I Forgot I Had Legs

Hermione tried to focus on her schoolwork the next few weeks, but the nagging feeling from the day of the quiddich game wouldn't go away.

She kept going back and forth with owling Harry and asking him to send her one of Ron's shirts, but she knew it would hurt Fred's feelings. Also, she wanted to wear Fred's jersey and then that made her feel extremely guilty.

How would Ron feel about all of this? If the other students noticed that it wasn't his number, what were they thinking or saying behind her back? Was she a traitor? She moved on and it was with his own brother! Maybe she moved on too fast and she wasn't respecting his memory like she should. She wished she could talk to Fred, but she didn't have the bullocks to owl him.

She was sure that the family was disappointed in her for clamming up and hiding from them when her emotions got the best of her again. She hadn't communicated with any of the Weasleys or Harry since the run in. Her heart ached too much everytime she tried. The word traitor just kept running on repeat when she'd try.

The Hogsmeade trip was that day and her mood kept her from wanting to go. She just wanted to hide behind a good book for the day and stay in bed. Maybe a lighthearted muggle one with no angst and no heartbreak.

"You've got to go!" Ginny whined, pulling Hermione's curtain back.

"Gin…I just don't feel like it."

"Well, that's tough! We haven't seen each other very much and I want some girl time." Ginny told her.

"Ginny…" Hermione began.

"No! Get up and get dressed or I'll make you go in those sweatpants!" Ginny pulled open Hermione's drawer and threw her a pair of jeans and jumper.

Hermione huffed and grabbed her clothes before disappearing behind the seventh year dormitory bathroom. She knew she had a nasty habit of ignoring the people who loved her when she was emotionally struggling and she needed this with Ginny. Ginny deserved some time together. No moping allowed!

Twenty minutes later they headed down the stone steps arm in arm and out to the grounds.

"Glad you came." Ginny mentioned.

Hermione snorted. "I didn't have much of a choice now did I?"

She heard Ginny sigh. "You've been acting strangely for awhile now. You haven't been speaking to me or owling anyone. Bill owled me to make sure you were still breathing. He said he hasn't heard from you in weeks."

"I've just been busy. Have a lot to study for and been immersed in some good books lately."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Do you even miss home?"

"Of course I do." How could Ginny say that? Her heart ached every evening when the busyness of the day would roll to a close. She felt so lonely there. Having Ginny close helped, but she got used to the house full of Weasleys and houseguests that it made the home so warm and lovely, that Hogwarts just couldn't compare.

"Then why haven't you asked the boys to call?" Ginny asked.

"It's hard. I miss Fred, but then it makes me feel guilty that I do want to see him, so I don't. So then I feel guilty that I don't see him and now he's probably angry that it's been weeks and so it's eating me up. It's a two edged sword."

"So, you're still in love with Ron?" Ginny asked, squeezing her arm.

"That's why I feel so guilty… because I love Ron, but I'm not in love with him anymore. I'm in love with Fred." Hermione told her. "Why do they have to be brothers? Things would be so much easier if they weren't."

"Don't feel guilty, Hermione."

Hermione let out a laugh. "Right. Easy for you to say! My boyfriend dies and I not only move on months after his death, but with his own brother!"

"Ron told you to." Ginny mentioned.

"Cormac noticed I wasn't wearing his number. What if everyone noticed? What do they think of me?"

Ginny shook her head, realizing. "All of this over a shirt? A shirt that Cormac noticed? Of course he would notice! He's an arse. He wants to get under your skin. You're putting too much into it. You're doing just what the insidious prat wants."

"Maybe." Hermione said quietly.

"Do you miss Fred?"

Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she looked down at her feet while they walked. "So much it hurts."

"Then tell him. Stop ignoring him." Ginny said.

Hermione knew Ginny was right. She just hoped he didn't hate her for acting so childish. "I will. I'll owl him as soon as we've finished."

"No. I think you should tell him now."

She looked up at Ginny, her brows creased. They just made it into Hogsmeade and now she wants to turn back?

Ginny met her eyes and nodded toward the front of them. Hermione looked up, and felt like the wind had been knocked out of her.

She stood, locked in place as she stared at those beautiful amber eyes. She was stuck in place, her body forgetting how to function. Ginny nudged her, bringing her back to the present and she ran the fifteen feet to him. He opened his arms and once she made it to him, he picked her up and spun her around.

She locked her arms around his neck, gripping her own elbows. "It's you. You're here. You're really here." She whispered into his neck, breathing him in deeply.

"Took you long enough. Thought you might start running the other way." Fred told her, gripping her tighter.

She laughed. "Sorry. I forgot I had legs for a moment."

Ginny came up beside them. "Will you put her down?! People are starting to stare!"

He lowered her to the ground and she let go of his neck only to grab ahold of his abdomen and bury her head in his chest. He rubbed her back up and down, holding her tight, ecstatic that they were okay even though she hadn't written to him.

She looked up at him, setting her chin on his chest. She took in his face, having a hard time believing he was really there. "I've missed you... so much."

He smiled down at her, searching her eyes. "Me too."

She turned to look for Ginny, but she was gone.

"Don't worry, she went to look for Harry."

He pulled her back to him and bent down to bury his head into her neck, breathing in her scent. Taking advantage of this, she slid her fingers through his hair, raking her fingers against his scalp. He shivered against her, making her grin.

"You did that on purpose." The action always went straight to his dick.

She giggled. "Yes, I did. What's your point?"

His eyes narrowed and she smiled up at him. "Little minx. You're lucky you're cute." He told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her along the street.

Happy to follow along, she matched his pace, hugging his arm with her opposite arm so she could be close. She pressed her cheek to his arm and sighed.

"You're so warm." She mentioned, tightening her grip on his arm.

He let go of her hand and slid his arm out of her grasp to pull her to him, his arm resting on her waist. She slipped an arm around his waist, squeezing him. "This is even better."

After a short walk, he pulled them into the quiet bookshop Tomes and Scrolls and went straight to the back corner, pulling her behind the bookshelves that blocked a little nook housing a small sofa and coffee table.

"I never knew this was back here." Hermione mentioned quietly, while unzipping her pink jumper and pulling it off. She straightened her white long sleeve shirt and sat down.

He sat next to her, his arm slipping behind her to rest on her hip while he lifted his wand and did a silencing spell so they wouldn't be heard.

"Not many do. Since the doorway is mostly blocked, no one bothers to look."

She raised an eyebrow. "How do you know about this?"

He smiled. "I was hiding from Katie one day after I gave her a nosebleed nougat. She followed me and I hid back here."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I take it, she didn't find you?"

He shook his head, smirking.

"Shame. You deserved it."

"Probably."

He slid closer to her and wrapped his other arm around her, burying his face in her hair. "I need to breathe you in, Mione. It's been too long." He could feel his eyes burning with tears at the thought, but he swallowed them back.

"Much too long." She agreed. Enjoying the affection, she rubbed his back, trying to commit the way his muscle felt against her fingers to memory.

He lifted his head and looked at her. He missed those dark brown eyes, her little nose, her pink lips. He stared down at her lips and watched as her tongue flicked out to lick her bottom lip. A nervous habit.

He bit his own lip, his heart racing. He lifted his eyes to meet hers. "May I?"

A small smile formed on her lips. "What took you so long?"

He smiled, searching her eyes, taking in her features while he tried to calm his heartrate.

She cocked an eyebrow, her smile widening. "You going to do this soon or do I have time to write my Herbology essay?"

She started to lean forward to get up and he pinned her to the couch. "This isn't a joking matter, Mione. This is serious business."

"Oh?" She asked. "Hiding in the corner in a bookshop snogging is serious business?"

She watched his lips as his right side curled into a faint smirk. "It is. You don't know how long I've been waiting to kiss you."

Her brow furrowed. "I believe I do know, since I've waited just the same. Besides, we did kiss at the platform."

He shook his head. "You have no idea. You were too busy with Ron to notice. I've waited years for this. You don't know how many times I've watched your lips at the burrow, angry that Ron was too much of a prat to kiss you. When I heard about he and Lavender, it took everything in me not to tell you then, but I saw how confused and lost you seemed while dealing with your emotions and I knew I'd only make things worse. I've dreamed about those beautiful pink lips. And you kissed me at the platform by the way, so now it's my turn."

"No pressure living up to your dreams then…" She said, sarcastically.

He smiled and shook his head. He cupped her face with his right hand and leaned in, watching Hermione's eyes flutter shut right before his lips met hers.

He heard her whimper as he pressed more firmly, their lips moving together. He kept his tongue to himself, knowing that he needed to keep his mind clear for a little longer. Instead, he kept his kisses soft and slow, his nose nuzzling hers as he pulled away just enough to rest his forehead against hers.

He saw that her eyes were still closed, her chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. Her sweet, pink lips were open just enough to draw air into her lungs and he leaned in once more to press another soft kiss to them. He loved those lips.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw a smirk on his face. She licked her lips and let out an airy laugh. She expected it to feel awkward afterward, but it wasn't. Fred looked thoroughly happy with himself and with her, so it eased her anxiety.

"Now that my mind isn't so foggy, I wanted to speak to you about something." He told her.

"Oh." His sentence surprised her and her anxiety came back ten-fold. She suddenly felt her hands shaking and she clenched them into fists to try to hide it. "Okay."

She turned and folded her foot under her, leaning up against the arm rest.

"I'm listening."

Reaching for her clenched fists, he silently urged her to hold his hands.

"Easy, baby. Everything is fine. I wanted to tell you that Harry told me about McLaggen. I can't help, but think that has something to do with the fact that you've been ignoring me." He told her, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

She sighed and pulled a hand away so she could tuck her hair behind her ear. "Well… it started with his comment about your shirt and it made me think that if he noticed, everyone would notice and I was worried what they would think of me. I felt like I was somehow disrespecting his memory. I felt terrible thinking that I was a traitor, that I not only moved on so fast, but that I moved on with his brother. I feel terribly guilty. I didn't want to tell you how I was feeling because I was worried it would devastate you and that everyone would be disappointed in me... but, considering I ran away from my problems and hid from everyone, I guess they already are."

"Please don't say that, Hermione. No one is disappointed in you. We love you. We're worried for you."

Letting out a breath, she looked up at him and felt tears starting to fill her eyes. "Well, I feel like a disappointment... and because of that, I… well… I was feeling terrible about myself and wanted a break, so I took one of the daydream charms. I wasn't sure how it worked, so I just left my mind open and let myself dream whatever." She shook her head, her heart aching at the memory.

He slid closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Tell me what you saw. I won't be angry." His heart was pounding out of his chest, but he needed to know what she saw. Call it morbid curiosity.

She took a deep breath and stared down at her legs. "I was in my room at the burrow and Ron was there. He was smiling at me and I hugged him. He told me he was in love with me and I started to say it back, but then realized I didn't. I just looked at him and then I heard you call for me and I turned to look at you and when I turned back he was gone. You pulled me into the kitchen and it was Christmas and we got stuck under the mistletoe. We kissed and then when we pulled away, I looked out into the snow and saw Ron out the window with a sad look on his face. He was all alone and he was transparent. I could see right through him. I started toward the door, but then he disappeared and the burrow disappeared and I was back in my bed at Hogwarts." She sniffled and he kissed her temple to try to console her. "He was just so sad and so alone. What if he feels that way now?"

Fred sighed. "Those daydream charms are subjective. They can't possibly know what is really happening to Ron. They show how you feel about it. I don't think Ron is sad or alone. He has the Potters, Sirius, Lupin and Tonks, and even Lavender."

Hermione scrunched her nose and smiled at the last one causing Fred to laugh.

"I'm sure Lavender is doing a great job at keeping him busy." Fred mentioned.

Hermione nodded. "That was her forte."

"Are you jealous?"

She shook her head. "No. I just want him to be happy. If he and Lavender are really together and happy in the afterlife then I can't complain."

Fred nodded. "Exactly. I'm sure that's how he feels about you, too. Ron and I talked about it. He wanted me to take care of you, make you happy. He didn't want you miserable."

She smiled up at Fred. "Thank you. I feel much better."

He squeezed her. "That's what I'm for. I'll always do my best to make you feel better. Ask me to floo call next time."

"I will. I promise." She pressed a short kiss to his lips sealing the promise.

She looked down at her watch.

"In a hurry?" He asked.

"I just have to buy a new toothbrush. I wonder if they sell those in Hogsmeade."

"Why don't you just owl Mum? She'll send you a new one." He told her.

"She's done enough. They don't need to keep buying for kids that aren't even their own. I feel bad enough for having to stay this summer with no job." She told him, picking at his sweater.

He snorted. "Don't feel too bad about that. I deposit galleons into their vault every month."

Hermione's mouth dropped open. "And they know this?"

He shook his head. "No. They would never take it if they knew. Dad thinks he gets a monthly bonus for the work he does… so don't feel bad about anything moneywise. Just tell yourself it's from me."

Hermione looked at him in amazement. "You are the most amazing man… but I really don't feel much better that my boyfriend is basically paying for my room and board."

He laughed. "Don't worry about it. We'll be married one day anyway." He watched Hermione's eyes bug out of her head. "One day… when we're both ready… if you'll have me."

She shook her head, smirking. Fred was always so direct with her, but she still found herself surprised by him. "You are something else, you know that? Of course I'll have you… in the future, that is."

He saw her cheeks turn pink. He smiled wickedly, wanting her to blush further. "Just think, we'll have our own little quiddich team worth of brown eyed curly, red-headed babies…"

On cue, she turned bright red and hid her face in her hands. He mentally high fived himself and laughed.

"I love making you blush." He told her, pulling her hands away from her face and leaning in again to kiss her. "Now that we've got that all figured out, we can move on to more pressing matters." He grinned, pulling her body down onto the sofa until her head rested against the arm rest, the sudden movement making the witch squeak.

Chuckling, he hovered over her and lowered himself so he could capture her lips with his own.

Hermione was nervous as he pulled her down the couch, but as soon as his lips touched hers, her mind seemed to turn to liquid and she couldn't come up with one coherent thought.

Both hands flew into his red hair, sliding down the nape of his neck, and she began to massage his neck and shoulders.

Fred slid his tongue over her bottom lip and she parted her lips, giving him access to deepen the kiss. The feeling of butterflies filled her abdomen as he squeezed her hip in appreciation before his thumb found the skin of her waist.

She gripped the back of his shirt as he sucked on her tongue, making her moan, her hips grinding into his erection.

He pulled back. "Fuck, Hermione! Easy." Her movement shocked him to his core. "You're going to unman me and make a mess."

She gave him a wicked smirk and pulled him back to her, unwilling to let him stop. He continued to dominate her mouth, his fingers gliding over the skin of her stomach and sides.

Eventually, he left her lips in search of more skin. His lips made a trail across her jaw, behind her ear, and down her neck, his teeth raking down the side of her neck before nibbling and sucking on it.

She could feel the warmth pool between her legs at his actions and she let out a whimper. "That feels so good, Fred."

He hummed against her skin, letting her know that he heard her and continued his way across her neck.

"Fred." She said, breathier than she meant it to be.

He groaned, grinding his dick into her.

"Fred!" She said more sternly.

He pulled his head out of the crook of her neck and looked down at her.

"Don't get me wrong, this is amazing, but we need to settle a little."

He nodded, looking a bit hurt, and raised himself off of her to sit back on the cushion.

She sat up and moved closer to him, laying her head against his shoulder.

"Please don't be upset. What we did... I liked it... a lot. I just need time to wrap my head around these new emotions. None of them are bad, just strong. Stronger than I thought they would be and I was hyperaware we were in public."

He nodded. "I understand. Guess this is a complete one-eighty from what we were doing."

She smiled and lifted her head to look at him. She leaned in and gave him a kiss. "Thank you. I can't wait to be home so we can continue this."

He chuckled at her words and looked down at her for a moment, taking in her flushed cheeks, red lips, and messy hair.

He leaned down and gave her a slow kiss. "You look bloody amazing with post snog hair."

Her eyes widened and she immediately lifted her hands to her hair, trying to calm it.

Looking up at his, she laughed. "Yours isn't any better."

He ran his hands through his hair a few times, just making it worse.

"How's this?" He asked her, winking.

She rolled her eyes and sat up on her knees, taking it upon herself to fix his hair.

He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her fingers against his scalp. With his eyes closed he said "Well, I guess I might as well show you what I wanted to later."

She dropped her hands and looked at him.

"Yea? What is it?"

"Get your jumper on." He helped her up and into her jumper before heading for the door, Hermione in tow.

"Fred… what is it?" She asked as he pulled her through the crowded street.

He smiled. "You'll see."

He pulled her towards Zonko's front window and they stopped.

"So what is it?" She asked.

He pointed to a flyer in the window.

She turned and read:

ATTENTION

On the twentieth of December, Zonko's will be closing its doors and changing owners. It will be going under renovation for several days.

Mr. Fred Weasley and Mr. George Weasley want to welcome you to join the Grand Opening of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes the first of January at 10:00 am.

It continued, but Hermione didn't care when Zonko's going out of business sale was.

"Fred! This is amazing! Congratulations! I'm so proud of the two of you!" She threw her arms around him.

He smiled brightly. "That's why we were gone for a week. We'll have to stock two shops now and we needed twice as many raw materials for our products. Got a great deal, too."

She looked up at him, shaking her head in amazement. She yanked him down by the front of his sweater and kissed him deeply.

He groaned and pulled her to him. There was a catcall and they pulled away suddenly to find Harry and Ginny heading toward them.

Hermione blushed profusely and looked the other way. She heard Fred chuckle and she scowled up at him.

"Hey!" Harry said, turning Hermione around and giving her a hug.

"Hi, Harry."

"So, what's this good news?" Ginny asked.

Hermione smiled brightly as Fred pointed to the sign.

It only took a moment before Ginny screamed and jumped on her brother, squeezing him around the neck.

"You did it! You are bloody brilliant!" She told him, squeezing him tighter. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her to him, her feet dangling.

Hermione noticed his face turning red.

"Ginny? Could you let up? Hard to breath…" Fred mentioned, a bit breathless.

She laughed and let go, allowing him to place her back on the ground.

"This is great, mate! Congratulations!" Harry told him as he clapped him on the shoulder.

"Come in! I want to explain how we want to set it up!" Fred told them, grabbing Hermione's hand and hurrying inside.

Hermione watched him as he pulled them around the store explaining where everything would go. She was so proud of him, her chest felt like it might explode.

He ran around, his face lit up with excitement, his eyes sparkling. He was smiling so big that she could see both of his dimples; usually when he smiled, only the right dimple showed.

"And the back… you should see the back…its huge! We're going to separate it into a large storage room, an office, and a specialized room just for brewing potions."

Hermione smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "It sounds lovely, baby. I can't wait to see what you do with it."

He smiled down at her and bent down to kiss her.

Ginny scoffed. "We're still here!"

They pulled apart and looked at Ginny.

Harry rolled his eyes, pulling her in the opposite direction. "Let them have this moment."

They looked back at one another and Hermione suddenly felt bashful. She laughed and looked down.

He lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger and she looked up to see him smiling down at her.

"I love you." He told her.

She nodded. "I love you, too."

He leaned down and kissed her again, cupping the side of her face in his hand.

Both of her hands rested against his chest and he pulled her in closer, using more force then intended and it caused her to giggle against his lips.

He growled in response and nipped her lip.

"Ahem." He pulled away and looked to find the current owner standing with his arms crossed.

"It isn't your shop yet, Mr. Weasley."

Fred cleared his throat. "Sorry mate… we'll just take it outside."

He escorted her out the door, leading her out with his hand on the small of her back. Once the door closed they both started laughing.

She smacked his arm. "Way to get us on trouble!" She said between giggles.

"It was worth it. He can't tell George and me apart so I'll blame him." He told her, grinning. He leaned in to give her a peck on the lips.

"Well isn't that a sight?"

She turned and glared toward Cormac.

"Hello, McLaggen." Fred said in a flat tone.

"Weasley." He said, giving him a nod before looking back at Hermione.

"Couldn't even wait til the body had gone cold before moving onto his brother?" He asked, glaring at her.

Fred took a step torward him and Hermione held him back.

"He's just angry that I turned him down." She told Fred, not taking her eyes off Cormac's face.

"I just don't get it, Granger. How do you turn down a strapping guy like me, but then date these poor Weasley's?"

"He's not poor… and even if he was, it wouldn't make a difference." Hermione told him, her eyebrows stitched together.

"Oh, that's right… their 'extraordinary' joke shop." He said, using air quotes. "What are you doing, Weasley? Paying her to sleep with you?" He scowled.

Hermione gasped.

"I'll kill you." Fred growled.

"Why are you doing this?" Hermione asked Cormac, holding onto Fred's arm.

He smiled and shook his head. "For such a brilliant beauty you sure have poor taste…pun intended."

Hermione gripped Fred's arm tighter, feeling him trying to move forward.

"When you get sick of this ginger trash, you're welcome to come find me." Smiling, Cormac winked at her.

"You are a disgusting excuse for a man. I wouldn't touch you with a twenty foot pole." She turned to Fred, who was breathing harshly through his clenched teeth and was red in the face.

"You're lucky my girl is here." Fred growled between his clenched teeth. "She's seen enough violence and I won't be having her see anymore. I swear to all that is magick though... if I see you out and I'm alone, there will be no spell that could fix what I'm going to do to your face."

"Come on love, he isn't worth it." She told him quietly, trying to push him the other way. He wouldn't budge or even look at her. His eyes remained locked on the other wizard, who stood stone still. Fred could see the surprise in his eyes and it was satisfying.

Hermione cupped Fred's face in her hands and his eyes finally dropped to hers. She pulled his face down to hers and kissed him.

"Let's just go." She told him while his face was still close.

He licked his lips and nodded, grabbing her hand before turning and walking the other way. Pulling her to him, he put an arm around her snuggly. "He is as foul as Malfoy."

She rubbed his back. "He's just jealous."

"What would have happened if I wasn't here?" He asked her.

"Then I would have hexed him... or kicked him in the groin." She told him simply, leaning her head against his side.

He smiled. "Good."

She leaned her head back and returned his smile. Taking advantage, he gave her a kiss. He couldn't keep his mouth off of her. He would never be tired of those lips. They were an addiction he never knew he needed until now.

"Let's find the others and get some lunch." He told her as they strolled down the lane.

"Sounds good. I'm starved." She told him.

"That snog worked up an appetite, I take it?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

She tutted, but smiled. "Yes, but not for food."

Her comment made him stop dead in his tracks, a look of shock on his face. She took a few more steps.

"Well, come on!" She said, waving him over.

He just looked at her.

She cocked an eyebrow and bent down patting her legs. "Come on, you can do it! Come on, boy!"

He let his head fall back with a loud laugh and he moved toward her. "Good boy!" she told him, ruffling his hair.

"I'm a dog now, am I?" He asked, hooking an arm around her neck.

"Well, it worked… so I would imagine so. A rather scruffy one at that." She mentioned, reaching up to rub his copper stubble. He panted and shook his leg.

She laughed. "What ever am I to do with you, Frederick Weasley?"

He leaned down close to her ear. "I have a few suggestions." He kissed the freckle behind her ear and enjoyed watching her blush crimson.

Soon, they found Ginny, Harry, and George. Hermione launched herself at George and squeezed him around the middle, congratulating him on their wonderful news.

He smiled and looked down at her. "Thanks Herm-WHAT IS THAT?!" His eyes bugged out, pointing to her neck.

She covered her neck with her hand and blushed profusely.

"What did my brother do to you? I thought you were going slow!" He asked her, his jaw set.

Ginny smirked. "Are you being protective over Hermione?"

George glared at her. "Shut up, Gin."

Hermione smiled at George and linked her arm in his. "Thank you, George."

He huffed, but smiled down at her. "Somewhere along the way you wormed your way into my heart, little Herms. I don't know how I could be so stupid. My little heartworm."

She smacked his arm. "You're horrible!"

He laughed and hung his arm over her neck. "Come on, I'll buy you some lunch."

They started to walk toward the pub leaving Fred behind.

"HEY!" He yelled. "That's my bird!"

George turned his head and looked at Fred. "I know. You and I will have a talk about that later." He told Fred, cocking his eyebrow.

Fred followed them into the pub. "Great. I already got the big brother talk from Harry… as if he isn't dating my own sister... Now I'm going to get it from my own twin."

XxXxXx

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the others and Fred's mood declined more with every passing hour. He just wanted to get a moment with Hermione to breathe her in one last time, taste her lips before she disappeared behind the gates of the castle.

Hermione, on the other hand, was ecstatic to have everyone back if only for just a few hours. It was nice to get some normalcy after long hours of studying and loneliness. She pushed the fact that the day was almost over to the back of her head. She knew she needed to enjoy this and not dwell on what was coming later.

She was a bit put off with the fact that George now seemed to keep himself between Fred and her. He hadn't allowed them to even hold hands since lunch.

They were in Honeydukes when she finally felt his large hand wrap around her and settle against her stomach while she was looking over the sweets.

She sighed deeply and leaned back against him. "How'd you get your brother to leave you alone?"

"I paid Ginny to drag him to the ice cream shop. Smart girl, too. She convinced him to buy her the ice cream." He said, while he played with a piece of her hair.

She laughed. "Ginny has you boys wrapped around her little finger."

He scoffed. "And you don't, Miss Granger?! Do you not see how George has been acting? And Bill practically panicked when he hadn't heard from you in three days!"

She rolled her eyes. "They just think I'm fragile."

"They love you, just like they love Ginny…Bill, I think maybe even a little more than Ginny." He teased.

"I'd rather have you wrapped around my finger." She told him, squeezing his hand that was setting against her stomach.

He leaned down to her ear. "Oh, you have no idea how tightly I'm wound."

He wrapped both arms around her and squeezed her, kissing her ear. She turned her head and met his lips.

"Ahem." They looked over to see George.

She smiled at him. "Did you enjoy your ice cream?"

"I can't leave you alone with her for one second, can I?" He asked Fred, poking him in the ribs.

Fred laughed and let go of Hermione. "Can't help it. She's got a spell on me."

Hermione smiled. "A potion actually. I warned you not to sell those love potions in your shop."

Fred made a grab for her and she squeaked, hurrying to the other side of the store.

George cocked an eyebrow at his brother.

"Let's get this over with, Georgie." Fred told him, crossing his arms.

"I thought you promised to take things slow." George said, leaning against a pillar.

"We are. I asked for permission to kiss her."

"That bite on her neck is not from an innocent kiss." George said, nodding toward Hermione.

Fred clenched his jaw. "She isn't a porcelain doll. She's not going to break! We just snogged. I didn't force anything on her! I'm letting her make all the shots. When she says no, I stop. If she says yes, I go. She isn't as fragile as you think she is. We're not going to tiptoe around you and Bill because you don't want us to have a normal relationship!" Fred's face turned red, anger evident in his features.

"Take it easy, brother. The only reason I worry is because of what Bill mentioned. He didn't want her to go back to how she was after Ron's funeral. Now I just have that image stuck in my head. What happens if you two break up and she falls back into her old habits?" George asked.

Fred bit his lip, remembering.

It had been four days since the battle and the Weasley's, Hermione, and Harry just returned to the burrow from his burial.

They all stood in the yard talking and crying quietly. Hermione stood off to the side by herself, staring down at her shoes.

It was drizzling, causing everyone to use their wands as umbrella's. Fred watched Hermione. She hadn't eaten, slept or spoken in four days. Her eyes were sunken in and her clothes hung off of her more than ever. He noticed her hand shaking uncontrollably as she held up her wand.

"Come on. Let's go inside; I'll make us some tea." Mrs. Weasley mentioned.

They all wandered inside, Fred waiting outside the door for Hermione. He noticed her walking the other way, away from the burrow and toward the orchard. He watched as she put her wand away and her walking turned into a sprint, then to a run.

He realized she was trying to make a run for it. He started to run after her, seeing her heading toward the forest. He stopped and concentrated, apparating to a few feet in front of her. He just had enough time to plant his feet and bend his knees as he opened his arms to catch her.

Instead of fighting like he thought she would, she threw her arms around his neck and sobbed into the crook of his neck. He picked her up, locking his arms together under her bum, letting her legs dangle on each side of him.

He started walking back toward the burrow and she let him carry her.

"What were you doing, love?" He asked.

He heard her clear her throat. "Running."

His heart leapt at hearing her voice.

"I noticed. But why?"

"Just needed to." She whispered. He barely heard her.

"Are you done running?"

She sighed. "I let you catch me, didn't I?" She asked, picking her head up and looking at him before disappearing back into the crook of his neck.

He carried her past the pond, through the pumpkin patch and the garden, finally making it to the kitchen door.

"Oh! I was wondering…" Mrs. Weasley started. Fred shook his head, causing her sentence to drift off.

He carried her past the kitchen and into the sitting room. He sat on the couch with her straddling his lap, her head still in his neck.

He took his wand and dried both of them. She tucked both of her arms between them and closed her eyes. After not sleeping for four days, she suddenly fell asleep right there.

He sat there for hours with her before taking her up to her room to rest. His family ate in silence and he decided to head to bed right after dinner.

Fred laid in bed all evening crying for his brother, his family, friends, Harry, and Hermione.

He was finally drifting off when he felt someone jump onto his bed and cling to his arm. He turned to find a shivering, crying Hermione.

"It's s-s-so c-c-cold. I n-need your warmth." She told him, her teeth chattering. He lifted his blanket and she slid under, moving closer to him. He put an arm around her and pulled her against him. He ran his hand up and down her bony back, trying to make her shivering stop.

He woke up early the next morning with a sleeping Hermione at his side. He knew it was best to have her head back to her room before his mum found them.

"Hermione?" He nudged her.

"Is Harry awake, Ron? Just a little longer. You're so warm." Hermione whispered, her eyes remaining closed. She snuggled deeper into his side. "Hold me tighter." She said, muffled against his chest.

Fred laid their for a second before deciding to tighten his grip. He turned his head the other way, tears starting to flow down his cheeks. He knew that he should wake her, but his heart broke for her and he wanted her to have these few moments with Ron, even if it was a lie.

Fred shook his head. "She isn't going to go back to what she was. I helped her through that."

George nodded. "Exactly. You helped her through it. So, what happens when you aren't there anymore? Who is going to help her through that? None of us can be there for her like you were."

Fred rubbed his face. "I'm not going anywhere. I've been stuck on her since I was sixteen! Don't you get it? Out of everyone, you should be the one that does! She is the one! I can't imagine-"

"Everything okay?" Hermione asked walking up behind them. "Fred… you look angry."

He took a deep breath and turned. "Yes, love. Everything is fine." He turned to George. "We done here?!"

George nodded.

"Let's go, baby." Fred told her, wrapping an arm around her as he kissed her head.

Hermione kept her mouth closed until they were out of Honeydukes and pulled him to sit on a bench on the corner of the street below a tree.

"What was that all about?" Hermione asked, turning toward him.

He shook his head, jaw clenched.

"Fred… did I do something?"

He shook his head and took her hands in his. "No, of course not. I'm just angry that my own twin doesn't believe that I wouldn't leave you. He thinks I'm going to break your heart."

Hermione bit her lip. "Oh. I'm sorry that George is acting like that. I hate that you are fighting about me. It seems like everyone wants a say in our relationship, instead of letting us decide." She told him.

"You don't think that, do you? That I'm going to leave you?" He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

She shook her head. "To tell you the truth, I haven't really thought about it. If this war has taught me anything, it's that we need to learn to live in the present and take it day by day. I'm happy now. If something happens in the future between the two of us.. then it does, but I know I won't regret anything because I followed what my heart needed at the moment."

He slid closer to her, his eyes locked on hers. Hermione felt her stomach flip as she noticed his eyes darken.

He slipped his large hand under her curly caramel brown hair and grasped the nape of her neck. Hermione's heart was beating so hard, she could hear it in her ears.

His nose nuzzled hers for a moment before he turned his head and captured her lips with his.

The kiss was long and slow, Fred wanting to take his time as he explored her mouth, causing a whimper to escape her. Hermione slid her hands up and around his neck, fingers tangling themselves in the short fringe on the nape. Her tongue danced around his, enjoying the taste of the peppermint still on his tongue.

They pulled apart, Fred giving her a few short kisses before resting his forehead against hers.

He looked into her eyes. "I've never seen your eyes that dark, Mione." He whispered, searching them. "Fuck, you're incredible."

She blushed and looked down, making him smile. "I like that I can have that effect on you." He told her, twirling a small strand of her hair around his finger while he looked at her. His heart still ached at the thought of the condition she was in just months prior.

Hermione noticed the sudden sadness in his eyes.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I just hate leaving you. Promise me again that you won't go another three weeks without contacting me?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry that I did that. I just felt so guilty about that shirt and what Ron would think and then when I decided to owl you I was scared you'd be so angry and disappointed and it made me feel even more guilty-."

He pulled her to him and set his chin against the top of her head. "Hey, we already talked about this. It's alright. As long as you communicate your feelings to me, I will never be that angry with you. I just need to know what's going on. I love you, Hermione. I'll always be willing to listen."

She looked up at him, warmth flooding her heart. "I love you, too. So much, Fred." She slipped her hand behind his head and yanked him down to her lips.

It caught him by surprise, making him gasp, but he recovered quickly and pulled her closer. They only had mere minutes left before she had to disappear and he was going to make every second count.