Broodmare

The next week went by filled with extreme paranoia for both the girls and the twins.

The twins hadn't played any pranks on the girls yet and the girls anxiety over every smile on the boys faces, every visit, and every hour spent with the twins became almost unbearable.

The twins constantly worried that the girls were going to break into their flat and ended up using Homenum Revelio every hour on the flat while in the shop.

The girls sat at the table on Sunday morning for breakfast. Breakfast had become Hermione's favorite meal since the twins were now staying at the flat. Breakfast meant they weren't there to sneak anything into their food or do anything to the girls and Hermione didn't have to go around muttering Specialis Revelio everywhere she went. Every night she would even use Protego Totalum, a strong shield charm she used at their campsite during the war, on their room so that the boys couldn't sneak in at night.

Hermione noticed her hand shaking as she held up her spoonful of porridge. She set it back in her bowl and took a blew out a breath. Harry and Ginny watched her as she fidgeted in her seat.

"This is mad, Ginny! My nerves are shot! I feel like I'm back in the war. I am so paranoid, I feel like I belong in a padded room at St. Mungo's." Hermione rolled her neck, trying to relief some tension.

"This is war, Hermione." Ginny told her simply.

Hermione looked at Harry, her eyebrow raised. He shrugged and gave Hermione a worried look. Hermione wished Ginny understood how it had been in that stupid tent. This prank war was no where near a real war… so why was it bugging her so much?

Ginny sighed. "Don't look like that. My nerves are shot, too. Last night I dreamed that I woke up in the middle of the pond on a raft with the gnomes using my hair as a swinging rope."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. Hermione had her own stress dreams the past few days.

"I had one where I was pregnant and went into labor and as the child was coming out, fireworks were shooting out and the baby had two heads. They looked just like the twins. One was even missing an ear."

Harry snorted into his milk and started to choke while Ginny tried to contain her laughter behind her cupped hands, but her red face and shaking shoulders gave her away.

Hermione had a smile on her face, but narrowed her eyes at the two.

There was a wooshing sound followed by deep throaty chuckles.

The twins stopped chuckling, noticing Harry smiling in mid-choke and Ginny's shaking shoulders. They looked at one another, their eyes wide, paranoid that Harry had become an ally to the girls.

"Oh, darling sister of ours..."

"Tell us what is so hysterical to make your face the color of a baboon's backside?"

Ginny scowled at them, her laughter subsiding quickly. "If you must know, Hermione was just describing a dream she had about the two of you… or nightmare, really."

The twins wore matching Cheshire grins. "Really, Granger?"

"Care to enlighten us then?"

Hermione frowned. "No, I do not. And it wasn't about you two, either! It was just your faces!"

Ginny snickered. "With fireworks coming out your… ouch!" Hermione shot a bolt out of her wand, singeing the hair on Ginny's arm.

Then twins doubled over in laughter.

Hermione whimpered and let her head hit the table. She hoped they wouldn't get the idea to try to make fireworks come out of any orifice of her or anyone else's body.

She felt a hand on her upper back and she tensed, jumped up and pointed her wand at her boyfriend. He put his hands up.

"Empty your pockets!" She told him.

"Hermione… I'm not going to do anything to you… I just want to see you." Fred told her, his forehead wrinkled. She looked at him for a moment, deciding whether or not she should believe him. She heard a girly giggle out of George's mouth and her eyes flicked towards him before settling back on Fred. She definitely didn't trust them now.

"Empty them or you can stay over there." She told him. He emptied them and pulled his pockets inside out so she could see they were empty. She eyed him for a moment before sitting back in her seat and going through what he had pulled out.

Money, a wallet, a pocket quill, some sweets. "Specialis Revelio!" She pointed her wand at the pile. Nothing happened. She sighed and sat back in her chair, taking his chocolate frog. "Thank you."

"I was going to eat that!" He complained.

She smiled at him. "You have another." She mentioned, pointing towards the sweets.

He shoved the items back into various pockets, eyeing her. "You don't trust me?"

"When it comes to pranks?" She laughed. "Not a chance." She frowned at George as he sat next to Ginny, her lower jaw jutting out. Her hands were in her lap, rolling her wand between her thumbs and forefingers.

Fred sat down next to Hermione and put his arm over the back of her chair, causing her head to whip around to look at him.

"Will you just relax?!" He asked her, a bit miffed at the way she was acting. She bit her lip and leaned back. "You've been like this all week." He mentioned.

"She is having a bit of an emotional breakdown with the prank war." Ginny mentioned.

Hermione shot her eye daggers. "I'm just paranoid. I can't let my guard down because then you'll do something to me." She corrected.

Fred looked to George. "Hermione. We didn't mean for it to cause so much upset. How about we postpone the war until after Christmas? You and Ginny deserve to relax the next couple weeks." George offered.

Hermione gave him a small smile. "Honest? This isn't some scheme?"

He nodded. "No scheming until after Christmas. Do I need to make a wizard's oath?"

She shook her head. "No, that won't be necessary. Thank you, George."

He smiled and grabbed a piece of bacon off of Ginny's plate. With a mouthful of bacon he answered, "You're welcome."

Fred was honestly relieved that they came to that decision. He wasn't able to enjoy the holiday break with her while they were all paranoid. He pulled Hermione's chair against his and put his arm around her. She turned and smiled at him. He kissed her temple and she lifted her chin to meet his lips.

Ginny scoffed. "I'm eating! Mum will be back down any second! Do you want her to catch you two lip wrestling?"

Hermione laughed and looked down at her lap. Fred watched as pink tinged her cheekbones. He loved how shy she could become over small things.

There was another woosh that caused them all to jump up and run into the living room, their wands in their hands. A man with deep copper hair stood with his back to them, dusting off the soot. A dragon tattoo peeked out from below his tshirt sleeve that was stretched against his large bicep.

"Charlie!" Hermione yelled, her mind working a second faster than the others, hurrying toward him for a hug.

"Hello, Hermione!" He hugged her tight.

Ginny came running over and squeezed him as hard as she could causing a puff of air to escape his mouth. "Hey, Gin-Gin. I've missed you too…" He told her, smiling and squeezing her back lightly.

"What are you doing here? We didn't know you were coming for the holidays this year!" Ginny smiled, looking up at him, refusing to let him go.

He looked down at her. "Well, I managed to persuade my boss to let me off for Christmas. Have to go back before the New Year and work doubles, but it's worth it." He looked up toward the boys. "Hey mates!"

They all made their way over to smack him on the back and say their hello's.

"Where are Mum and Dad?" He asked. The twins snickered. "Did I miss something?"

"Mum went upstairs with Dad after she made breakfast." Ginny told him as she squeezed him, scowling at the twins.

Charlie laughed. "Never mind. I think I'll wait to say hello then. Mind if I borrow Pig? I promised Sorin I would owl him with some information when I got here." He caught Hermione's eye and saw that she was giving him a knowing smile. He winked at her. Hermione knew something that no one else knew… yet. He mentally reminded himself to grab her later for a talk.

"Sure! He's in Harry's room." Ginny answered.

"Mind if I head up, mate?" He asked Harry.

Harry nodded. "No problem. There is fresh parchment and quills on the desk."

"Be right back!" Charlie peeled his sister off of him and headed up the stairs.

XxXxXx

Mrs. Weasley bustled around the kitchen at lunch time, ecstatic to have her Charlie home for a couple weeks. Charlie volunteered himself and Hermione for potato duty for dinner. He thought it would give them a chance to talk.

Mrs. Weasley made lunch on the stove and the others went out to play quiddich, effectively skiving off manual labor, while he and Hermione sat at the far end of the table, Charlie on the end and Hermione sitting in the last chair to his left, manually peeling potatoes.

"Let's listen to the wireless Mum!" Charlie mentioned, flicking his wand, causing the radio to turn on and up a bit. He left it on his mum's favorite station and smiled, seeing his mum already starting to bob around and hum. Once the chorus hit Hermione found it safe to whisper to Charlie.

She leaned her head towards him, her eyes still on her potato as she peeled it. "So how is Sorin?"

Charlie smiled. "He's well."

Hermione looked over at Charlie and smiled affectionately.

"Hermione… I've been thinking about what you and I have been owling about and I think I'm going to do it." His face flushed as he smiled.

Hermione suppressed a squeal. "I think that will be wonderful! It's time. I will be here to support you no matter what."

"Thanks, Hermione. I think Christmas Eve dinner will be the best time. He's coming for Christmas by the way."

Hermione couldn't help, but dance a bit in her seat. "This is going to be amazing. I'm proud of you, Charlie. You are so brave."

"I'm worried how they'll react. Mum is always so adamant about me finding a good wife and giving her grandchildren." Charlie threw a peeled potato into the bowl and sighed.

Hermione leaned over and hugged him. "It's just because she doesn't know. Once they know, they'll understand."

He squeezed her tightly. "Thank you, Hermione."

"No problem."

The kitchen door opened and they pulled apart and grabbed another potato to peel.

Fred sat next to her and leaned against her. She looked over towards him. His cheeks were flush from the cold, his hair was windswept, and his eyes were wide and bright. Her stomach jumped. She suddenly had the intense urge to grab him and snog him senseless.

"Ew." Her head snapped towards George who was sitting across the table. She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Can you not look at him like that in our presence please? Our mother is in the room for Godric's sake!"

"I wasn't looking at him any certain way." Hermione started to peel her potato with a little more vigor.

George snorted. "Please! You were practically undressing him with your eyes!"

Fred smiled at her and Charlie coughed, trying to cover up his snort. She shot daggers at George and Charlie.

"Jealous boys?" Ginny asked from behind Hermione. "Upset Hermione doesn't look at you that way?"

Hermione smiled, pleased with Ginny's response. She turned and found Fred with a similar smile on his face. He leaned in and kissed her. She felt how cold his nose really was.

"You're freezing!" She commented, releasing her potato and peeler to press her palms to his cheeks.

"Fred, maybe you should go take a warm shower." Mrs. Weasley mentioned, hurrying over and putting her hands on his forehead. "You didn't wear your scarf or hat did you? How many times must I tell you; will you ever learn? You'll catch cold!" She pulled him up and pushed him towards the stairs. "Go on!"

Hermione's mind flashed back to the morning she found him in the shower and blushed at the thought. As if reading her mind, Fred turned and winked at Hermione before heading up the stairs.

"You two are pretty serious then? Why didn't you mention it in your owls?" Charlie asked her.

She bit her lip. "It's still pretty new. It's not like we've been together for… oh, let's say… four years or so, without telling anyone." His eyes narrowed and she smiled. "You saw the beginning of it before we left for Hogwarts. It hasn't progressed much. We haven't really been able to see each other while I'm in school, so there wasn't really anything for me to tell. I promise that if we ever realize that we're hopelessly in love and we decide to run off to elope that you will be my first owl."

Mrs. Weasley scoffed. "Elope? You'll do no such thing! You will have proper wedding in the backyard like Bill."

Hermione laughed. "It was just a joke, Mrs. Weasley." Seeing the look on Mrs. Weasley's face, she continued. "I promise that if the subject of marriage ever comes up that we will wed properly and it will be a big extravaganza in the backyard, close to the pond preferably."

Mrs. Weasley patted her cheek. "Such a good girl." She went back to the stove. "A spring wedding would be lovely by the pond, dear. Peach and sage colors would go perfectly with the spring season."

Hermione's eyes widened and she looked across the table at George and then to Charlie, whose shoulders were both shaking in silent laughter.

"We have a few years before we think about that Mrs. Weasley. Fred and I are still new and I'm only nineteen after all."

"Oh don't be silly. You're plenty old enough. I didn't have seven children by waiting until I was thirty. You want to start soon to be a broodmare."

Hermione gasped. Did she really just compare her to a female breeding horse? George and Charlie were both gasping for air as they squirmed in their seats. They barely kept their laughter silent.

"What about Ginny? She and Harry seem to be closer to marriage than I am."

Mrs. Weasley laughed. "No, no. Ginny is far too young for that."

Hermione gritted her teeth. Ginny was only a year and eleven months younger than she was. She knew it was only because Ginny was the girl and the baby.

"Pardon me for a moment." She headed up the stairs toward her room. For the first time, she understood Charlie's frustration about the subject.

She let out a frustrated growl and kicked her trunk before plopping down on her bed. She wished she had her mum to talk to; she would understand. Her parents waited until they were established before having her. Mrs. Weasley didn't understand how important having her own career was to her. Getting married and having children so early would throw her dreams out the window.

"What's wrong, love?" Fred asked from the door.

"Your mum! She…. Argh! I just... I miss my mum. She would understand." She looked at her hands in her lap.

He stepped in and closed the door. "What'd she do?" He sat next to her and took her hand.

"She called me a broodmare!"

Fred started to chuckle, but sobered pretty quickly when he noticed the look on Hermione's face.

"Oh come on, Hermione! She just wants grandchildren. Don't take it personal. She'll calm down a bit when Bill and Fleur have theirs." He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.

"She picked our wedding colors." She noted, looking up at him. His eyes widened.

"Shit… well, that's… that's… well that's…" He stumbled through his words, not knowing what to say.

"It's ridiculous is what it is! I haven't even graduated yet! I don't have a career or my own flat… the money from my trust fund is only going to go so far… plus I want to travel!" Her hands flipped around the air as she spoke.

He grabbed her hands. "You don't have to convince me, darling. I know you aren't ready for any of that; I'm not either. We're still new. We have a lot of things to figure out." He kissed her temple.

She nodded. "I know, I'm sorry. I just want to enjoy life without feeling pressured. My parents had their own practice before they had me. They travelled the world, enjoyed time together, and had a nice little nest egg by the time I came. I wish they were here. I could talk to them about anything. I feel like they are the only ones that understand how important my education and career are for me." She sniffled and blew out a breath, turning her head away from Fred.

He kneeled down on the floor between her legs and grasped her chin, forcing her to concentrate on him. Noticing a tear in the corner of her eye, he lifted his hand and wiped it away with his thumb. "I'm sorry that they aren't here. I wish I could have got to know them. I know it isn't the same, but I will support you in every way I can."

Feeling so much affection for her wizard, she leaned in and gave him a deep kiss. "I know you will. I'll do the same with you. I guess I overreacted. It just irked me."

He smiled. "Don't let her get to you. We'll decide together when it's time to be married and if we have children."

She shook her head. "I know you want children. I want children, too. I just don't want to be a stay at home mum. And even if we do decide to have ten children I do not appreciate being called breeding stock. I'm more than just a baby maker!"

He smiled and put a hand on her stomach. "You're right. You're much more than that. When the time comes we will decide when and how many. My mother calls herself a broodmare so please don't think it's a derogatory term. She loved being home with us."

She pulled the hand that was still rubbing her stomach off of it and held it in hers. "And there is nothing wrong with being a stay at home mum. That's what she wanted and she's the best. I can't imagine trying to deal with the seven of you 24/7." She told him, a small smile on her face.

He scoffed and she raised an eyebrow. "Okay… you have a point." He mentioned.

She looked at the picture of her parents on the nightstand and chewed her lip.

There was a knock on the door and they both turned their heads, seeing George open the door.

"I FOUND THEM!" He looked down at Fred in the floor and smirked. "I THINK FRED HAS JUST FINISHED PROPOSING! THAT SPRING WEDDING MIGHT BE SOONER THAN WE THOUGHT!" George turned and ran down the stairs.

"You wanker!" Fred yelled before jumping up and hurrying down after his brother.

XxXxXx

It took twenty minutes of Mrs. Weasley shoving bridal magazines front of Hermione and Fred assuring his mother that there was no engagement before his mother calmed down enough to serve lunch.

Hermione sat across from George, giving him a look that would rival his mother's on her worst day. George ignored her eye daggers and grinned as his mother kept murmuring something about getting her hopes up and her being to old to deal with such nonsense.

Mr. Weasley sat staring at his children. He realized he missed quite a bit while finishing paperwork in his room. Fred and Hermione looked angry, George acted extremely happy with himself, Charlie was sitting looking off into space, and Ginny and Harry looked like they were trying to stay under the radar. Everyone was extremely quiet except for his wife, who kept mumbling under her breath and throwing things about.

"So!" He started, trying to break the tension, "How is everything?"

No one spoke except George. "Great, Dad!" George answered, smiling.

Mrs. Weasley smacked him on the back of head. "You just wait! I'm not done with you, yet!" She yelled.

Hermione and Fred couldn't suppress a smile.

"What did you do, George?" His father asked, taking his glasses off and pinching his nose.

"I might have led Mum to believe that Fred and Hermione were engaged…"

His eyes darted toward the couple. "You aren't are you? She's too young!"

Hermione smiled affectionately at Mr. Weasley. "No, Sir. We aren't and thank you for your concern." She answered. She turned her head towards George. "You know George, I might be too young, but maybe a ring would be perfect for Angelina for Christmas…" She smiled.

He shook his head. "Nah. Not for Christmas. For New Years, perhaps."

Mrs. Weasley scoffed. "Stop trying to get rise out of your mother!" She told him.

He smiled. "I'm not."

They all looked at him as he reached in and produced a ring box from his pocket.

"You sod! Why didn't you tell me?!" Fred asked.

Mrs. Weasley ran over to George to see the ring, the girls following soon after.

"George! It's gorgeous!" Ginny gushed.

Hermione nodded. "It's perfect, you big prat!" She said, punching him in the shoulder. He smiled up at her.

"I was hoping that we could have a double wedding… but it looks like that isn't going to happen." He pouted.

"Guess you'll just have to suck up all the attention yourself that day." Hermione mentioned.

His eyes sparkled. "Hmm… maybe having my own wedding wouldn't be that bad… do I have to share it with Ang?"

Fred sat staring at his brother. He was taken aback by the news. Why hadn't George mentioned he bought the ring? He knew that George was throwing around the idea of asking her, but he never confirmed anything.

Fred watched as the others talked excitedly together. His stomach felt sour. His siblings, Harry, and Hermione seemed so close all of a sudden. He looked over at Charlie and saw him reach for Hermione's hand and squeeze it.

He was suddenly jealous that she was closer to Charlie than he was. He knew Hermione owled Bill and Charlie constantly and it struck him that he and George were never close to their older brothers.

Realizing that George was getting married and that he didn't even tell him before he told the others, made him feel left out. He wasn't close to the older brothers, George was now keeping things from him, Ron was gone and, although he and Ginny were relatively close, Ginny was always preoccupied with Harry.

He wondered how Hermione had the time to have such close relationships with all of his siblings, Harry, and himself. He wished he would have taken the time to get to know his older brothers better, maybe owl them every once in awhile. He was now determined to get to know them better.