"Oh, Merlin why on Earth did I agree to this," Hermione moaned clenching her eyes closed just as tightly as her hands that clenched the wooden handle of the old Nimbus, she was perched on above the Burrows Orchard.
"Ron called you a boring workaholic and you decided to prove him wrong," Ginny called as she zoomed by, an old tattered Quaffle held tightly in the crook of her arm, her red hair flying in the wind.
"Oh right," Hermione nodded her eyes still clenched tightly.
"Mi, you need to relax," Fred whispered stopping his broom next to hers, at the sound of his soothing voice Hermione opened her eyes gently, looking at the twin before her who was smiling kindly, his blue eyes shining in the sun.
"I don't think this was a good idea Freddie I'm scared," she confessed.
"Hermione Jane Granger you have flown on a blind dragon, yet you are scared on a broom that you are in control of," he looked at her as though she has been ridiculous, perhaps she was been, she'd flown lots of times during the war; on Thestrals, brooms and of course Gringotts Dragon. Each time she had flown her life had been in danger and the adrenaline had prevented her from worrying about her fear of heights and flying. When Death Eaters or Fiendfyre were chasing her flying seemed like a safe option but here doing it when the only danger was the pickup game of Quidditch she found herself arguing with the logical part of herself that remembered her very real fear of heights and flying and knew that she'd be a lot safer on the ground observing the game rather than participating in it.
"I'm not one for sports Fred, especially ones high in the air," she told the boy, quietly, keeping her eyes firmly on his.
"You don't have to play if you don't want too," he told her reaching forward to tuck a loose curl behind her ear, his cool fingertips brushing against her cheek sending a shiver throughout her body. Hermione felt herself blush at his gentle touch, ducking her head so her eyes no longer met his. Fred chuckled.
"One day you won't blush every time I touch you Mi," he whispered leaning forward so his breath ghosted her ear, Hermione willed herself not to blush further but knew it was useless she could feel the heat rising in her chest, on her face and especially on her ears.
"PROTEGO," Harry shouted, Hermione gasped turning unsteadily on her broomstick to see a shimmery blue shield protecting her and Fred from an incoming Bludger.
"Oi if all your going to do is flirt get off the pitch," George called shaking his head as he flew passed them.
"Hey, don't be pissed just because your girlfriends in Ireland," Fred shouted after his twin.
"That's not nice Fred, you know he's missing Angelina," She remanded him.
"Don't I know it he's like a baby always needing attention, I haven't had a moment alone with you in two weeks, he's always moping around the flat when I want to spend time with you. He groaned running his hand through his long messy hair.
"He isn't at the flat now though is he," she asked biting her lower lip nervously as she raised her eyes to meet his.
"No, he isn't," he agreed.
"I don't really want to play Quidditch," she confessed.
"George we are off to the flat, sleep here tonight," Fred called to his brother before reaching out to grab her hand, with a pop they were gone, leaving their broomsticks floating above the Weasley's Orchards.
"Merlin, I've missed you Mi," Fred groaned leaning down to kiss her as soon as they landed on his crisp navy bedsheets.
"I've missed you too," she moaned pulling her boyfriend of three months closer to her, her fingers twisting into his red hair as he kissed her. Their relationship was new, he made her nervous and excited, she still blushed around him like a schoolgirl despite graduating from Hogwarts the previous year. He made her happy, he made her laugh and a part of her already loved him, they'd been friends for almost a decade, and she was hopeful they'd be lovers for the rest of their lives. When she closed her eyes each night, she envisioned their future together; them married with three curly redheaded studious pranksters as their children. Hopefully, her dreams would come to pass but until then she'd cherish her time with Fred one day at a time and be thankful that she'd pushed him out of the way of a falling wall during the Battle of Hogwarts. She couldn't imagine a world without her prankster in it.