Hermione and Ginny were sitting at the park with Teddy, James, and little Fred. Angelina had an appointment with the healer, and Hermione needed some fresh air. It was a beautiful muggle park in London and away from the excitement of the wizarding world.

"So," Ginny hummed as they sat on the bench together.

"So," Hermione echoed.

"How was your date?"

Hermione shifted and smiled. "Well, Oliver is nice, and he's quite handsome with some stubble."

"Handsome? Handsome like shag-worthy?" Ginny pried.

The curly-haired witch blushed and glanced toward the children running through the playground. "Well, yes."

"So between Lee and Oliver, who would you want to see more?" Ginny voiced.

Hermione shrugged and managed a curl to her lips. "They're pretty amazing. It wouldn't be difficult to see building a wonderful family with either of them."

Ginny hummed, and her eyebrows sunk. "There's something you're not telling me. You and Freddy have been acting weird for weeks. What the bloody hell is going on?"

The older witch fiddled with her hair and breathed while shaking her head. "It's so stupid, Gin. I never told you because I'm so embarrassed. He's been great to me for years after it happened. It was just something I never thought would come up to bite me."

"Did you both shag?" Ginny whispered while watching James follow little Fred under the slide.

Hermione turned her face away from Ginny and exhaled. "No, we didn't shag. We almost did. Two years after the battle, I went over to his flat after the ceremony at work. I was so sad but thankful at the same time. If it weren't for Fred, I wouldn't be here."

"Did you get drunk together?" Ginny asked.

There were few reasons to be embarrassed after a near shag. The major one would be that she didn't mean to get carried away. The others were adjacent to mortification or rejection.

"Yes, we got drunk, played a stupid muggle card game I taught him, and snogged like teenagers. By the end of the night, I had confessed that I fancied him a bit when I was younger. When I woke up the next day, he told me we couldn't do that again. He insisted that we were just emotional and vulnerable, and he wasn't going to take advantage of me. So, we agreed to never talk about it again," Hermione finished and scrubbed her face.

"But you meant what you said," Ginny voiced.

"Yes, and I have tortured myself over it for years," Hermione moaned before glancing over at Ginny. "Little good that does. It's been evident that he doesn't feel the same."

Ginny growled and pressed her palms to her eyes. "You both are so bloody frustrating. Why would he tell you that the next morning? Do you think he thought you and Ron were more of a thing before the battle?"

"I don't know, but Gin, we both have seen the witches Fred brings home," Hermione grimaced and waved her hand. "It was a near mistake for him. I'm not that kind of witch. Maybe he's right, it was a near mistake, and I'd rather not let someone like him down."

"I highly doubt that," Ginny grumbled. "Look, no one says nicer things about you than Fred. I just don't see why he would ever say that without worry, Hermione. Why don't you talk to him about it?"

"No, it's just better if I don't. It was hard enough to tell him the first time. I couldn't live through that type of judgment again. I'd rather just live with my feelings, and hopefully, when this bill is over with, he finds someone fitting for him," Hermione declared and whistled. "Teddy, don't climb on the slide like that."

Teddy glanced over as he was hanging off the bar over the slide and smiled while waving. "Alright, Aunt Hermione!" He called out before flipping and sliding down the red metal.

Hermione puffed and shook her head. "Witty like Remus, daring like Tonks."

Ginny shook her head. "I really believe you're wrong, Hermione. Maybe he felt like you would judge him?"

"I don't know, but he said he'd never talk about it again, so I guess we just won't," Hermione responded and shook her head. "Besides, I have too much to worry about to consider that my little crush amounts to anything on his side. If it doesn't, it would only distract me from what I need to do."

"Okay, well, when do you see your next suitor?" Ginny asked.

Hermione smiled over at the redhead and tapped her chin. "Friday. Lee wants to take me stargazing."

"That's cute. Alone, in the dark, with stars and wine. I could dish on it," Ginny giggled and shook her head. "Your life is quite interesting, Hermione."

"It always has been."

The conversation lulled, and soon the pair took the children for ice cream before returning to Ginny's. The ministry witch seemed calm and content, but Ginny's mind was working rapidly. This whole business had to be one big misunderstanding. She was going to have to work quickly, or Hermione might just choose someone else.

Fred was fiddling with a wand in the basement of the shop. The workshop was covered in all sorts of projects, and George insisted on some help with this one. The maddening experiments of the Weasley twins. It never steered them wrong before.

George was brewing in the corner and glanced over at Fred, who was dissecting the wand. Hermione always said they were barmy scientists or wacky inventors. Fred actually liked that comparison.

"So, any thoughts on who you might look into getting serious with?" George asked.

Fred grunted and pulled down the microscopic glass over his eye. "No."

"Between Jordan or Wood, who do you think Hermione is going to choose?" George inquired.

Fred snorted and took the scalpel to the core. "Seriously, Georgie, what does it matter? She's just doing it to save face. Either one is going to fall head over heels for her. You saw her achievements."

"Yeah, quite the list. You think that's all that matters, though?"

"What's with the twenty questions? I'm so tired of talking about Hermione and her boyfriends," Fred groaned as he glanced over at his twin.

George turned around and crossed his arms. "Are you?"

"Yes," Fred moaned and waved the knife. "Absolutely."

"Terrific, because I've invited Wood to dinner tomorrow. Mum nearly hyperventilated when he agreed," George voiced with a smile.

Fred turned back to his project and nicked the core too roughly, causing it to puff smoke. He growled and tossed the one-use wand in the bin next to his table. "I'm glad he's compliant."

"Are ya really? You seem tense. What exactly happened that you're so frustrated with her attempting to find happiness?"

Fred removed the glass and grimaced. "Nothing happened. I know Gin is on some hunt for answers, but there's no story."

"That's funny because Ginny told me a good one earlier. Something about a drunken night and you rejecting the poor witch the next morning," George hummed as he approached the table.

Fred scrubbed his face. "I didn't reject her. We were drunk, and it was irresponsible. Bill gave me an ear bashing before she woke up that morning. He caught us nearly starks on the sofa together. I don't remember enough of the night to say what exactly happened."

George blinked and tilted his head. "Bill caught you? Is that why you didn't tell me about all this? Freddy, you've fancied that little witch a long time."

Fred drummed his fingers on the table. "Do you know what he told me? That because Ron died, she became off-limits. None of us are allowed even to approach the idea. I was an arsehole for even thinking that her vulnerability should be considered anything other than a need for comfort. He's right," he finished with a wince.

"Come on!" George snapped.

"What?" Fred puffed.

"You can't tell me that her parading around nearly starks for work dinners to ask you what you think of certain dresses isn't here trying to get your attention!" George snarled and smacked down his hand.

Fred let out a loud groan and waved his fingers. "Georgie, what the fuck!"

George stood up and growled. "Fred, she's going to get married. Not date some bloke, but 'til death do us part' type. Whether she loves the wizard or not. If you even think you might have feelings for her. I would suggest telling her now . Not tomorrow, not two days from now, but now! Go talk to her now!"

"Fine, Merlin!"

Fred didn't even look at his twin as he raced up the stairs. He rubbed his face as he scaled the steps and tried to muster in his mind what he thought would work. What did he tell her? What would he say? Fuck.

He stood at her door and scrubbed his face a few times, and took a deep breath. Should he knock? No, he rarely did, and she was likely eating a late dinner. Fred walked into the flat and heard muffled sounds from the other room. Fred shut the door and stepped in a few paces before he heard a groan.

"Ministry witch, you alright?" He asked. "I was thinkin' we could sit down with a glass of wine. We gotta talk," he added and went to the wine cabinet.

"Shit!" Hermione exclaimed from the other room.

Fred scowled and turned his face toward the hallway. There was murmuring and huffing with grunts. Hermione was speaking a low tone before her bedroom door opened, and she came out in a robe. By her expression, she was definitely not expecting him.

"Fred, what are you doing here?" she asked while flattening her hair.

"Wait," Fred paused with a scowl. "Is someone here? In your room?"

Hermione licked her darkened lips and folded her arms over her chest. "What did you need to talk about?"

"You didn't answer me," he voiced and set down the bottle.

Hermione rubbed the side of her neck. "Well, yes," she murmured and dropped her gaze.

"You," he stopped and pointed at her. "You have someone over? You're shagging someone?"

She exhaled and curled her shoulders. "It wasn't planned."

He rubbed his face and pulled his hand away to smile in the slightest. "Well, is it one of your finalists?"

Hermione just rocked her head.

"That's good, well, never mind on the conversation. I'll let you get back to whatever you crazy kids are up to," Fred declared and marched toward the door.

Hermione dashed after him and grabbed his arm. "No, wait, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Fred voiced and rubbed her shoulder. "Have a wonderful night. I'll see you at dinner tomorrow, alright?"

Hermione chewed her lower lip without releasing his arm. "Freddy, please? What's wrong?"

"You really want to get into ridiculous things while you have a bloke in your bed?" Fred questioned with a frown.

She caressed his skin with her fingertips. "I just feel like you came over upset. I don't want you to think you're unimportant in my life regardless of where everything is headed."

Fred inhaled and patted her hand over his arm. "It's alright, Hermione. I don't want you to jeopardize your evening for my sake."

She was nearing a pout on her lips as she stared up at him. "Can you give me an hour and come over for some wine? We can talk then."

"It's alright," Fred insisted and politely pulled her fingers from him. "Have a good night," he whispered and bent to kiss her cheek.

"Tell me about it tomorrow?" she asked as he lingered by her face.

He nodded and straightened his form before gripping the doorknob. He stepped outside into the hall and turned to see her scrunching her expression and holding on her robe. Fred shut the door and stuttered a breath. He was so stupid. Why did he even bother to listen to his bloody brother…