Hermione brushed her teeth, as she usually, changed hastily into pyjamas, as she usually did, called good night to her parents, as she usually did, and settled down with a book, as she usually did. She waited and waited to hear her parents clean up and go to bed. The light in the hallway clicked slightly as it turned off, and her father grumbled about fixing it as he trudged off to bed.
"Go to bed, 'Mione," he ordered.
"Okay!" Hermione called, shoving her book back onto its shelf and turning off her lamp. She folded her legs on top of her bed and rolled her neck. The door to her parents' bedroom shut.
The telltale crack of Apparation made her jump. It echoed far too loud in the silent house.
"Hermione!"
"In the closet," Hermione jumped to her feet and shoved Fred backwards. She dove into her bed and threw her covers around herself. Her father opened the door. "I was thinking too hard. I... Accidentally made a little Catherine wheel."
"You did not," he gasped.
"It didn't catch anything on fire," Hermione said, sitting up. "Sorry. It's been a long day."
"Try to get some sleep," her father sighed. "Tomorrow will be better, I promise. Love you."
He left as she mumbled her response. As soon as her bedroom door was shut, her closet door opened.
"Why did he say that like you haven't been sleeping?" Fred asked quietly.
"I told you; I get bad dreams," Hermione said. Fred sat down on her feet. She wriggled her toes beneath his thigh, "That's why I leave the bracelet on the table there."
Hermione wasn't sure if Fred caught her pointing through the dark. He just turned until he was sitting cross legged, facing her. He was silent for long enough that Hermione had no idea what was on his mind.
"I know you don't want me to join the Order," Fred muttered. "Some part of me agrees with you. It'd be much easier to keep our heads low at the shop, to try to make people laugh. And I- I could convince myself that that was enough in terms of fighting the war; just keeping people laughing and making the war seem less... less real. But, 'Mione, I have a chance to help people, to give them a better life. I can't give that away for my own sake, or even for yours."
"Fred-"
"Plus, this way, George and I will find enough trouble that by the time this is all over, I'll be so tired of trouble I'll only want to waste time with you," Fred said quickly.
Hermione reached out to touch his face. "I don't think you'll ever be sick of trouble, Frederick Weasley."
"No, probably not," Fred admitted with a low chuckle. The corner of his lips pulled toward Hermione's hand and she fought a smile of her own.
"Is that stubble I feel?"
"It might be," Fred's grin only widened more. Hermione could see the glint in his eyes, even through the dark. A long moment of stillness passed.
"What were we talking about?" Hermione asked, a blush crawling into her cheeks.
"We were talking about how bloody beautiful you are," Fred murmured. Hermione leaned toward him as he pulled her hand from his face and started to rub it slowly.
"Oh really?" Hermione whispered. Somehow she didn't think he was telling the truth about that. "Are you lying to get into my bed, Fred?"
"I'm already in your bed," Fred answered, so close his nose brushed against Hermione's. He let their breath mingle for a moment before pushing off the bed entirely. Hermione frowned at the cool air where Fred had once been. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and muttered a series of complicated Silencing Charms. Then he set his wand on her trunk and shrugged off his shirt. He went to the window and pulled it open. Cool air slipped into the stuffy room. Hermione shivered.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.
"Nothing," Fred said, breathing in the fresh air, resting his arms on the windowsill. There was no screen in the window; another thing Hermione's father was constantly muttering to himself about fixing. He was absolutely paranoid about moths getting into the house.
Hermione didn't understand, "Just a few minutes ago you were skipping circles around my parents."
"I went back to the shop," Fred said quietly, still staring out the window, "The Ministry wants to buy our Shield enhanced hats and cloaks and the like. Apparently not- not many wizards at the Ministry can manage a Shield Charm at all."
"They didn't have Harry to teach them," Hermione crawled out of bed. She thought she was beginning to get it. "You think the Ministry's going to fall, don't you? That's why you want to join the Order."
"Fudge resigned. The new Minister, Scrimgeour, he's playing it strong, making it look like he's doing more than he really is," Fred looked up at Hermione as she touched his shoulder gently, "'Mione, if the Death Eaters take control of the Ministry, they're going to go after Muggleborns."
"You're letting Moody get you all paranoid," Hermione kissed his cheek lightly, "They wouldn't dare risk angering the mighty Weasley clan."
"Yeah?" Fred's smile was even better in the moonlight. He closed the window and glanced at Hermione, eyes widening, "I thought part of your plan was to put on pyjamas."
Hermione looked down at herself. She wore nothing but a too small tank top that no longer covered all of her stomach and panties. "It's summer."
"Oh is it? I hadn't noticed," Fred raised an eyebrow, "Do your parents know that's-"
"Well, I figured if I was going to have company, I may as well dress up," Hermione ran a hand over Fred's bare arm.
"I love you," Fred said softly. The worry was still in his eyes. Hermione rose on her toes to kiss him. If he were any taller it would have been impossible. She thought of all the kisses they'd shared that this one was the best. For once, she was not afraid at all of anyone finding them.
Once again with her feet flat on the floor, Hermione laid her head on Fred's chest, "I love you."
He held her silently, occasionally pressing a kiss into her hair. She looked up at his chin, the stumble coating it catching the moonlight. She kissed his neck gently. He sucked in a breath. "Hermione, aren't you afraid your parents-"
"You leave, I change, we wait, you see the lights go off, you come back, you cast a Silencing Charm, we do all sorts of unspeakable things," Hermione left a kiss for each segment of their plan trailing across his shoulder. She had no idea what she was doing but guessing by the way Fred was breathing, it wasn't half bad. "I thought we'd agreed."
"What if they come in to check on you?" Fred asked. Hermione nearly rolled her eyes. Instead she pulled at his belt and set it behind them on the windowsill. His breathing hitched even more when she went for his pants. He'd worn Muggle clothes to dinner. He must've left the sports coat back at the shop. Hermione took a deep breath, mildly surprised to discover the scent that always lingered about him seemed to be gun powder. She looked up at him, blinking through her surprise. It actually fit quite well on second thought. She reminded herself to answer Fred's concerns.
"I'm sixteen, Fred, not six," she whispered. He kissed her before she could say anything else. His tongue fought for dominance over hers but it was not an easy victory. Hermione sifted his hair through her fingers as he pushed her against the wall. The paint was cool on her back and Fred's hands slipped under her tank top.
"Thank Merlin for that," Fred breathed, kissing her jaw as his hands brushed over her breasts. The stubble lining his face scratched against hers lightly. Hermione melted into his touch. Her hands found the waistband of his boxers. He grabbed her wrists with one hand and pulled at her top with the other. It soon drifted to the floor. Fred kept her hands above her head for a long moment. She ached to touch him, and vowed to make him regret the decision to keep her hanging in need. She moaned as he bit her ear. His grip on her hand loosened slightly and she slowly pulled free. Her hands immediately found his boxers and she yanked them down without hesitation. "'Mione-"
"You should have let me touch you," Hermione smiled as she touched his hardened member lightly. He groaned and missed when he made a wild grab for her hand. Hermione dropped to her knees and took his length into her mouth.
"Motherfucker!" Fred hissed.
~m~
Hermione fell asleep with Fred's naked body entwined with hers. She didn't mind the heat he provided, drifting off to sleep with Fred curled around her, still breathing heavily. It was the first night in months where she slept peacefully. She didn't wake screaming in the middle of the night. She didn't dream of fingers pressing into every inch of her, or of forgetting every face that ought have been familiar to her, or of burning. She just slept.
When she woke, it was to Fred humming into her hair. She rolled to face him, her legs tugging against his beneath the sheets she didn't remember covering herself with. He was grinning when she turned to see him.
"You need to leave," Hermione said sleepily, resting her head on his arm.
"Charlie's always said that woman say one thing and do another," Fred kissed Hermione's nose, "It's cute when you do it."
"I'm not doing anything," Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her eyes flung wide open at the smell, "It smells like sex in here."
"That it does," Fred leaned closer to kiss her.
"There's got to be a spell for that," Hermione pulled away and sat up, yanking at her covers to keep her breasts from view. Fred tugged at the sheets, stuck his head under her arm, and kissed the side of one. Hermione shoved him away. "You are no help. If Mum comes in - Merlin, she'll flay me alive."
"Nah," Fred said, kissing Hermione's cheek. She glared at him and threw her pillow over his face before darting to get dressed. Fred's laughter got louder.
"What was that?"
His eyes grew wide and he silenced himself. He flew out of bed to grab his wand, which he gave a small flick before grabbing Hermione's waist and Apparating. They appeared in Hermione's bathroom, where Fred promptly locked the door and turned on the shower. There was a knock on the door.
"Don't you want to eat before you shower, dear?"
"Mum, I can't hear you!" Hermione answered, which wasn't her best idea. She jumped into the shower and Fred hid behind the door as it creaked open.
"I said, 'Don't you want to eat first?'" Hermione's mother said, sticking her head it. Hermione stifled an all too natural shriek and ducked behind the curtains.
"Well, it's a bit too late for that, isn't it?" Hermione answered.
"Right, right," Hermione's mother left. Hermione cleaned herself of the sweat and other... fluids she'd acquired the night before.
"I've got to go, love, budding business and all," Fred stuck his head in the water long enough to steal a hasty kiss. A crack announced his departure. Hermione just hoped he'd had enough sense to take his clothes with him.
~m~
George fell off the stool onto the floor, already wearing his magenta robes. He laid in a pool of bright colors, unable to stop laughing.
"Shut up," Fred ordered, grabbing a nectarine from the basket.
"Fred, you were wearing those clothes when you went to 'Mione's last night," George coughed happily, "I know, because you came back here. But then you went to bed. Except, how could you have since you-"
"All right, you wanker, I spent the night at 'Mione's," Fred rolled his eyes. "Happy?"
"What did you-"
"No, we are not going there," Fred said, stepping around the puddle of brother on the floor.
"Why not?" George whined.
"Because you're going to take the mickey out of her, inevitably in front of her mates, one of which happens to be our brother, and then we'll both be in a pile of steaming shit!"
"Does that mean you-"
Fred kicked George, who merely Apparated across the room.
"I'm going to go change," Fred scowled.
"Next time I'd bring a change of clothes with you!" George cackled.
"Is that what you do?" Fred called from the hall.
"Will you lunatics stop shouting at each other?!" A very irritated Angela stuck her towel covered head out from the bathroom, toothbrush in hand. Fred stared at her, then turned back to George.
"You can't have sleepovers with Ange and then turn around and-" Fred sighed. George was laughing too hard to hear him anyways. Angela shook her head and returned the the bathroom.
The twins did not stop teasing one another about their nights spent not alone for weeks.
.o0O0o.
It got a little dicey there guys. Most of you are probably outside, enjoying the sun and hunting Pokemon. Good for you! I'll stick with my fiction for now.
So, I've been writing and editing the Battle of Hogwarts for a while. I don't want to do the whole Broomsticks and Fire part where Harry saves Malfoy in the Room of Requirement because we all know that if the trio dies for the Slytherins, Ron will kill Harry. So I'm kind of going to skip a chunk...
Or am I?
If you want me to write for any character of mine and their shenanigans during the Battle, I will be pleased to do that. Plus it's a little bit of filler so I can get the water works really going for the whole wall exploding bit. Good? Great.
WalnutSpirit: Thank you for your tears, they are what sustains me. XD Really, thanks so very much.
meweeks: I might have done that one purpose. To be fair, a lot of the powerhouses of the Order (except for Kingsley and the Professors) die. Besides, Fred sees Dumbly-door as invincible, Moody as too stubborn to die, and Remus is like Sirius; he's never really considered that he might die. Thanks!
sdrlana21: Oh, trust me, this story is going places.
animelover5107: I hate McLaggen. I don't know why I keep putting him in. He's such a pig, literally Hermione's polar opposite.
DoctorWho9: Sorry it was such a long wait! I don't forget about the story, I just forget about uploading it.
Fandomqueen104: It's sort of between the fifth and the sixth. I think I technically have it labelled as the sixth... Indeed I do.
aimsm: It is my goal to collect all the As that I can. I will treasure it always ^.^
Elle Ryder: Thank you! I always hate stories that take too long to build. It's like, no shit they're going to get together, you've paired them together in the description JUST GET ON WITH IT ALREADY! I have fic feels... and plans for continued awesomeness.
Infernalbooks: I also need a Fred. The single life is rough.
Raven that flies at night: Thanks...? I think I should be grateful. It means that my real personality is shining out through the computer screen into your eyeball. That's weird. Oh well, it's out there now.
filmdork: Arthur Dragon Weasley, you were named for your granddad and your dad's abhorrent obsession. XD 2016 will go down as the year where everyone wanted to move to a different country (but in the UK's case couldn't).
Guest: I'm too cynical for positivity. You're warming my cold dead heart! Ach XP
What's that in the distance? Oh, it's just me, screaming SON OF A FUCK! As I am alerted (by the lovely ShadowPrincess1621) that the fucking coding is visible. THE FUCK FANFIC NET?! The fuck?!
