Hermione spent the train ride home reading the Prophet. Sometimes she read aloud, simply because it was too insane or too much like what Harry had told them during D.A. meetings. She noticed how Ron listened very intently whenever she mentioned the Aurors and their searches. Ginny snorted at various deliriums about seeing Voldemort at the grocer's.
By the time they left the platform Hermione was aching. Harry looked almost in physical pain when he didn't realize that anyone was watching and he was lost in thought. She didn't know what to do. Hermione hated not knowing anything.
It didn't shock her to find the Order of the Phoenix waiting for them. More importantly, it didn't shock her that Fred was there, but it did shock her that he and his twin were wearing the most ridiculous suits.
"Finest dragon skin little bro," he bragged to Ron, winking at Hermione. Mrs. Weasley attacked Hermione with a hug. She awkwardly noticed that her parents were talking with Mr. Weasley, and she graciously extricated herself from the older woman. Hermione's father reached her first, and gently stroked her hair.
"We got a letter-"
"Are you okay?" Her mother wrapped her arms around her other side. Hermione found it difficult to breathe under their combined crushing hugs.
"You're explaining it all when we get home," Her father said.
They paused to watch the spectacle that was the confrontation of the Dursley's. Hermione couldn't help but make a face at Mrs. Dursley's appraisal of Tonks. Hermione wasn't sure what exactly offended the blonde woman.
"Her hair is... Pink," Her father said, as if he hadn't noticed it before. Hermiones's mother shushed him with a giggle.
Harry left with his extended family shortly after.
"You know that's the first time he's laughed in days, right?" Hermione left her parents' side to touch Lupin's arm gently.
"Hey, cut it out," Ron was grinning as Fred ruffled his hair. Hermione was momentarily distracted by their playfulness. They hadn't acted like that...
"He deserves it," Lupin said, shaking her from her staring. Hermione noticed that Tonks was watching them sadly.
"We can buy you some product for your hair, if you'd like," George offered, shoving his little brother into Fred's side.
"You honestly believe I can trust anything you give me?" Ron asked flatly. George and Fred laughed.
"Of course not!" They cried together. Fred turned away from Ron and looked at Hermione. He beamed at her, and it was all she could do to not be hanging at his side.
"I'll see you soon," Lupin said softly, touching Hermione's shoulder. He smiled, and Hermione couldn't help but think it real, "Keep him out of trouble, huh?"
"And they said the Tri-Wizard Tasks were impossible," Hermione snorted and watched her boyfriend and his twin shove their brother into their sister.
"You two!" Mrs. Weasley shook her finger at them and they Apparated to be beside her. She jumped as they leaned over to hug her. "Oooh."
"Remus, can I have a word?" Hermione took a step away from him as Tonks skipped over. Or maybe she'd tripped. The latter was far more likely. "See you around, Hermione!"
"Bye!" Hermione called brightly as they walked away. Her parents took up a position on either side of her.
"Time to go home," her father announced.
"Hermione, you can't leave yet," Ginny came over, throwing a glance back at her laughing family. The look on her face clearly meant that Fred had sent her. "Please, please, come over to our house for dinner?"
"For-" Hermione looked back at her parents. "But-"
"It'd be a great way to break the-"
"Actually we have plans already," Hermione's mother cut in, despite her not wanting to be seen as rude. However there was no way she would allow even the slightest chance of Hermione and Fred sneaking off together at his house. "I'm terribly sorry, but it can't be helped."
"Right, we have plans," her father nodded his head, watching his wife suspiciously. Hermione frowned at her mother. "Well, we- we really must be off, since we have plans, it was nice to meet you, Jenny-"
"Ginny," Hermione hissed.
"Right, Ginny, slip of the tongue," Her father laughed awkwardly, firmly placed his arm around Hermione's shoulder, and steered her away from her friend.
"Dad, please, can you be a little more embarrassing?" Hermione ground out, sending an apologetic look over her shoulder to Ginny, who was halfway between offense and laughing.
"Honestly, dear, you have no improvisational skills what-so-ever," Hermione's mother shook her head.
"Well, I did you know, I became a dentist? I thought of a career in theater, but it just isn't for me," Hermione laughed at her father's words. He pulled her closer against him, and she completely missed the look that passed between her parents.
They made it halfway to the car before he appeared.
"Hermione Jean Granger it has been far too long," Fred stepped out from behind a car that should not have been able to hide him and his bright green suit.
"I missed you," Hermione pulled away from her father and flung her arms around Fred's neck. "You didn't tell me you were doing well at the store!"
"I wanted to surprise you," Fred said easily. Hermione turned to look at her parents and quickly backed away from Fred.
"Dragon skin?" Mrs. Granger asked, glancing at his strange suit.
"Charlie could probably tell you which type of dragon-"
"There are different types of dragons?" Mr. Granger demanded.
"Several," Fred nodded, "I wonder if Charlie knew the dragon I'm wearing..."
"It was a natural death, wasn't it?" Hermione asked sternly.
"You're as bad as Mum, I swear," Fred grinned, "Of course it was. Dragons, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, are rather large. They live to an old age, that is, if one of their own doesn't kill them first, and this means they have many layers of skin built up. This has got to be third or second layer skin at most, which is quality itself. My older brother, Charlie, he deals with dragons off in Romania. Last time dragons were in Britain was eons- wait no, it was last year, but they weren't wild. Well, they weren't released into the wild, you can't exactly train a dragon, see. They're obstinate creatures from-"
"Fred?" Hermione said, trying very hard not to laugh at his rambling.
"Yes?" He sounded relieved to have been interrupted.
"Shut up."
"Of course," Fred chuckled to himself. "Mr. Granger, I can take that luggage, if you'd like."
"Thank you," Hermione's father was watching Fred carefully. So was her mother. They'd never been given so much information about the Wizarding world at any time before, all said without the fear of frightening them. Hermione wished Fred would have been slightly less forthright about dragons. Her parents didn't need to know all of that about them having been so near not long ago.
Fred took the trolley from Mr. Granger, and Hermione waited a half step to push between her father and her boyfriend. She looked at Fred and smiled. He was her boyfriend. It still felt novel after all this time.
"So where do you buy a dragon skin suit?" Her father asked.
"There was an ad in the Prophet," Fred shrugged. "Even once we bought furniture for the flat, we had more galleons than we can spend in our two lifetimes, probably more than we can spend in four lifetimes. Still do. We didn't expect to sell so much so quickly, and sales are projected to be higher through the summer and with the war; more people looking for a laugh."
"The what?!"
"You haven't told them yet," Fred's face drained of most its blood. Hermione shook her head, chewing on her lip. "Er... George is expecting me at the shop. I-uh... Sorry."
"When were you going to mention this?!" Hermione's mother demanded. Hermione grabbed Fred's hand to keep him from Apparating immediately.
"When we weren't surrounded by Muggles," Hermione said. It was a lie. She hadn't planned on telling them for a long while. She'd planned writing a very, very, very long letter to give to them in case she was ever harmed beyond any hope of saving; explaining why their daughter had died, why they shouldn't be mad and how noble a cause it had been for.
"I thought you were just in danger before now there's a-a war?"
"There's always been a war," Fred said quietly. Hermione shook her head. "They deserve to know."
"Scaring them to death won't-"
"What if something happens again?" Hermione sucked in a deep breath as the party came to a stop beside the Grangers' car. She ground her teeth and closed her eyes as the weight of her parents' glares made her shoulders sag. Fred groaned, "Don't you tell your parents anything?!"
"Important things," Hermione snapped, "You and me, what the Order means-"
"You don't think what happens to you is impor-"
"I didn't say that-"
"You don't think they'd be concerned for your safety?!"
"I don't think they can do anything to ensure it!" Hermione's eyes blazed as she met Fred's stunned ones.
"Her-Hermione?" Her mother croaked weakly. Hermione couldn't bear to look at her father. She snatched the keys out of her mother's hand and opened the boot of the car. Fred helped her put her things away when she struggled to do it on her own. Her parents shuffled mutely into the car, sharing frequent looks of bewilderment, shame, and terror.
"I'm sorry," Fred whispered, catching Hermione's wrist when she'd slammed closed the car's boot and moved around the car. She paused before turning and hugging him.
Hermione was still hearing her blood singing in anger. She didn't know how to tell her parents, he couldn't just tell her to, he should know how difficult it was. She couldn't bring herself to pull away though. Everything seemed quieter and calmer next to Fred. Even the cars on the street were muted. In the stillness Hermione could feel everything crashing inward on her. There was nothing to stop it.
"Hey," Fred tightened his hold around her waist and rested his head on hers. "It's okay. I love you."
"I'm fine," even Hermione wasn't convinced by herself.
"'Mione," Fred kissed her forehead. "I don't like fighting. I'm no good at it. And it only ever happens in front of your mum."
Hermione laughed a little at this. "Why is that?"
"I don't know, but your dad looks about ready to castrate me," Fred stroked her hair softly. He kissed her despite of his imagined fear.
"I love you," Hermione said quietly.
"See you next week."
"I-I will?- wait!"
But Fred had already turned and Apparated with a grin on his face.
~m~
Mr. and Mrs. Granger had come to a conclusion no parent ever wanted to. They'd known for years Hermione was smarter than them and they'd known for years Hermione was braver than them. Now they were faced with the fact that they could do nothing to protect her. They did not know the spells and enchantments that would harm her. They did not know the spells and enchantments that would protect her. They were completely out of their depths; moreover, they were not police officers or military types- they were dentists.
And what could a regular dentist dream of that could possibly protect a young, stubborn girl with a knack for sticking up for people against the strongest sort of adversity there was.
Mrs. Granger knew her husband was watching their daughter in the rear view mirror. Hermione was miles away, staring out the window with a perfectly blank expression. Mrs. Granger would have been less worried if she was bawling her eyes out.
"He's so talkative," Mr. Granger said quietly.
"Who?" Mrs. Granger asked.
"Her boy," he answered, switching lanes. Mrs. Granger recognized the look on his face. It was the same one he wore when he'd plotted out his next five chess moves. "I think we should have him over for dinner."
.o0O0o.
Thus ends Hermione Granger's Fifth Year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Frederick Weasley's incomplete Seventh Year at the same.
So, I had AP testing, Nationals in Idaho, catch-up in school, and a load of other excuses for not updating. Plus my laptop is currently dying of battery deficiency and I can't find the cord. And I was trying to re-do some original works. Then I hadn't read the last chapter of the fifth book for cannonical consistency. Then I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle at the same time and did a project on the latter.
I'm so busy guys.
Also, shout out to you awesome people because I have over 400 followers! I'm now officially terrified of letting you down.
cochran4444: Everybody needs to thank you because your review threw me into panic mode (i.e. I realized I hadn't even written this chapter yet). It could have been a longer wait!
Bambi2900: Harry is so freaking self-centered he's like 'ah Sirius why?!' but he doesn't realize Tonks might be grieving for Sirius until Hermione mentions it and ugh he's such a teenage boy! While I personally don't get the Remus-Hermione thing (cause hello age gap!), I feel like Hermione was meant to end up with a more mischievous person than Ron. Also, thank you!
AJay28: There are four people who know what happens to Fred. Two of them are beta people who shall remain unnamed. One is my little sister, and the last is me. I plan on keeping that number the same until I hit 'upload' on the chapter titled 'The Battle of Hogwarts.' Know that this is confidential stuff. If I told you, I'd have to kill you.
padfootl0ve: Hahahahaha you're welcome and thank you!
Grouplobster: I am also a binge reader. Thanks!
Just 1 Thought: You'll have to wait and see (troll smiles and slides out of frame)
animelover5107: Feels are so stressful but so stress relieving at the same time. I love and hate writing them.
Infernalbooks: You know, they kind of were, I didn't think about it like that...
Femalewhovian: I also die. Fred is my favorite!
sdrlana21: Is it better yet?
Fandomqueen104: Hogwarts from Ginny POV is something I now need. Especially her sixth, Harry's seventh, year!
I'm a Nerd and Proud: Write it! Do iiiiiittt! I-I am so sorry about you asking for a soon update and me waiting several weeks... I'm guilt tripping myself now... :/
Guest: Oh my Merlin you literally make me smile so freaking much I'm literally about to explode!
AllieHatesYou: Thank you so very very much!
EJDimera'sGirl: I cry over many, many fictional character deaths, Fred's more than others.
Signe2805: I'm currently in the process of writing a Jily. Don't let anyone else know. Wait-
