December 1996, Muggle London
Authors Note: this story is not in any way promoting the overserving or overconsumption of alcohol. Substance abuse is something to be taken seriously, any and all action of this matter are fictional and done for the purposes of the storyline. I hope you enjoy reading these little moments with fred as much as I did writing them. As always please review, comment and favorite, I love hearing from you and respond to all my PMS. Cheers!
"Are you sure you know the place?" Fred asks uncertainly, he is used to leading not following. The air is brisk and the two move quickly, eager to escape the biting December air.
Hermione only laughs in response and Fred is caught off-guard with the beauty of the care-free sound. He grins and grasps her hand tightly himself to be dragged along with her.
They hear the loud music before they see that place flashing with bright lights and vibrating with bass music. The bouncer takes a single look at Hermione's transfigured dress and stamps her hand with entry. Yet it is Fred who suffers more difficulty, "ID" the bouncer grumbles to Fred, who admittedly looked suspicious in the way he stared at their surroundings in amazement. "He's with me" claims Hermione handing the man a small denomination of muggle money to which he nodded stamping Fred's hand on his way in.
"That was brilliant!" spoke Fred excitedly "the way you said saved me from the surly muggle, I'm am in your debt" Fred claimed too loudly, bowing dramatically in Hermione's direction but she merely rolled her eyes in response. "I couldn't very well leave you out in the cold Weasley and besides I don't desire getting cursed by you mum ".
The club is a large space, the lights are dim and hermione spies many couples snogging in the dark corners. Many young girls and men are cngrgating ath the dance floor, hermione hopes her two left feet serve her well tonight.
"First rounds on me!" Fred declared twirling Hermione as they passed the dancefloor to the bar. Hermione smiled at him, not remembering a time he had looked so free in the last months, but his joy is contagious, and she cant help but join in.
"Firewiskey and whatever the lady desires" ordered Fred confidently to a confused looking almost swore she heard the bartended mutter:; 'what the fuck is firewiskey'. Fred was not accustomed to hiding out in the muggle world, she was glad he at least had the good sense to keep his wand hidden.
Hermione turned to Fred narrowing her eyes at him, "Firewiskey is a wizarding drink, be careful" Hermione whispered harshly but he just holds his hands up on defense a mischievous glint in his eye. .
"I'll have a whiskey sour with a double shot and he'll have whiskey on the rocks" she ordered with a practiced tone that had Fred raising his eyebrow. Hermione Granger was full apparently of surprises. Fred grinned and put down muggle money on the counter "do ye think 400 pounds 'ill cover it" he asked Hermione and almost fainted at the amount.
"blimey sweetie, you can have drinks commin' all night for that coin" the bartender replies "£10 together is enough" she requested to which Fred paid the correct amount grinning sweetly at her. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, she feels his excitement reverberate.
They slide into a both and clash their drinks together "cheers!" Fred looks at her cross "Hermione dear we must do better "for beautiful women" he looks at her "and my incredible dance moves" Fred declares "well see about that" replies Hermione
The seats are leather, and Hermione shifts anxiously, maybe this was a bad idea, this was a terrible place to take him. She slipped her sour drink the alcohol entering her bloodstream. She knew they had to be careful, magical blood became effected by muggle spirits quite quick. She was overthinking
"How your drink," Hermione asked after a few moments of silence "Brilliant and absolutely cacking" laughs Fred loudly, "tastes a far toss from fire whiskey that's for sure, how you like ur sour drink" he made a puckered face as if a sour dink affected him personally
"It's both sweet and sour, try a sip" Hermione offered to which Fred hesitantly obliged. His face widened as he finished her drink "Fred!" Hermione complained but Fred had already disappeared back to the bar. Hermione adjusted the strap of her dress, it was much more revealing than she would ordinarily wear, but the muggles seem to dress less and less to these sort of places evetime Hermione went. Hermione sipped the whiskey, feeling slight nostalgia for her father as she did so.
Fred returned with not two but four glasses of whiskey sour that she couldn't help but laugh "you and I are getting proper pissed tonight" He said grinning and Hermione couldn't help but want to match that energy. "To getting proper pissed" Hermione held up her glass to which Fred brought his glass towards hers sloshing some of his drink over the sides. They chatted for a bit about his work and her newest project of spell creation, but they had soon downed their drinks and then another round and made their way to the dance floor.
Flashing lights strobed the dance floor and Hermione tried to ignore the way her heart fluttered when Fred grabbed her hand but perhaps it was just the pulsating beat as the DJ switched to the next song. "May I have this dance" Fred asked, and Hermione, blushing nodded.
As it turns out Fred was no better at muggle club dancing than her, dancing with him carefree and laughing that each other's ineptitude was the most alive she had felt in a while. They spent hours dancing, fred maintaining the instance to dipp her in an overdramatic way.
They were now chest to chest her arms wrapped around his neck and Hermione despite the chill running through her veins felt her heartbeat speed up. "hi" Fred whispered his spearmint breath and aftershave flooding her olfactory senses. He was so close that if hermione were to move even a little their faces would be touching "hi Fred" hermione speaks, he voice soft. "I like the way to say my name," he says huskily and Hermione feels the skin under his touch set alight.
She knows that she wasn't thinking clearly, but she wanted him to touch her, she was pretty sure she wanted him to kiss her. All she can think about how painful the distance between them is .
"you look absolutely divine tonight" Fred tells her looking into her eyes, hermione doesn't know how to respond, shes pretty sure she never really learned how to flirt. "Fred Weasley, if I didn't know better I'd think you were hitting on me" she told him, almost hoping it was true. "and if I was" he pulled her close to dance "would that be a problem" her breath hitched as he pressed his to the base of her throat. "if I didn't know better, I think you were hitting on me too" he spoke to her his voice low and gravely "caught on did you" she winked, her intoxication making her sway slightly. She needed some air and maybe a calming draught or five.
"wanna get out of here" he asked lowly and Hermione nodded in agreement, stepping out of the club to apparate.
"Wait stop!" a voice called from inside but the two continued moving barely hearing the call over the club sounds.
"Maxima Potter its been so long, but id never forget you"
The strange man declared pulling out his wand
"I wont let you ruin it, not again, he will rise"
Hermione had her wand out immediacy and directed at him instantly. Fred stood next to her wand drawn.
"Sir I don't know what you're talking about, my name is hermione," she said hoping it would convince him, she wasn't even sure if she was convinced of it anymore. The man tilted sidewards slurring, red sparks exiting his wand missing Hermione by an inch "those eyes id remember them anywhere"
"bomb-"
"Tarentella" casts Hermione faster and large spiders crawled all over him. He jumps trying to swipe them away but is unsuccessful. Hermione doesn't miss the sound of fred chuckling before he grabs onto her arm to side apparate them away.
"welcome to my humble abode" he says bowing, unceremoniously throwing his jacket on the sofa, loosening his duck decorated bow tie. Hermione slips off her shoes the arches of her feet aching.
The place is clean, nothing left in disarray, and it smells vaguely like lemon scented cleaner. Fred too kicks off his shoes and move towards Hermione.
It was small place, two bedrooms, living space and a small kitchen but it felt cozy and warm. "its beautiful place Fred" Hermione spoke knowing he needed to hear it. "Are you okay" he asks and Hermione is again reminded to the strange man at the club.
"I'm sorry about that, I swear I don't know where he came from and we were having a moment and I ruined it". Hermione spoke frantically. "I'm glad you're okay" Fred said and then "you ruined absolutely nothing"
Fred moved fast pinning her against the door. "we shouldn't do this" Hermione said he was Rons brother and she had been his best friend. This was wrong. "then tell me to stop" He pressed his lips to her cheek, then the hollow of her neck "tell me to stop" It was wrong Hermione thought but it felt so right. He dragged his teeth against her collarbone sending shivers down her spine and evey place his fingers were was on fire. "tell me to stop" he repeated. Then he was kissing her, his lips pressed to hers in a bruising kiss. It was once twice and Hermione didn't think it would ever be enough. He kissed her a symphony of mothers and tongues hand hands grasping. Fred picked her up still attached to her by mouth and led her to his bedroom.
He pushed her softly on the bed, cupping her cheek and kissing her again and again until Hermione was gasping for air. "your eyes are beautiful" he spoke his forehead rested against hers. "tell me to stop" he spoke as he unzipped her dress, pulling of his shirt and trousers himself.
Hermione felt pulled out of the trance, there she was on Fred Weasley's bed, clothed in only a back set of bra and knickers and he was staring at her. He was drinking in her body as if he were trying to memorize some artwork. She stared down at her own body, bruised and white scars littering the skin how could he bare to see such ugliness. But he climbed onto of her and kissed her his hands trailing down her arms, her torso and back to her face. He kissed her the way starving man eats his first morsel of food. It wasn't until he slid his hands to the back of her bra that she reacted "Fred stop" He jumped away quickly.
"I'm sorry-" he said turning red and looking upset. Hermione was glad he was considerate, he cared. "It's fine" she said waving her hand "I just don't want to go too far tonight that we regret it in the morning."
He nodded "ill behave I promise" he said dragging Hermione back towards him this time wrapping her up in a warm embrace.
"just please stay" Fred asked his voice lacking the confidence of prior and Hermione nodded falling fast asleep in the warm comforting arms of Fred Weasley.