Chapter 11

"For the last bloody time, if you don't stop hovering over me like Mum I'll slip you polyjuice potion with her hair in it! See if Hermione will let you snog her looking like that! I can't believe I'm about to say this, but go to class! You do still need to finish this mission, keep up pretenses until Bill can figure out the box." George was losing patience with Fred quickly, he had not left his side for three days. George actually did hex him when he tried to follow him into the bathroom the night before.

"But-" Fred started.

"Nope, no buts… that's it." With that, he took his wand out and a silver coyote erupted from the tip and flew out the door.

"Who was that to?" Fred asked confused.

"Not another word from you." George waved him off.

About ten minutes of silence later they heard footsteps running up the stairs. Then a flushed looking Hermione burst into the room.

"Come on, up you get. We are going to class. No, your mum is right downstairs," she said, stopping his objection before he started. She then turned to George who was looking at her with gratitude. "George you have maybe an hour and a half tops, he is bigger than me after all."

"Fine, I'll go. But if the two of you think that teaming up on me is going to fly in the future, you have another thing coming," Fred huffed and grabbed his bag off the bed.

"Wouldn't dream of it, silly boy. Now let's get going or we'll be late," Hermione said as she took his hand.

They of course made it on time, and were settling into their seats when Professor Bradbury walked over.

"How is your brother doing? I was very sorry to hear that he was dropping the class," Professor Bradbury said.

"Yes, well a broken arm and some bruised ribs after being hit the other day took a lot out of him. I know he's sorry to be missing class. Being this close to the end, he figured he'd just try again next time." Fred smiled tightly, it sort of worked out that George was so publicly hurt. He wouldn't be able to hide a missing ear very easily, not to mention a nearly healed hole where the ear had been.

"Please let him know that if he would ever like to have me read something of his I would be delighted. He really has a talent with poetry," Professor Bradbury said, before making his way to the front to start the class.

They spent the next hour and a half working in groups going over their individual writing assignments. Professor Bradbury spent his time going between each group and giving input and making suggestions as needed.

Fred realized that he rather enjoyed this type of school. He was even contemplating maybe one day, after the war of course, taking more classes like this. The wizarding world didn't have any formal continuing education, mostly you just apprenticed in whatever field you chose if anything more was required. He would have to talk to Hermione about what options there were. Perhaps learning about muggle business would help out at the shop.

As the class finished, Fred took his time packing his things, Hermione was talking to a girl who was part of their group. Fred was getting nervous and giving himself a bit of a pep talk. Even though Hermione was officially his girlfriend now, he wanted to ask her on a date, but he didn't want to muck it up.

"He's fine I promise, I gave specific instructions for Ron use the mirror or send a patronus if anything happened," Hermione said, misinterpreting his nervousness, as they started walking to their apparition point.

"It's not that, I know George is fine. I just got a little carried away there," Fred told her.

"Then what's wrong with you. You look like you've taken a fainting fancy," Hermione asked, concern in her voice now.

"Alright, here goes. I'd like to take you out, on a real, proper date. Not a 'we have to pretend to be engaged, better get to know you' date, but a 'we're actually dating, I can't believe my luck' kind of date," Fred said in a rush.

"Well of course I'll go on a date with you. I'd love nothing more," Hermione said with a large grin on her face.

"Brilliant. Would you like to come back to the Burrow with me, until tonight?" Fred asked, feeling much better now that she'd accepted.

"As fun as that sounds, I can't. I'm on my way to your Aunt Muriel's house," she said with a slight grimace.

"What the bloody hell for?" Fred asked a bit shocked, why anyone would voluntarily go to that woman's house was beyond him.

"To help Remus and Bill, we are using her library to research some of those runes. Bill thinks he has almost figured it out, but there's a few things that are still not quite adding up," Hermione said.

She felt guilty and like she was wasting time by not mentioning her theory of the box being a horcrux, but she had promised Harry, and it was his secret to tell. That didn't mean she wouldn't help them figure it out for themselves. Besides the extra research could only help her, Harry and Ron later.

"Alright, better you than me. How about we meet at that restaurant Tonks was telling you about. 6:30?"

"Perfect, I can't wait. I'll see you in a few hours," she said as she reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him goodbye. "You know, I can't believe my luck either."

…

It had been a long afternoon, Muriel Prewitt was an awful woman. She had gone on and on about hoping that 'that Veela witch' wasn't planning on keeping her tiara. She talked extensively about how dangerous werewolves were, knowing fully well about both Remus and Bill, who were both sitting right there. She also told Hermione that her ankles were too skinny and asked if she was seeing any of her nephews, because skinny ankles didn't bode well for childbearing. Though she said it was fine enough she was dating one of those nasty twins.

Hermione thought Bill was going to lose it at any moment. Bill was normally a very calm man, being the oldest of seven children had certainly taught him patience, however, everyone had their breaking point. Bill was tired, he'd slept very little since they got the box, Mad-Eyes death had hit him hard as well, not to mention the full moon was coming on soon. Finally he'd had enough and sent an owl to Dora.

"For some reason Aunt Muriel absolutely loves Dor, always has," Bill whispered to hermione as they watched Muriel and Dora hug each other fondly. "When we were younger Dor would spend a lot of the summer holidays with Charlie at the Burrow. One day Charlie had to bring something or other here and Dor tagged along, they've been best of friends ever since."

"It's a bit of an odd match," Hermione admitted, feeling slightly put out.

"We would always make Charlie do anything having to do with Aunt Muriel, because he could make Dor go with him and things went more smoothly. I reckon she always expected Dor and Charlie to wind up married, probably why she's having such a go at Remus."

"Was there ever anything between them? For her to expect as much?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Nah, they've always been like you and Harry, best mates, but no romance at all."

That's how Hermione left them, Tonks and Muriel gossiping about every witch and wizard they knew, and Remus and Bill looking through book after book, books that could only be found in a pureblood family's library.

She went back to the empty house to get ready for her date, she was grateful now that she and Ginny spent so much time together looking at magazines and learning beauty charms. She had charmed her hair straight and twisted it up, securing it with her wand, they were going muggle but she wanted to have her wand handy. She had light makeup, and was staring into her closet for something to wear. Most of her clothes were plain and comfortable, but the restaurant wasn't very fancy so she didn't need to dress up too much. She ended up choosing a pretty lilac cashmere jumper with a plaid skirt in brown and lilac that came up mid thigh. She paired this with a simple pair of brown flats.

Just as she was giving one last look in the mirror she heard a knock at the door. She was curious as to who it could be, Bill, Tonks and Remus would be at Muriel's most of the night, they wouldn't knock on the front door either. Neither would one of the twins for that matter. She made her way to the front door and was mildly surprised when she opened it.

"Hey, how are you? I'm actually on my way out in just moment, did you need help with something?" she asked the man at the door.

"There's been a bit of an emergency, can I come in for just a minute?" he asked.

"Of course, come on in," she said as she made to lead him into the sitting room. That was the last thing she remembered when everything went black.

…

"Are you sure you'll be alright tonight?" Fred asked as he put on his jacket, looking into the mirror to George.

"Merlin's saggy balls, Fred, don't make me send another patronus. I'll be fine, mum will be in to smother me soon enough. I lost a bloody ear, not an arm or any another important appendages. Go enjoy yourself with your witch." George all but pushed him out the door.

"Right. Okay, you're right. Maybe I'm a bit nervous, first date as an official couple. I'm good, great even. I'll see you later," Fred said, more to himself than anything else.

As Fred walked down to the boundary he stopped and picked a few of the lilies from his mums garden, he aparated to the alley behind the restaurant and walked in. Fred gave his name to hostess and was quickly seated in a booth in the corner. From his seat he could see the front door. He was just a bit early so he ordered a water and set the flowers on the other side of the table.

At 6:30, Fred assumed that Hermione got caught up helping Bill and Remus, he ordered an appetizer as he waited. At 6:45, he started getting agitated, it was Hermione for Merlin's sake she was always on time, he tried the two way mirror to see what the hold up was. There was no answer, she must not have it on her directly. Finally at 7:00 he paid the check and went to the house, something wasn't right.

The first sign that something was wrong was the unlocked front door, they always locked the door. Next he saw that the rug in the hall was disturbed, as if someone had tripped on it and not righted it, he was willing to let this go as Tonks lived here as well. He bent down to fix rug and saw something catch the light under the table in the hall. He reached for it and saw that it was a necklace, a small locket that Hermione always wore, he'd never seen her without it. He immediately sent his patronus to Bill and George, asking if she was with either of them. He was answered as several pops came from the backyard.

Soon the living room was full, Remus, Tonks, and Bill came in first. Then George, Ron, Harry and Arthur arrived. No one had seen Hermione since she left Muriel's, that was over two hours ago.

"I'll go fill Molly and the girls in. I'll send word if we hear anything," Arthur said, squeezing Fred's shoulder as he walked to the backyard.

"Remus, do you smell that? It's a familiar scent. It's out of place though," Bill asked sniffing the air, his senses were heightened but not as much as when it was the night of the full moon.

"Yes, I do. I know it, I can't place where it's from though," Remus answered, searching his memory for the familiar scent.

Bill walked off in one direction and Remus in another, utilizing their advanced scent. Tonks went upstairs to have a look at Hermione's bedroom.

"What have you got it your hand?" George asked Fred.

Fred had started pacing the room swinging the necklace he had forgotten he was even holding still.

"Oh, I found this under the table in there." Fred said holding the necklace up.

"It's definitely Hermione's, I gave it to her for Christmas two years ago. It has a picture of her, Ron and me," Harry said as he took the locket.

"Well I found this upstairs. It's got her mirror and her muggle ID in it," Tonks said as she made her way downstairs, she was holding up a small handbag.

"So, she didn't leave on her own. Not with her necklace looking like it was ripped off and her bag still upstairs," Ron said.

"No, it doesn't look likely," George said quietly, never taking his eyes off Fred, who was steadily becoming redder and redder in the face and pacing much more aggressively now.

"Merlin's beard, I remember the scent now, two distinct smells actually," Remus said.

…..

The first thing she was aware of was that her head was pounding. Hermione slowly opened her eyes, it took her a few minutes to take in her surroundings, she was in a muggle house it seemed, a bedroom. It was simply furnished with only a bed, nightstand and wardrobe. There were two doors, probably one leading out and one to a bathroom. Slowly, she examined herself, besides the bump on her head she was unharmed, as she felt the back of her head gingerly she almost smiled. Her wand, she had used it to hold up her hair, it was still firmly in place. She breathed out a sigh of relief. Just as she reached to pull it out, however, she heard footsteps outside the door.

The door opened and two men walked in. Hermione couldn't help gasping out loud. She froze in fear. With wide eyes she looked from one to the other.

"B-but how? Why?" Hermione stuttered, truly confused.

"Oh My-oh, let's not be rude, I would introduce you to my friend, but I think you've already met?" one of the men said, with an unkind smile.

"Miss Granger." the other man said coldly.