Hermione ate a quiet breakfast with her family. They knew a rough overview of everything that had happened. A letter from Professor McGonagall had assured that. They just hadn't gotten Hermione to talk about it yet. She stared at the living room from the kitchen, remembering when Sirius had come with Remus and the Twins to collect her. It seemed insane that it had been almost a full year since then. McGonagall's letter hadn't mentioned Sirius, and Hermione didn't have it in her to talk about him just yet either. She just didn't know how to explain it.

She didn't know how to explain any of it; Umbridge, the DA, the Order, how Dumbledore had left, Sinclair, Fred, Grawp, the Department of Mysteries, the Curse of Purple Fire, Sirius, Harry, or even Ron. She told them that she thought her O.W.L.s had gone alright. She told them she had to take a plethora of potions for her health, but she didn't know how to tell them that the curse had tried to dissolve her memories the way that it had tried to dissolve her heart and lungs, that if Madame Pomfrey hadn't stopped it, even if she had survived, she would be as blank as Gilderoy Lockhart. She didn't think they would understand.

"Alright, that's it," her father's voice made her jump. "What happened?"

Hermione tore her eyes from the living room. She could still see Crookshanks perched on Sirius' arm like a parrot. "A lot happened this year. A-Almost too much..."

"Your letters-"

"I left stuff out," Hermione admitted quickly. "Owls were being intercepted left and right, I didn't know what I should say. I'm sorry. I'm going-"

"No where," her father interjected sternly. Hermione, halfway out of her seat, sighed and slumped against the back of her chair. "What did your Professor mean, you were part of an 'incursion lead by the deceit of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named into a trap she was lucky to escape.'"

"Voldemort tricked Harry into thinking... So we went to check and Death Eaters trapped us. I was... I was knocked out. I woke up at school once it was all over," Hermione said. They didn't understand her world, that much was clear. They always had a thousand questions she didn't want to answer, or didn't know how to.

"How did Moldy trick Harry?" Her mother asked.

"They have a-" Hermione paused, considering her words carefully, "When he came back last year... They have a mental link now. Strong emotions- I honestly don't know, Mum, Harry gets visions of Voldemort, it just happens."

"You fought the Skull Biters-"

"Death Eaters," Hermione correctly for the hundredth time. She would've sworn her father did it on purpose.

"And?" Her father prompted.

"I was the first to Stun one," Hermione said, pride creeping into her voice. Her father smiled carefully. "That's a knock out spell."

"Good job," her mother said shortly, sipping at her tea.

"Thank you," Hermione inclined her head slightly and twisted her plate on its mat.

"Was anyone else hurt?"

Hermione's voice sped up until they could barely understand her, "Neville was tortured and his nose was broken, Ginny sprained her ankle, Ron got strangled by a brain and- and-"

And Sirius died.

"There's no way you were just knocked out, is there?" Her mother asked quietly.

"By a brain?!" Her father jumped up and swore. Hermione's eyes nearly fell from her head they widened so much. She'd never heard her father cuss before, not once. "What the hell is wrong with you people?!"

"Jonathan!" Mrs. Granger snapped. Hermione stood and ran to her room. In the Wizarding World she wasn't good enough because of her parents. According to her parents, she was crazy, everyone she knew was crazy, her government was (definitely) crazy, and everything that had ever happened to her was crazy.

Hermione didn't like being crazy.

Hermione locked her door to keep her parents out. She checked her watch. Angelina would be by in just a few minutes to pick her up. She'd meant to disclose this information at breakfast. She paced in her room and quickly unpacked all of her bags. Then she set about packing again.

"Hermione," her mother's voice came from the other side of the door. The door knob rattled. "Let me in."

"I'm changing," Hermione pronounced. She opened her dresser and grabbed a different t-shirt. She was still in pyjamas.

"Your father didn't mean it," her mother said softly.

"If he didn't, he can apologize himself."

"Hermione."

"We have cures for fever, the common cold, all sorts of medical issues that you people can't get your minds around," Hermione said loftily, throwing her slept-in shirt into the hamper in the corner of her closet. "We know of other species of intelligent life that would send you people screaming down the street."

"Hermione-"

"Witch doesn't mean not human!" Hermione shouted, hoping her voice would carry to wherever her father was lurking. She angrily pulled the new shirt on over her head. The witch grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, making sure to shove her array of afternoon potions into it. She'd put a Silencing charm on the bottles while on the train so they wouldn't clang incessantly. She had to take the potions another two weeks and then that was it. Hermione knew she shouldn't, knew it was a bad idea, but she took enough potions to last her two days after a slight hesitation. She would have grabbed clothes too, but the bag wasn't big enough.

"Hermione, dear, please he just doesn't understand. We don't, you've hardly told us anything-"

"Apparently, my people are all criminally insane so why should-"

"You have to admit that some of you aren't right!" Her father's voice carried from right outside the door.

"Oh?" Hermione stared at the books on her shelf. Some of them were inspired by the evil of WWI, some by the evil of racism in the United States. "That's a trait of being human, Dad. Magic has nothing to do with it."

The doorbell rang, "Who is that?"

Hermione unlocked her door and flew through it. She brushed past her parents, jumped clean over the living room couch, opened the front door, hooked her arm through Angelina Johnson's, slammed the front door, and dragged the older girl down the street at a sprint until they rounded the corner.

"Bad day?" Angelina asked, throwing a look over her shoulder.

"Well, it started with me trying to explain what happened at the Ministry and ended with my father calling me and the Wizarding community you people," Hermione said briefly, trying to catch her breath. She doubled over and looked up at Angelina. The more athletic witch was hardly breathing heavily at all.

"They'll never really get it, Muggles," she simply shrugged. "My uncle's one. We've never told him anything about magic. He's an atheist."

"I can't tell them anything without explaining everything to them," Hermione groaned and straightened. "It's exhausting to even think about."

"Why'd you start hiding things from them in the first place?"

"You can't tell me that your parents know the extent of your and George's physical relationship," Hermione said.

"That's just ridiculous," Angelina laughed. "But I have my mom... Have you even tried to explain the easy things, like Quidditch?"

"I don't even know what Quidditch is, how do you suppose I explain it?" Hermione laughed with her. Angelina raised her wand and there was a sharp BANG as the Knight Bus appeared.

"Two to the Leaky Cauldron, please."

~m~

The Leaky Cauldron was emptier than Hermione had ever seen it before. They passed through silently and quickly. Angelina's eyes swept over the bar rapidly. Hermione's gaze lingered on a man sitting in the shadows of a corner with his feet up on the table, smoking a pipe. A chill ran down her back.

Hermione hit the proper bricks once outside, Angelina turned to watch the exit from the pub. The wall lurched sideways and Hermione tugged on Angelina's elbow as they passed through.

There weren't many shoppers on so early a weekday morning. There were a few vendors lined on the side of street. They shouted at Angelina and Hermione as them passed, boasting of unmatched protection. In the small trickle of shoppers, Hermione noticed a familiar hat in front of them; it had a stuffed bird perched on it, and beside the old witch wearing it was a boy with blonde hair.

"Neville!" Hermione cried, waving her arm and speeding up. He turned and beamed at her.

"I'm here getting a new wand," he said without preface. Hermione didn't think she'd ever seen him so excited. His grandmother cleared her throat.

"Hi, Ms. Longbottom," Hermione smiled, then gestured back to Angelina, "This is Angelina Johnson, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

"I just graduated," Angelina shook Neville's grandmother's hand.

"We don't have time to dawdle, Neville," she said, nodding her head slightly. "Lovely to see you again, and to meet you. Be careful you two!"

"Bye!" Hermione said as cheerfully as she could manage. They turned into Ollivander's, Neville still waving enthusiastically. It felt strange to have had so brief an encounter. A year ago they wouldn't have been able to escape a conversation with the elderly woman if they had wanted to.

"Let's go," Angelina prodded Hermione's back, looking behind them. Hermione hurried along to the lurid colors farther down the street. She didn't need to know the address to know where Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was. "Merlin!"

Hermione was fighting a grin as she made her way into the shop. There were products on shelves everywhere, in every color imaginable.

"We're closed-" George stuck his head out from behind a shelf and started shouting, "Oi, Freddie, they're here!"

"Who is?!" Fred demanded from a few rows behind him. He stuck his head over the shelf he was stocking. There was a loud thud and lots of little clatters and then his head disappeared.

Hermione stepped sideways as George threw himself at Angelina. She barely managed to stay standing. Hermione wasn't so lucky. Fred literally tackled her to the ground.

"You saw me the other day, get off!" Hermione laughed. Fred kissed her neck in response. "Is this how you greet all your customers?"

"Only the ones I like," Fred answered. He kissed Hermione's nose, "I like you."

"I like you too," Hermione grinned, the shadow of her breakfast's conversation disappearing entirely.

"That's enough of that," George shoved Fred with his foot so that he fell off of Hermione. Fred lay on his back, staring at the changing patterns in the ceiling.

Fred groaned, "I think I'm dying. Doesn't anyone know cepper?"

Hermione let out a loud laugh, "Do you mean CPR?!"

"Don't laugh," Fred ordered, covering her mouth with his hand, "I'm dying."

Hermione pulled his hand off, "You are not."

"He is now," George cackled and stepped on his twin's stomach. Fred groaned and hit the back of George's knee, to no effect.

"I can't breathe," Fred wheezed dramatically. Hermione sat up and shoved George off him. "Thank you, o kind woman."

"When do you open?" Angelina asked.

"Another half minute or so," Fred shrugged, glancing at his watch. "I should probably not be on the floor, shouldn't I?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure you and Hermione can manage," George said abstractly. He took Angelina's hand and pulled her to the back of the store.

"I need to get up," Fred decided. He used a shelf and Hermione's head to do so. She scowled at him but took his hand when he offered it. He kissed her and pulled her bag off her shoulder, "I'm going to put this in the back."

"Okay," Hermione said, going to wander through some of the shelves. There wasn't one product she was surprised to see.

"We've got some new stuff coming in a few weeks, we just need the ingredients," Fred called, his voice echoing slightly. "I'm going to open the doors, try not to look like you're desperately in love with me."

"Oh, that's going to be terribly hard," Hermione muttered under her breath with a roll of her eyes.

The first group to come in was a group of third or fourth years. Hermione awkwardly roamed the shelves, carefully avoiding the boys for a solid hour before one of them came up to her.

"Taben thinks you're pretty," said the boy with a self-assured smirk.

"Oh," Hermione said, looking over a shelf at the smaller, red-faced boy. If possible he looked more mortified than she was. "Er, thanks, but I think he's too handsome for me, would you mind telling him that?"

"Aren't you Potter's friend?" The boy asked, oblivious to her request. "What happened at the Ministry?"

"You know what happened," Hermione scoffed at turned away from the boy. "And please, if you think you're smart enough to shoplift from a Weasley, you've got it coming."

"Got what-"

"Oi, kid!"

Hermione noticed a display of bright pink as she ducked out of Fred's war path and made her way there. She frowned at what she saw. Also at the small skirmish breaking out between the boys, who each pointed to another and claimed it all a dare.

"Love potions?" She picked one up and examined the label. The store quieted as she did.

"You know, you don't need one of them to get me into the back room with you," Hermione jumped at the deep voice. She recognized the boy's face - she'd seen him around school once or twice. She thought he was a Gryffindor but she couldn't be sure.

"Er, hello," Hermione wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond. Then her brain grasped at something, "And, by the way, I don't think I'd want to."

"That's cold," the boy put a hand over his chest. Still, his grin was almost as cocky as Fred's when he introduced himself, "Cormac McLaggen."

"Hermione Granger," she said as indifferently as possible.

"Any nightmares from your time at the Ministry need chasing away?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"'Mione, love," Fred had the most forced smile she'd ever seen as he took the love potion out of her clenched fist and set it back on the shelf, "No stealing... McLaggen."

"Weasley," the younger boy smiled. "Heard you were hiring."

"Not kids who haven't graduated Hogwarts yet," Fred said dismissively. "Have a good day. Now, 'Mione, what exactly are you trying to do to Harry."

"Cheer him up," Hermione said. Fred rested his arm on her shoulder and guided her away from the smirking boy, "You know, nothing too bad."

"Of course not," Fred said, "Let's see what we have in the store room."

"Are you going to give me a discount?" Hermione asked.

"I'm going to give you a lot more than that," Fred breathed against her ear. Hermione lost a battle with a smile and followed him into the store room. She caught sight of George and Angelina coming down the stairs from the apartment. No sooner had the door closed behind them than Fred had gripped Hermione tightly and Apparated.

He threw his wand on the kitchen counter as Hermione gasped and looked around.

"Fred, your place is nice!" Hermione admired the simple space. The room was large with magically high ceilings, the kitchen and it's island were rustic and charming. The wooden floors gleamed with a light polish. There was a couch facing the fireplace in the large room, and Hermione noticed Floo Powder in a small flower pot above it; the exact same way things were at the Burrow.

"I don't give a damn about my flat," Fred murmured, running a hand through her hair, "Not when you're in it."

There was no better remedy for anything than kissing Fred. Hermione wasn't sure how close they could get, but no matter what, it didn't seem close enough.

"George gets mad when I leave clothes out here," Fred muttered, pulling Hermione's hands off his robes. He grinned and rested his forehead against Hermione's as they tried to catch their breath. "Wanna see my room, 'Mione?"

"You've seen mine, it's only fair," Hermione tried to pull her hands out of Fred's grasp, but he used them to pull her forward. His bedroom looked like a hotel room, there wasn't much in the way of personal artifacts. He had a small scroll of parchment and some ink on a desk, but nothing on his walls or his dresser, or his bedside table, not even a lamp.

"I'm told beds are much more comfortable for this sort of thing," Fred winked as he shut and locked the door behind him. Hermione kicked off her shoes and sat on the bed.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're taking about," she said simply. Fred pulled off his robes until he was in nothing but a thin white undershirt and boxers, "Frederick Gideon Weasley, you are being awfully presumptuous."

He straddled her, resting a knee on the bed to each side of her. He smiled innocently, "Am I?"

Hermione nearly melted when he just barely grazed his lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck before he could retreat. He pushed her back against the bed, his feather soft kisses trailing away from her mouth. Hermione pulled her shirt over her head and wrapped her legs around his waist. There wasn't enough clothing between them to hide his arousal. "You had better use that."

"I'm planning on it," Fred's hands found their way to her shorts and he pulled them down and off, but her knickers only made it to her knees. His hands trailed slowly down her legs as he removed them as well. Then his mouth returned to hers, "I ever tell you that I love you?"

"Does sound familiar," Hermione managed, pulling off his shirt, "I ever tell you that you're more muscular now that you've given Quidditch up?"

"I never gave it up," Fred scoffed, "Adult league, not professional. Kind of gone down-"

"Shut up and fucking kiss me."

"I love it when you're feisty," Fred bit at her ear and removed her bra. Hermione couldn't believe that any spell could make her forget this. "You ready?"

"Am I breathing?" Fred kissed her just to check, then brushed against her. "Oh, God, Fred, come on."

~m~

Fred sighed and laid back into the bed. Hermione fitted her head over his arm.

"I missed you," Fred kissed the top of her head lightly.

"What are we going to do?" Hermione asked. "I'm never going to see you next year-"

"There's this little village called Hogsmeade, occasionally students are allowed to visit," Fred smirked. "And, by the way, there's several hidden passages out of the castle. And in. Plus if I'm an Order member-"

"But you're not," Hermione tilted her head to look up at him. At his almost guilty look she sat up, "And you won't be!"

"'Mione," Fred said quietly, touching her bare side lightly. He hadn't yet told her of his talks with Moody and Remus. He hadn't had the chance. Well, he had, but he'd used the time for much better things. "I'm not in school anymore, I'm an adult even by Muggle standards, I want to fight-"

"They- they're three times our age, they have more experience-"

"And the last time the Order was needed, Remus, Harry's parents, the Longbottoms, they were all young too!" Fred sat up as Hermione slid off the bed. It was hard not to stare at her naked figure, especially considering that she'd crossed her arms. He bit his lip then said, "You know Sirius would be on my side."

"Don't think that using him as a tool will get you anywhere," Hermione said lowly, her voice shaking.

"Remus and Moody-"

"I don't care what they said!" Hermione snapped. "You can't join the Order- you- it's too dangerous-"

"You waltzed into the Ministry with a group of teenagers to face the most feared Dark Wizard in a century!" Fred jumped to his feet too. "And who did he bring? Pure-blooded maniacs who would like nothing more than to see you dead!"

"You can't ask me to abandon my friends!"

"Then why would you expect me to do the same?!" Fred demanded.

"You can't get hurt Fred," Hermione quieted. Guilt turned in Fred's stomach.

"I-I didn't mean to shout," he said gently.

"Fred, you think that you're invincible but they don't care that you're funny and smart and brave, they just care that you oppose them," Hermione took a step away from him, "You're not invincible."

"I know," Fred bent down and picked up her shirt. She was being extremely distracting. Fred attempted to remember what she'd just said.

"You're staring."

"Am not," Fred threw Hermione her shirt.

"You're not joining the Order," Hermione said, dropping her shirt to the ground and taking a step toward him.

"I mean, not today," Fred tried to focus on her face but it wasn't any better than the rest of her body. He turned his head to the wall.

"No," Hermione touched his chin and turned his head until he met her eyes, "You are not joining the Order."

"Then you can't have any more adventures with Harry," Fred closed the gap between them until a certain part of him rubbed against her.

"That's nonnegotiable," Hermione bit her lip.

"So is the Order," Fred whispered.

"I'm your girlfriend. If I can't stop you from being an idiot, I'm not doing what I'm supposed to-"

"I'm your boyfriend," Fred raised an eyebrow, "If I can't protect you, I'm not doing what I'm supposed to-"

"Risking your life isn't always the same as protecting me!" Hermione took a step back. Fred let out a sigh of relief. It was always hard not to kiss her, she only made it worse she knew that he wanted to.

"Maybe it's about more than just you," Fred decided it was time to play his hand of cards. "Maybe I don't want our kids persecuted for being the children of a Muggleborn and a Bloodtraitor."

The knowledge that she wanted to kiss him was written across her sweaty face. Fred didn't see how she could win this one.

"There won't be any kids if you die," Hermione said. "And -even if there were- I'd like them to grow up with a father."

"Joining the Order isn't a death sentence," Fred licked his lips, seeing that she was watching them, "Remus, Moody, hell even Dumbledore, they're all still here."

"They have more experience than you," Hermione said weakly.

"Remus didn't the first time around," Fred stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, "I promise I won't get hurt. I am excellent at Shield Charms."

"If you get hurt, you won't have to worry about the Death Eaters," Hermione said, ducking her head into his shoulder. "I'll kill you myself."

"I know," Fred kissed the top of her head, not sure whether he should call this a 'win.' He paused for a long moment, "Did you tell your parents?"

"No," Hermione said quickly, pulling away from him. She grabbed his shirt and pulled it over her head. Fred didn't mind; she looked better in it than he did. Sensing the danger of the topic, Fred waited until he had put on the majority of his clothes and grabbed a new shirt to gauge her reaction. It was not good.

"Why not?" He asked anyways.

"I don't want to talk about it," Hermione mumbled, sitting down on his bed. Fred had figured as much. He'd wait a little bit and ask again.

"I do eventually have to get back to work," Fred sighed and kissed her cheek. "You can stay up here if you want. I can have George send Angelina up."

"Hmm," Hermione laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, "Do you have a shower?"

"You are not taking a shower in my flat without me," Fred grinned and grabbed his robes from the floor.

"What would you do to me if I did?" Hermione asked. Fred edged towards the door, reminding himself that he really, really, didn't want George to have to deal with customers on his own. That often led to payback in the long run, and he might try to get Hermione involved, which would suck ass. As much as he should like to show Hermione what he'd do, he had to go down into the shop.

"Terrible, unspeakable things," Fred said with a wink, ducking out of his room with all necessary haste. He reminded himself more than once that he was a business owner as his mind drifted back to Hermione continuously. He groaned and took the steps three at a time down to the shop. He found his twin threatening to take an ear off a shop lifter. "We need to hire an assistant."

"Why?"

"So we can do other things throughout the day," Fred shrugged.

"By things, do you mean people?"

"Maybe."

"We're hiring an assistant."

.o0O0o.

I'm busy, and mad, so the same as usual. Dinner's coming up, but as neither party is aware of the plans, it wasn't mentioned, 'cause... you know. Secrets.

Female whovian: Well, I am the Necromancer of Dol Guldur in my spare time, so... *shrugs*

animelover5107: Fred doesn't know what 'low key' is. Mostly because it's the nineties, but still, it counts.

I'm a Nerd and Proud: Hahahahaha this was a long ass wait (sorry bout that btw). I have to read Heart of Darkness for my AP Lit class over the summer, and while it seems pretty damn short, the print is small and I'm not looking forward to that. I'm always looking for good books to read though, so thanks for that, I'll check it out. You honestly made my day when I read this comment (like almost a month ago, I'm reallysorry about the wait) *heart*

Guest: When you use words it makes me not be able to. Thank you so much! I can't express myself very much beyond extreme gratitude.

The Butterfly Dreamer: It was a long wait, I sorry.

Infernalbooks: *spoiler* They're going to go... To Hogwarts... In a little bit... *spoiler*

Grouplobster: Ron is a mysterious soul who will follow cannon for a little while and then won't follow cannon for a little while. Point is, I might set him up with an OC or maybe I'll follow cannon and he and Hermione will end up together. Who knows? Neville and Luna aren't going to be a thing. I haven't thought about doing a fic that follows the shenanigans of Dumbledore's Army during seventh year (as it'd be mostly be OCs and the Sivler trio) but now I am... There will be some follow up after the Battle of Hogwarts beyond 'Look! Kids! Marriage! Hogwarts Express!'

sdrlana21: The dragon skins thing was in the book, but I totally forgot about it until I was glancing over it to keep with cannon. And I haven't written that dinner thing yet so I'll get back to you on that.

Fandomqueen104: I can see the whole Harry cackling in the background thing. I think it would be Charlie who's the most grossed out though because he's more used to dragons than girls.

FYI Guys: I legit can't wait to write Charlie stuff. It's the best part of my day whenever I ignore Year 6 and skip to the wedding from Year 7 (which, yes, I've already written, no, I'm not going to spoil) and basically anytime Charlie is around.