doing this now? He had to go downstairs. For all she knew, George could already be on his way up to see what was keeping his twin. Fred drew back a bit, their faces now only inches apart. Her breath caught as she realised that he was, in fact, doing this right now. He moved forward ever so slightly… and heavy knocking sounded from the door.
"Fuck!" Fred's uttered curse as he rested his forehead against hers made her want to laugh, effectively lightening the mood, but she didn't make a sound. She wasn't sure if George knew that she was in there and she didn't want him to be made aware of her presence if he didn't.
"FRED GET YOUR LAZY ARSE DOWNSTAIRS NOW! IF YOU'RE NOT DOWN IN FIVE MINUTES, I'M COMING IN THERE TO GET YOU"
Raising his voice slightly, Fred turned in the direction of the door so that George would hear him. "I'll be there in one minute. Keep your hair on!"
"I'm sorry, I have to go." He smiled at her softly, his warm, amber coloured eyes seeking hers momentarily before he leaned down and pressed his lips lightly to hers. With another quick kiss to her forehead, he promised, "I'll owl you later, and see you in a few days."
Hermione could only nod dumbly as he turned and practically ran to the door of the flat. With a wink and a smile over his shoulder, he opened the door and was gone. Mechanically, she stepped into the floo, taking a pinch of the powder from the mantle, and called out her address. Upon arriving in her sitting room, she collapsed onto her sofa. Unable to resist, she touched her fingers to her lips and imagined the kiss that she was nearly certain would have happened if George hadn't come upstairs when he did.
Resigned to the fact that she wouldn't see Fred until Christmas Eve, Hermione got herself ready for the day and went out to deliver her gifts. Returning several hours later, she tried desperately to find ways to occupy her mind. If she wasn't successful, she was worried that she'd end up embarrassing herself by showing up at WWW at closing time, or going to hang around the shop like some lovesick teenager.
Taking out the book that she'd borrowed from Fred, she curled up in her reading chair and tried to read. Unfortunately, even the rather captivating story provided little distraction. Her mind, for once, was unable to focus.
Sighing deeply, she allowed her mind to wander and began thinking about how busy and chaotic things had been during the holidays when she was growing up. Eventually, a plan formed. Rushing over to the floo, she made a call to Fleur. After a quick discussion, it was decided that Fleur or Bill would bring Victoire to Hermione the next day at lunchtime to spend the afternoon and evening with her favourite honorary aunt.
When she was done with the call, Hermione hopped up, ready to make lists, and head out to pick up a few necessities. She was now eagerly looking forward to the next day and had concocted big plans to spend several hours sharing some of the traditions she'd had with her parents with the adorable little witch.
Hermione was proud of herself for coming up with a good plan; having a child around for the day would certainly take her mind off of Fred. Not to mention, Fleur had looked like she was ready to burst into tears of gratitude as she thanked Hermione profusely for the offer.
After fighting crowds at the shops once again to get the supplies and food items that she would need, Hermione returned home to get everything prepared for Victoire's visit. She was truly excited to spend the day with the delightful child.
It was late that night when she finally got into bed. She lay there, staring up at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. Something felt wrong, but she couldn't figure out what it was. Then, it hit her. After only one night, she already missed the way it felt to sleep in Fred's arms. She was in so much trouble!
By six o'clock the following evening, Hermione was absolutely knackered, and she could tell that Victoire was as well. She'd just caught the little girl rubbing her eyes. Fleur had brought her pyjamas in case she was tired before she and Bill finished the dinner out that they'd planned after Hermione's offer to take Victoire for the day.
They'd had a very full day, decorating gingerbread houses, going ice skating at the park near Hermione's house, reading stories, and making a special Christmas ornament for Bill and Fleur's tree. It was Victoire's handprint, painted to look like Santa's face, and it was absolutely adorable. Now, with just a few hours left until Bill and Fleur showed up, Hermione needed a little reprieve.
"Vic, why don't you have a bath and get into your pyjamas?" Hermione pressed her lips into a tight line to keep from smiling at the pouty lip she received in response to her suggestion, and the protest that she could practically see forming in the child's mind. Wanting to stop the bargaining and pleading before it began, she quickly came up with an appealing compromise. "You can have bubbles in your bath, and afterward we can eat dinner and watch a Christmas film on the telly."
Hermione barely managed to hold back laughter when Victoire looked up with her big, blue eyes, batting her lashes like a professional, and asked, "Can we have pizza?" but it had been a very near thing.
Thankful that she wouldn't have a battle on her hands, Hermione quickly agreed. "We absolutely can. Let me grab my mobile and I'll order it as soon as you're settled in the bath."
An hour later, Victoire, who was freshly washed, dressed in her pyjamas, and full of pizza, rested heavily against Hermione's arm as they watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Smiling to herself, Hermione thought about the day they'd shared. It really had been fun, and she could see herself making this a tradition. If she never ended up with children of her own, she reckoned she could be the fun aunt instead.
Her contemplations were interrupted when a voice called from the floo, "Hermione?"
Peering over the back of her sofa she grinned. "I'm here, Fred. Do you want to come through?"
"If you're not busy…" She could hear the note of uncertainty in his voice and realised that he must have determined that someone was with her watching a film in the dark, but he had no idea that it was his five-year-old niece.
"Definitely not too busy. In fact, I have someone here who will be thrilled to see you." Grinning down at Victoire, she saw that the little witch was so sleepy, and engrossed in the film that she'd barely moved during the exchange. In fact, Hermione wasn't sure that she'd even noticed the floo call.
Soon, Fred was stepping through her fireplace and out into the sitting room. "Hi," he said a little awkwardly, standing there brushing soot from his hair as he took in the scene.
"Hi, yourself. Come on over, join us. We're watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It's one of my favourites from when I was little."
"Who's we ?" He asked, still not moving.
Laughing, Hermione retorted, "Get over here and see for yourself, silly!"
When Fred rounded the corner of the sofa and saw who was resting against Hermione's side, completely immersed in the film, his face split into a wide grin. "Vic, my little lovebug!"
Glancing briefly over at Fred, Victoire placed a finger over her lips and chastised, "Shhh, Uncle Freddie, this is a good part," before immediately turning her attention back to the telly.
"Well, I guess I see how I rate." Fred chucked.
Patting the cushion next to her, Hermione instructed, "Have a seat. I'm really happy that you're here, but how are you here? It's not that late. Shouldn't you be at the shop?"
"George and I are testing a few things out this year. Since he will have a child next Christmas, and I want to have a family at some point, hopefully, sooner than later," he added, almost to himself, squeezing her leg briefly before continuing, "we wanted to see how we can take more time off, especially during the holidays. So, we are going to be promoting Sean and Jason and making them both managers. Since Verity left, we haven't really had anyone who could really run things day to day without one of us being there and both of those guys have really shown us that they can manage."
He grinned at her, pushing a curl that had fallen into her face behind her ear. It seemed to Hermione that he was moving closer to her every time she blinked, which was fine with her. "So, George left early yesterday, and I got to leave early tonight. We're closing early tomorrow too. Our plan is to alternate like that more, and then in a few months, we will start leaving them completely alone on occasion. Hopefully, by this time next year, we'll be able to enjoy the holidays a little more."
"That sounds amazing for both of you! You'll be able to enjoy the benefits of self-employment a little more now that you have capable employees. It's really very exciting.'
"It is, thanks." He glanced over at Victoire. "She's out. How did she end up here with you anyway?"
Hermione sighed, remembering how desperate she had been for a distraction so she didn't pop in on Fred. It made her ridiculously happy that he hadn't hesitated to come see her. "Honestly, I was bored. I made sure to clear all of my projects, but I overestimated how much time I would need to prepare for Christmas. So, yesterday, I floo called Fleur and asked for them to bring Victoire over to spend the day. We've had the best time though. We went ice skating, decorated gingerbread houses, made a craft, read stories, and ate far too much junk food."
At the mention of food, Fred's stomach growled loudly. Much to Hermione's amusement, he became adorably flustered as he explained. "I didn't eat because I planned to see if you wanted to go grab some dinner with me, but Vic was here…" He trailed off, looking a little embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry! I should have offered already! There's plenty of pizza in the fridge, and biscuits in the tin on the counter. Please, help yourself. I would get it for you, but I don't think I can move," she gestured helplessly at Victoire, who was using her side as a pillow.
Half an hour later, Fred had polished off four slices of pizza, and Hermione had lost count of the biscuits that he'd eaten. When the film was over, they switched off the telly and put on a CD of Christmas Carols.
As they sat there listening to the lovely music, the only light from the room coming from the fairy lights on the Christmas tree and the fire that was burning low in the hearth, Fred's arm came around Hermione's shoulder, pulling her snugly into his side. As they chatted quietly with Victoire resting in Hermione's lap, Fred began to trail his fingers up and down the length of her arm.
With her head nestled cosily into the crook of Fred's arm, Hermione allowed herself to imagine how it would feel for this to be her life. It all felt so perfectly domestic, natural, and wonderful. Realising how much she wanted this, precisely this, with Fred, her heart flipped and her tummy gave a funny little flutter.
Before she had a chance to really think about how she was feeling, Bill and Fleur arrived to collect their sleeping daughter. Hermione saw the pleasure and speculation in Fleur's eyes as she took in the scene. Bill's curiosity was less obvious, but his eyes drifted between the two of them, and a small smile lifted the corners of his mouth.