IGNORANCE IS BLISS
Authors Note: A little more Fred fluff in this chapter. Don't worry as much as I am a sucker for good fremione paring, in this story, alas it is not to be. I appreciate you all and any and all interaction means the world to me (and sometimes makes me update faster!). Cheers!
Harry is living in ignorance. This is the bitter thought that protrudes Hermione's consciousness as she returns home. Home. It still felt odd calling this place home. Often Grimmauld Place felt as though it were a last step for those who had nowhere left to go. Even Blaise had managed to get out, renting a flat in muggle London, returning only for order meetings. She couldn't blame him, not wanting to live in the place where Luna had died. Despite how they cleaned or the pristine condition that the kitchen had returned to Hermione swore the place still smelt like sulfur and death.
Unlike Blaise Hermione didn't have the option of escape, she had no money to leave and one of the highest bounties on her head curtesy of the Ministry of Magic. Oh, the joy of being the most famous muggleborn in Britain. Besides, here she was most accessible to Dumbledore. There was no need to sully other hands, not when her hands were already so tainted.
Hermione hears the sound of Ginny's laughter and has to restrain the urge to hit something. When had she gotten so angry. Morning combat couldn't come any sooner. Her scalding shower does little to calm her boiling blood. Logically she knew that his happiness was good, she supposed it might be jealously. She envied their carefree love, but most of all she was jealous at their lack of secrets. Hermione could barely remember a time where she wasn't hiding something from everyone she loved. She heard the sound of Ginny's laughter and shook her head, she needed to get out of here, even if it was just for a few hours.
It is quiet when Hermione arrives at Fred's apartment, it hadn't occurred to her that he might be out, that he couldn't be there. She hadn't had the time to sort out her feelings about the other night yet but the idea of him with someone else made her stomach form knots. It was foolish, while it felt like only days for her, it had been moths for him.
"Fred" Hermione calls bravely and in an instant he is there is wand at her throat and his large hand fastened at her shoulder. In this state he is large and physically imposing, his eyes are darkened dangerously. He is clothed in plaid pajama bottoms; his chest bare the red dragon moving standoffish. Hermione wonders for a brief second, if the dragons movement is related to his emotions but is quickly brought back when his wand presses tighter into her throat.
"Hermione? Fred speaks her name confused; he takes a step back sheepishly embarrassed at not recognizing her immediately. "it's the blue eyes, even now it takes me a second" he offers as an explanation and Hermione only nods in return. She often didn't recognize her own reflection, the face that stared back at her was not the one that danced in any of her Hogwarts pictures with Harry and Ron.
"What are you doing here" he asks dragging a hand through his messy hair. It hadn't occurred to Hermione that she wouldn't be welcome, that he wouldn't want her there. He had been waiting for her to wake up but then again so had his mother and Hermione was surely not comfortable showing up at the burrow in the early hours of the morning. "Not that I'm not glad to see you" he adds quickly and Hermione sends a tentative smile to him which he returns albeit tiredly. He moves to the kitchen to put on the kettle and Hermione is hopeful at the concept of tea.
"I was out" she starts "order stuff" she was glad not to lie about at least this much, him having joined just a few weeks prior. "Ginny's over and her and Harry are being quite loud" Fred makes a disguised face, "Laughing" she adds rolling her eyes "I couldn't sleep and somehow I ended up here" Fred nods slowing absorbing the information.
"I'm really glad you did Hermione" his voice is low and slow, cloaked in the mask of sleep and she can't help the shivers it erects down her spine. He leans down and Hermione's heart skips a beat as he looks into her eyes. Her eyes were as blue as a storm, an ocean in rage, they were filled with mystery but his eyes were a calm blue, soft and kind and she felt comforted in his gaze. Fred inched forward and Hermione sore he was about to kiss with the same certainty that she knew she was going to let him. The screaming of the kettle breaks the moment and Fred disappears mumbling something about fetching a jumper.
Hermione wished there was someone she could talk to about his odd behavior, she had never done this sort of thing before. The singular tightlipped kiss from victor Krum the night of the Yule ball had been the beginning and end of her romantic experience, at least until Fred. The thought of talking to ginny crosses her mind, but Hermione dismisses it quickly, while she wasn't sure what her and Fred were doing she was sure that discussing it with his younger sister was breaking some sort of unsaid rule.
Fred returned in a trademark Weasley jumper and immediate got to preparing them tea. His teacups are mismatched and well-worn, but Hermione pays it no mind. "sugar? Lemon? He asks thoughtfully "Just lemon" she confirms and accepts the cup of hot tea gratefully. They settle onto the sofa and the two enjoy the tea and the silent company. She is glad that he doesn't push for conversation but enjoys the sounds of diagon-ally at night and his soft breaths in the otherwise silent apartment.
After they finish their tea Fred wraps his arms around her and Hermione takes notice of the blood still caked to her fingernails as she reaches to grasp his hand. She immediate regrets not being more meticulous, how could she be so sloppy, so distracted. But Fred, taking note of it conjures a warm washcloth and taking her hand gently sets to work removing the dried blood. As he does this they don't speak, and Hermione frantically searches her brain for a credible excuse.
He speaks before she can attempt "you don't have to tell me" he says refastening his arms around her his hand running up and down her arm slowly. "But you can, talk about it with me if you wish. Just Hermione?" He asks his eyes looking piercingly into her own "don't lie to me" and Hermione nods in response a sinking feeling in her stomach knowing she with inevitably break it.
Time moves fast as Fred eagerly catches Hermione up on what he deemed as the important news she had missed. The current topic was the most outrageous theories of where she had disappeared to; "the one most people are convinced of, but of course is absolute bullocks, is that you and Harry, who is your lover, have escaped to Canada of all places. Personally, I'm rather hoping for it to be false" Fred asserted and herrmione laughed at the dramatic tone he took.
"And why is that Weasely?" she asked and Fred grinned ear to ear. He leapt off the couch almost gracefully waving his wand in dead movements "because THEN I'd have to fight him for your affection of course" he pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before jumping up again. "It would be to a due to the death of course" he declared "of course" repeated Hermione grinning at the display "and they don't call him the boy who lived for his penchant to lose duels!" he exclaimed as if the thought had just occurred to him, as it very well might have.
Hermione smiled up at him, but her eyelids flittering heavily in betrayal as exhaustion threatened to overtake her. "Merlin Hermione" Fred exclaimed dramatically "in this state my charm and wit are wasted ion you". Hermione reached for her jumper, but Fred caught her hand.
"stay the night" he kissed at her temple, then her cheek, nipping affectionately at her neck "I'll behave he promised and Hermione saw him cross his fingers "I can see that" she warned as she followed him to his bedroom, she was really, very tired and apparition could be dangerous in such a state. Who knew where she might accidently end up.
"Here, you can wear this" he said presenting her with a faded worldcup T-short and blue pajama bottoms and pointing in the direction of the bathroom. She was grateful for this, his cheeks warmed at the thought of changing in front of him. When she returned he grabbed his again bare chest toppling over "you look better in them than I do" he exclaimed and Hermione laughed moving to curl up to his side and turn off the lights.
"I'm really glad you're okay" he says after a moment drawing circles with his thumb onto the back of her hand. He smells of pine, spearmint and warm embers and despite the urge to grab the sides of his face and snog him senseless Hermione restrained herself. Besides in all her novels the boy always kissed the girl.
In the morning Hermione wakes up to Fred shaking "no…no" he mumbles. Then a louder voice "no…Im sorry please, no..George" he screams shooting upright his eyes wide and frightened. His face his pale and his body shakes violently. Hermione is at a loss of what to do so she wrapped her arms around him tightly and his relived when he relaxes into the embrace burying his face into her hair, sobbing. Hermione wonders how often this happens, his understanding the night before now making sense, he had his own secrets his own scars.
They eat breakfast quietly both wrapped up in their own heads, both worried for the world to come. "I'm sorry" Fred says at last after they are both dressed and ready for the day. She looks at him unsure of how to respond, not wanting say it was okay when it clearly wasn't. "I wish you hadn't seen that" He looks at her, his hands twisted into each other and his foot twitching anxiously. "it doesn't change anything" she declared, and it didn't, not for her.
He nods looking more himself, looking at her in a way that made her face heated and her body tingle. He trails a hand up her arm to her collar bone. He steps forward and a small piece of his hair moves at the cause of her breath. He plays with a curl at the side of her face, following her curl down to its end. "Tell me to kiss you" he says his voice is husky and raw. His body is taut, flush against her and Hermione is a live wire, full of anticipation and want.
"Kiss me Fred" She demands, trying to steel her voice not to shake, not to betray her emotions. In a breath he pins her hands above her head and kisses her and she swears she sees stars. He kisses her like both a prayer and a sin. His lips are supple and soft as he moves his mouth against hers and then his tongue is in her mouth and it is divine. He grasps the side of her face; he is not rough but sturdy. She tries not to think about how many girls he has done this with to be so good but just kiss him back. He runs his fingers over her shirt and down her spine and she touches his chest softly.
One missive, then two and three enter the room and Fred breaks their kiss out of breath. He reads them each, his brown furrowing at each one, "I have to go" he says looking at her regretfully, but clearly distracted "there's a problem in the shop" he kisses her quickly "to be continued" he says giving her a long look before disappearing downstairs.
"Bye" Hemione says to an empty room taking a minute to catch her breath before apparating back to her home. She had potions to make, she only hoped an owl from Dumbledore would not be waiting for her when she returned. She couldn't handle that, not more death, not today.